HONEYMOONS are special as they give newlyweds a chance to communicate with each other and communication just may be the secret of a successful relationship.

Honeymoons also enable newlyweds to discover each other's likes and dislikes. For instance, during her honeymoon Anindita got to know that her husband Reshad loves cricket and cannot do without "adda" sessions with his friends. Reshad on the other hand learnt that Anindita loved "phoockas" and nothing in the world could deter her from having them. Such seemingly trivial likes and dislikes matter a lot in a marriage and during honeymoons when the couple is in a relaxed mood they can express them to each other, consciously or otherwise.

The honeymoon is ideally a time of perfect romance and bliss. However, many newlyweds have their first fight during this time. Ashek and Riya for example, while on their honeymoon, had their first fight over a wet towel that Riya had left on the bed which irritated her hubby.
They made up quickly and later laughed about it. Arif while on honeymoon in Europe preferred just spending days relaxing in the hotel while Neena wanted to do some sightseeing. When Arif refused to go visiting historical places, Neena got upset and a fight ensued...
During honeymoons fights make the couple realize that two people, however compatible, can never see eye to eye on everything and disagreements are bound to be there.

There might also be a certain awkwardness with money during honeymoons. Even while planning the honeymoon, the husband might feel awkward revealing what his honeymoon budget is. However, planning the budget together is good practice for the husband and the wife, preparing them for being lifelong partners and making joint financial decisions. If a couple can draw up a honeymoon budget by consulting and listening to each other, then they are well on their way to future financial harmony. During the honeymoon one partner can also get a glimpse of the other's spending habits. This is important because most fights in a marriage centre on "money". Anisa, for example, was relieved to discover that her husband had good spending habits and was neither a penny pincher nor a spendthrift from his choice of hotels and gifts and souvenirs.

Amusing incidents occurring during honeymoons leave memories, which couples laugh about down the years. While returning from their honeymoon, Meena & Shahed realized that they had not brought their camera with them and had not taken a single picture. Even twenty years after their marriage, Meena regrets it and their children now chide them for forgetting the camera.
Different couples have different ways of spending their days during honeymoons. Some spend their time basking in the sun on the beach, while some explore cities and visit historical places, while for others doing nothing is everything.

The honeymoon is a time when newlyweds can let their hair down and enjoy themselves. There is no pressure to "do" anything...no meetings...no chores...but like all good things the honeymoon ends quickly leaving couples wishing that it had gone on forever. For most couples the honeymoon leaves behind memories that they will cherish for the rest of their lives.

By Malina Islam; Photo: Zahedul I Khan, Model: Moushumi and Sohel

honeymoon within and beyond...

It might seem that Bangladesh being a small and under-developed country doesn't have too many sight-seeing places or "honeymoon" spots. However that is not quite true. There are several tourist spots in Bangladesh, which can also be treated as places where couples can visit on their honeymoon.

Cox's Bazaar is one place that requires no introduction. Practically everybody has been there, married or not. However for those newly weds who haven't, Cox's Bazaar is famous for having the world's longest (120 km) sea beach, sloping gently down to the not so blue waters of the Bay of Bengal. Honeymooners would not want to miss the opportunity of getting acquainted with the unique customs of the Rakhayne tribal inhabitants.

Watching the breathtaking beauty of the sun setting behind the waves of the sea would surely create a romantic aura for the newly weds. However, a problem the couples could face is the lack of privacy on the beach since its population density is quite high.
Honeymooners would find the privacy they are looking for in Kuakata, which perhaps doesn't have the turbulent waves of Cox's Bazaar but is picturesque nonetheless with its coconut trees against the sea. Honeymooners would love walking towards the end of the beach to catch a glimpse of the majestic sunrise. However, Kuakata isn't a great place for shopping. Honeymooners will have to stay satisfied trying to choose between white and grey shades of T-shirts that say, "Kuakata- to meet the sun". Nonetheless, one could find good Burmese products in the small shops on the way to the beach, which are not that bad.

In the Sundarbans, honeymooners can't be ensured of spotting the Royal Bengal Tiger. What they can do is roam around the criss-cross creeks and canals which creep around thousands of islets and see them swell and sink with the tide. They wouldn't want to miss out on going to Dubla Island, the southern most island of the Sundarbans where fishing is practiced most of the year. Newly weds are suggested to go there during autumn, because that's when a festival named "Duble Mela" takes place where thousands of people gather from all around. The Meadow of Kotka Island, one of the few open areas of the Sundarban Forest, is another beautiful place where honeymooners can see the Deer (Axis Axis) grazing in the open from the watch towers. All in all, the Sundarban Forest with its Nipa palm (golpata) and tall Keora trees is a great place to visit.

Bandarban, although not as developed a tourist spot as the others previously mentioned, is a wonderful place to visit nonetheless. Adventurous newly weds would want to go to Boga Lake, a lake surrounded on all sides by mountains. They wouldn't want to miss out the waterfalls, namely "Shoilo Propat". By going to Bandarban couples would have the opportunity to interact with various tribal cultures and also have the wild experience of roaming about in the legendary "Chander Gari" the main transport used in the area.

Rangamati is considered as the most picturesque place of Bangladesh. It is famous for its beautiful landscapes, scenic beauty as well as flora and fauna. Its home spun textiles and silver jewellery should be a major attraction for the couples. Honeymooners would simply love cruising on the emerald blue waters of Kaptai Lake which spans over 1630 sq. km.

Sylhet is the foremost tea-granary of the country. It is a prime attraction for non-Sylhetis with its tea gardens, orange groves, pineapple plantations and hills covered with tropical forests. It would be quite exciting for newly weds to spend the night in a bungalow surrounded by nothing but tea gardens.

There are several agencies which provide "Tour programs" to the places mentioned today. One such agency is "The Guide Tours Ltd." It is a private tour operator which has been operating since April, 1989. It has offices in Dhaka, Khulna and Bandarban. During the past 12 years, they have built their logistics which include vehicles of different kinds, three boats, one tourist resort at Bandarban in the Chittagong Hill-Tracts and experienced guides who ensure quality services. Their Hill-side resort is only 4.2 km away from Bandarban town on Chimbuk road. It has a restaurant called "Riggre Khyang" with a capacity of 100 people. The three boats owned by "The Guide Tours Ltd."are named M.V. Aboshar, M.V. Chhuti and S.B. Ruposhi. It also has three a/c coaches, one non a/c coach, four a/c micro-buses, one four-wheel drive Jeep and two sedan cars. The address of their head office is: Darpan Complex (1st Floor), Plot 2, Gulshan, Circle 2, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh. They can be telephoned at 9886983 and faxed at 880-2-9886984. "The Guide Tours Ltd." can also be contacted at the Dhaka Sheraton hotel. The telephone numbers are 8613391 and 8611191 with the extension no. 8677. Their e-mail address is: theguide@bangla.net and can also be seen online at www.guidetours.com.

"Amira Travels & Tours" is another travel agency. It handles visas for India as well as other countries and also books Indian Railway Tickets for any destination throughout India and arranges bus tickets from Dhaka to Kolkata. Amira has a sister organization called Bangladesh Expeditions in the Dhaka Sheraton Hotel and regularly arranges sightseeing, river cruise and package tours all over Bangladesh. Their address is: Amira Travels & Tours, Dhaka Sheraton Hotel, Health Club Building (2nd Floor), Dhaka, Bangladesh. Phone: 9665504, 9360631. Fax: 880-2-9665504. They can be mailed at amira7@postmaster.co.uk.

Various airlines are now offering package tours to places all over the world. Honeymooners are suggested to be on the look out for these tours because they are very economical and provide loads of excitement at the same time.

Emirates Holidays is offering a three-night package tour to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for US $ 288. This program includes economy class tickets for Dhaka-Kuala Lumpur-Dhaka in the Emirates Airlines, breakfast and the hotel fares for three nights stay. Booking and issuing of tickets are to be carried out in the Emirates Holidays office at 116 Gulshan Avenue. Their telephone number is 9885574-75. The offer closes on September 30.

The Singapore Airlines is offering special packages to Bali, Indonesia. The packages are of various categories. Honeymooners could try out the three nights four days package which is worth US $ 392. It includes tickets, breakfast, transport and accommodation in the hotels. The Singapore Airlines are also offering trips to Bangkok, Thailand, for US $ 591, similar to that of the packages offered for Bali. The smallest package is of three nights and four days and includes tickets, hotel accommodation and breakfast. For more details call the reservation desk of the Singapore Airlines. The number is: 8811504-508. Their address is: Gulshan Tower (7th Floor) behind the Landmark Building, Gulshan, Circle 2, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh.

By Alex