Best Places to Travel in December 2026
The best places to travel in December 2026
December is three holidays wearing the same name, and most lists pick one and write as if the other two were not there. We read the eleven pages Google ranks for this question in the United States and the United Kingdom and counted every destination they recommend and the reason each one gives. Of 178 recommendations, 44 per cent were about sun, 24 per cent about Christmas markets and 21 per cent about snow. None of them is wrong. They are answering different questions.
So this is three rankings, not one, and each is ordered on what decides that particular trip. 69 of the 125 destinations we measured averaged 24°C (75°F) or more in December, and 11 had snow lying on the ground for a third of the month or more. Not one destination is in both groups, which is the whole point. The warmest and driest of the sun list was Puerto Vallarta, Mexico at 28°C (82°F) with 1 rainy day. The whitest place we measured was Rovaniemi, Finland, where the ground was under snow on 30 days out of 31.
Winter sun: the best places to travel in December for heat
Ranked on how well the whole month suits a beach holiday, not on the thermometer alone. Temperature and rain carry the most weight, sea temperature and sunshine hours come next, and cyclone record and air quality subtract. Ordering by temperature alone is how lists end up recommending a city at 30°C with air you can taste. Hovering any coloured box says why it is that colour.
1Mexico
Puerto Vallarta in December
Photo: Melikamp, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
In December
- 28°C82°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 27°C80°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 7.8hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 1of 31Days with rainRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 7UV index, peakRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 9µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 19°C67°FAt nightRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 75%HumidityRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
On the ground
- 43%Safe waterRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 25MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 23/100Cost indexRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 2/5UK travel adviceRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
Puerto Vallarta is a Mexican resort city on Bahía de Banderas of the Pacific coast of the Mexican state of Jalisco.
December is Puerto Vallarta at its best, warm from breakfast and dry enough to book an outdoor day and get it.
The sea is warm enough to stay in rather than dip and get out, so the beach is somewhere you spend the day and not somewhere you visit.
Rain fell on one day in the whole month.
One thing to weigh: Mexico records 24.9 homicides per 100,000 people. That is a country figure and not a Puerto Vallarta figure, but it is why pre-booked transfers are the norm here rather than an upsell.
Practical
- CurrencyMXN
- PlugA, B at 120 V
- Time zoneUTC-6
2Oman
Muscat in December
Photo: Andries Oudshoorn, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
In December
- 27°C80°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 26°C79°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 8.7hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 1of 31Days with rainRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 6UV index, peakRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 19µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 19°C66°FAt nightRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 56%HumidityRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
On the ground
- 91%Safe waterRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 29MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 39/100Cost indexRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Muscat is the capital and most populous city of Oman.
December is Muscat at its best, warm from breakfast and dry enough to book an outdoor day and get it.
The sea is warm enough to stay in rather than dip and get out, so the beach is somewhere you spend the day and not somewhere you visit.
Rain fell on one day in the whole month.
Practical
- CurrencyOMR
- PlugG at 240 V
- Time zoneUTC+4
In December
- 32°C89°FIn the dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 28°C82°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 7.5hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 5of 31Days with rainRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 10UV index, peakRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 5µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 23°C73°FAt nightRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 76%HumidityRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
On the ground
- 80%Safe waterRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 34MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Liberia is a district and the largest city in the Guanacaste Province of Costa Rica, 215 kilometres northwest of the national capital, San José.
Liberia peaks in December, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
Rain fell on five days but added up to only 17 mm all month, so think passing showers rather than lost days.
One thing to weigh: Costa Rica records 17.7 homicides per 100,000 people. That is a country figure and not a Liberia figure, but it is why pre-booked transfers are the norm here rather than an upsell.
Practical
- CurrencyCRC
- PlugA, B at 120 V
- Time zoneUTC-6
4Mexico
San Jose del Cabo in December
Photo: Thelmadatter, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
In December
- 28°C82°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 25°C77°FIn the waterRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 7.7hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 1of 31Days with rainRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 6UV index, peakRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 5µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 16°C61°FAt nightRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 56%HumidityRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
On the ground
- 43%Safe waterRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 25MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 2/5UK travel adviceRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
San José del Cabo is a coastal city located on the Gulf of California coast, near the southern tip of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur.
San Jose del Cabo peaks in December.
The sea is swimmable without a wetsuit, though it is bracing for the first minute, and it warms through the afternoon.
Rain fell on one day in the whole month.
One thing to weigh: Mexico records 24.9 homicides per 100,000 people. That is a country figure and not a San Jose del Cabo figure, but it is why pre-booked transfers are the norm here rather than an upsell.
Practical
- CurrencyMXN
- PlugA, B at 120 V
- Time zoneUTC-6
Cape Town in December
Photo: Der Berzerker from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
In December
- 27°C80°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 18°C65°FIn the waterRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 11.6hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 5of 31Days with rainRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 13UV index, peakRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 10µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 16°C60°FAt nightRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 63%HumidityRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
On the ground
- 68%Safe waterRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 21MbpsInternetRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 35/100Cost indexRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Cape Town is the legislative capital of South Africa.
Cape Town peaks in December, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
The sea is too cold to swim comfortably this month, so the coast is for walking rather than for swimming.
Rain fell on five days but added up to only 20 mm all month, so think passing showers rather than lost days.
One thing to weigh: South Africa records 43.7 homicides per 100,000 people. That is a country figure and not a Cape Town figure, but it is why pre-booked transfers are the norm here rather than an upsell.
Practical
- CurrencyZAR
- PlugC, M, N at 230 V
- Time zoneUTC+2
6Cuba
Havana in December
Photo: RenaatPeeters, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
In December
- 27°C81°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 28°C82°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 7.6hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 4of 31Days with rainRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 6UV index, peakRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 6µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 20°C67°FAt nightRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 78%HumidityRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
On the ground
- 2MbpsInternetRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 31/100Cost indexRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 2/5UK travel adviceRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
Havana is the capital and largest city of Cuba.
Havana peaks in December.
December sits outside cyclone season: no North Atlantic tropical system has passed within 200 km in December in the 1985-2025 NOAA IBTrACS record.
Practical
- CurrencyCUP
- PlugA, B, C, L at 110 V
- Time zoneUTC-5
In December
- 27°C80°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 24°C76°FIn the waterRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 8.3hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 2of 31Days with rainRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 5UV index, peakRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 36µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 18°C65°FAt nightRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 58%HumidityRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
On the ground
- 99%Safe waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 38MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 51/100Cost indexRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai.
Dubai peaks in December.
The sea is swimmable without a wetsuit, though it is bracing for the first minute, and it warms through the afternoon.
Rain fell on two days in the whole month.
Practical
- CurrencyAED
- PlugG at 230 V
- Time zoneUTC+4
8United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi in December
Photo: Wadiia, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
In December
- 27°C81°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 25°C76°FIn the waterRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 8.9hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 1of 31Days with rainRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 6UV index, peakRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 29µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 17°C63°FAt nightRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 64%HumidityRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
On the ground
- 99%Safe waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 38MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 60/100Cost indexRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, and of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the seat of the Abu Dhabi Central Capital District and the UAE's second-most populous city, after Dubai.
Abu Dhabi peaks in December.
Rain fell on one day in the whole month.
Practical
- CurrencyAED
- PlugG at 230 V
- Time zoneUTC+4
In December
- 30°C86°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 28°C82°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 9.1hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 0of 31Days with rainRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 7UV index, peakRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 51µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 21°C70°FAt nightRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 58%HumidityRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
On the ground
- 16MbpsInternetRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 2/5UK travel adviceRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
Practical
- CurrencySAR
- PlugG at 230 V
- Time zoneUTC+3
In December
- 29°C83°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 9.6hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 6of 31Days with rainRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 13UV index, peakRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 7µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 18°C64°FAt nightRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 64%HumidityRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
On the ground
- 22MbpsInternetRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 26/100Cost indexRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Buenos Aires, officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the capital and largest city of Argentina.
Buenos Aires peaks in December, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
The light lasts, so a day here holds a slow morning, a long lunch and still has an afternoon left in it.
December sits outside cyclone season: no tropical system has passed within 200 km in December in the 1985-2025 NOAA IBTrACS record.
Practical
- CurrencyARS
- PlugC, I at 220 V
- Time zoneUTC-3
Jeddah is the one to argue with. It sits at 9 on the numbers because the weather is close to perfect, and not one December list on the internet names it. The reason is on its own card, in red: 51 micrograms of PM2.5, against a World Health Organization guideline of 5. Good weather is not the same as a good holiday, and this is the clearest case of it in the data.
That is the short version of the sun list, ten of 49. The full ranking, with the short-haul options from British airports and the European destinations that stay mild rather than hot, is on where is hot in December.
Christmas markets: the European cities, ranked on the weather
Different trip, different measure. What ruins a Christmas market is not cold, it is rain: you can dress for four degrees and you cannot dress for a wet evening standing at a wooden stall. So this list is ranked on how well December suits standing outside in a city, and the weights say it plainly. Daytime temperature and rain days carry the most. Cost carries almost as much, because these trips are three nights and the range here runs from 31 to 97 on an index where New York is 100. Air quality carries the same, because these are valley cities under winter inversions and you spend the trip outdoors breathing it. Snow adds and is not required.
Stockholm – Sweden
- 1°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 12Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 4Days of lying snowRated 3 of 5
- 4Air, PM2.5Rated 5 of 5
- 60/100Cost indexRated 2 of 5
- 6.2hDaylight
Reykjavik – Iceland
- 3°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 14Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 5Days of lying snowRated 3 of 5
- 2Air, PM2.5Rated 5 of 5
- 86/100Cost indexRated 1 of 5
- 4.5hDaylight
Salzburg – Austria
- 5°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 11Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 5Days of lying snowRated 3 of 5
- 14Air, PM2.5Rated 3 of 5
- 8.5hDaylight
Vienna – Austria
- 5°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 9Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 2Days of lying snowRated 2 of 5
- 18Air, PM2.5Rated 2 of 5
- 53/100Cost indexRated 3 of 5
- 8.4hDaylight
Budapest – Hungary
- 5°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 8Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 1Days of lying snowRated 2 of 5
- 25Air, PM2.5Rated 1 of 5
- 31/100Cost indexRated 4 of 5
- 8.5hDaylight
Geneva – Switzerland
- 6°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 9Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 6Days of lying snowRated 3 of 5
- 12Air, PM2.5Rated 3 of 5
- 95/100Cost indexRated 1 of 5
- 8.7hDaylight
Prague – Czech Republic
- 4°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 11Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 3Days of lying snowRated 2 of 5
- 16Air, PM2.5Rated 2 of 5
- 37/100Cost indexRated 4 of 5
- 8.2hDaylight
Copenhagen – Denmark
- 5°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 14Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 2Days of lying snowRated 2 of 5
- 7Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5
- 69/100Cost indexRated 2 of 5
- 7.2hDaylight
Cologne – Germany
- 7°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 12Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 1Days of lying snowRated 2 of 5
- 11Air, PM2.5Rated 3 of 5
- 50/100Cost indexRated 3 of 5
- 8.0hDaylight
Stockholm comes out on top and it is not the obvious answer: 1°C in the day, rain on 12 days, and the cleanest air of any city on the list at 4 micrograms of PM2.5. The names people expect are just behind it. Vienna is 5°C with rain on only 9 days, the driest of the group. Prague is 4°C at 37 on the cost index, and Budapest is the cheapest city here at 31.
Two results are worth saying out loud because they cut against the brochures. Krakow has the weather for it and the worst air on the list by a distance: 37 micrograms of PM2.5 in December, more than double Prague and above the World Health Organization interim target of 25. It is coal smoke sitting in the valley, it is worst on the cold still evenings you would want to be out, and nobody selling you the market mentions it. And Strasbourg, which runs the oldest Christmas market in Europe, has lying snow on 1.6 days of the month. If you are going for snow, this is not the trip.
| City | Average daily high | Rainy days | Days of lying snow | PM2.5 | Cost index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stockholm, Sweden | 1°C / 34°F | 12 | 4 | 4 | 60 |
| Reykjavik, Iceland | 3°C / 37°F | 14 | 5 | 2 | 86 |
| Salzburg, Austria | 5°C / 41°F | 11 | 5 | 14 | – |
| Vienna, Austria | 5°C / 42°F | 9 | 2 | 18 | 53 |
| Budapest, Hungary | 5°C / 41°F | 8 | 1 | 25 | 31 |
| Geneva, Switzerland | 6°C / 44°F | 9 | 6 | 12 | 95 |
| Prague, Czech Republic | 4°C / 40°F | 11 | 3 | 16 | 37 |
| Berlin, Germany | 5°C / 41°F | 12 | 2 | 11 | 51 |
| Copenhagen, Denmark | 5°C / 41°F | 14 | 2 | 7 | 69 |
| Cologne, Germany | 7°C / 44°F | 12 | 1 | 11 | 50 |
| Munich, Germany | 5°C / 41°F | 12 | 3 | 12 | 60 |
| Strasbourg, France | 6°C / 44°F | 11 | 2 | 17 | 51 |
| Zurich, Switzerland | 5°C / 40°F | 11 | 7 | 13 | 97 |
| Krakow, Poland | 3°C / 38°F | 11 | 4 | 37 | – |
| Edinburgh, United Kingdom | 8°C / 46°F | 14 | 0 | 6 | 53 |
| London, United Kingdom | 9°C / 49°F | 12 | 0 | 8 | 76 |
| Paris, France | 8°C / 47°F | 11 | 1 | 13 | 67 |
Where there is actually snow in December
This is the question the festive lists answer with a photograph. It is measurable, so here it is measured: the number of December days, averaged over twenty years, when half the ground or more was under snow. A city can be freezing and bare, and several on the list above are.
Rovaniemi – Finland
- 30Days of lying snowRated 5 of 5
- 28cmSnow depth
- -5°CIn the day
- -11°CAt night
- 15Days with rainRated 1 of 5
- 2.7hDaylight
Tromsø – Norway
- 28Days of lying snowRated 5 of 5
- 30cmSnow depth
- -3°CIn the day
- -8°CAt night
- 15Days with rainRated 1 of 5
- 0.0hDaylight
Quebec City – Canada
- 26Days of lying snowRated 5 of 5
- 26cmSnow depth
- -3°CIn the day
- -11°CAt night
- 11Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 8.6hDaylight
Montreal – Canada
- 19Days of lying snowRated 4 of 5
- 22cmSnow depth
- -0°CIn the day
- -6°CAt night
- 11Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 8.8hDaylight
Innsbruck – Austria
- 15Days of lying snowRated 4 of 5
- 20cmSnow depth
- 7°CIn the day
- -1°CAt night
- 10Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 8.6hDaylight
Salt Lake City – United States
- 14Days of lying snowRated 4 of 5
- 21cmSnow depth
- 5°CIn the day
- -3°CAt night
- 10Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 9.3hDaylight
Oslo – Norway
- 14Days of lying snowRated 4 of 5
- 21cmSnow depth
- -1°CIn the day
- -5°CAt night
- 12Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 6.0hDaylight
Tallinn – Estonia
- 11Days of lying snowRated 4 of 5
- 22cmSnow depth
- 0°CIn the day
- -4°CAt night
- 15Days with rainRated 1 of 5
- 6.2hDaylight
Rovaniemi, Finland is the answer if snow is the point: 30 days out of 31, 93 per cent average ground cover and 28 cm underfoot when it is there. It also gets 2.7 hours of daylight a day, so plan the trip around the four hours of blue light rather than around a morning and an afternoon.
Tromsø is the extreme. Above the Arctic Circle the sun does not clear the horizon at all in December, which is why the daylight figure on its card is zero. That is the polar night, and it is the reason people go: it is dark enough for the aurora from mid afternoon. We measure daylight and snow, not the aurora, so treat the darkness as the condition and not as a forecast.
| Destination | Days of lying snow | Ground covered | Depth when lying | Average daily high | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rovaniemi, Finland | 30 of 31 | 93% | 28 cm | -5°C / 23°F | 2.7 h |
| Tromsø, Norway | 28 of 31 | 89% | 30 cm | -3°C / 26°F | 0.0 h |
| Quebec City, Canada | 26 of 31 | 80% | 26 cm | -3°C / 27°F | 8.6 h |
| Montreal, Canada | 19 of 31 | 61% | 22 cm | -0°C / 31°F | 8.8 h |
| Innsbruck, Austria | 15 of 31 | 49% | 20 cm | 7°C / 44°F | 8.6 h |
| Salt Lake City, United States | 14 of 31 | 49% | 21 cm | 5°C / 41°F | 9.3 h |
| Oslo, Norway | 14 of 31 | 48% | 21 cm | -1°C / 31°F | 6.0 h |
| Tallinn, Estonia | 11 of 31 | 39% | 22 cm | 0°C / 33°F | 6.2 h |
Where to go in December non-stop from the US
Everything above is measured at the destination, so it works from anywhere. This is the warm list filtered to what leaves a major US airport without a connection, shortest flight first.
Nassau – Bahamas
- 1.0hNon-stop from
- 26°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 7Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 6.9hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
Havana – Cuba
- 1.3hNon-stop from
- 27°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 4Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 7.6hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
Montego Bay – Jamaica
- 1.8hNon-stop from
- 28°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 12Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 6.8hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
Cancun – Mexico
- 2.0hNon-stop from
- 27°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 8Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 6.9hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
Belize City – Belize
- 2.3hNon-stop from
- 27°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 12Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 5.8hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
San Jose del Cabo – Mexico
- 2.5hNon-stop from
- 28°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 1Days with rainRated 5 of 5
- 7.7hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
Merida – Mexico
- 2.5hNon-stop from
- 29°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 5Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 6.9hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
Punta Cana – Dominican Republic
- 2.6hNon-stop from
- 28°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 11Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 7.7hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
San Juan – Puerto Rico
- 2.6hNon-stop from
- 28°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 15Days with rainRated 1 of 5
- 6.9hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
| Destination | Flight time | Non-stop from | Average daily high | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nassau, Bahamas | 1.0 h | JFK | 26°C / 78°F | 7 |
| Havana, Cuba | 1.3 h | MIA | 27°C / 81°F | 4 |
| Montego Bay, Jamaica | 1.8 h | JFK | 28°C / 83°F | 12 |
| Cancun, Mexico | 2.0 h | JFK | 27°C / 81°F | 8 |
| Belize City, Belize | 2.3 h | MIA | 27°C / 81°F | 12 |
| San Jose del Cabo, Mexico | 2.5 h | LAX | 28°C / 82°F | 1 |
| Merida, Mexico | 2.5 h | MIA | 29°C / 85°F | 5 |
| Punta Cana, Dominican Republic | 2.6 h | JFK | 28°C / 82°F | 11 |
| San Juan, Puerto Rico | 2.6 h | JFK | 28°C / 82°F | 15 |
| Liberia, Costa Rica | 2.7 h | JFK | 32°C / 89°F | 5 |
| Puerto Vallarta, Mexico | 2.9 h | LAX | 28°C / 82°F | 1 |
| Oranjestad, Aruba | 3.0 h | JFK | 29°C / 85°F | 11 |
| Cartagena, Colombia | 3.0 h | JFK | 31°C / 88°F | 6 |
| San Jose, Costa Rica | 3.0 h | JFK | 27°C / 81°F | 11 |
Where is warm and cheap in December
Both the American and the British versions of this search show the same follow-up question, and it is about money. The index is relative to New York at 100, so 16 means roughly 16 per cent of New York prices once you land. It is not the flight.
Goa – India
- 16/100Cost indexRated 5 of 5
- 33°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 1Days with rainRated 5 of 5
- 9.8hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5
Merida – Mexico
- 18/100Cost indexRated 5 of 5
- 29°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 5Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 6.9hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
Cancun – Mexico
- 21/100Cost indexRated 5 of 5
- 27°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 8Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 6.9hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
Puerto Vallarta – Mexico
- 23/100Cost indexRated 5 of 5
- 28°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 1Days with rainRated 5 of 5
- 7.8hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
Colombo – Sri Lanka
- 24/100Cost indexRated 5 of 5
- 30°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 14Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 7.2hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
Cebu – Philippines
- 24/100Cost indexRated 5 of 5
- 29°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 14Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 5.1hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
Buenos Aires – Argentina
- 26/100Cost indexRated 4 of 5
- 29°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 6Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 9.6hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5
Manila – Philippines
- 28/100Cost indexRated 4 of 5
- 30°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 17Days with rainRated 1 of 5
- 3.5hSunshine a dayRated 2 of 5
Ho Chi Minh City – Vietnam
- 28/100Cost indexRated 4 of 5
- 32°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 5Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 7.1hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
Goa, India is the answer on the numbers: 33°C, 1 rainy day and an index of 16. From North America the honest answer is different, because the flight undoes the saving. Merida is the cheapest of the warm destinations you can reach non-stop from a US airport, at 18 on the same index and 2.5 hours in the air.
Where the sea is warm enough to swim in December
Air temperature sells the holiday and sea temperature decides whether you get in the water. Below about 22°C most people last a few minutes. Nobody publishes this next to the air figure, so here it is.
Nadi – Fiji
- 30°CIn the waterRated 5 of 5
- 30°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 7.4hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
- 13Days with rainRated 2 of 5
Cartagena – Colombia
- 29°CIn the waterRated 5 of 5
- 31°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 8.6hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
- 6Days with rainRated 3 of 5
Lagos – Nigeria
- 29°CIn the waterRated 5 of 5
- 33°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 9.4hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5
- 4Days with rainRated 4 of 5
Phuket – Thailand
- 29°CIn the waterRated 5 of 5
- 30°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 6.8hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
- 14Days with rainRated 2 of 5
Cebu – Philippines
- 29°CIn the waterRated 5 of 5
- 29°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 5.1hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
- 14Days with rainRated 2 of 5
Male – Maldives
- 29°CIn the waterRated 5 of 5
- 28°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 7.1hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
- 14Days with rainRated 2 of 5
Accra – Ghana
- 29°CIn the waterRated 5 of 5
- 31°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 9.3hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5
- 14Days with rainRated 2 of 5
Manila – Philippines
- 29°CIn the waterRated 5 of 5
- 30°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 3.5hSunshine a dayRated 2 of 5
- 17Days with rainRated 1 of 5
Colombo – Sri Lanka
- 29°CIn the waterRated 5 of 5
- 30°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 7.2hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
- 14Days with rainRated 2 of 5
Nadi had the warmest water of anywhere we measured at 30°C (86°F). Read the next section before you book it.
December is typhoon and cyclone season, and the lists never say so
December sits inside the tropical cyclone season in the western Pacific and at the start of it in the southern hemisphere. This is not a forecast. It is what happened, counted across 41 Decembers of the international storm archive, and it is the single thing most December sun lists leave out.
Cebu – Philippines
- 39%Years with a cycloneRated 1 of 5
- 24%At hurricane strength
- 29°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 14Days with rainRated 2 of 5
Manila – Philippines
- 22%Years with a cycloneRated 1 of 5
- 17%At hurricane strength
- 30°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 17Days with rainRated 1 of 5
Nadi – Fiji
- 12%Years with a cycloneRated 2 of 5
- 12%At hurricane strength
- 30°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 13Days with rainRated 2 of 5
Colombo – Sri Lanka
- 7%Years with a cycloneRated 2 of 5
- 2%At hurricane strength
- 30°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 14Days with rainRated 2 of 5
Kochi – India
- 7%Years with a cycloneRated 2 of 5
- 0%At hurricane strength
- 32°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 5Days with rainRated 4 of 5
Ho Chi Minh City – Vietnam
- 7%Years with a cycloneRated 2 of 5
- 2%At hurricane strength
- 32°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 5Days with rainRated 4 of 5
Cebu, Philippines is the one to think about: a tropical system came within 200 km in 39 per cent of Decembers since 1985, and 24 per cent of those were at hurricane strength. The Philippines takes more landfalling typhoons than anywhere on earth and December is inside the season, not after it. That does not make it a bad trip. It makes travel insurance something to read rather than tick.
Best places to travel in December: your questions
Where is hot and cheap in December?
Goa, India on the numbers: 33°C (91°F), 1 rainy day and a cost index of 16 against New York at 100. Reachable non-stop from the United States, the cheapest warm options were Merida (18), Cancun (21), Puerto Vallarta (23), Cebu (24), Buenos Aires (26), Manila (28), Ho Chi Minh City (28).
Where is over 25 degrees in December?
65 of the 125 destinations we measured averaged 25°C (77°F) or more. The hottest that people actually holiday in were Lagos (33°C), Goa (33°C), Marsa Alam (33°C), Liberia (32°C), Ho Chi Minh City (32°C), Hurghada (31°C).
Where is warmest in Europe in December?
Lanzarote at 24°C (75°F), then Fuerteventura (23°C), La Palma (23°C), Seville (23°C), Las Palmas (22°C). Warm and not hot, and only 1 of them reached 24°C. The mainland is milder than the brochures imply and the Canaries do most of the work.
Where is guaranteed snow in December?
Nothing is guaranteed, but Rovaniemi is as close as the record gets: snow on the ground 30 days out of 31 across twenty years, 93 per cent average cover. Tromsø and Quebec City follow at 28 and 26 days. Below about ten days a month, snow is luck rather than season.
Which European city has the best weather for a Christmas market?
Stockholm on our measure: 1°C in the day, rain on 12 days and the cleanest air of the group at 4 micrograms of PM2.5. Vienna is the driest at 9 rainy days and Budapest the cheapest at 31 on the cost index. We are ranking the conditions, not the markets themselves.
Is December cyclone season?
Yes in the western Pacific and at the start of the southern hemisphere season. Cebu saw a tropical system within 200 km in 39 per cent of Decembers since 1985. The Atlantic hurricane season closes on 30 November, which is why the Caribbean reads clean in the same table.
Where is hot in December short haul from the UK?
Seville (23°C, 2.8 h), Tunis (26°C, 2.8 h), Marrakech (21°C, 3.7 h), Agadir (24°C, 3.9 h). Only 11 destinations within seven hours of a British airport averaged 24°C or more, which is the honest answer: short haul from the UK in December means mild. The full list is on where is hot in December.
Temperature is the mean of the five most recent Decembers, 2021 to 2025, from Open-Meteo reanalysis read at each location. Rain and sunshine come from the NASA POWER satellite record, 2001 to 2020. A rainy day is a day with 1 mm or more, the threshold the Met Office, Meteo-France and AEMET all publish. Grid squares are about 25 km wide and spread one shower across the whole square, so we correct for that and check the result against the published normals of ten national weather services: rain days land within two days of the official count.
Snow is new for this page. It is the NASA POWER snow cover record for 2001 to 2020, and a day of lying snow is a day with half the ground or more under snow. We use ground cover rather than snow depth on purpose: the depth figure in that dataset is measured over the covered part of the ground, so reading it as an average would put snow on London streets in a normal December. Depth is quoted only alongside cover, and never on its own. In mountain country the grid square averages the valley with the peaks above it, so read these as the town you fly into and not as the piste.
Daylight is calculated from latitude with the NOAA solar equations, corrected for refraction and the size of the sun's disc. It checks out to within a few minutes against published sunrise tables from London to Sydney. Cyclones: NOAA IBTrACS, every ocean and not only the Atlantic. Air quality: the CAMS model, a regional figure rather than a street reading. Flights: OpenFlights routes and cached Travelpayouts fares, so treat a fare as a scale and not a quote. Cost of living: World Bank ICP, New York at 100.
Rankings. The sun list is ordered on how the whole month suits a beach holiday, adding up the rated signals with temperature and rain weighted heaviest and cyclone record and air quality subtracting. The Christmas list is ordered on how December suits standing outside in a city, with temperature and rain first, cost and air next, snow as a bonus. The snow list is ordered on one measured number and nothing else. Every list is filtered to destinations with a non-stop route from a British or American airport and at least 3,000 monthly readers of their Wikipedia article, which is what keeps a list of holidays from filling up with places nobody goes.
Photos from Wikimedia Commons under CC0, CC BY and CC BY-SA. Each image names its photographer and licence on hover.