“I wish we were going on our honeymoon,” I said to my husband as we boarded a plane to Bali. “Who says we can’t pretend,” he responded. It was this tiny comment that completely reshaped the way I ended up thinking about our 10-day trip to Indonesia turning it from just a vacation into a paradisiacal getaway.

As a travel writer and health coach, I’m extremely lucky to have travel as a part of my job description. I’m even luckier to have my husband tag along with me often. We’ve been able to see parts of the world and share new experiences together we might not otherwise get the chance to. But, often those trips are work related meaning I’m taking meetings, writing up posts and never truly disconnecting from my 9 to 5.

So, when I got asked to lead some meditation classes on a cruise through Indonesia in July, I had the mindset it was going to be that mix of exploring and working again. That was where my honeymoon comment came in.

IN THE SERENGETI ON OUR ACTUAL HONEYMOON.

Ross and I opted to go to Tanzania for our honeymoon in January 2016 and it was one of our favorite trips of all time. Not only did we get to check off bucket list items like going on safari, but we also completely unplugged and embraced all things romantic (private dinner under the stars in the Serengeti? Yes please!). Honeymoons are the one time where everyone at work encourages to take as much time as you want off and not worry about answering work emails, and everywhere you go people are pampering you. Not to mention, for some reason honeymoons just spark that urge to say “I love you” to your significant other like every 10 seconds.

But, even though we’re not newlyweds and already took an official honeymoon, who says we couldn’t behave like we were? So, we did.

Though I was technically working on the week-long cruise, leading a handful of meditations certainly wasn’t an imposition to our honeymoon plan. Yes, I did have to wake up early a number of days, but when I wasn’t working we went hiking, took naps, and laid on the beach without checking emails constantly. Then, after the cruise, we decided to extend our trip by spending a few days in Ubud, Bali and that’s where the honeymoon feeling hit a new high.

WE STAYED IN THE REGAL VILLA 2 AT THE VICEROY BALI.

We stayed at Viceroy Bali and the moment you enter the intimate resort situated in the heart of The Valley of Kings, you feel transported. We were greeted with welcome drinks, flower necklaces, and cool towels, just like a couple of newlyweds. We enjoyed a drink in the restaurant overlooking the jungle before heading to our private villa (side note: it’s a villa only resort and there are only 25 total). When we walked in and saw our massive room, spa-like bathroom, beautiful thatched-roof ceiling our hearts began to pitter patter. Then it got better.

We looked out the window to see our own private plunge pool, lounge chairs and mini garden with unobstructed views of the jungle. Oh, and there was a natural waterfall serenading us in background. Even if you entered this place in a bad mood, you had no choice but to fall into the romantic swing of things. As soon as our valet left, we looked at each other like yup, this is a honeymoon alright.

We had arrived in the morning so we literally spent the entire day never leaving the room. We took a nap, lounged outside, went swimming, took a bath, talked, and everything else you want to do on a honeymoon. The staff took care of our every need and were happy to accommodate when we wanted to switch our five-course tasting dinner to that evening instead of the following.

THE BEAUTIFUL DESSERT AT CASCADES RESTAURANT.

The first time we left the room was for that dinner, which was just as romantic. Their restaurant, CasCades, is one of the top fine dining spots in the whole area and overlooks the valley from a bird’s eye view. We ordered a bottle of wine before settling into our decadent meal that, of course, was lit by candle light. The chef came out to greet us and even changed a course for me to make sure I was totally enjoying the dining experience. The staff kept apologizing about the rain that night, but for us it only made it more romantic. After the meal, we retired back to our villa and fell asleep to the sound of the rain in the jungle. Hello any romantic movie ever!

We woke up the next morning feeling more relaxed than ever and opted to go sightseeing that day with one of the guides from the hotel. They let us design our own private half-day tour so we could see exactly what we wanted without the hassle of a group. We visited the rice terraces, the Holy Spring Temple, did a coffee tasting, and went shopping all before heading back to the hotel where we kicked up the romance even more by doing a two-hour treatment at their Lembah Spa.

The two of us love a good massage, but they’re usually about 10 minutes at a nail salon in NYC. Getting a full pampering session happens once in a blue (honey)moon. We were massaged, scrubbed, and moisturized with yogurt. It didn’t end there. We then enjoyed a shower together followed by a rose petal-filled bath, steam room, and hot tub. To say we were relaxed and totally gushy for each other is an understatement. At that point, we couldn’t even fathom being with other people and opted for room service in bathrobes instead of dining out.

Sadly, we had to check out in the evening the following day, but still managed to enjoy a late check out, dinner, and pool-side lounging. By the end of our stay at Viceroy Bali, our mission of treating our trip like a honeymoon was a success. Even if we weren’t newlyweds, it was taking that mindset and making a few indulging, out-of-the-ordinary, decisions that really brought that feeling to life.

Obviously, we can’t always go on luxurious vacations, but we can make more of an effort to adopt that attitude of disconnecting from the world, reconnecting with each other, and embracing romance. With that mindset, we can perpetually be on our honeymoon.

Turning A Trip Into A Honeymoon