The Maldives is one of those stunningly beautiful, screensaver-esque destinations that consistently ranks on travel magazine hit lists as one of the most exquisite places to visit...for a honeymoon with your romantic partner.
As a lifestyle/travel/wedding writer, I’ve never really considered “saving a trip for marriage.” (FYI, I’m not married yet.) But, let’s be honest: When I received a job offer to visit the St. Regis Maldives at Wormuli Resort this summer, I doubted I’d want to go on my own. Think about it: you're isolated on an island, wearing very little clothing (a bathing suit, or just a towel at the spa). There's a lot of privacy here (read: your own private mini pool and sun deck, and you don't share any walls with other guests at the resort). This remote destination is basically designed for romance, from candlelit beach dinners to spa treatments for couples to enjoy together. So it’s no surprise that people often “save” far-flung, exclusive destinations for traveling with their partners.
However, instead of saying no to traveling to the Maldives, being alone or waiting for my future spouse, I decided to invite my best friend Amy to travel with me. Because what do you know? In a post-lockdown world, I want to share time and memories (in an overwater bungalow or elsewhere) with people I admire.
It’s for this reason that Alisa Cohen, founder of Luxury Travelers Club, is seeing more and more of her friends taking vacations. "Due to the isolation of the pandemic, customers are using travel as a way to reunite with friends from across the country and do so through larger trips," she tells Bustle. “Customers are no longer saving that great dream trip for some time in the future.”
After three flights from New York to Doha and Male before finally arriving at the St. Regis Resort (which, by the way, is on its own island), my bestie and I did it all. We swim in the sea. We had massages and did yoga. We cycled from the scenic beach to the restaurant. I really like not fussing with makeup or hair - I do this and try to capture more formal, romantic, couple photos to document milestone trips with my boyfriend. Instead, I have an album of fun snapshots of me and my friends. I also appreciate it so much when Amy and I can share clothes. I borrowed a bandeau top that my boyfriend wouldn't pack in his carry-on. She and I talked about TV shows, fertility, reality TV stars, and other topics you might not bring up with your boyfriend. Although we saw very few other guests, they were mainly couples. We'll try to guess who's traveling for their honeymoon, babymoon, or anniversary. It was a relaxing, hassle-free stay - no hidden agendas or anxiety about what the trip was about. Naturally, we dubbed this five-day trip “The Best of the Month.” I quickly realized we weren't the only ones.
“While the Maldives is known as a honeymoon destination, we do see besties there, especially women traveling in groups rather than men traveling in groups,” said Vincent Pouchon, general manager of the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort. said. If you scroll through TikTok, you'll see that the hashtag #bestiemoon has been viewed more than 939,000 times and #bestievacation has been viewed 3.7 million times. This is obviously a thing.
The one-on-one vacation trend with friends makes sense. Some of us won't get married, and of those who do, some may not go on a honeymoon. So why wait for your partner (or convince your significant other to go somewhere they're less excited about) when you can book a trip to a "romantic" destination with your best friend and start your life now ?
In addition to not holding back before getting married, when female friends travel together one-on-one, it plays out in a different way than when female friends travel together, says Melissa Wasserman, Ph.D., a cognitive behavioral psychologist in New York. Way to fill one's company. (Even if one of them has a partner). It’s also important to note that although romantic destinations are marketed for couples, Wasserman said the best moons challenge rigid beliefs that people have held on to in the past. Namely: people traditionally reserve certain destinations for specific important occasions. But instead of waiting for your romantic partner to go somewhere with you (more specifically, to celebrate your commitment to each other), you can do it with friends on your own terms.
Tedy Weber breaks off long-term relationship The 37-year-old, a managing partner in financial services in Austin, Texas, invited his friends on a trip in December 2021. "I broke up with my ex-girlfriend, so I took Brian to Paris," Weber said of his Brooklyn. Based on bestie. "We went to very romantic dinners and shows, like Bœuf sur le Toit, because everything was paid for. We also rode scooters together, which was so funny."
Bestiemoon Travel doesn’t have to be expensive or international, either. Liz Ware, vice president of sales and marketing at Mission Point Resort on Mackinac Island, Mich., said the resort has seen an increase in friendly tours. Girls' travel increased at the Washington School House in Park City, Utah, while friend travel at Hotel Valley Ho and Mountain Shadows Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, also increased by 19.1% and 13.5%, respectively. In the past, these resorts were more popular for visiting couples, but now they have become a hangout for platonic duos and groups.
While the best moon location considerations are often at the forefront of planning (just like a traditional honeymoon), the trip itself doesn't just focus on the destination. It's about company and memories.
"Carmen and I have been through a lot of different situations, and I think we're both better people," Alexondra Purnomo, 40, said of her platonic soulmate. “We survived a tragic earthquake on the small island of Gili Air. We sat for hours staring at the glacier by Jökulsárlón in Iceland, barely speaking because it was so beautiful. We dove in The Bay of Pigs in Cuba. We laughed so hard we cried more times than I can count. I can’t imagine being in the same situation as anyone else.”
