Here’s the deal – the economy is more or less in the toilet, you are following those currency moves as closely as that suited guy on Wall Street, the dough you doled out on the celebratory onrush of caterers and couturiers (or even chandeliers) has put your cash reserves and credit cards in a Schrodinger’s hard landing, and there is hardly any way you can take out a third mortgage to support another huge bill.

So, how exactly do you plan to live out the dream of relaxing on a beautiful Greek beach with your new bride or enact your own version of the ‘William and Kate’ fantasy together? Please do not murder me! I am not rubbing the ugly truth in your face for some sadistic kick. That’s not my dope, duh uh! I am here to tell you that traveling, especially on your honeymoon, does not have to be a luxury. And I am not even asking you to take a trip to Paghalgam! Your ‘most special trip’ can be planned without making you feel that you are being robbed at gunpoint. And what’s more, the whole world can be your playground!

Is that sardonic laughter I hear? Gulp it down and check out these international honeymoon destinations that can become your romantic paradise in a budget of INR 3Lakh:

1. Western Ireland: If Man of Aran mesmerized you, then this mystical land is your honeymooning haven. Whether you’re in the rugged regions of the county, basking in the bright bohemian lights of the city, living your celluloid moments (Princess Bride) at the cliffs of Moher, treating your taste buds with hearty bites of monkfish, prawns and lemongrass risotto with a touch of fennel and garlic, or enjoying a silent rendezvous with verdant surroundings, there is something enchanting about this land of natural wonder.

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Nature has been generous to this land of ‘Riders To The Sea’ and you just couldn’t have it better. If you like to rev up the adrenaline rush, there’s mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, rock climbing and sky diving to enjoy. A rich blend of art, history, culture, nature and adventure – this is an all-in-one-deal! Total value for money, if you ask me!

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Roundtrip airfare ranges from anywhere between INR 60,000 to 90,000 per adult. These are airfares for the last minute packers. If you plan and pack early, you might bag an incredibly cheaper deal!

Accommodation: A stay in a personal room at a hostel/motel or a cheaper hotel in Galsway can come as cheap as INR 4000/night. If you book about three to four months in advance and look for special deals and honeymoon packages, you might be able to tighten those purse strings further!

2. Australia: A trip to the land of the kangaroos can also fit in your budget. Looking for your crown now, eh? 😛 Yes, you can travel to Melbourne and enjoy the quirky treats of the city with an exploration of its hidden shops, snazzy alleyways, great food, indie theatres and impressive art galleries.

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Travel to Phillip Island, drive down the breathtakingly beautiful Great Ocean Road, experience the Dandenong ranges, and if you still got some good cash to spare, opt for hot-ballooning or even better, helicopter touring over the fantastical view of the land down under!

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Roundtrip airfare ranges from anywhere between INR 48,000 to 1,00,000 per adult. These are airfares for the last minute packers. If you plan and pack early, you might bag an incredibly cheaper deal!

Accommodation: A stay at a three-star hotel can cost you a pretty INR 15,000 to INR 20,000 per night. In case, you are smart enough to make your reservations well in advance, pour over the internet (sites like booking.com, etc.,) for special deals and honeymoon packages, you might end up getting premium services for half the price!

3. New Zealand: Yes, that’s right. You can explore the windy island of Waiheke, visit the Oneroa beach, laugh and love in the lap of nature (sea, lakes, mountains, deserts, volcanoes!!), visit the parks and geothermal lakes in Rotorua, try sky diving, bungee jumping, cliff jumping, kayaking, river rafting and go caving in the Waitamo/Ruakari caves, without crashing your wallet.

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Of course, you are skipping the cities and hitting the burbs, but Glenorchy or Rotorua are fair inheritors of Nature’s bounty and shall be well worth every dime you spend. If you have spent as much time planning on this post-nuptial celebratory trip as the wedding day itself, this dream can come alive. Make your flight bookings around five to six months in advance, especially for the hot season and gather a treasure of timeless memories on a thrifty budget. It couldn’t get better.

Image source: Google, copyright-free image under Creative Commons License

Roundtrip airfare ranges from anywhere between INR 80,000 to 1,60,000 per adult. These are airfares for the last minute packers. If you are an early bird, you might get your tickets at a too-good-to-be-true price!

Accommodation: Our suggestion is to skip the hotels and villas and put up at motels. As good as a three-star hotel, these shall come as light on the wallet as INR 3600/night. If you make your reservations early and be careful to drop the h-word, you might be in for special discounts and a plethora of pleasant surprises upon arrival!

Tip: Adventure sports are quite expensive in NZ (10k to 20k per person), so if you are planning on quite a few of them, you may want to make your bookings, just like we are asking you to!

4. Berlin: Berlin isn’t just the raving soccer fan’s paradise. The capital city of Germany is a cauldron of art, culture and music, making one and all genuflect at its picture perfect beauty. Whether you hit the beach bars and down the most exotic of tipples or shake a leg or two at the street music festivals, the city is always brimming with oodles of energy!

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For the newlyweds, nothing can be more romantic than soaking in the rich culture, heart-warming music and captivating art while strolling down the walkways hand-in-hand. And even if you lie wrapped in your spouse’s arms in one of the minimalist rooms in this cauldron of the occidental and oriental cultures, you’d not regret your decision one bit!

Image source: Google, copyright-free image under Creative Commons License

Roundtrip airfare ranges from anywhere between INR 60,000 to 90,000 per adult. These are airfares for the last minute packers. If you are an early bird, you might get your tickets at a too-good-to-be-true price!

Accommodation: The stay here isn’t going to be as light on the pocket as some of the other companions on the list, but still trudges its way up into the realm of the ‘affordable.’ If you book your stay at one of the luxurious motels, the stay can stay within the INR 7000 to INR 10000 range.

5. Santorini: Relaxing on an exotic Greek beach is not a far-off dream, if you kiss the Four Seasons Hotel luxury stay goodbye. Bathing in those cobalt blue waters and basking in the sun on the golden beaches whilst sipping on your pina coladas is a great way to unwind after the stress and merriment of the wedding.

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Traveling from town to town on an ATV/scooter bike, hogging on the mouth-watering Greek delicacies, riding the ferry and enjoying the ambience at the local taverns are some of the activities over which you can forge a strong foundation for a lifetime of companionship!

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Roundtrip airfare ranges from anywhere between INR 50,000 to 1,00,000 per adult. These are airfares for the last minute packers. If you make your bookings early on, you might bag cheaper deals.

Accommodation: A stay (if worked out properly through budget travel search engines) reserved well in advance can fetch as good deals as INR 3500 to INR 6000 per night.

Now that you’ve got an idea about where you could honeymoon abroad on a budget of INR 3Lakh, what are you waiting for? Get set and go!

Featured image source: Shutterstock