A destination wedding is often held in countries with stunning landscapes, gorgeous beaches, and tropical waters - it's the perfect formula for a memorable wedding in paradise. Mexico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, and Turks and Caicos are just a few of the many popular countries where couples travel to seal the deal.

As a guest at a destination wedding, you should take advantage of being in these places and turn it into your own little vacation; you never know when you'll be back again. This list is your go-to guide for things to do in the most popular destination wedding locations around the world.

Mexico

Mexico is a hot spot for destination weddings - the beaches are beautiful, the weather is warm and inviting, and the scenery is unparalleled. There are many places to get married in Mexico, but the most popular destination wedding locations in Mexico are Cancun, the Riviera Maya, Cabo San Lucas, and Puerto Vallarta.

Cancun, famous for its beachside resorts, is the perfect location for the ultimate destination wedding. It's also a great place for a multitude for water activities, like snorkeling with whale sharks or swimming in cenotes. For a fun day trip out of Cancun, the Mayan ruins of Tulum are great for a cultural experience.

The Riviera Maya features an 80-mile stretch of the Caribbean coast, which is great for exploring the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the largest barrier reef in the Western hemisphere. For some thrill, zipline down into the Mayan jungle and snorkel through an underground river. In addition to all of these activities, the famous ruins of Tulum are practically in your backyard - a tour here offers history and culture of what was once the great Maya civilization.

Cabo San Lucas, often called just Cabo, offers scenic beaches and famous landmarks that are the perfect backdrop for destination weddings. Explore one of these famous landmarks, the Arch of Cabo San Lucas, in a glass bottom kayak or on a stand up paddle board. There are a multitude of other activities you can do as well, including surfing, hiking, and sailing.

Located on the Pacific coastline, Puerto Vallarta is great for sailing. Take a boat out to the Las Caletas Beach hideaway, where you can relax and enjoy an uncrowded, beautiful beach. While there, you can snorkel, paddle board, kayak, or just swim in the tropical waters. You can also take a whale watching tour from Banderas Bay and get up close to these majestic creatures.

Jamaica

Jamaica is not only home to beautiful beaches, but great plantations and nature reserves as well. Popular locations include Ochos Rios, a port town on the north coast, and Montego Bay, also located on the north coast.

Ochos Rios offers great beaches as well as gardens and hillside villas that attract couples from all over the world. If you find yourself in Ochos Rios for a destination wedding, visit Fern Gully rainforest and swim in the famous Irie Blue Hole. If you're feeling adventurous, try cliff jumping or river tubing down the White River, and enjoy secret caves and waterfalls at the end.

If the wedding takes you to Montego Bay, you can race through the forest on a bobsled or soar through the canopy on a zipline. For a bit of local flavor, try a food tour in Falmouth, just 18 miles east of Montego Bay. Jamaica is a relatively small country, so don't be afraid to get out there and explore all that Jamaica has to offer.

Dominican Republic

Breathe a sigh of relief if you're invited to a destination wedding in the Dominican Republic. Majestic beaches, mountainous regions, and a warm climate make both Punta Cana and Puerto Plata very popular places for couples to tie the knot.

The turquoise waters of Punta Cana are perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving, where you can see a variety of marine life in their natural habitat. Not scuba certified? No worries. You can take a beginner Discover Scuba Diving course to explore the beautiful reefs. For thrills with a view, strap yourself onto the longest zipline cable in the Caribbean. You'll fly through the incredible landscape in the beautiful Anamuya Mountain Range with views you can't get from the ground.

Puerto Plata, also known as the Amber Coast, is great for exploring. Just a mere 10 miles out of Puerto Plata is the Twenty Seven Waterfalls of Rio Damajagua, etched out of limestone. Waterfalls like the the Virgin, La Tinajita, and the Corkscrew await for you to jump, swim, and slide down. Legend has it that the Taino Indians who inhabited the area built a statue of Altagracia, the Virgin Saint of the Dominican Republic. Unfortunately, time has completely destroyed any trace of their handy work - the beautiful waterfalls, however, have survived.

Turks and Caicos

Turks and Caicos is a popular honeymoon location, but the white sand beaches and tropical weather are ideal for a destination wedding as well. Turks and Caicos are comprised of the larger Caicos islands and the smaller Turks islands - Providenciales and Grand Turk are crowd favorites when it comes time to plan a wedding.

Providenciales is the most developed of all the islands and home to world-famous white sand beaches. Of course, this makes snorkeling and scuba diving very popular, but fishing is also high in demand. Try out bone fishing in the shallow waters for a guaranteed catch, or deep sea fishing for an opportunity to catch mahi mahi, tuna, or marlin. For some excitement on your trip, kitesurfing lets you glide through the water - you can even kitesurf through mangrove forests!

Grand Turk is the capital island of Turks and Caicos and is the administrative, historic, cultural and financial center of the territory. The diversity of the island allows you to try out a wide variety of activities on both the land and in the sea. Horseback riding is popular on Grand Turk - you can ride along the beach at sunset or go along a trail through the island, admiring the natural beauty surrounding you on your ride. For a chance to get in the water, try snorkeling along the reefs teeming with tropical fish and the occasional reef shark.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica straddles both the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, offering the perfect background for wedding festivities. Guanacaste, San Jose, and La Fortuna are the top three locations in Costa Rica for a destination wedding.

Guanacaste is unrivaled in its beauty, with landscapes ranging from tropical dry forests to lowland mountain forests. To take advantage of its views, visit Rio Celeste National Park, where you'll see the Tenorio Volcano, hike through a rainforest, and be able to see Rio Celeste, whose bright blue water is due to the emanation of sulfur from the volcano and precipitation of calcium carbonate. If you want to experience the rivers in a different way, try river tubing - you can cruise down Rio Negro in a tube, winding around bends through calm and white waters, ending with a soak in the hot springs.

San Jose is known for the scenic beaches and national parks that define Costa Rica as an ultimate travel destination. Start your day off with a zipline through the lush rainforest, where you'll get great views of the majestic volcano. You can walk through the gardens and view the historic architecture before ending your day by relaxing at the hot springs. If you need some excitement, white water rafting allows you to navigate your way through rapids in the river canyon.

La Fortuna is a small rural city in Costa Rica, home to the famous active Arenal Volcano. There are a wide variety of things to do in La Fortuna, including canyoning, mountain biking, horseback riding, and kayaking. Kayak on Lake Arenal, the second-largest lake in Central America, where you can see the great Arenal Volcano in the background. You can also take a horseback ride to La Fortuna Waterfall through rainforest trails and cool off once you reach the base of the falls. The ride is slow and easy, so it's perfect for beginners.

Belize

Belize offers diversity in both natural and cultural scenes - the 200 island just off-shore attract many romantics looking to tie the knot in this beautiful country. The locals of Belize often refer to their country as "The Jewel," and for good reason - Belize has a spectacular reef (the second largest in the world), that's perfect for scuba diving and snorkeling. Popular locations in Belize include San Pedro, Corozal, and the Cayo District.

In San Pedro, scuba diving at the Blue Hole is a must. An incredible site with diverse marine life, diving at this UNESCO World Heritage Site is something you don't want to miss out on. For something a little more relaxed, snorkeling at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley is great for beginners. Adjacent to the Belize Barrier Reef, swimming in the reserve allows you to see tropical fish, manta rays, and nurse sharks in their natural habitat.

Corozal, part of the northernmost district in Belize, is a laid-back seaside town. Take a boat out for some sailing, an activity that's perfect for groups - try a sunset cruise for incredible views over the reef. To satiate your adventurous side, cave tubing is a great activity for exploring the numerous caves scattered throughout the district. You'll hike through the forest before reaching the mouth of the cave, where you'll hop onto a tube and venture deep underground for an ultimate exploration experience.

The Cayo District is full of nature and stunning landscapes, including green jungles, winding rivers, and historic Mayan ruins. Kayak through the Mopan River, where you'll be able to observe birds and other wildlife in the surrounding forests. Across from the Mopan River are the Mayan ruins of Xunantunich, where you can marvel at the architecture that's lasted thousands of years. The ruins of Caracol and Altun Ha are also world-famous and definitely worth seeing. Belize has one of the largest cave systems in the world, and the only one that you can zipline into. Barton Creek Cave, Nohoch Che'en, and Jaguar Cave are the most popular for a combination of ziplining and cave tubing.

Do More than Just Attend a Destination Wedding

Weddings only take one day - so spend the rest of your time exploring, admiring, and appreciating what's around you. Whether you decide to come a week early or just spend a weekend abroad, these activities will make your time worthwhile. Travel is a great opportunity to learn more about a foreign culture and natural environment, but it's also a great way to get to know the people you're traveling with. Organize an excursion for a group of people from your next destination wedding and get to know them before the party starts!