No matter where you’re headed for your honeymoon, you can include connecting with the community and making an impact on your itinerary. We promise you won’t regret it. Giving back when traveling is a wonderful way to see the world and spread the love you’re so full of at this time in your life. So why not take a few minutes, hours or even days out of your postwedding pampering to give back, pay it forward and share the love? Voluntourism is growing, making it easier to connect with non-profits on the ground in many popular honeymoon destinations. But it’s even easier than that to make a difference—before you board your flight.
Booking Kindly
How about a way of giving so simple, it’s as easy as booking your honeymoon hotel? Kind Traveler is a booking engine for socially conscious travelers with 70 properties to choose from (and growing). Couples can select a destination and book accommodations with partner hotels that participate in a “give and get” program. In exchange for a $10 nightly guest donation to a local charity (or one of your choosing), couples receive special hotel offers and incentives. But it’s not about the incentives (though the perks are nice!)—it’s about community. Book at Il Borro in Tuscany through Kind Traveler and you’ll be donating directly to the Meyer Children’s Hospital in Florence. Head to the Jamaica Inn near Ochos Rios and enjoy a complimentary glass bottom boat tour and bottle of wine upon arrival as a thanks for your donation. Should you be so inspired, you can even check out Kind Traveler’s “do good for a day” opportunities for ways to volunteer while on vacation.
Scheduled Giving
Before you depart for your honeymoon, ask your hotel concierge if they work with any local non-profits you may want to donate your time to. The posh private island villa, Sweet Bocas, in Panama, teams up with Give and Surf, an organization that funds schooling and transportation for young children in the rural archipelago of Bocas Del Toro. Take a boat trip to pick up the kids around the islands for school and you just might be inclined to stay to give and surf for much longer than your honeymoon.
Still looking for ideas? Your resort may even offer opportunities right on property. The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay plans impact experiences for guests to contribute to the local community through a number of different hands-on activities. From assembling school supplies for kids threatened by poverty to working with animals at the local Wildlife Associates Sanctuary, it’s a fun way to spend a day as newlyweds. And if a day is what you have to give, check out Give A Day Global for opportunities to volunteer around the world and give just a day of your time in exchange for a lifetime of sweet memories and a major impact on others.
Packing With Purpose
If you don’t have time to spare on your honeymoon adventure, you can still help by packing with purpose. Pack for a Purpose organizes drop off spots at luxury hotels around the world so you can pack (or shop locally) for goods and supplies that kids and families are in need of in your destination. Simply check the organization’s website for a list of locations, destinations and supplies needed in each spot. Like Banyan Tree Mayakoba in Riviera Maya, Mexico—they’re collecting textbooks, school supplies, clothing, first aid and more.
