Is this the world's longest honeymoon? Newlyweds spend TWO YEARS visiting six continents, 33 countries and 302 different places (and yes, they're still together)

• Adventurous New Yorkers, Mike and Anne Howard, logged a total of 125,675 miles on their epic global honeymoon 
• Couple visited a total of 302 places across 33 countries, and six continents - and all on a budget of around just £50
• The pair are now teaching others how to turn their travel dreams into reality, through trip coaching sessions 

By EMILY PAYNE FOR MAILONLINE

For most people, honeymooning involves stretching out on the beach and doing very little.

But not this couple. Anne and Mike Howard, from New York, USA, spent 675 days travelling the world after they decided that a two-week holiday just wasn't enough when they tied the knot.

The adventurous spouses returned to the US one year ago after visiting a total of 302 places across 33 countries, and six continents - and all on a budget of around just £50 a day.

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Honeymooners Anne and Mike Howard, pictured here, at Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve, in Bolivia spent 675 days travelling the world

The Howards pose infront of the spectacular scenery of the Fitzroy mountain in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in Patagonia


A HONEYMOON BY NUMBERS
Mike and Anne Howard's trip allowed the couple to experience:

• 140 hikes
• 105 buses
• 72 luxury hotels
• 41 safaris
• 39 scuba dives
• 18 Couchsurfs
• 12 extreme sports
• 8 glacier treks 
• 6 volunteer projects 

The Howards logged a total of 125,675 miles, 140 hikes, 105 buses, 72 luxury hotels, 41 safaris, 39 scuba dives, 18 Couchsurfs, 12 extreme sports, 8 glacier treks and 6 volunteer projects.

Anne, 32, said: 'When choosing a honeymoon destination, we realised the list was too long and life was too short.

'We had money saved, no kids, good health, and there is a lot of world to see - what better time to travel than now.

'We believe honeymoons are about starting a life together with a bang - having memorable and meaningful experiences rather than just splashing out on luxury.

Mike, 37, said: 'Instead of spending all of our funds in a couple of weeks, we stretched our budget to last a couple of years.

'We saw the most beautiful places, immersed ourselves in other cultures, embarked on big adventures and created memories for the rest of our lives.

'And this time as newlyweds seemed like the perfect opportunity to embrace our freedom, good health, and celebrate and nurture our marriage in an extraordinary way.

'So we turned our honeymoon into the adventure of a lifetime.'

The couple, from New York, visited a total of 33 countries, including Kenya, where they went on safari in the Maasai Mara Nature Reserve

The Maasai people of Kenya. The Howards spent just £50 per day between them - for transportation, food, lodging and excursions

Peru's 15th-century Inca site, Machu Picchu. The couple were as frugal as they could be, but found countries like Japan were expensive

The average honeymoon is estimated at costing around £4,000 for an eight day getaway in one luxury destination - with an average cost of around £500 a day per couple.

But the savvy pair managed to stretch theirs to a whopping 675 days with an average daily cost of just £50 ($74) between them - for transportation, food, lodging and excursions.

Anne and Mike scrimped and saved to afford the once in a lifetime trip and took advantage of a multitude of travel hacking strategies to keep their travel and accommodation costs low.

They said: 'We tried to be as frugal as we could - but some countries cost more than others.'

Anne and Mike now run HoneyTrek Coach to help others travel safely and affordably on their own journey of a lifetime.


Couple's elephant encounter on two-year long honeymoon

The honeymoon period doesn't have to end: Anne and Mike Howard pictured at the Ngauruhoe volcano, in New Zealand 

The happy couple say their lengthy trip allowed them to immerse themselves in other cultures and create meaningful memories


DON'T HAVE TWO YEARS TO TRAVEL THE WORLD? HERE'S HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR HONEYMOON...

Angelica Malin, editor of online travel and lifestyle magazine About Time says: 'This couple did what we all dream of; escaping the 9-5 and travelling the world, each day more adventure-filled than the next.

'Holidays and honeymoons are often too rushed as trying to pack everything in at once. Here's five ways to make the most of your trip:

1. Planning - make sure you use websites, guide books and friends to find out what's best and what can be missed in the city

2. Get out early - carpe diem! You'll get the most out of your trip by getting out of bed.

3. Look for homestays and flat shares - if you want a taste of local culture, homestays are a great way to experience the local culture first hand

4. Get flight ready - keep flight day stress to minimum by checking in online, and try to take minimal luggage.

5. Look at seasonal timings - some countries may be cheaper to travel to at different times of the year, check out which destinations have more favourable flight prices in the less fashionable seasons.' 

Anne Howard makes use of the local transport in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. The average honeymoon costs around £4,000 for eight days

Kayaking Milford Sound, in New Zealand. The adventurous couple travelled to six continents on a budget of less than £50 per day


'Our average cost was around $40 a day per person - but this is an average as countries like England, Japan and Australia were more expensive than places like Vietnam, Turkey, and Bolivia.

'For example Norway cost around $75 a day each, but south east Asia worked out to be less than $20 per person.

'We kept our lodging costs low and had more local experiences by opting for homestays, housesitting, volunteering, couchsurfing.

'And through our partnership with Honeymoons.com, we occasionally exchanged our photography and writing skills for luxury stays.

'Getting savvy with frequent flyer miles, our savings on flights alone allowed us to extend our trip an extra 160 days longer than if we paid for all our flights.

Hitch-hiking from Mozambique to Tanzania. Anne and Mike Howard visited a total of 302 different places on their extended honeymoon

Diving with whale sharks in the Philippines. The nomadic pair are now offering 'trip coaching' encouraging others to go out and see the world

Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia. The couple said they occasionally exchanged their photography and writing skills for luxury stays


'We saved around $12,000 on flights alone using mileage hacking tricks that helped us rack up 430,000 frequent flyer miles before we left.

'Travelling around the world turned out to be less expensive than the rent on our apartment.'

The couple are now back in the USA but claim their trip of a lifetime has completely changed their outlook on life - and led them to start their business, HoneyTrek Trip Coach, hoping to inspire others to make the most of their freedom and help them to take gap years, sabbaticals and extended honeymoons.

Annapurna base camp in Nepal. The couple want to inspire others to take gap years, sabbaticals and long honeymoons

Cycling in Gili Trawangan, Indonesia. The husband and wife team now hope to help people travel independently, affordably and safely

The Northern Lights, pictured in Norway's Arctic Circle. The couple said experiences were more important to them than luxury resorts


Anne and Mike added: ''When we came back to America we felt like we had learnt so much that we wanted to teach and share with other people to help them mobilise their own trips.

'We are not a travel agent - but we learned so much from two years on the road that we want to share everything we know with those who dream of exploring the world but aren't quite sure how to pull it off.

'We coach people through the planning process to help them travel independently, affordably and safely.

'Taking the time to explore the world is an invaluable experience and we want people to know it is entirely possible when you set your mind to it and you don't need to be a millionaire to do it.'

The romantic pair stop for a kiss in Queenstown, New Zealand, right, and on the world's biggest swing - Queenstown's Nevis Swing 

Over the rainbow: Nomadic couple Mike and Anne Howard pose at the iconic Victoria Falls, in Zambia

Romance on the road: The duo pictured in Austin, Texas as part of their 675-day adventure around the world

El Chalten, Argentina. Anne and Mike took advantage of a multitude of travel hacking strategies to keep their travel costs low

The stunning Perito Merino glacier in Argentina. The couple say they believe honeymoons are about starting a life together with a bang

Party time! Anne and Mike found time to hit the Rio de Janeiro carnival on their epic honeymoon around the world