I have only been to Morocco but I do enjoy traveling and vacationing there. I know there's lots of romantic places that make great honeymoon destinations. I think if I had to choose a place in Morocco for our honeymoon I would choose either Marrakech of Essaouira probably.

So... where would you guys choose to go within the MENA for your honeymoon?

I wanted to go to Egypt. But my husband couldnt get the time off, he was in the middle of an urgent building crisis. His response to a honeymoon?

NO kids, No phone, No leaving the bedroom... so doesnt matter where we go!

LOL


Wendy

Well, I haven't been to the MENA area yet, so I can't say for sure.
Of course I'm already going to Egypt (Cairo) insha'Allah and might end up going to Alexandria or Hurghada for our "honeymoon".

However, there is an island that an Iranian friend of mine told me about. For the life of me I can't remember what the name of it is. It might not even be an island but a small country over there somewhere on the sea. It seems like it was developed almost with tourists in mind and the pictures I saw made it look just divine. I wish I could contact my friend and find out what the place is, but he's gone MIA.

Where else?? Jordan!!!!!! Aqaba is beautiful

Aqaba


The Intercontinental Hotel in Aqaba

i know alot of people from syria go to turkey for honeymoons.

I have only traveled in Morocco, but I hear JOrdan is beautiful. So I might go there since i have alread seen Morocco.

Hajj and Medina What better way to start a life together for two muslimeen than to visit the kabba and the Prophet (saws)?



But in terms of romance, I would say Dubai. If money was no object, a week spent in Burj al Arab



Or Turkey, because my husband and I are both history buffs and Turkey has a ton of history.

Everyone stole my answer.

We'd go to Turkey in a HEARTBEAT if we had time....and money. I'd go to Turkey and then cruise down and around all the Greek Islands!

We've always talked about taking a trip to Turkey, too !

There are so many places I want to see in ME/NA -- I want to travel to them ALL !



-MK

The travel channel did a feature show on that hotel in Dubai...it looked amazing. If I was picking the destination and didn't have to consider any other agenda but vacation, I would choose there, but you guys are right, Turkey sounds great too. Nice pictures.

One of our dreams is to travel the Middle East and the world. Right now, we can't even travel to Disney World

i take nessa to trips all the time to wally world

I loved Turkey . . . lots of places to pick from. Istanbul is a great city to explore (I want to go back!!!) but maybe not a honeymoon destination. There are seaside resorts on the Mediterranean that would be great to spend some private time at.

I want to go to Dubai as I've heard a lot about it . . . also heard that it was expensive.

Egypt . . . well, what can I say . . . if it is a honeymoon then I'd say got to Sharm el Sheik, Hurghada or, an egyptian i know recommends Dahab.

I managed Cairo and Luxor for my honeymoon . . . but there is so much to do other than stay in a room, hehe!! So I'd be off looking at the Valley of the Kings and Habu Temple, while hubby was sleeping . . . he's Egyptian . . . he didn't want to look at any of that stuff and certainly not at 9am . . . typical! He kept wondering why I'd be up so early . . . . .

My choices:
Cartage, Tunezia
Hoggar, Algerie
Phaorah tour in Egypte
Jerusalem
Petra, Jordan
Istanbul, Turkey
Dubai

dubai or aqaba, definitly

turkey cuz i always wanted to go there and haven't been yet.
jordan next.
syria

been to morocco, israel, and egypt. if i were to pick a romantic destination in morocco i would choose essaouira!

The North Coast of Egypt is a good choice.

As of right now, we are considering our trip to Morocco "our honeymoon." We're leaving on our 1 year muslim wedding anniversary so what better way than to spend our honeymoon with his family!

I would love to go hajj as a honeymoon, hit it right on the dot. I hope that once Yassine gets here and when we get through the process and he can travel we will do this. Inshallah. I wonder most of how sex would be after the hajj, you can not have it during however once it is over. I would think that it would really be a spritaul event. (I hope this is not bad to say this.)

Jerusalem is also a top pick for me to see the mosque there however I am not sure how save it would be.

LOL, I talked to my husband last night about where he would go on a honeymoon. He said Spain and Turkey, because of the history. I said, but what about hajj, and he's like Honeymoon is for romance, and you can't really have romance on hajj Looking like I'll be going on my hajj honeymoon by myself.

I want a honeymoon. I mean we technically had one I guess but when I think of honeymoon I think beach, no phones, no computers, not having to cook at all, room service, etc. Basically I think Sandals. Is there a Sandals resort in the middle east?


I think our first trip will be to a Sandals resort once he gets here.



I can think of a hundred better ways!!!

I think it would be wonderful I do not understand how some people like to separate the two. Religion is a big party of our lives, it even dictates sex so I am not sure why it would be a bad thing. I know that during the Hajj it should be no intercourse however afterwards which I believe it covers 5 days should be free to do what you want. I think it would bring the couple together and remind you of the common bond that we share (along with about a billion other people). I think it is funny but I love it when my fiance and talk about the sunnah and some other issues that effect us with your lives. Along with holding my hands. But you know men.

I have to put my vote in for Lebanon.....

* blows the dust off this oldie but goodie thread*


I'd want to go to Aqaba

I would have went anywhere my hubby would take me. We didn't even get a night away after our wedding

Lebanon then Egypt! What we did


Nita

After Ibrahim and I married at the courthouse, we went to the Kabob house and ate lots of good food.

Then we came home and played with La Princessa, watched a boring azz movie, The Postman.

Now when he gets back here, the ENTIRE first year will be our honeymoon!

jJ

Nice pick of thread sweet peach! i cant wait to be with my husband and finally make up all what i missed -didnt have a honeymoon and he left ten days after the wedding - so we always talk about this and we both agree on greece but until we can afford that; its hotelrooms in his hometown LV lol

I'd vote for someplace that isn't like here nor Morocco. I would pick Caneel Bay on St. John Virgin Islands. Knowing him, though, he'd pick Egypt, since he really wants to go there more than anything.

Though he does owe me a trip to Spain since I cut out my Spain trip last November and went to Morocco since I had hopelessly fallen in love with him..

Awwwwwww yes i wd love to go to spain too my husband been there many times he loves it and he speaks fluent spanish so it will be easy going around.

I'm sure your friend was talking about Kish Island. http://www.kishisland.com/


My fiance wants us to marry and honeymoon in Istanbul. Personally, I'd rather go to Thailand. I'd love to see all the Buddhist temples, relax on the beach and go into the jungle areas. Then, whether we get married in Istanbul or Thailand, i'd like to visit Iran afterwards to meet his family that couldn't make it to the wedding and see some of those beautiful places i've only seen in pictures.

And I must say I would not recommend Dubai to anyone thinking of going there. It is too fake, too hot, too expensive, too touristy, completely lacking in history or culture and did I mention too fake? It's basically just a playground for the rich where the desert meets the Persian Gulf. There are far more interesting, affordable and cultured places in the Middle East to visit. I'm sure you could enjoy yourself much more in Lebanon or Egypt.

i agree i have relatives there say the same thing they re dying to come back to egypt!

I'm a bit biased after living in Turkey, but it is beautiful! Although, I wouldn't recommend Istanbul for a honeymoon as much as somewhere along the Mediterranean, like Bodrum. Don't get me wrong, Istanbul is amazing and so rich with history, but the Mediterranean coast is breathtaking. It all depends on what kind of honeymoon you want. If I ever move back to Turkey, it will definitely be close to the sea...maybe Izmir or Antalya.

Bodrum:

dubai!






friendly debate here - dubai is like a playground but thailand is, um... not????

I stayed there for a couple nights. It is divine!!!

And have you even been to Dubai? I'm living there!
If you have the money to stay in an overpriced hotel and don't plan on leaving the hotel then fine. I'm sure the Burj would suit you. But I wouldn't plan an extended stay in Dubai if you plan on leaving the hotel at some point. Half of Dubai is a shithole and the other half is littered with gaudy skyscrapers and villas built by poor Indian and Pakistani slave-laborers under questionable health and safety standards. If you want to cater to slave labor then be my guest.

And yes, i'd like to go to Thailand for the beaches and the architecuture of the Buddhist temples. I'm well aware that Thailand has it's problems but i'm not going there to live, just to enjoy the history and culture for a brief stay since I have quite a few Thai friends. History and culture is lacking in Dubai being as it's only around 35yrs old.

We went to Aqaba, but we both wished we could have gone to an island in Turkey.

Sharm El Sheikh...maybe in 18 years when our son is grown!!

We're going to Sharm (what I want) OR Turkey (her choice).

Sahara is beautiful ... that's where we went on our honeymoon ... really amazing surreal place!

Other that I would go to Isntabul, Egypt(pryamid's tour), Tunezia (Carthage ... I am a history buff) Petra or UAE (Dubai) ...

Hey dont hold back!
There is no slave labor in thailand?
Im not going to dubai to live either!
History and culture arent the only reason people go on honeymoons



I want to go to sharm to scuba dive. We recently went scubadiving in eilat, also red sea, and i know that the fish that you see are the fringe of what you see in the red sea and that sharm is where its at!

Re: dubai... I have been there for business.
I know people who went on honeymoon and loved it.
To each their own, different people have their own opinions, tastes and financial ability.

Hey dont hold back!
There is no slave labor in thailand?
Im not going to dubai to live either!
History and culture arent the only reason people go on honeymoons
[/quote]


Yes there is slave labor in Thailand, the difference is they don't try to hide it. Dubai puts out this false image that doesn't reflect reality. That's the problem I have. And since I know Dubai i'm just giving some friendly advice to people that they would be wasting there money coming here when there are prettier and more interesting places. Some people might want to go to Walt Disney World for their honeymoon and visit the 'countries' at Epcott Center thinking it's romantic. I think it's a tacky, overpriced tourist trap when they could spend the same amount seeing the real thing. But hey, some people like overpriced tourist traps. I'm just trying to warn the one's that don't.

Actually, near slave labor is present over most of the world. Who is the slave population is what varies by area.

[/quote]


Yes there is slave labor in Thailand, the difference is they don't try to hide it. Dubai puts out this false image that doesn't reflect reality. That's the problem I have. And since I know Dubai i'm just giving some friendly advice to people that they would be wasting there money coming here when there are prettier and more interesting places. Some people might want to go to Walt Disney World for their honeymoon and visit the 'countries' at Epcott Center thinking it's romantic. I think it's a tacky, overpriced tourist trap when they could spend the same amount seeing the real thing. But hey, some people like overpriced tourist traps. I'm just trying to warn the one's that don't.
[/quote]

Warning the ones that dont, and hurting the feelings of the ones that do. Nice one.

I considered Epcot too, since they have Morocco in the World Pavilion. In fact, I love Walt Disney World. It's the reason I chose to actually go to Morocco in the first place and then met the love of my life when I was there. Call it cheesy, but oh well. I can thank Walt Disney for that. Hey, I love overpriced tourist traps. Especially since it's right here and chances are (well, not chances, it's a reality) that he can't travel out of the country for our honeymoon anyway.

We went to Alexandria. It was beautiful and the ocean breeze was such a relief from Cairo. He wanted to go to another town he said most people honeymooned at, but I can't remember the name. We didn't have enough time to go there, unfortunately

I would love to go to Alexandria.... my husband too.

We are both a little sad we were never able to have a wedding or a honeymoon. I was going to try to take time off work on our aniversary, but it's at the start of the busy season and around X-mas so everything is expensive. He also used our savings to go back to Egypt this summer (dad was sick)

I've been promised we can go to SeaWorld in Orlando next summer for a long weekend, but we've never been on vacation together. Maby in another 5-10yrs I when we can afford it

It was wonderful. Although the sea water tastes terrible! We went to the beach and Ahmed decided to monkey around in the water and I ended up with a mouth full.

We haven't had our wedding yet either (other than the civil one in Cairo). I hope you will get the chance to have both soon!! I'm sure any time away with just the two of you would be extra special!

Civil is all we had, but we did manage to have dinner with a few friends 2 weeks later and a cake (I'm a pastry chef and can make my own)

I do feel like I've been on a honeymoon though since he got back we just enjoy our time together.

I hope you are together again soon TinaMsea