Pregnancy comes with a heavier belly, swollen legs, sore backs and hormonal mood swings. But for many mothers-to-be in South Korea, it also brings something else: the urge to splurge on an overseas vacation.

These “babymoons” first gained popularity here more than a decade ago, as a final getaway for parents-to-be before the round-the-clock feedings and sleepless nights begin. The practice has since become a rite of passage, much like a honeymoon for couples.

A quick search of “babymoon” on Instagram pulls up more than 831,000 posts. Many local travel agencies now offer babymoon-themed package tours, with itineraries designed to minimise physical strain and highlight wellness attractions for pregnant travelers.

Among the most popular destinations for this particular type of holiday are Guam, Bali, the Maldives and other Southeast Asian resort spots, favoured for their warm weather, relatively short travel distances, and the convenience of all-inclusive resorts.

Japan has lately stood out as an appealing option as the weak yen allows Korean parents-to-be to buy high priced baby gear at lower prices than in Korea. Tripp Trapp, the signature high chair from Norwegian premium brand Stokke, for example, costs around 600,000 won ($407) in Korea but can be found in the 400,000 won range at baby product retailer Akachan Honpo’s branches in Osaka and other major cities, according to multiple posts on Moms Holic, the country’s largest parenting forum.

Luxury before parenthood

For many parents-to-be, a babymoon offers a valuable chance to prepare their mindset for the demanding early months of parenthood.

Jin So-young, 37, a mother in Seoul who gave birth to twins in August, traveled to the Maldives with her husband for a week in February, when she was six months pregnant. They were willing to take the long 10-hour journey to the island, which has no direct routes from Korea, to savor their final quiet days for just the two.

“We chose a route where I could rest as much as possible during the layover. We talked about childbirth and parenting throughout the trip, and it helped us prepare ourselves as a team for what’s ahead. When our babies get older, I’ would love to take them there,” she said.

Unlike other couple trips, babymoons are typically planned around the tastes and preference of the expecting mothers, with the father often being supportive. Lee Yea-hwa, a 33-year-old office worker who is six months pregnant and recently spent a week in Phu Quoc, Vietnam, with her husband, said there’s a strong tendency to treat a babymoon as a gift for the mother, who is expected to take on most of the early childcare.

“A babymoon is more than a vacation. It’s a small gift to myself before the challenges of parenting hit, and a source of memories I can rely on when childcare becomes overwhelming,” Lee said.

She described the trip as payback in advance for the months she will spend at home alone with the baby while her husband works.

When both parents work, it is still usually the mother who takes parental leave to look after the baby. According to data from the Ministry of Employment and Labour, 41,829 men took parental leave last year, less than half the 90,706 women who did so during the same period.

Among today’s social media-savvy mothers, a babymoon often doubles as a photography trip. Kim Seo-young, 25, who gave birth in July, took a two-day trip to Jeonju, North Jeolla Province at six months pregnant to shoot maternity photos.

“I chose Jeonju because I thought the photos would come out beautifully if I walked through its streets lined with old wooden houses while wearing hanbok (Korea’s traditional dress),” she said.

“My bump was beautifully rounded at that time, so I wanted to take lots of photos on the trip. When our baby grows a little older, we plan to revisit the same places in the same outfits to take the photos again as a family of three.”

Although Kim did not hire a professional photographer on that trip, many babymooners do, planning in advance the look and location of their photoshoot in advance.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2025