# 10 Most Expensive Honeymoon Destinations, Ranked by Real Nightly Cost

> The ten priciest places to honeymoon on earth, ranked by real 2026 nightly cost — with the hidden taxes, transfers and dining charges that push the true total far past the sticker.

*Published 2026-07-03 · By Daniel Okafor, ACC/CTC*

The ultra-luxury honeymoon is priced like an iceberg: the nightly rate you see is a fraction of what you pay. A $700-a-night Maldivian overwater villa arrives at checkout carrying a 17% Tourism GST, a 10% service charge, a per-person Green Tax, and a seaplane transfer that can add $700 per adult before you have ordered a single dinner. This ranking orders the ten most expensive honeymoon destinations on earth not by their headline rate but by their *real all-in nightly cost for two* — the number that actually lands on the bill.

The result reshuffles conventional wisdom. French Polynesia's Bora Bora tops the list on raw villa rates, but the Maldives' compulsory seaplane transfers and layered taxes make its effective per-night cost rival Bora Bora's once you include the getting-there premium. Meanwhile the Amalfi Coast, often assumed to be Europe's priciest honeymoon, comes in lower per night than any true overwater destination. Every figure below is stated as a range "as of 2026" and reflects a mid-to-high room tier for two, with taxes and transfers annualized across a typical seven-night stay.

## How real nightly cost was calculated

We define real nightly cost as the marketed villa or suite rate *plus* mandatory taxes and service charges, *plus* the transfer cost amortized over a seven-night stay, *plus* a realistic on-property dining figure where meals are not included. Flights are excluded because they vary too much by origin, but transfers — which are effectively unavoidable and often shockingly large — are counted. Sources include resort rate pages, government tax schedules, and travel-cost analyses cited inline.
DestinationMarketed nightly (mid-high tier)Real all-in nightly (est.)Biggest hidden costBora Bora, French Polynesia$1,500–$3,130+$1,900–$3,800Imported-food diningMaldives (ultra-luxury)$1,500–$3,000+$2,100–$4,100Seaplane + 27% tax stackSt. Barts, Caribbean$1,200–$3,000$1,600–$3,600Peak-season villa premiumsFiji (Likuliku)$1,481–$1,759$1,600–$1,950Adults-only, meals includedSeychelles$1,000–$2,500$1,300–$3,000Inter-island transfersAmalfi Coast, Italy€700–€2,000$900–$2,400City tax + coperto + boatsAnguilla, Caribbean$900–$2,500$1,150–$3,000Resort fees + diningAman properties (global)$1,086–$9,450$1,300–$10,000+Excursions priced aggressivelySantorini, Greece$600–$2,000$800–$2,400Peak caldera-view premiumsBig Sur, California$1,000–$3,000$1,200–$3,400Limited inventory pricing
**The pattern to remember:** the destinations that top the list are the ones where the marketed rate *excludes* the two costs that matter most — transfers and dining. The Maldives' 17% GST + 10% service + $12/person/night Green Tax stack, per the [2025 Maldives tax guide](https://letsgomaldives.com/blogs/maldives-tax-guide-2025-green-tax-gst-updates-you-should-know/), adds roughly 27% to every room charge. Always request an all-in rate from the resort before you commit.

## Why the ranking matters for planning

Knowing the *real* per-night cost changes how you engineer the trip. If your goal is the overwater-villa experience at the lowest defensible number, Fiji's Likuliku undercuts both Bora Bora and the ultra-luxury Maldives because its rate includes three gourmet meals daily, per [the resort's rate page](https://likulikulagoon.com/rates/) — the dining you would otherwise pay à la carte in French Polynesia is baked in. If you want the drama without the overwater premium, the Amalfi Coast delivers Mediterranean grandeur at a lower real nightly cost than any true overwater destination. The ranking below runs from most to least expensive by real all-in nightly cost for two.

## Sources

1. [The Maldives' Overwater Villas: How Much Does It Actually Cost?](https://princeoftravel.com/insights/the-maldives-overwater-villas-how-much-does-it-actually-cost/)
2. [Maldives Tax Guide 2025: Green Tax & GST Updates You Should Know](https://letsgomaldives.com/blogs/maldives-tax-guide-2025-green-tax-gst-updates-you-should-know/)
3. [Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora — Accommodations](https://www.fourseasons.com/borabora/accommodations/)
4. [Likuliku Lagoon Resort — Bure Rates](https://likulikulagoon.com/rates/)
5. [Caruso, A Belmond Hotel, Amalfi Coast](https://www.belmond.com/hotels/europe/italy/amalfi-coast/belmond-hotel-caruso/)

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Source: https://eraaway.com/budget/most-expensive-honeymoon-destinations-ranked
Index: https://eraaway.com/llms.txt · Full text: https://eraaway.com/llms-full.txt