Congratulations on your engagement!

Regarding where to go, the best weather at that time of year would be either French Polynesia or Bali. Thailand is wonderful and I've been there at that time of year but it's not ideal. A bit hot and humid with hazy skies and typically heavy thunder showers in the late afternoons. Between Bali and French Polynesia, a lot depends on what you want to do. French Polynesia is a lovely destination but other than relaxing in the sun and snorkeling and/or boat trips, there's not much else to do. Personally, I think Bali is more interesting because there are a lot of things you can do other than sit around the resorts. It's a Hindu island so there is a lot of cultural interest, Hindu temples, religious ceremonies, etc. plus you can go white-water rafting, visit artisan villages, climb dormant volcanoes, etc.

That said, if snorkeling is high on your priority list, you will have better options in French Polynesia. Snorkeling is okay off the eastern coast of Bali, but it's not as picture-perfect as you'll find in French Polynesia.

I hope this helps! Have a great time!

South Africa doesn't require shots, but there are areas (mostly in the Kruger/Sabi Sands area) where anti-malarial medication would be recommended. However, there are plenty of amazing safari lodges that are malaria-free, particularly in the Eastern Cape and Madikwe. July is winter in South Africa, but I have been to the Eastern Cape at that time of year and it's perfect for safari -- dry, cloudless days, chilly in the mornings/evenings but it will be in the low 80's mid-day. Check out the South Africa section of our website to see some suggested safari itineraries.

Thailand and Indonesia are wonderful honeymoon destinations and for me, personally, it was a tough choice between the two. Ultimately, we chose Indonesia because we were traveling in August when Bali is perfect, but it's still rainy season in Thailand. In September, you're still on the tail end of rainy season in Thailand, but the weather is perfect in Indonesia. So on weather alone, I would probably choose Indonesia. It is a long way to travel, but Bali has a huge range of luxury properties with some on the coast/beach and some inland in the cultural heart of the island, surrounded by terraced rice fields and perched over the Ayung River. Java - the island just west of Bali - is an optional side trip. Alternately, you could visit Amanjiwo, which is a beach resort on Moyo Island, a short flight from Bali. Indonesia has great food, plenty of unique cultural and active touring options, and some of the most kind and welcoming people in the world. You wouldn't have any more culture shock visiting Bali then you would in Italy, Greece or the Caribbean.

You are right that Tahiti can be extremely expensive. It is a very typical "resort" destination with lots of hotels and development. Though it is quite nice, I think you are right to focus on Fiji and Bali. In terms of seasonality, Fiji is best from April to October so the weather should be perfect for your later September honeymoon. Bali shares the same approximate seasonality as Fiji so that's fine, too.

For honeymooners, Fiji is more of a straightforward beach destination; though there is an interesting cultural tradition, most people head to Fiji because they are looking for beautiful beaches. In Bali, the beaches are nice but not as spectacular as in Fiji -- but it has a fascinating and very rich cultural history so you do have the option to lounge and relax but there is also much to do and see beyond the beach. I think it really comes down to what you want to do on your honeymoon. If you want to sunbathe and enjoy gorgeous beaches, head to Fiji. If you think you might want to venture off the beach now and then for exploration and learning about a rich culture, Bali is probably a better choice.

I recommend either Thailand or Argentina/Uruguay. Both have ideal weather at that time of year (in Argentina/Uruguay, it's spring, and in Thailand, it's just after the rainy season ends), both offer exceptional value, excellent cuisine, and a lot of cultural interest as well as beach resorts.

Regarding your honeymoon, either would be fine but a lot would depend on the flight routings and which is more convenient from where you're traveling. Flight routes are very different from Latin America, the US and Europe for example, so one destination could be logistically much easier for you to get to. You don't want to have to take 5 flights to get to your final destination right after your wedding! October is the beginning of rainy season in Bali but September is usually perfect, so you could get lucky and never see any rain at all. Typically November through February are the rainiest months in Bali. Bali is a wonderful honeymoon destination and it has a lot of cultural and soft-adventure touring available, whereas Mauritius is really considered more of a beach destination and there's not a lot of activities to do away from the resort. In Mauritius, September/October is considered a great time of the year to travel but because of wind factors at that time of the year it's best to stay on the West coast, and I usually recommend the Oberoi Mauritius at that time of year. The only downside of the Oberoi Mauritius is that the beach isn't the best but it's a lovely resort and highly recommended.

Weddings can get expensive -- and leave little extra for a honeymoon afterwards -- but budget-conscious newlyweds still have some great options. The best bet among our food and wine destinations is South America -- the dollar is still strong there and you can really stretch your money to go further than it might in, for example, New Zealand or South Africa, which also have well known wine regions. In South America, I recommend that you head to Argentina. You could spend a few nights in Buenos Aires enjoying the great food and then go to the Mendoza wine region to visit the many wineries. If time (and your budget) permits, you could conclude in nearby Uruguay or head back to Buenos Aires. Additionally, Argentina is famous for the romantic tango dance that originated here so don't miss one of the popular tango shows during your stay in Buenos Aires. It's a favorite with honeymooners!

India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives might not offer ideal weather in late April but they do offer wonderful wildlife-viewing as well as absolutely gorgeous beaches. I'm not sure if you have considered Bali or a combination of South Africa and Mauritius but those would also be great options for your interests and the time of year you are going. Bali has lovely beaches and beautiful weather year-round. Though it is not as much about the wildlife (lots of monkeys, though!), they do have plenty of activities for more adventurous travelers, like whitewater rafting and mountain-biking down an active volcano. South Africa offers a more traditional wildlife viewing experience that you can follow with time on the beaches in either Mauritius or Mozambique.

To answer your question, your best bet in Jakarta is the Grand Hyatt -- that is where we put our clients. Ideally, however, we recommend that you skip Jakarta entirely. It's a fairly charmless city and there are many other great places in Indonesia that you will want to focus on. Would it be possible for you to change your ticket to fly into Denpasar, Bali, instead? That way, you could make an easy hop over to Java to see Borobudur and do some exploring but it would allow you to skip Jakarta entirely. My recommendation would be to try to switch your flight to go into and out of Bali and, if that is impossible, spend your first night at the Grand Hyatt in Jakarta and then head to Java and Bali right away.

Well, I think it would be a shame to travel so far and only see Bangkok and Phuket. Bangkok is a lively, exciting city and Phuket has gorgeous beaches but I agree with your wife that your honeymoon would benefit from a cultural element. I recommend visiting either Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai, both located in the north. Chiang Mai is larger than Chiang Rai, but there is much to see and do in each city -- in Chiang Mai, the touring is more focused on temples and museums while in Chiang Rai, it is geared more towards nature and outdoor activities like elephant rides (but also has plenty of museums, temples, and other cultural activities for those who want that). Both are a quick plane trip from Bangkok and have great luxury hotels: in Chiang Mai, the Four Seasons and the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi are the best and in Chiang Rai, I recommend the Anantara Golden Triangle. Three nights in either of these cities would be perfect. You could spend two nights in Bangkok, head to Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai for three or four nights, and then spend as long as you like on the beaches of Phuket!

One last idea: if you want to see one of the most amazing sites in the world, head to Angkor Wat in Cambodia. It is also just a quick flight from Bangkok but is well worth the trip. Gorgeous Khmer temples and some top notch hotels (Amansara, the Raffles Grand, etc.) make it a great side trip from Thailand.

Fiji can certainly be combined with New Zealand ( Queensland is known as the "Adventure Capital of the World"!) but that would require quite a bit of flying and it seems like that is a concern. An alternative is Brazil. It's closer than Fiji and New Zealand and October would be a very nice time to go. You could start with some time at the Txai Resort near Itacare -- they have a lovely beach as well as many activities like kayaking and canopy tours in the jungle. From Txai, you could head to Salvador, a charming colonial town, and then conclude in Rio for a few days in the city. One other option I would recommend is Bali. The beaches are not as spectacular as Fiji's but they are very nice (and the hotels are world-class). There are plenty of adventurous activities that can be arranged: whitewater rafting, hiking through the rice paddies, bicycling down the volcano Mt. Batur) and -- best of all -- it's a fairly small island so there are no internal flights at all once you get there!

Both are excellent choices and have the ideal elements for a dreamy honeymoon. However, one major difference between them in August is the weather. Although Thailand is fine in August, it is rainy season so you generally don't get the azure, cloudless skies that you may envision. Tropical rains aren't terrible (some people even call it "green season" because the rice paddies are such a brilliant color!) but it often rains hard once a day – the rain only lasts about half an hour but it might interrupt or affect your day. However in Bali, the weather in August is ideal. I have personally been to both Bali and Thailand several times, and if I were making this decision for my own honeymoon, I would definitely choose Bali. I assure you that you will be very happy with your decision if you decide to go there!

Africa and Thailand tie for first place. Thailand is an all around wonderful destination not just for honeymooners but for everyone, and it's perfect in our fall and winter. Africa is popular because of its sumptuous safaris and great beach options, and it is perfect in spring and summer. A close runner-up is Bali - properties like the Aman and Four Seasons resorts, fascinating local culture, beaches, and great weather make it a perennial favorite for honeymooners. Bali is also perfect in our spring and summer, prime honeymoon seasons!

Obviously, this depends in large part on you - how much vacation time you have, how long you like to be away from home. I would say that our typical honeymoon is a little longer than two weeks, which is enough time to have some good relaxation time as well as do something exciting that you can tell your friends and family about when you get back.

Definitely! The most important thing to remember is that, unlike a typical vacation, you want to schedule the most relaxing part of the trip at the beginning rather than the end. If you want a safari and beach honeymoon, plan for the beach first and then head out on safari. After your wedding, the last thing you'll want to do is have to be really active - you'll want to relax and just do nothing but replenish your energy for at least a few days.

Definitely give it a try - free air gives you more money to put toward the actual honeymoon so it can't hurt to check. However, with airlines becoming increasingly restrictive about blackout dates and requiring passengers to book as far as a year in advance to confirm seats, many people who try to use miles end up planning their honeymoon around the dates they can fly, which can limit your flexibility. If you decide not to use miles, American Express Platinum cardholders can buy great two-for-one fares in Business and First Class. If you are not able to use air miles for the honeymoon, save them for your next trip to see the in-laws - you might feel better about the visit if you know you haven't spent money to go!

Well, I have tons of ideas, actually - the problem is narrowing them down! I think New Zealand would be a perfect choice - activities like hiking the Routeburn Trail and seeing Milford Sound and the glaciers can be interspersed with time in the cities to enjoy the amazing food and wine. Another great option is Vietnam, though it may seem unlikely for a honeymoon. Excellent local cuisine, gorgeous resorts, and many active adventure possibilities (including kayaking in Halong Bay, bicycling in Hoi An, snorkeling in Nha Trang, etc.) would make for a wonderful honeymoon. See more of our favorite Food & Wine trips here.