By Em,
Swap This for That: Eco-Friendly Honeymoon Upgrades
Your honeymoon is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure – but did you know it can also be an incredible opportunity to show some love to the planet too?
Think about it: your wedding day was all about promises to each other. Your honeymoon? That’s your first promise together to the world you’ll share.
Here’s your simple, playful guide to 10 easy swaps you and your partner can make to create a honeymoon that’s not just wildly romantic – but wonderfully responsible too:
1. Swap: Chain Hotels
For: Eco-Friendly, Soulful Stays
Sure, the big chain hotels are easy to book, but do they really have heart? Swap the cookie-cutter for something more special. Stay at boutique eco-lodges, rainforest retreats, or chic solar-powered beach houses.
Look for places with green certifications like Green Key, EarthCheck, or LEED. Bonus points if they serve organic food, use solar energy, and ban single-use plastics.
And let’s be real – outdoor jungle showers, sea-view breakfasts and rooms designed with nature in mind? Way more honeymoon-worthy than a standard hotel lobby.
2. Swap: Travel-Sized Toiletries
For: Refillable and Eco Travel Kits
The mini bottles in the supermarket aisle are tempting, but resist! Invest in refillable silicone travel bottles and pack solid shampoo or conditioner bars.
They’re better for the planet, they don’t leak, and they’re much cuter lined up on your bathroom shelf. Trust me – nothing says “honeymoon chic” like sustainable self-care.
3. Swap: Ignoring Carbon Emissions
For: Carbon Offsets That Actually Matter
Flying somewhere gorgeous? Same.
Offset the carbon footprint with real, verified programs like Gold Standard or ClimateCare. These projects restore forests, fund clean energy, and give clean water access to communities.
Small gesture. Big love story.
4. Swap: Imported, Mass-Produced Souvenirs
For: Artisan-Made Treasures
Skip the generic airport souvenirs. Instead, find something truly special made by local hands. Handmade pottery. Handwoven textiles. Jewellery crafted from shells, stones, or recycled metals.
Every piece tells a story. Every purchase supports a dream. And every time you wear or use it back home, you’ll be transported right back to that moment together.
5. Swap: Car Hire
For: Electric Rides or Slow Travel
Instead of hiring a petrol car, try renting an electric vehicle, cycling around town, or hopping on local trains.
Slow travel = deeper travel.
It’s where you stumble across the hidden bakeries, secret beaches, and local markets you wouldn’t find zooming past at 60mph.
It’s how the best stories start.
6. Swap: Disposable Water Bottles
For: Refillable, Filtered Bottles
Single-use plastic bottles are so 2010. Get yourself a gorgeous reusable bottle with a built-in filter. (LifeStraw and Grayl are both amazing.)
You’ll stay hydrated, save money, and cut down on plastic waste. Plus, filling your bottle at a mountain spring? Pure main character energy.
7. Swap: Printed Tickets and Itineraries
For: Digital Travel Tools
Save the trees – and save yourself a headache.
Apps like TripIt, Google Maps (download offline!), and airline apps for mobile boarding passes mean no printing, no losing papers, no panic at airport gates.
Top tip: screenshot your e-tickets too, just in case the Wi-Fi gods abandon you at the worst possible moment.
8. Swap: Long, Hot Showers
For: Conscious Water Love
If you’re honeymooning somewhere tropical or remote, water is a precious resource.
Take shorter showers, reuse towels, skip the daily sheet changes. Every little act of care means something bigger to the people and ecosystems around you.
And honestly? You’ve got better things to do on your honeymoon than hang around under a tap anyway.
9. Swap: Tourist Traps
For: Eco-Conscious Adventures
Forget the sad dolphin shows or elephant rides. Go for the real experiences – the ones that protect and celebrate the places you’re visiting.
Snorkel with turtles respectfully. Hike through reforestation projects. Go stargazing with a local guide who shares ancient stories about the constellations.
That’s the stuff honeymoons are made of.
10. Swap: Stuff for Stuff’s Sake
For: Memories and Purpose
Instead of stuffing your suitcase with souvenirs, invest in experiences.
Book a couple’s sunset kayak tour. Take a pottery class together. Plant a tree. Donate to a local conservation project.
Those memories? They won’t collect dust on a shelf. They’ll live in your bones.
These swaps don’t just reduce your environmental impact – they make your honeymoon richer, fuller, and so much more meaningful.
More connection.
More wonder.
More stories you’ll tell for years.
It’s about being a little more thoughtful, a little more adventurous, and a lot more in love – not just with each other, but with this beautiful world you’re starting your life together in.
Here’s to honeymoons that tread lightly, love loudly, and leave a mark in all the right ways.
Love always, Em