Where Is Hot in December 2026?
Where is hot in December 2026
December is not one question. Some people want heat and some want Christmas markets and snow, and a page that answers only one of them is answering half. This one is about the heat: where it is genuinely hot, measured. The Christmas and snow half is on its own page, linked at the end.
69 of the 125 destinations we measured averaged 24°C (75°F) or more in December. The hottest and driest was Puerto Vallarta, Mexico at 28°C (82°F) with 1 rainy day. The cheapest genuinely hot one was Kochi, at 14 on a cost index where New York is 100. And Tenerife, the one most British travellers name first, averaged 18°C (64°F) with rain on 7 days. It is mild, not hot.
Where is hot in December: the top 20
The twenty hottest, counting only the places people actually go on holiday. Every figure is measured, and hovering any box says why it is the colour it is.
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
3Mexico
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
5Cuba
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
7United 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
- 25°C78°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 22°C72°FIn the waterRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 7.5hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 1of 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
- 35µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 17°C63°FAt nightRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 66%HumidityRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
On the ground
- 95%Safe waterRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 44MbpsInternetRated 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
Doha is the capital and largest city, and main financial hub of Qatar.
Doha peaks in December.
Rain fell on one day in the whole month.
Practical
- CurrencyQAR
- PlugD, F, G, L at 240 V
- Time zoneUTC+3
10Curacao
Willemstad in December
Photo: Coolcaesar, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
In December
- 30°C85°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 28°C83°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 8.2hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 11of 31Days with rainRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 10UV index, peakRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 8µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 26°C78°FAt nightRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 80%HumidityRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
On the ground
- 37MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Willemstad is the capital and largest city of Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea that is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Willemstad peaks in December, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
Rain fell on 11 days but added up to only 64 mm all month, so think passing showers rather than lost days.
One thing to weigh: Curacao records 16.9 homicides per 100,000 people. That is a country figure and not a Willemstad figure, but it is why pre-booked transfers are the norm here rather than an upsell.
Practical
- CurrencyANG
- PlugA, B, F at 127 V
- Time zoneUTC-4
In December
- 29°C85°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 28°C82°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 8.7hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 11of 31Days with rainRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 9UV index, peakRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 8µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 26°C79°FAt nightRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 72%HumidityRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
On the ground
- 46MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Oranjestad, the capital and most populous of Aruba's eight regions, is located on the southwestern coast of the island.
Oranjestad peaks in December, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
Rain fell on 11 days but added up to only 60 mm all month, so think passing showers rather than lost days.
Practical
- CurrencyAWG
- PlugA, B, F at 127 V
- Time zoneUTC-4
In December
- 29°C83°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 28°C83°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 8.5hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 12of 31Days with rainRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 10UV index, peakRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 9µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 24°C76°FAt nightRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 73%HumidityRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
On the ground
- 64MbpsInternetRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Bridgetown is the capital and largest city of Barbados.
Bridgetown peaks in December, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
Rain landed on 12 days of the month, 49 mm in total. It is light rain, but it is most days, so an outdoor plan needs a fallback.
Practical
- CurrencyBBD
- PlugA, B at 115 V
- Time zoneUTC-4
In December
- 29°C83°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 28°C82°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 8.2hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 14of 31Days with rainRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 8UV index, peakRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 8µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 24°C76°FAt nightRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 69%HumidityRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
On the ground
- 32MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
St. John's is the largest city in Antigua and Barbuda.
St Johns peaks in December, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
Rain landed on 14 days of the month, 70 mm in total. It is light rain, but it is most days, so an outdoor plan needs a fallback.
Practical
- CurrencyXCD
- PlugA, B at 230 V
- Time zoneUTC-4
In December
- 26°C78°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 25°C77°FIn the waterRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 6.9hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 7of 31Days with rainRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 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
- 22°C72°FAt nightRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 74%HumidityRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
On the ground
- 41MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Nassau is the capital and largest city of the Bahamas.
Nassau peaks in December, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
Rain fell on seven days but added up to only 40 mm all month, so think passing showers rather than lost days.
One thing to weigh: Bahamas records 32.2 homicides per 100,000 people. That is a country figure and not a Nassau figure, but it is why pre-booked transfers are the norm here rather than an upsell.
Practical
- CurrencyBSD
- PlugA, B at 120 V
- Time zoneUTC-5
In December
- 28°C82°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 28°C83°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 7.7hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 11of 31Days with rainRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 8UV index, peakRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 2%Years with a cycloneRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 7µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 24°C75°FAt nightRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 78%HumidityRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
On the ground
- 45%Safe waterRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 10MbpsInternetRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Punta Cana is a resort town in the easternmost region of the Dominican Republic.
Punta Cana peaks in December, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
Rain fell on 11 days but added up to only 46 mm all month, so think passing showers rather than lost days.
Practical
- CurrencyDOP
- PlugA, B, C at 120 V
- Time zoneUTC-4
In December
- 27°C81°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 27°C81°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 5.8hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 12of 31Days with rainRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 8UV index, peakRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 6µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 22°C71°FAt nightRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 86%HumidityRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
On the ground
- 27MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Belize City is the largest city in Belize.
Belize City peaks in December, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
Rain landed on 12 days of the month, 132 mm in total. It is light rain, but it is most days, so an outdoor plan needs a fallback.
One thing to weigh: Belize records 28.1 homicides per 100,000 people. That is a country figure and not a Belize City figure, but it is why pre-booked transfers are the norm here rather than an upsell.
Practical
- CurrencyBZD
- PlugA, B, G at 110 V
- Time zoneUTC-6
17Sint Maarten
Philipsburg in December
Photo: Dr. Thomas Liptak, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
In December
- 27°C81°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 28°C83°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 8.1hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 11of 31Days with rainRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 8UV index, peakRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 2%Years with a cycloneRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 6µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 26°C78°FAt nightRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 77%HumidityRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
On the ground
- 12MbpsInternetRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
Philipsburg (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈfilɪpsˌbʏrx]) is the main town and capital of Sint Maarten, a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Philipsburg peaks in December, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
Rain fell on 11 days but added up to only 40 mm all month, so think passing showers rather than lost days.
Practical
- CurrencyANG
- PlugA, B at 120 V
- Time zoneUTC-4
In December
- 24°C75°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 18°C64°FIn the waterRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 7.2hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 2of 31Days with rainRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 13UV index, peakRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 13µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 18°C65°FAt nightRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 78%HumidityRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
On the ground
- 49%Safe waterRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 26MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 29/100Cost indexRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 2/5UK travel adviceRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
Lima is the capital and largest city of Peru, as well as a primate city.
Lima peaks in December.
The sea is too cold to swim comfortably this month, so the coast is for walking rather than for swimming.
Rain fell on two days in the whole month.
Practical
- CurrencyPEN
- PlugA, B, C at 220 V
- Time zoneUTC-5
19Mexico
Merida in December
Photo: J. Magno, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
In December
- 29°C85°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 6.9hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 5of 31Days with rainRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 7UV index, peakRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 8µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 20°C68°FAt nightRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 73%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
- 18/100Cost indexRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 2/5UK travel adviceRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
Merida Mérida is the capital of the Mexican state of Yucatán.
Merida peaks in December, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
December sits outside cyclone season: no North Atlantic tropical system has passed within 200 km in December in the 1985-2025 NOAA IBTrACS record.
One thing to weigh: Mexico records 24.9 homicides per 100,000 people. That is a country figure and not a Merida 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
In December
- 28°C83°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 29°C84°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 7.1hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 14of 31Days with rainRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 12UV 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 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 26°C80°FAt nightRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 76%HumidityRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
On the ground
- 9MbpsInternetRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 52/100Cost indexRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Male Malé is the capital and most populous city of the Maldives.
Male peaks in December, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
Rain landed on 14 days of the month, 183 mm in total. It is light rain, but it is most days, so an outdoor plan needs a fallback.
Practical
- CurrencyMVR
- PlugD, G, J, K, L at 230 V
- Time zoneUTC+5
Warmest places in December you can reach non-stop from the US
Everything above is measured from the destination, not from an airport, so it works wherever you are flying from. This is the same list filtered to what leaves the United States 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
Warm places to visit in December: where the sea is swimmable
Air temperature sells the holiday and sea temperature decides whether you get in the water. Nobody publishes this next to the air figure, so here it is. Below about 22°C most people last a few minutes.
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
Denpasar – Indonesia
- 30°CIn the waterRated 5 of 5
- 30°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 6.0hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
- 17Days with rainRated 1 of 5
Zanzibar City – Tanzania
- 30°CIn the waterRated 5 of 5
- 31°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 8.7hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
- 15Days with rainRated 1 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
Krabi – Thailand
- 29°CIn the waterRated 5 of 5
- 30°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 6.8hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
- 13Days with rainRated 2 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
Nadi had the warmest water of anywhere we measured at 30°C (86°F), with 7.4 hours of sunshine a day.
Which December sun destinations sit in cyclone season
December is cyclone season in the southern hemisphere, and the lists that recommend these places for winter sun almost never mention it. This is not a forecast. It is what happened, counted across 41 Decembers.
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% of Decembers since 1985, and 24% of those reached hurricane strength. It is still a fine holiday. It is just not a risk-free one, and travel insurance is worth reading before you book.
Where is hot and cheap in December
This is the question the rest of the internet answers with adjectives. Here it is with numbers. The index is relative to New York at 100, so 14 means roughly 14% of New York prices on the ground.
Kochi – India
- 14/100Cost indexRated 5 of 5
- 32°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 5Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 8.4hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
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
Kochi is the answer on the numbers: 32°C, 5 rainy days, and an index of 14. The catch is the flight. India is not a short hop from anywhere in Europe.
Where is hot in December short haul from the UK
Seven hours or less and direct from a UK airport, warmest first. Only 11 of them clear 24°C, which is the honest answer to this question: short haul from the UK in December means mild, not hot.
Seville – Spain
- 2.8hDirect from
- 23°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 5Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 6.0hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
Tunis – Tunisia
- 2.8hDirect from
- 26°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 9Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 5.2hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
Marrakech – Morocco
- 3.7hDirect from
- 21°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 4Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 7.4hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
Agadir – Morocco
- 3.9hDirect from
- 24°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 3Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 7.8hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
Funchal – Portugal
- 3.9hDirect from
- 19°CIn the dayRated 3 of 5
- 8Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 5.1hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
Lanzarote – Spain
- 4.2hDirect from
- 24°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 3Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 6.8hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
Fuerteventura – Spain
- 4.2hDirect from
- 23°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 3Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 6.9hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
Las Palmas – Spain
- 4.3hDirect from
- 22°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 5Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 7.2hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
Larnaca – Cyprus
- 4.6hDirect from
- 19°CIn the dayRated 3 of 5
- 7Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 5.9hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
Where is warm in Europe in December
Warm, not hot. Nowhere in Europe averages 24°C in December, and the brochures that imply otherwise are rounding a long way up. The sunshine column is hours a day. The big travel sites publish a percentage instead and never say a percentage of what.
Lanzarote – Spain
- 24°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 3Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 6.8hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
- 21°CIn the waterRated 3 of 5
Fuerteventura – Spain
- 23°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 3Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 6.9hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
- 21°CIn the waterRated 3 of 5
La Palma – Spain
- 23°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 5Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 6.4hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
- 21°CIn the waterRated 3 of 5
Seville – Spain
- 23°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 5Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 6.0hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
Las Palmas – Spain
- 22°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 5Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 7.2hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
- 21°CIn the waterRated 3 of 5
Funchal – Portugal
- 19°CIn the dayRated 3 of 5
- 8Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 5.1hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
- 21°CIn the waterRated 3 of 5
Madeira deserves a note, because it appears on every December list. It averages 19°C (67°F), which is genuinely pleasant, and it rains on 8 days out of 31. That is not a failure of Madeira. It is a subtropical island in the Atlantic in winter, and the greenery you go for is paid for in rain. Book it for walking, not for a fortnight by a pool.
Where is hot in December: your questions
Where is warm in December and cheap?
Kochi, India on the numbers: 32°C (89°F) and a cost index of 14 against New York at 100. In the Caribbean and Latin America the cheapest genuinely hot options were Merida, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta.
Which countries are hot in December?
69 destinations across 48 countries averaged 24°C or more. The reliable groups are the Gulf, the Indian Ocean and South Asia, West Africa, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean and the southern hemisphere, where December is in the southern summer half of the year.
Where is over 20 degrees in December in Europe?
Lanzarote (24°C), Fuerteventura (23°C), La Palma (23°C), Seville (23°C), Las Palmas (22°C). Everywhere else in southern Europe sat below 20°C across the last five Decembers.
Where can I find sun in December?
The sunniest was Cape Town at 11.6 hours a day. The driest destinations were Puerto Vallarta (1 rainy day), Muscat (1 rainy day), Liberia (5 rainy days), Huatulco (2 rainy days), San Jose del Cabo (1 rainy day). Rain days matter more than temperature for a sun holiday, and they vary far more.
How strong is the sun in December?
The highest midday UV index we measured was 15 at Papeete, French Polynesia. Anything from 8 upwards burns unprotected skin in under 20 minutes, and 11 or more is the top of the scale. Nadi (14), Port Louis (14), Port Vila (14), Denpasar (14) followed.
Is Tenerife hot in December?
No. Tenerife averaged 18°C (64°F) with rain on 7 days across the last five Decembers. Gran Canaria is warmer at 22°C with 5 rainy days, but neither is hot.
Which hot December destination has the worst air quality?
Delhi averaged 115.4 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic metre in December. The World Health Organization treats 15 as the interim target and 5 as the guideline, so that is well above both. If anyone in the party has asthma it is worth knowing before you book.
Where is hot in other months
December is a month people book months ahead, so it is worth knowing what the other months do. We measured November and January the same way. December is also the month people travel for Christmas markets and snow, and that half of it is measured on the best places to travel in December, with the cities ranked on the weather for standing outside and the places where snow actually lies on the ground.
Temperature is the mean of the five most recent Decembers, 2021 to 2025, from Open-Meteo. 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, sunshine within twenty minutes.
Cyclones: NOAA IBTrACS, every ocean, not only the Atlantic. Air quality: CAMS model, a regional figure rather than a street reading. Flights and fares: live airline data, so treat a fare as a scale and not a quote. Cost of living: World Bank ICP, New York at 100.
Photos from Wikimedia Commons under CC0, CC BY and CC BY-SA. Each image names its photographer and licence on hover.