The global pandemic changed a lot about our wedding, causing us to have to adjust many things that we had been looking forward to. While I (Jonathan) didn’t miss having to dance in front of a crowd, we’d both still hoped to have a conventional honeymoon someday. My dream was to take Lyndsey to some far-off exotic place with pristine beaches, clear water, and fresh coconuts for her to enjoy. Amazingly, this dream came true when we landed on the Thai island of Phuket for Christmas/New-Year’s break!

Even though we were celebrating our honeymoon nine months “late,” it was lovely to focus solely on each other and our relationship, without wedding fatigue, having done some life together, yet away from the day-to-day. We reflected on our marriage so far, rang in a new year, dreamed for the future, and grew in our knowledge of each other and how to best function as a team. We rested, wandered, got spontaneous, found great deals, and soaked up many amazing views. It was truly a time to remember. Scroll for pics!

Beaches

Neither words nor pictures can express how stunning the Phuket beaches are! With few tourists, we often had the white sand and clear waters to ourselves. International tourism is a huge part of the economy, so it was hard to see so many stores and restaurants closed, but the natural beauty and wildlife were thriving. We enjoyed basking in the hot sun, swimming in the hotel pools and cool ocean, and were even able to order takeout from our spot in the sand (the Thai desserts were the best)!

Food

We enjoyed the delicious local foods and found a few other cuisines we’d been missing. One of Jonathan’s highlights was finding authentic Mexican food, which is harder to get in Bangkok then we imagined.

Activities

Many markets were empty and shops closed (even more than in Chiang Mai) but that made it all the more fun when we stumbled upon great finds (that were open)! We peered into local artists’ galleries, posed in front of fun street art, and (especially Lyndsey) enjoyed cheap massages.

One of our favorite parts of the trip was relaxing at beachfront restaurants, often sitting at a table in the sand. We would chat for hours, watching people, and admiring the sunsets. Sometimes Jonathan would paint with watercolors and Lyndsey would read a magazine or book about sourdough-making.

Jonathan took Lyndsey to Tiger Kingdom to see her favorite animal up-close. Full grown tigers are HUGE! Especially this crazy close!

Phi Phi is a nearby island, known for gorgeous views of rock formations jutting out of turquoise waters! We took a ferry and had a fun day-trip, where we climbed countless steps to two stunning viewpoints and were in awe of the beauty we saw!

We hope you enjoyed this small taste of our trip! Stay tuned for more J+L adventures!