Travelling together as a couple is a big step in a relationship. It gives you the chance to see the world through each other’s eyes and to create lasting memories that you will forever cherish.

After nearly two years of travelling around the world, we have accumulated a wide range of experiences together as a couple. From conquering difficult hikes to spending lazy days by the beach, we enjoyed a mix of adventure and quiet moments that most couples will look for while travelling. As an inspiration for other couples who plan to travel together or seasoned travel couples who are in search for new items to add to their itinerary, here are some top experiences to add to your couples travel bucket list:

Have an Entire Beach to Yourselves

Where We Did It: Koh Kood, Thailand

Nothing spells romantic more than a tropical island paradise. What better way to enjoy the sun, sand and sea than alone with your loved one.

Escape the crowded Thai Islands of Koh Phi Phi and search for secluded islands that draw less tourists for that perfect holiday. The Maldives, which is on most couples bucket lists, is always a great choice for a private beach feel but you can also look for budget-friendly alternatives like Koh Kood, Thailand. We spent about two weeks on this stunning Thai island close to Cambodian border and found several pristine beaches which at times we had all to ourselves.

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Trek through the Mountains

Where We Did It: Himalayas, Nepal / Patagonia, Chile and Argentina

Trekking poses a challenge not only to yourself but to your relationship. Being out in the wilderness allows you to work together and learn from each other. Hunger, exhaustion and lack of motivation may lead to arguments among couples but overcoming these hardships together makes for a stronger bond. After all, the taste of success — of conquering a difficult climb and surpassing a hard trail — when done together is so much sweeter.

Some of the memorable treks we did that we highly recommend to add to your couples travel bucket list include the 4 Day Torres del Paine W Trek in Patagonia, Chile and the Ghorepani – Poonhill Trek in the Himalayas, Nepal. You can’t go wrong with the incredible scenery of these multi-day treks.

RELATED POST: Torres del Paine W Trek in 4 Days: One of the Best Treks in Patagonia, Chile

Walk the Cobblestone Streets of an Old Town/ City

Where We Did It: Antigua (Guatemala), Barichara (Colombia), Granada (Spain), Sighisoara (Romania), Venice (Italy) and Prague (Czech Republic)

Evoke feelings of nostalgia as you walk along cobblestone streets of old towns. Embrace the romantic vibe as you wander down small alleys and discover hidden gems of the past.

The world has a lot of incredible old towns and cities that you can explore as a couple. They can be quite crowded though so try to stray from the tourist trail every now and then. Colonial towns and cities in Latin America and the old cities in Europe are great places to start.

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See an Amazing Cave

Where We Did It: Paradise Cave in Phong Nha, Vietnam / Grotta dello Smeraldo on the Amalfi Coast, Italy

Caves are some of the world’s most mysterious places. They offer a glimpse of what’s beneath the earth and a sense of wonder among visitors.

From marble caves to ice caves, there are many natural caves to explore around the globe. In Vietnam, we visited Paradise Cave in Phong Nha — a giant cave with lots of stalactite and stalagmite formations. One day we hope to make it back in Vietnam to see Hang Son Doong Cave, the largest cave in the world.

In Europe, we went on a quick boat ride to see the sparkling emerald waters beneath the Grotta dello Smeraldo. The “magic” as light touched the water was unforgettable.

RELATED POST: Amalfi Coast: A Romantic Day Trip in Italy

Camp Somewhere Spectacular

Where We Did It: Torres del Paine in Patagonia, Chile

If you both love the outdoors, camping is a great way to spend time together. Nothing compares to the ecstatic feeling as you wake up to the sight of nature’s beauty. During the Torres del Paine W Trek in Patagonia, Chile, we slept under some of the world’s incredible peaks. I will never forget that experience and I was glad I shared those moments with my partner.

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Go on a Private Island Hopping Adventure

Where We Did It: El Nido, Palawan , Philippines

Enjoy a tiny slice of paradise with just the two of you by going on a private island hopping adventure. During our trip to El Nido, Palawan, we arranged for a private island hopping tour with our guest house and had an incredible time exploring some of the best islands in the Philippines. Having control of our activities and how much time we had on each island truly made our time there more memorable.

RELATED POST: El Nido, Palawan: Paradise in the Philippines

Hike to a Stunning Lake

Where We Did It: Laguna 69, Peru / Laguna de los Tres, Argentina / Tongariro Alpine Crossing, New Zealand

I have always been fascinated by colourful lakes. Most of them are located at high elevation, among snow-capped mountains or among volcanic landscapes. Some of the best hikes we did during our trip around the world took us to some incredible lakes. Laguna 69 in northern Peru is a stunning glacial lake with a beautiful shade of blue. The frozen Laguna de los Tres in Argentina’s Patagonia was an awesome foreground to the peaks of Mount Fitz Roy, In New Zealand, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing brought us close to three emerald lakes.

RELATED POST: Day Hike to Laguna 69, Peru: A Beautiful Glacial Lake in Peru

Go on a Sunset Camel Trek

Where We Did It: Erg Chebbi Sand Dunes in the Sahara Desert, Morocco

“The dunes are changed by the wind, but the desert never changes. That’s the way it will be with our love for each other. ” – Paolo Coelho, The Alchemist

The incredible orange sand of the Erg Chebbi Sand Dunes of the Sahara Desert in Morocco looked incredible under the sunset. For an authentic desert experience, a camel trek is a great way to see the dunes. It was still romantic, even though we went on a tour with other people (and Jon was quite uncomfortable). If you have more budget, definitely consider doing a private camel trek (however, we didn’t see this option in Morocco).

RELATED POST: Camping in the Sahara Desert: A 3 Day Tour to the Erg Chebbi Dunes in Morocco

Sleep in a Mansion

Where We Did It: Alsisar Haveli in Jaipur, India

Sleep like royalty in the former mansions of Rajasthan. Our incredible experience in India not only included seeing the historic wonders but also staying in havelis, former mansions turned into luxury hotels. It’s amazing when you see the palaces of Rajasthan during the day and get back to a palace of your own at night.

Swim Somewhere Exotic

Where We Did It: Cenotes in Mexico / Semuc Champey, Guatemala

Think underwater caves, natural pools and hidden lagoons. Searching for unique destinations together is one of the best things about travelling as a couple. We were pleased to discover the beauty of Mexico’s cenotes when we set foot on the Yucatan Peninsula and swim in the natural pools of Semuc Champey during our time in Guatemala.

RELATED POST: Mexico’s Best Kept Secret: Amazing Cenotes in the Yucatan Peninsula

Go on a Food Tour

Where We Did It: Hoi An, Vietnam / Bangkok ,Thailand

Whether you’re foodies or simply out to try a new cuisine, going on a DIY food tour is an awesome way to capture a country’s flavours. The best region to do it? Southeast Asia! From banana pancakes to mango shakes, pad thai to green curry, Thailand is a haven for food lovers. The best place to go is of course, in the capital, Bangkok. There you can find some of the countries’ world-renowned dishes and unfamiliar street food. It’s incredibly cheap too.

I have never met anyone who disliked Vietnamese food. We lived in Hoi An, Vietnam for around 3 months and we had always looked forward to the delicious food. From the local cau lao to the best banh mi in Vietnam, you’ll easily fall in love with the food there.

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Cycle Past Ancient Ruins

Where We Did It: Ayutthaya, Thailand / Sukhothai, Thailand

I am not that great with bikes but I really enjoyed cycling past ruins in Southeast Asia. Jon and I did this twice when we visited the ancient ruins of Ayutthaya and the ancient ruins of Sukhothai. I definitely recommend it to couples as it gives you quality time together as you explore the sites at your own pace.

Other great places to cycle past ancient ruins include Angkor Wat, Cambodia and Bagan, Myanmar. Jon did these during his solo trip in Southeast Asia before. I’m definitely keen to see these places with him (on a bike) next time.

RELATED POST: Ayutthaya vs Sukhothai: Searching for the Best Ancient Ruins in Thailand

Go on a Cruise

Where We Did It: Mekong River, Laos

Who doesn’t want to go on a cruise? Whether you prefer a large ocean cruise or a quaint river boat cruise, cruises are a great way to see some of the world’s epic destinations.

In Laos, we spent 3 nights cruising along the Mekong River. We saw the 4,000 islands from a different perspective and also saw some of the other highlights in the area including the Vat Phou ruins and the largest waterfall in Laos.

Next time, we want to do a boat cruise in the backwaters of Kerala, India and possibly a cruise to Antarctica. Have you ticked going on a cruise on your couples travel bucket list?

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See Glow Worms

Where We Did It: Waitomo Glowworm Cave, New Zealand

One of the most spectacular experiences we’ve had in New Zealand was a tour of the Waitomo Caves. These amazing network of subterranean caves and underground rivers are home to thousands and thousands of glowworms which dazzle in the dark.

RELATED POST: Exploring Waitomo Glowworm Cave and Ruakuri Cave in Waitomo, New Zealand

See a Massive Glacier

Where We Did It: Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina

Glaciers are some of the world’s most incredible natural wonders. You’ll definitely want to share the incredible feeling of awe and admiration with your partner.

One of the best glaciers we’ve visited is the Perito Moreno Glacier in Patagonia, Argentina. The size of this glacier alone is enough to take your breathe away. Add the deafening sound of broken ice plunging into the sea and this place will be marked in your memory forever.

RELATED POST: Perito Moreno Glacier: A Natural Wonder in Patagonia, Argentina

Watch the Sunrise over the Mountains

Where We Did It: Himalayas, Nepal

We watch sunsets often but very rarely wake up to see the sunrise (we aren’t really morning people) unless it’s a truly spectacular place. Some of the most sensational sunrises we shared were during our time in Himalayas, Nepal. We watched it once when we were in Sarangkot, a popular view point near Pokhara and the other on top of Poonhill, during a multi-day hike.

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Walk through a Palace

Where We Did It: The Alhambra, Spain / The Palaces of Rajasthan, India / The Palaces of Sintra, Portugal

You’ll definitely feel like royalty as you wander through old palaces together. The stunning architecture and the incredible setting of these palaces will surely bring sparks to your relationship. Stray from the crowded tours for a better experience.

Some of the best places to explore palaces include Andalusia in Spain and Rajasthan in India.

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See the Wonders of the World

Where We Did It: Taj Mahal, India / Chichen Itza, Mexico / Machu Picchu, Peru / The Colosseum, Italy

To see all the seven wonders of the world together is big on our couples travel bucket list. We have our whole lives ahead of us so we don’t want to rush to see them all. It’s always good to have future destinations to look forward to together (our couples travel bucket list always keep growing!).

We enjoyed our visit in all of the four wonders we’ve seen in the past two years of travelling. We still have a few more wonders of the world to go and really look forward to see them!

RELATED POST: Explore the Wonder of the World, Machu Picchu

Go on Backpacking Trip Together

Where We Did It: Around the World

Having to spend 24/7 with another person for a long time is a complete game changer in a relationship. Apart from the big challenge of living out of your backpacks for a long time, you have to solve problems together, work as a team and learn from each other. Travelling together can be intense but if you can survive it, you know you can face any challenge together.

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Wander an Epic Destination without the Crowds

Where We Did It: Europe

Have you ever seen those expectations vs reality photos of some of the world’s famous tourist attractions? It’s enough to put you off from going. The best solution is to travel in low (or shoulder) season. We did this during our trip to Europe and while some cities were still busy (Prague, Venice and Rome), they were still a lot quieter than in high season.

We reaped the benefits of travelling in low season during our visit to the Greek Islands. Apart from lesser crowds, it was also easier to find cheap accommodation. The great thing about travelling as a couple is that you have each other. The nearly empty beaches and streets of the Greek islands were perfect for spending quality time together.

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What’s on your couples travel bucket list? Do you have other top experiences to add to this list? Let us know.