We love it when people ask us questions, and we got a fun one on our As We Saw It Facebook page this week.
Bob Royal: As a world traveler…. What is the most romantic place you guys have visited? And why?
Dan Bibb: Wow man, that’s a tough question.
Couple walking along Jimbaran Beach in Bali, Indonesia
To start with, I could never narrow it down to one “place” in the world. The world is too big, the romantic places too innumerable, and mostly Linda and I have not been to them all …YET!
So the best thing for me to do is review the places we have been and give you a few suggestions. I will include some photos of them and will answer your second question, “And why?”
So buddy, let’s get started, but understand they are in alphabetical order, not in any special order of preference.
Bali, Indonesia
What to say about Bali? In one word, wow! Bali an exotic island in the Indian Ocean and one of the thousands that make up the country of Indonesia. Interestingly, it has never been conquered and thus has a very special flavor that the rest of Indonesia cannot offer: Balinese culture and people.
Puri Tanah Lot, an island temple on Bali, Indonesia
You’ve heard of the book-turned-movie Eat, Pray, Love? The Love part took place on Bali. You’ll get to experience the culture of the Balinese people and the flavors of Balinese food are like no others. The Balinese spices are some of our favorite flavors of the world.
And it’s inexpensive! You can get a $5 massage on the beach, so cheap that you might just want them every day. What better thing is there for romance than a couples massage on the beach?
Speaking of beaches, there are both white and black sand beaches and the Indian Ocean water is … Can you say perfect temperature? You definitely want to grab a mask and snorkel on this island, the underwater wildlife is matchless anywhere.
Rice paddies near Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Or if a mountain getaway is what you are looking for, Bali has that as well. Ubud is a world renowned tropical mountain retreat with tons of restaurants to enjoy and streets to walk around. There are also plenty of rice paddies, which you can walk through hand-in-hand.
Another is a secluded, mountain lake town called Bedugul. Bedugul, located near the center of the island, is secluded and has a breathtaking Balinese temple sitting in the middle of the lake. The little town has some food and a nice marketplace and the people speak broken English, but can be understood and communication is easy.
The downside is getting there. Could be a 34-hour trip, but well worth it once you settle in. The Aussies know it well, but only have a short 6- to 8-hour jaunt. So I’d plan to stay 2-3 weeks for this fantastic destination.
Here are some of our Bali posts:
- http://www.aswesawit.com/hard-working-women-of-bali/
- http://www.aswesawit.com/fabric-artists-in-ubud-bali/
- http://www.aswesawit.com/indonesian-food-2/
- http://photos.aswesawit.com/Asia/Indonesia
Costa Brava, Spain
Costa Brava is located on Spain’s Mediterranean coast, north of Barcelona. Costa Brava means “rugged coast” and it lives up to its name with some of the most spectacular coastline in all of the Mediterranean seacoast.
Costa Brava, the rugged coast of Spain
This is a Mediterranean beach paradise that has spectacular beaches, great food and a plentiful nightlife. Wining and dining your special other with both Spanish and Catalan cuisine brings great results to the pallet. It’s no wonder that many Europeans spend their vacations here.
Besides the region’s luminescent Mediterranean waters, there are plenty of other things to do in the area. I tend to suspect, though, that the most popular activities are probably sunbathing on the pristine beaches and enjoying delicious local specialties at restaurants along the boardwalk.
Santa Clotilde Gardens shows the foliage of the Mediterranean climate
If you get tired of the beach scene, go visit the two botanical gardens nearby. Santa Clotilde Gardens and Mar i Murtra Botanical Gardens in Blanes are gorgeous and worth a lingering visit. You will get a great overview of the Mediterranean climate and what grows in it.
Here are some of our Costa Brava posts:
- Spain’s Spectacular Costa Brava Region
- A View of Costa Brava’s Marimurtra Botanical Garden
- Enjoying Catalan Food in Costa Brava
Curacao, Netherlands Antilles
Curacao, an island in the southern Caribbean off of the coast of Venezuela and is one of the ABC islands. The other 2 are Bonaire and Aruba, both of which are fantastic, or so I have been told.
Relax on a beach in Curacao
What makes Curacao so fantastic is that you have the romance of island/beach life with AND charming colorful city to venture off into when you don’t want the peace and quiet of a beach.
A beach itself is romantic purely because of skimpy bathing suits involved, but one with the warm Caribbean water is all that much better. Beaches are powdery white sand and the water is teeming with corals and fish should you want to don a snorkel and mask.
Of course you can just stay at the pool and soak up the rays and cocktails too.
The quaint city of Willemstad, Curaco
Willemstad is the main town on Curacao and it is loaded with color. It was actually on my bucket list to see and photograph because of its colorful Dutch architecture. Walking through the streets is easy and safe with shops and restaurants everywhere. There are nice historic places and a few marketplaces too.
Here are some of our Curacao posts:
- Have a Look at Willemstad, Curacao
- Impressions of Curacao: An Adventure in Color/
- Our Photo Gallery of Curacao
The best romantic places for non-bathing suit wearers
We all know that beaches just have that romantic feel. Think about laying together on the sand, playing in the water, sharing a few tropical cocktails on the beach, or holding each other as the sun sets over the ocean waves….
But there are some very close runners-up if you’re not a fan of beaches.
Paris, France
This is Linda’s favorite. We boated on the River Seine, did a French wine tasting in a historic cellar, and watched Paris’ lights come on from atop Montmartre, in front of Sacre Coeur.
Paris, France
Florence, Italy
This is my favorite, not only because it’s in Tuscany and I love the food but because we enjoyed sharing a private wine tasting with a shop owner. (Can you sense a theme here? For me, it’s all about the food and wine.)
Romantic night short of the Rialto Bridge, Florence, Italy
Venice, Italy
For romance, few things can beat sharing a candlelit dinner for two along a canal (with some of the local red wine) or enjoying a gondola ride together.
Nothing more romantic than night on the Grand Canal, Venice, Italy
Kotor, Montenegro
I have great memories of our walking hand-in-hand through the town’s cobbled streets and enjoying a meal at a sidewalk cafe. We also found a great shop that featured a local vintner’s wines and had a wine tasting.
Bay of Kotor, Kotor, Montenegro
Need more help?
If you need any assistance in planning your special trip, Bob, we would be happy to offer our expertise, anything from a few recommendations like these to full-blown planning of your trip. We can help you with flight selection, hotels and a things to do list once you are at your destination of choice.
Also, for an extra fee, we can even go along to make sure you have plenty of awkward “romantic” moments.
Bob Royal: Thanks for the insight.
Do you have any questions for us, or favorite romantic places? Let us know in the comments below!
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