As the sun melts towards the sea, amber streaks stretch across the horizon. My wife, Edel, and I sip champagne, savouring the scene as our dinner sizzles on a grill nearby.
Almost everyone we’ve spoken to since arriving on Holbox, a 42km-sliver of paradise some 10km off the coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, has urged us not to miss the spectacular sunsets. Tonight, on our table-for-two on the sand, specially set up by the restaurant team at Mystique Holbox by Royalton where we’re staying, we have the best seats in the house.
We are midway through our honeymoon, a three-part Mexican adventure curated by tour operator Kuoni, and this is exactly the ‘peak romance’ moment we’d wished for.
String-lights laid out in a heart shape around us glow as we tuck into plates of chunky, buttery lobster, with creamy baked potatoes we vow to re-attempt at home between giddy mouthfuls. The sky is violet by the time we finish our meal, and with full bellies and hearts we linger until it’s dark, soaking up every last drop of magic.
2024 marks 10 years since the first same-sex weddings in the UK took place, and more than 50,000 LGBTQ+ couples have since tied the knot. Choosing a honeymoon, however, can still come with extra considerations, whether that’s safety, a destination’s LGBTQ+ laws, or simply how comfortable you’ll feel.
On our wedding day, I promised my wife we would never stop holding hands – and we certainly didn’t want to put that on hold on honeymoon. Relaxation and the chance to explore local culture were also high on our wish list.
Specialists in crafting dream trips for couples, Kuoni have taken great strides to be LGBTQ+ inclusive. While no destinations are boycotted, their staff are trained to support same-sex couples in making an informed choice that’s right for them. After sitting down with store manager Matt Clayden at Kuoni’s Peter Jones branch in London (who happily shares his own experiences travelling with his male partner), we’re thrilled with our choice.
Same-sex marriage has been legal in Mexico since the end of 2022, and if Instagram is anything to go by, the country’s becoming increasingly popular with same-sex couples, lured by the promise of sunny luxury and vibrant, liberal vibes.
Our trip starts in fly-and-flop style at Haven Riviera, a sprawling, adults-only all-inclusive resort a 20-minute transfer from Cancun Airport – ideal after the 10-and-a-half-hour flight and madness of a wedding. The atmosphere is relaxed-glam and friendly and we feel instantly at home. I soon spot other same-sex couples too.
We’re newbies to big-shiny-all-inclusives, but as soon as our hers-n-hers sandals hit the floor, we’re set. The only thing on our to-do list is to decide which of the four pools to lounge by (we opt for the peaceful lagoon first, before joining the party at the main pool, complete with DJs and water workouts) and which cocktails to try.
There’s a range of casual and fine dining restaurants – our favourites are fancy Mediterranean Olios and Vora Mar, a stylish trattoria with homemade pasta and ocean views. The resort has evening entertainment and activities too, from yoga to cookery classes. We treat ourselves to spa treatments and an excursion to the ancient city of Coba (£390pp with private car and guide), one of the region’s most important Mayan sites.
Coba is home to a number of engravings and structures, including the 42-metre-high Nohoch Mul, the second tallest Mayan pyramid in the world. And while it’s over 2,000 years since these ruins would have been bustling with life, a soft hum of energy still flows through the dusty, forest-flanked paths.
Our tour then takes us on for a dip in the ‘el sueno’ cenote. The Yucatan Peninsula is said to feature around 8,000 of these natural water-filled sinkholes, formed by slips in the limestone bedrock beneath, although they’re not all accessible. Many are at ground level, but el sueno (which translates to ‘the dream’) weaves through an underground cave, its ceilings dripping with stalactites. Swimming beneath them, it’s easy to see how this mystical place earned its name.
The next day, we transfer to Chiquila Port and hop on a ferry (approx £12.50 each) for the 25-minute crossing to Holbox (this is the only transfer Kuoni wasn’t able to pre-arrange, but departures are every 30 minutes until 9:30pm).
This car-free island is bursting with character. Locals and visitors ramble its sandy streets – lined with murals, taco shacks and bars in vivid pinks, corals and blues – by golf cart or bicycle.
Mystique, the boutique beachside hotel where we’re staying on a B&B basis, is a big shift after Haven Riviera and we’re instantly charmed by its intimate, boho feel.
Holbox’s hippy vibe quickly absorbs us too; we ditch the guidebook and instead follow our senses for the next few days. Crime rates here are very low and we feel completely comfortable exploring on foot, dipping in and out of the warm, turquoise sea and getting tipsy on tequila shots at buzzy live music spot, The Hot Corner.
This region is also teeming with protected nature reserves and birdlife, so boat trips are popular. We book the ‘Three Island Tour’ (approx £46pp), which stops off for a refreshing dip in Yalahau Lagoon and flamingo-spotting off the shores of Isla Pasión.
We transfer back to Cancun for our final honeymoon hop over to Isla Mujeres, for a few nights at the super luxe Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets. Recently crowned ‘Most Instagrammable Hotel in the World’ for 2024 by Luxury Travel Advisor, this place is next-level stylish.
The A-list experience begins when we are whisked over from the mainland via private catamaran, which drops us off on a jetty dotted with daybeds. This frames a small private beach and sea pool with a giant, winding water chute, leading up to a series of infinity pools and balconied suites nestled into the cliffside.
We are assigned a ‘butler’, who we can WhatsApp for help with restaurant reservations, activities and any other queries we might have during our stay. We book onto the morning e-bike tour, intrigued to see more of the 7km-long Isla Mujeres – which means ‘Island of Women’. (The story goes it was once home to Ixchel, Mayan goddess of the moon, medicine and fertility, and her court of women; some still visit to seek her blessings.)
At Punta Sur at the island’s southernmost point, you can still see the storm-worn ruins of a temple dedicated to Ixchel. While the top of Isla Mujeres is lapped by the Gulf of Mexico, her east coast faces the Caribbean Sea, giving it a wilder feel as we pedal back up towards the hotel.
In three days, we also manage to paddle-board, kayak, have a rooftop crystal reading and reiki session, watch a fire show, do a mindful art class, and partake in a beautiful traditional Mayan new moon ceremony. Impression may be ultra-Instagrammable, but there’s a lot of substance alongside its immaculate style.
Dining at Impression does not disappoint, either – each of its seven signature restaurants offers something special and distinct, from Pan-Asian feasts at Sake, to melt-in-the-mouth seafood and steak at Wildfire Grill and Italian Spezia, where we book in for one last date night followed by sundowners on the Temple terrace bar.
Clinking margaritas, we chat through our favourite moments then dance until closing time. Mexico has our hearts, and we’re blown away by how warmly it held ours.
How to play your trip
A 12-night package including four nights at Haven Riviera Cancun (all-inclusive), four nights at Mystique Holbox by Royalton (B&B), and four nights at Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets (all-inclusive), including flights with British Airways from London Gatwick, based on departure May 5, 2025, cost from £4599pp. Visit kuoni.co.uk
