Trips Every Couple Should Take Before Getting Engaged
It’s an open secret that traveling with your partner is one of the best ways to strengthen your relationship. Yes, a fun and exciting vacation will help you two improve your communication skills, learn about each other in a new context, and even enhance your sex life.
With all these benefits, it’s crucial that couples take a few vacations together before making a lifelong commitment to one another. But what type of vacations should you actually take before getting hitched? After all, every different kind of vacation brings its own benefits and challenges.
We put together our guide to the top five vacations every couple should take before getting engaged. With these ideas and experiences under your belt, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about your relationship before tying the knot!
BEFORE YOU PLAN A TRIP, MAKE SURE YOU READ OUR ULTIMATE TRIP PLANNING GUIDE
The Great Road Trip
The road trip is like nothing else you’ll ever experience with your partner. Days on end in a small metal box, with nothing but you, your partner, and the open road. While that might not be the most appealing description of the road trip, it gets down to the basics: such a trip will help you see how you and your partner function in a small space together for days on end. It also has the added benefits of oftentimes being cheaper than a plane-based vacation, and you can see some pretty amazing sights flash by as you wind down the road.
There are many remarkable places to go on your next road trip: we particularly love the Baja California trip with its stunning views, immaculate beaches, and killer nightlife. Or, if you are a movie lover, you could traverse the whole US stopping at cinematic sites around the country. If you and your partner are film geeks, this is the trip for you!
If you are looking to get off-the-beaten path (which provides seriously rewarding benefits for you and your relationship, in its own right), may we recommend the Great South American Road Trip. In particular, Bolivia’s Death Road provides beautiful scenic views (though, as its name suggests, it’s not for the faint-hearted). Another great route is Argentina’s Ruta 40, which allows you to see Argentina in all of its glory, from glaciers to mountain. Except for Guyana and Suriname, most countries in South America drive on the right, making it an easier transition for all the North American drivers out there.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR OTHER FAVORITE PLACES IN SOUTH AMERICA
The Budget Backpacking Trip
You never know when money might be tight or times hard in the future. Practice your frugality with your partner and rough it for a few days on a budget backpacking trip to make sure that you all can agree on how to budget and save for the future.
Plus, the budget backpacking trips allow for (and even require!) spontaneity, flexibility, and compromise. Practicing these skills with your partner will definitely come in handy as you spend a lifetime living and making decisions together.
But where should you go on your budget backpacking trip?
Definitely check out Kyrgyzstan, the “Switzerland of Central Asia.” Its affordable prices and lax visa requirements make it a perfect place for a couple trying to save some cash. Go trekking (or horse trekking) in the country’s towering mountains and sleep in a yurt (or opt for a more standard hostel). The prices will leave your wallets full and your hearts happy!
India is also another incredible backpacking destination, as it offers cheap prices, budget accommodations, and developed railways linking the whole country. While you are there, make sure to head to Jaipur for some incredible history, architecture, and food. Then head down south to Goa, followed by Kochi, for their lush greenery and mouth-watering delicacies. Or, hop over the border to Nepal via a cheap flight and check out Boudha, Kathmandu.
Looking to stay closer to home? Nicaragua may be a great option for you. With easy shared shuttles, chicken buses, and more, traveling around the country is easy. Head to San Juan Del Sur for a nightlife hub, or visit Popoyo Beach for some chill vibes and surf. There are lots of backpackers traveling through Nicaragua these days, so it should be easy to meet some like-minded friends if you need a break from being one-on-one with your partner 24/7.
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The Off-The-Grid Spiritual Stay
The monastery stay provides two major benefits for your relationship: first, you can see how you and your partner act in a totally different context, allowing you to learn how to weather unfamiliar situations together.
Secondly, you can learn about your partner’s own spiritual and religious inclinations, which can help you understand them in a deeper and more meaningful way.
There are so many monasteries around the world, all of which offer significant growth and learning for a couple. A popular one is Plum Village in France, which was the first monastery founded in the west by Thich Nhat Hanh. You can visit just for the day, but we recommend signing up for one of their many great mindfulness retreats.
Or, head to Cambodia, a historically Buddhist country that offers many incredible monastery stays that will challenge you and your partner spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.
Finally, Nepal is an amazing country for monasteries and Hindu ashrams which you can stay with your partner. We recommend staying at Namo Buddha Monastery if you are interested in exploring Buddhism and meditation practices, or Sri Aurobindo Ashram which offers Hindu teachings and daily yoga classes.
The Romantic Getaway
We at Jubel are big proponents of the pre-wedding honeymoon. Sure, it’s great to celebrate your relationship after you are married in a lavish vacation, but taking a romantic trip before you are even engaged has some major benefits for your relationship.
First of all, it helps you to reconnect and rekindle the spark in your relationship after however many years of dating. You want to go into an engagement in the strongest place possible, and this will help you do just that.
Second, the romantic getaway will help create indelible memories that will last a lifetime. These memories, as we’ve discussed before, will help you get through difficult times as you can always fall back upon them in the future.
There are many destinations particularly conducive to romance. The extraordinary views of the Azores, plus the delicious food and nature experiences found there will 100% ignite a spark in your relationship.
Other romantic spots include the Seychelles, which offers island views, crystal-clear water, and hiking trails, and Yamba in New South Wales, with its blissful beaches and lush greenery. With these places, you’ll be able to relax, be together with no distractions, and fall in love all over again.
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER FAVORITE ROMANTIC DESTINATIONS FOR ALL TYPES OF TRAVELERS!
The Heritage Trip
When you get engaged, you are signing up to marry not only your partner, but also their whole family. Therefore, it is crucial you know about and really understand your partner’s family history before you agree to marry them.
The best way to do this is to take a heritage trip. Whether that means visiting their childhood home to have the standard “meet-the-parents” moment, or digging a little deeper and heading off to their ancestral country, this is the perfect way to intensely dive into your partner’s family history and teach them about your own.
So yes, the honeymoon is great, but so are the trips you take before you decide to get hitched. They’ll help you grow as a person and as a couple, and ensure better communication and a stronger bond for years to come.
Looking to take one of these unforgettable trips, but need some help putting together all the moving pieces? Let us help customize your trip and take the stress out of planning! Easily get started here.
