Thrillophilia Honeymoon Report 2025–2026: “Minimoons on the Rise; Indian Couples Redefine Honeymoon Travel with Short Escapes Followed by ‘Big-Moons”

• According to Thrillophilia’s 2025 Honeymoon Report, shorter, experience-driven trips are up 18% YoY as couples opt for quick getaways post-wedding, followed by a longer vacation later in the year

Jaipur, 21 November 2025; Thrillophilia, India’s leading AI-powered travel platform for discovering and personalizing multi-day trips, has released its Honeymoon Travel Report 2025-26, revealing that Indian honeymooners are rewriting the script on how they travel after marriage.

The classic two-week escape is giving way to a two-phase format: a quick, experience-rich “minimoon” (3–5 nights) right after the wedding, followed months later by a longer, more immersive “big-moon.” According to Thrillophilia’s Honeymoon Travel Report 2025–26, short, experience-driven trips are up 18% YoY, making it one of the most significant shifts in how couples are celebrating their first year together.

Abhishek Daga, Co-Founder, Thrillophilia, said, “Couples today want both rest and adventure, just not all at once. They’re choosing short, easy escapes right after the wedding, then planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip later when they can truly disconnect. This season is experience-first: Indian honeymooners are trading ‘checklist Europe’ for slow-luxury, private villas, heritage courtyards, and wellness resets. They’re spending smarter, not less, choosing experiences that feel personal over postcard-packed itineraries.”

Why the two-phase honeymoon works; The minimoon allows couples to recover immediately after wedding festivities without taking long leaves or managing complex logistics. The later big-moon, planned months after, becomes a deeper, more experiential journey, often international, offbeat, or nature-focused, that allows time to personalize, budget, and truly unwind. Together, these two phases are redefining what luxury and intimacy mean for the modern Indian couple.

Within India, Kerala (17%), Andaman (14%), Goa (13%), and Rajasthan (12%) continue to dominate honeymoon bookings, while quieter destinations such as Meghalaya, Coorg, and Himachal Pradesh are emerging as preferred alternatives for couples seeking privacy and nature. Internationally, Bali (21%), Maldives (18%), Thailand (16%), and Vietnam (14%) lead the charts, with Vietnam emerging as the breakout favourite, recording nearly a 90% surge in honeymoon bookings year-on-year. Other destinations such as Dubai–Abu Dhabi, Turkey, and Sri Lanka are also seeing strong growth. Visa ease, affordable mid-haul airfares, and privacy-led itineraries have collectively driven a 41% jump in international honeymoons compared to last year, signaling a growing appetite for short-haul yet premium experiences.

Across both phases of travel, experience has clearly become the new definition of luxury. Around 64% of couples now opt for romantic or private upgrades such as beach dinners, sunset cruises, villa stays, and private transfers. Meanwhile, 42% of itineraries include adventure-light activities like snorkeling, ziplining,

or snow play, while wellness and nature-led escapes, including Ayurveda retreats and desert stargazing, are rapidly gaining traction.

Spending & Booking Behavior

● Average spend: India ₹1.05 lakh per couple; International ₹2.45 lakh

● Maldives leads the premium bracket at ~₹2.8 lakh median.

● Pay-later: 17% opt for EMI/pay-later, skewed to long-haul islands.

● Faster planning: lead times at 26 days (domestic) and 41 days (international).

Another defining trend is the rise of travelers from India’s smaller cities. Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities now account for 46% of honeymoon bookings, up from 38% last year. Jaipur, Indore, Lucknow, Surat, and Kochi are among the top contributors, while destinations such as Meghalaya and Andaman have seen domestic booking spikes of over 40%. Internationally, Vietnam, Georgia, and Sri Lanka are emerging as the newest favorites, reflecting how aspiration and access are spreading far beyond the metros.

The report also highlights how modern honeymooners are redefining luxury through offbeat experiences. Instead of sticking to traditional resort vacations, couples are choosing itineraries that blend intimacy with exploration, from road-trip romances across Spain’s white villages and South Africa’s Garden Route to wine-and-villa retreats in Tuscany and Georgia’s Kakheti valley. Self-drive adventures in New Zealand and Iceland are on the rise, offering glacial lakes, geothermal spas, and cabin-in-the-wild serenity. Winter continues to inspire “snowmance” seekers, with Switzerland and Finland’s Lapland leading for alpine chalets and glass-igloo stays. Meanwhile, desert and coastal escapes like Cappadocia, Wadi Rum, and Sri Lanka are growing fast, proving that Indian honeymooners are leaning toward personalized, experience-rich travel that’s as adventurous as it is indulgent.