Whether you’ve been a couple for months or years, relationships shift when leaving the familiarity of home—even during long-awaited trips, where romance has been declared a priority. According to Dating.com, travel tends to bring out personality quirks, some of which could make you laugh: “Some of the most common annoyances were sharing a bathroom, seeing your partner’s true colors and how they handle stress while traveling, and having punctuality problems.”
Can this information help you once you’ve decided to vacation in Belize? Big time. Sit down and discuss potential hot buttons so you both come prepared for all eventualities, leaving you free to focus on having the time of your lives.
Need specific guidance? These 6 tips can help you turn your long-awaited vacation into a blissful experience that makes your relationship stronger—especially if that getaway happens to be a private island where the two of you can make every fantasy come true: Coco Plum Island Resort, a stunning, adults-only sanctuary where unprecedented privacy is your ticket to bliss.
- Manage your expectations. “Every day is not going to be filled with sparkles and macaroons,” wrote J.R. Thorpe for Bustle.com. That’s okay. You’ve got Belikin beers and Belizean chocolates.
- Have “the money talk” before you book, say Jorinda and Nadlim, a self-described bucket list couple. Will you split your island stay 50/50 or sort out an arrangement that respects each other’s budgets and makes clear from the get-go how you will underwrite your trip?
- Share planning tasks based on your strengths. If you choose Coco Plum as your destination, you won’t have to do much planning since the resort’s Belize all inclusive package covers every detail, leaving you free to relax and have fun.
- Remember that you probably won’t agree on everything, so work on your compromising skills should a rough patch pop up. It’s especially critical to be respectful of each other since your usual support network isn’t around.
- Grabbing alone time is very important. Coco Plum offers a variety of diversions so if all you want to do is hit the pool while your partner pilots a resort kayak or paddle board, you’ll both get your wishes and have lots to share when you meet up later.
- Keep communicating. Having done a super job of discussing traps couples can fall into, you two could still experience minor conflicts. Agree to work them out as soon as they arise.
Wander the beach. Share a private candlelight dinner. Chat with your Coco Plum hosts, all of whom speak English. Staff is committed to every couple’s wishes, and they’re as happy to hang a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door of your oceanfront digs as they are to book massages and yoga space at the resort’s spa. You’ve already done the hard part by falling in love. Now, it’s time to write the world’s best romantic vacation story.