17 Adventurous Honeymoon Ideas

While some may think a honeymoon includes lying on the beach all day and soaking up the sun, not all couples are like that. We get it: you're both adrenaline junkies that love to explore and try new things in the great outdoors. And if you are headed to a destination that has gorgeous weather 24/7, you're looking to be outside the entire time and have some fun in the sun. Well, we've got you covered. If you think you've been there, swum that, we've found thrill-seeking options that add a little splash to your trip.

After all, your honeymoon should go down in history. Jaws should drop. Minds should be blown. Awe should be inspired. The adventurous honeymoon ideas that we share here won't just make the cut, they'll raise the bar. Some are exotic—think far-flung locales like the Swiss Alps and Bondi Beach Australia, paired with exhilarating activities—while others approach traditional destinations, such as Mexico, Hawaii, and the Caribbean, in thrillingly unexpected ways.

Best of all? There's an adventure for every experience level and every bank account. Maybe you'll try night kayaking in Puerto Rico or jungle biking in St. Lucia. Each destination has a different activity, so we won't be surprised if you start putting these trips on your travel bucket list. Trust us, you're about to have an unforgettable honeymoon filled with adventures of a lifetime. Go ahead, make your most romantic vacation one for the books: Surf, sail, heli-ski, golf ... there are plenty of ways to get your heart rate going. These high-energy activities will challenge your sporty side—without neglecting the romantic in you. 

Catch Some (Big) Waves

This coral island of Barbados sits so far out in the Atlantic that when waves finally reach it, they break in a big way. With Zed's Surfing Adventures you can surf at any level (lessons from $80). Up for a challenge? Head to the Soup Bowl swells on the rugged eastern coast. Newbies should stick to the south and learn the ropes from a pro.

In the Dominican Republic, a 2.8-mile hike from Iguana Mama Adventure Tours brings you to the top of the 27 Waterfalls of Damajagua—which is where the adventure really begins. You'll don a helmet and life jacket, then "cascade" back down to base camp by jumping, swimming, and sliding through canyons of limestone that have been smoothed by nature (from $89 for five-hour tours). Brace yourself: The biggest drop is 25 feet.

The tiny Dutch island of Saba is all rocks and boulders etched out of a dormant volcano. For dramatic views of meadows, mountains, and coves below, hike some of the 17 well-marked trails on the nearly 3,000-foot Mount Scenery—the highest point in all of the Netherlands.

Eight miles of trails wind through the lush, DayGlo-bright greenery in and around the historic Anse Mamin Plantation of St. Lucia. Bike St. Lucia has bikes that are available for rent on-site, and after a quick guided orientation lap, you're free to explore on your own. Don't miss the roller-coaster-like Tinker's Trail (rentals from $45).

You may know Tobago as a slice of paradise because of its stunning wide beaches, but it's also home to the oldest protected rainforest in the Western Hemisphere (and a paradise for birdwatchers). Tobago Mountain Bike Tours allows you to see it all while pedaling along trails and paths that sit 1,700 feet above sea level ($45 for three-to-four-hour tours).

When it comes to exploring Fajardo's bioluminescent bay in Puerto Rico, the darker the sky, the better. By booking tours with Eco Adventures, you'll witness a rare underwater light show, courtesy of tiny glow-in-the-dark sea creatures known as dinoflagellates that sparkle when agitated by a paddle—or even your hand ($48 for a two-hour tour).

From mid-January to early April, during their annual mating migration, the humpbacks make the waters surrounding Grand Turk and Salt Cay of Turks and Caicos their home. On a tour, you'll have the chance to get close to these massive (yet gentle) mammals, which can weigh up to 80,000 pounds ($150 for a four-hour tour).

Black diamonds not challenging enough? Go off-piste with Telluride Helitrax, a company that specializes in heli-skiing in the Colorado Rockies. Then book a couple's massage at Telluride's Madeline Hotel and Residences—your hamstrings will definitely thank you (from $329).

At almost 6,000 feet above sea level, Golf Club Arosa, in the Swiss Alps' rugged Schanfigg Valley, is one of Europe's highest-altitude greens. The Tschuggen Grand Hotel, whose showstopping spa resembles a series of sails, provides free rides to the 18-hole course (from $360).

The adventure center at Frenchman's Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort, on St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., rents out clear-bottom kayaks illuminated with LED lights. After dark, the glow attracts sea turtles, tarpon, stingrays, and other magnificent marine life (from $159).

It takes three days to explore Costa Rica's pristine Osa Peninsula during a hotel-to-hotel hike, but the effort is worth it. On a custom itinerary from Costa Rican Vacations, a guide will lead you through Corcovado National Park, pointing out rare big cats along the way (from $2,400 for four nights).

Thrill-seekers, New Zealand's Queenstown Combo Awesome Foursome excursion was made for you: You'll bungee jump with the company that invented the commercial sport, jet-boat on a river, white-water raft, and take a helicopter ride—all in one trip ($375).

Picture it: the two of you on horseback, cantering through allspice trees and into a deserted cove on the pink sands near Bermuda's Horseshoe Bay Beach. Now, make this dream a reality through Spicelands Equestrian Centre (from $350 for one hour).

The Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa has partnered with Red Sail Sports to take guests out to the Caribbean's deep and famously clear waters for dramatic wall dives. Pack an underwater camera to take selfies with nurse sharks and stingrays (from $239, and from $80 for dives).

Be your own skipper and tack your way to the Bahamas' micro islets, some of which are so remote they don't even have names. Sunsail Vacations, on the Abacos in the Out Islands, rents out 43-foot catamarans. Want the nature without the navigating? Kick back and let a captain and cook take the helm (from $5,500).

Ride the waves other surfers only dream about. At famous Bondi Beach and Byron Bay, the Let's Go Surfing school offers a private guide who will take you to the area's hidden breaks and tailor the trips to your skill level (from $210).

The Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve in Tulum, Mexico, provides a welcome break from the beaches of the Riviera Maya with its Nature Encounter, a boat ride through a 1,000-plus-year-old Mayan canal, with stops to spot manatees and sunbathing crocodiles and float through mangroves.