Andre Bedford
My expertise
I'm based in
Skerries
Investing in a Once-In-A-Lifetime Honeymoon?
Hi, I'm André, you can also find me on Instagram at @honeymoon.and.holiday.expert
Investing in a once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon but feeling overwhelmed by choice?
I create dream honeymoons so you can make memories that last a lifetime.
Are you looking for a different kind of travel service?
Do you need a Honeymoon Expert who can take your ideas and inspiration and turn them into your perfect honeymoon, without the stress?
That’s exactly what I do.
With your input, I create and book a honeymoon tailored completely to you.
So, how does it work?
I work with a limited number of clients at any one time so I can provide this personalised service.
To find the perfect honeymoon for you, it all starts with a complimentary 20-minute honeymoon consultation by phone or Zoom, where we chat through your ideas and plans.
It’s best if your travelling companion can join the call too. I'll also provide honest travel advice and real destination insight from places I’ve personally visited, helping you narrow down the choices.
Following the consultation, you can decide if you’d like us to work together.
My speciality is luxury and long-haul honeymoon adventures.
You can book your complimentary honeymoon consultation through the link in my Instagram bio @honeymoon.and.holiday.expert
Chat soon,
André
10 Things about a Virgin Voyage that are not true of other cruise company’s ??
10 Things about a Virgin Voyage that are not true of other cruise companies. The food is incredible no matter where you eat. Experience dining is included at no additional charge. It’s a must do. Prebook #Gunbae Korean BBQ and #testkitchen a 5-course tasting menu. Regular, vegan & vegetarian options available. Dine in any of the 20+ eateries on board. From Steak to Vegan. Mexican to Korean. B
04 Dec 2024 5 min read
Sri Lanka Take Two
Sri Lanka Take Two: With Volleyball as its national sport and the squirrel as its national animal, Sri Lanka was not fitting into my preconceived ideas from the get-go, which made it even more intriguing. With 1.2 million Tuk Tuks and Approx 6,000 wild elephants there’s some incredible sights waiting for you in Sri Lanka. It’s perfect for a Honeymoon with many high-end properties to treat yoursel
11 Nov 2024 5 min read
Sri Lanka a country overlooked
Sri Lanka, a country that is totally overlooked. From beaches to safaris an abundance of culture and amazing food. It’s a super Honeymoon destination for couples who want a bit of adventure. But is it safe I hear you ask? Sri Lanka has been ranked no 1 as “The best places for solo female travel in 2024” by Timeout.com which also makes it a really safe Honeymoon destination too. Explore Colum
20 May 2024 5 min read
Upmarket South African adventures
South Africa is the perfect place for a high end honeymoon adventure with upmarket experiences and hotels. See the big five, the ugly five and the marine five. Be in awe of the mountainous scenery the fabulous sunsets and not forgetting the winelands. The food is incredible and such great value. South Africa also combines fabulously with Mauritius or Dubai for some rest, relaxation, and sun to fi
04 Apr 2024 5 min read
Greek islands
Greek islands Some of my favourites islands to date are Crete & Santorini. Chania, pronounced Hania is an old fishing port with a beautiful harbour now lined with bars and restaurants. Sitting at the western tip of Crete it's incredibly pretty and a lovely spot for a Honeymoon or an adult break away. We opted to stay in the old town, steps from the harbour for a few days to experience it and
28 Jun 2023 5 min read
Cruising Celebrity Edge
Celebrity cruises offer modern, classy, high-end ships with excellent meals, speciality restaurants and loads of wow. Personally, I loved the magic carpet located over the side of the ship offering amazing views of the ocean to enjoy with cocktails or beers in hand. Think 5-star, high end hotel. I also loved the choice of bars from outdoor sunset decks to cocktails in the whirlpools. The shows a
28 Jun 2023 5 min read
So why Seville?
So why did I choose Seville for this trip? Was it to eat my way around the city with more tapas than you could think of? Or to enjoy the history with a dash of sangria? Yes but also I’ve lots of requests for three stop European Honeymoons. I’m finding more and more couple want to do two or three European countries for their Honeymoon. Seville is an amazing city in its own right but it offers m
28 Jun 2023 5 min read
Croatia and its Islands
I visited the islands of Croatia at the end of October to find high temperatures, bustling towns and warm seas. It’s a lovely time to visit with less visitors than in the summer months. I visited Cavtat and Croatia’s islands which were 22 degrees at end of October, hot enough to lie out. Summer clothes are perfect for during the day but jeans or a jacket are required in the evening time as the t
28 Jun 2023 5 min read
East meets west Istanbul
Istanbul is the only pan continental city in the world meaning it is situated on two continents Europe and Asia. Istanbul is not only the capital city of Turkey, but it is the biggest city with over 13 million people living here, all served by the world’s oldest covered market the Grand Bazaar, which opened for business in 1461. The Grand Bazaar has 16 entrances and 4,000 shops! My husband nearl
28 Jun 2023 5 min read
Malta & Gozo
There are so many areas to explore in Malta so it’s perfect for a couple who like to be busy on their honeymoon plus with great air connections a two or three centre European honeymoon is possible. The three cities in particular which are gorgeous to explore and lovely to stay are Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua. Valletta is on your doorstep too, just 20 mins away by boat. The dghajsa are a typi
28 Jun 2023 5 min read
Adventures in Switzerland
I was excited to go back to Switzerland as it had been far too long so back to Lauterbrunnen we went, a 2hr 29 min drive from Zurich or you can catch a train. Think mountain valleys, waterfalls as far as the eye can see, snowcapped mountains above you and epic views everywhere you look. Oh, and cows grazing in the valleys with bells around their necks. It’s just totally jaw dropping in every dire
28 Jun 2023 5 min read
Treat yourself on Honeymoon in Bali
Treating yourself in Bali is really affordable so plan to add the below into your Honeymoon itinerary and treat yourselves to all the extras!! Treat yourself to a floating breakfast. We paid an additional €6 per person to have our breakfast floating as breakfast was included in our room rate. A Spa Day - A Balinese message should be experienced by everyone. 1hr Balinese massage €33. One hour fac
27 Jun 2023 5 min read
Kuramathi island resort Maldives
Lots of people know or have heard of Kuramathi Island in the Maldives and wonder if it is as good as they say, well the answer from my personal experience is yes, it is. It is a true island paradise and has a multitude to offer a couple on Honeymoon. Kuramathi is an island of two styles. Laid back Traditional Maldivian on one side of the island and Chic and Modern on the other. In fact, the isl
01 Dec 2022 5 min read
Do Something Different in South Africa
?? Do you want to do something different in South Africa ?? Weather it is your first trip to South Africa or your third you may not want to do the usually recommended itinerary's of Cape Town and the Garden Route and although these are gorgeous areas you may just do something different in South Africa. I would highly recommend the Mpumalanga region. This region in Northern South Africa has acc
07 Dec 2020 5 min read
Best Time to Travel to Bali
When is the best time to travel to Bali? ??Best time to go to Bali Bali has the same summer season as we do here in Ireland. The months of June, July and August are their high season. It’s a great destination if you take holidays in our summer months or if you are planning your Honeymoon after a summer wedding. ??May to September are the best months to visit, temperatures are high the sun
07 Dec 2020 5 min read
Best Time to Travel to Thailand
When is the best time to visit Thailand to make sure I get the best weather. When should I visit Thailand? The best thing about Thailand is you can visit 11 months out of the year. Thailand gets two separate monsoon rains but as the county is so large it can’t be raining everywhere at the same time. So this gives is lots of options. ?? High season on the East Coast of Thailand is May - Sept
07 Dec 2020 5 min read
Top Adventures in Vietnam
Vietnam offers authentic activities and tours to enable you to really get a feel for the country. They are unique, interesting, and great fun in equal measures. Here are some of the must do activities which I lobed myself. I've been on them all bar the Vespa tour which is new. All available to pre-book which I would highly recommend. HANOI: • Take a polaroid tour of the city taking in all the t
04 Aug 2020 5 min read
Top adventures in South Africa
South Africa is an amazing diverse destination with so much to offer. Mountain scenery to ocean vistas. Whale watching to Elephant spotting. Fabulous wine and food, it has it all. Here are some of the must do activities. All available to pre-book which I would highly recommend. *Visit the Waterfront: Cape Towns Waterfront is lovely. Think Grafton street, shops, buskers, even gospel choirs. Dini
29 Jun 2020 5 min read
Miami, not just another US city
I loved Miami and I will definitely go back. It is a gorgeous city on the beach and surrounded by water. Beach vibes and loads to do with the everglades on your doorstep too. Miami is often overlooked when choosing a city stay in the USA or it is often thought of as only a stopover point before you take a cruise, but it is much more. The tropical climate of Florida gives you that hot holiday vi
04 Jun 2020 5 min read
Icelandic Waterfalls and Fireworks
An excellent adventure was had by us in Iceland! Geysers, roaring waterfalls, tectonic plates plus snow in the winter. Hunt for the Northern Lights, visit the gorgeous Blue Lagoon, watch the might of the Gullfoss. There is absolutely loads to do in Iceland and you can visit at any time of the year. Did you know there were no native Icelandic people is Iceland when the Danish arrived but get this
14 May 2020 5 min read
The islands of Abu Dhabi
I have been to the UAE many times, it’s actually one of my favourite places. I love the luxury, the high-end hotels and the fabulous service you receive here. Dubai is fabulous and I was really expecting the same again when I visited Abu Dhabi but I was wrong, the two cities are very different indeed. Firstly, Abu Dhabi is made up of 200 islands so it has a completely different feel and many be
14 May 2020 5 min read
Halkidiki- What you need to know.
Halkidiki is a region in northern Greece known for its jutting peninsulas and is where Mediterranean forests give way to sandy beaches. Olive trees grow everywhere, and panoramic vistas are the norm! Plus, the sea is crystal clear, warm and very inviting too. As we now have direct flights to Halkidiki from Ireland it’s a fabulous area of the world to add to your bucket list and a place I would h
01 Nov 2019 5 min read
Top Tips for a Magical time in the Maldives
With glorious white sands, swaying palm trees and glittering turquoise waters, the Maldives are the picture-perfect holiday destination. I travelled to the Maldives earlier this year and it was just fabulous! With so much to do and see there it’s hard to know when to start and that’s where I come in. As your personal Travel Counsellors, I can tailor make your dream holiday and offer your expert a
01 Nov 2019 5 min read
Hong Kong an Asian beauty
Although Hong Kong has a population of 7.2 million it somehow doesn’t feel like it. Hong Kong is made up of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon island, the New Territories, Lantau Island, and over 200 other islands. The airport is on a separate island too with a direct train service to both Kowloon and Hong Kong island and with shuttle buses onwards to your Hotel, it’s a very convenient way to access the
15 Jul 2019 5 min read
Lisbon, a true gem.
My favourite city in Europe is Venice followed closely by Lisbon. Lisbon is a magnificent city that has somehow been overlooked by travellers over the years and I’m not sure why! It’s up there with Rome, Paris and Dubrovnik. It has everything you could ask for from a city and much, much more. Old cobbles streets, outdoor dining, huge plaza squares looking out over the water and old trams running
15 Jul 2019 5 min read
The Intrigue of Japan
Japan is one of those country's that seems to intrigue everyone, yet I don’t think it is a destination for everyone. If you love history, adventurous food and want to experience different customs Japan is definitely the place for you. Many of my friends have visited Japan yet they can’t seem to explain the experience in detail, so this just made me more intrigued. There is so much to see in Japa
15 Jul 2019 5 min read
Angkor Wat - The temple forgotten for 200 years
*UPDATED Sep 23: The local authorities in Siem Reap recently announced that as of 1 January 2020, the Beng Melea Temple will only be available to visit when included in a 1-day, 3-day or 7-day Angkor Pass which is great news. Previously, the entrance ticket to the Beng Melea Temple was sold separately. This temple is very secluded and worth considering for your trip* The temples of Angkor Wat ha
08 May 2019 5 min read
The Maldives - What's it really like.
What was the Maldives Really like? Just fabulous is the answer to that question. Here’s all you need to know about the Maldivian island, Olhuveli Beach & Spa. I’ve been trying to get to the Maldives for 13 years, so it had a lot to live up to, but it’s safe to say the whole trip to the Maldives was amazing. It’s just picture perfect. I took a total of 600 hundred photos of the island itself in
08 May 2019 5 min read
California Dreaming
Updated Sep 2023: San Diego also got a newly renovated hotel. A $21 million makeover, the Hilton San Diego Resort & Spa at Mission Bay Park will become the San Diego Mission Bay Resort. This will be a great addition to the area with a chic modern style and poolside fire pit* I am just back from my second visit to Los Angeles and all I can say is everyone should see it at least once. There is so m
07 Dec 2018 5 min read
Victoria falls & Botswana Honeymoon
I chose Victoria falls and Chobi Game Reserve in Botswana for my honeymoon as I wanted to do something totally different whilst also having a luxury adventure and this fit the bill perfectly. We stayed at the Royal Livingston hotel, a 5 Star beauty on the banks of the Zambezi river. From the get-go I was enchanted. On arrival as I stood waiting for my new husband to exit the car, a black and
19 Sept 2018 5 min read
South Africa. A wonder to experience.
*Updated Sep 23* Grootbos Private Nature Reserve has been named one of national geographic unique lodges of the world. The Serengeti of the sea, where the Atlantic ocean and the Indian ocean converge to give a diverse marine ecosystem for you to explore* South Africa is one of the most diverse destinations to visit as it has everything to offer, history, amazing scenery, fabulous wildlife, multi
06 Sept 2018 5 min read
Vietnam - Boat, Bikes and Buses
Vietnam was always a place I fancied going but in all honestly I thought it would be like Thailand. How wrong I was and what a fabulous surprise Vietnam was. Thailand is a firm favourite of mine but I have to say Vietnam is every bit as good, different and diverse and even better in some parts. The first thing to hit you when you arrive in Ho Chi Ming City is the shear amount of motorbikes. The
08 Aug 2018 5 min read
Luxury Mauritius
Mauritius is a fabulously upmarket destination. White sandy beaches are the order of the day and really good food with lots of the hotels offering numerous restaurant choices in their all-inclusive packages. I’ve been lucky to travel to Mauritius twice over the years and view numerous hotels. Once in a work trip and the second when I returned for my Honeymoon. I enjoyed both trips so much. Maur
08 Aug 2018 5 min read
Thailand’s Andaman Coast
I had wondered if it had lost its charm? More tourism often means the beauty is lost, but I can honestly say this is not the case in Thailand it is a breath taking as ever. I decided to stay in Southern Thailand for this trip and visited the new resort of Khao Lak, the islands of Koh Lanta and Phi Phi, Krabi with its limestone Karsts, Phuket and Khao Sok National Park which allowed us to visit Tha
19 Jun 2018 5 min read
It's more fun in the Philippines
Island hopping the Philippines: I was expecting white sand beaches and clear blue seas but what I got was much much more. There are 7,000 islands in the Philippines which increases to 7,700 when the tide is out! So, there’s a lot of exploring to be done. The three main geographical areas are Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. My trip took me around the beautiful Visayas. The Philippines is a modern
23 May 2018 5 min read
Cruising the Caribean on the New MSC Seaside
With the launch of another big ship by MSC and another 6-8 to follow in the coming years it was time to get myself on the MSC Seaside to see what it had to offer. We decided to cruise from Miami on her to the Caribbean. Holding over 5000 passengers and crew, the ship is huge but this has its advantages with lots of facilities. Numerous bars, restaurants, speciality restaurants, splash park, 4
04 May 2018 5 min read
Dubai - Stopover city or Holiday Destination
I have been lucky enough to have holidayed in Dubai 6 times now and have loved every trip. Dubai is one of my favourite cities on the beach, but it is also a great stopover destination with flights stopping here on the way to Australia, Thailand, Bali and Vietnam to name a few. I love that Dubai is city full of activity, high end hotels, fabulous service and great value gold. I am often asked wha
05 Feb 2018 5 min read
18 Great things to do in Vegas
Las Vegas has always been really popular with my clients it's a great combination as a two centre holiday with a Caribbean Island or with a US road trip along the Pacific Coast, but many of my clients think all you can do in Vegas is gamble! Here are some of the fabulous things you can do in Vegas that I recommend to my clients to enhance your experience. • Watch the fountain show at the Bellag
02 Feb 2018 5 min read
Elephant Hills - Thailand
Elephant Hills is Thailand’s 1st luxury elephant camp. It allows you a once in a lifetime opportunity to interact with the endangered Asian elephant. It is quite overwhelming really, as you are given the opportunity to get right up close and personal with the elephants. Their sheer size only becomes apparent when you are given the opportunity to wash them! We obviously weren’t doing a good enough
18 Jan 2018 5 min read
Bangkok, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai - Thailand
I always said I would only visit a country once as there are so many places in the world to see, this however when out the window as soon as I landed in Thailand. Thailand is everything you imagine it to be and much more. The people are very friendly and delighted to have you come to visit, the food is magnificent and the sights are straight out of a photo book. Bangkok is most definitely a love
07 Apr 2016 5 min read
Bali and Lombok - A balinese adventure
Bali is a beautiful island with everything you would expect from a tropical island but it also has much more to offer. Beautiful beach plus the whole interior of the island is rainforest, there are amazing paddy fields and they also have a volcano! The combination of temples, rain-forest, paddy fields and beaches plus its outlying islands. This makes it a lovely diverse destination. Most come fo
07 Apr 2016 5 min read
Barbados and the Bajans
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this tiny Caribbean island at just 21 miles by 14 miles wide! It did seem small but as the Bajan people refer to it as ‘21 miles long and a smile wide’ I reckoned we were off to a good start. The first thing you notice when you arrive is how nice the beaches are; they really are picture perfect with turquoise seas and white sandy beaches just like you see in th
10 Oct 2013 5 min read
Mexico - The Mexican Riviera
With all the talk about Mexico I thought I should get out and see if it was as good as they were saying. All I can say is it was better! A lot of emphasis is put on the fabulous 4 and 5 star All Inclusive resorts in Mexico which are really great and luxurious and I absolutely would recommend you stay in one but there is a lot more to it. It was lovely to travel to a country which has plenty of cu
23 May 2012 5 min read
What’s it like in the Maldives
What to expect when you stay at Olhuveli Resort in the Maldives. My views and recommendations from my 2019 trip.
12 Apr 2019
A gorgeous oasis in Cambodia
Navutu Dreams Resort and wellness retreat in Siem Reap. I loved it here. Check it out.
05 Apr 2019
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