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Decision guide · reviewed on 29 October 2026
In December, choose the kind of warmth — and whether you mean the whole month or only Christmas.
December is not one trip. You may want the whole month, the first fortnight, or Christmas week and New Year’s Eve. The warm Christmas guide covers that short window and the difference between the 24th and New Year. This page compares warm destinations across the month. If you are still looking at November, start with the November guide.
“Warmth” in December can mean a mild winter for sightseeing, a resort beach, an Asia circuit or a southern-hemisphere summer. The same word hides rain, wind, cyclone season and journey length. The references below help with the first shortlist; the forecast and availability must be confirmed for your dates.
| Destination | What official sources help you understand | Holiday style | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Verde | The Government describes annual averages between 20 and 25 ºC, moderated by the ocean and trade winds. That frames the climate; it does not forecast every December day. | A beach week, a resort and straightforward logistics. | Island, wind, hotel, meal plan and transfer. |
| Canary Islands | Official information from Spain points to winter averages close to 20 ºC. AEMET, in the Canary Islands in winter guide, describes southern Tenerife in December as mild winter, not tropical heat. | Outings, nature, pool and beach without needing intense heat. | Island, south vs north coast, flights and a heated pool if the sea matters. |
| Madeira | In the IPMA 1991–2020 normals for Funchal, December is mild in the city and one of the rainier months in the series. The mountains are another climate. | City, levadas and, if relevant, New Year. See also the Funchal New Year’s Eve guide. | Location, rain, walks and whether you want 31 December. |
| Dubai | Airport-station averages place December to March among the cooler months in the series. Streets, souks and a desert evening are simpler than in summer. | City, terraces and a few beach or desert days. | Month, hotel area and how much time you want outdoors. See the heat-by-month guide. |
| Egypt | In the cooler half of the year, Luxor and the Nile are usually more comfortable for temples; Hurghada in December can be a beach with mild air, with a cooler sea than in summer. Sources and contrast are in the Egypt guide. | Cruise, Cairo and/or the Red Sea — do not use the same yardstick for all three. | The axis of the trip, domestic flights and official travel advice. |
| Dominican Republic | Official tourism points to December to April as the driest season in Punta Cana. The Atlantic hurricane season usually runs to 30 November. | Resort, beach and all-inclusive in one area. | The actual beach, seaweed and transfer. See the Punta Cana guide. |
| Mexico | The CONAGUA station in Cancun still shows a hot December. The hurricane season (June to November) ends on this calendar; check the forecast. | Beach in Cancun or the Riviera Maya; inland Yucatan is another trip. | Area, seaweed and whether you mix beach with culture. See Cancun or Riviera Maya. |
| Thailand | The TAT describes different monsoons. The Andaman coast (Phuket, Krabi) feels the monsoon mainly from May to October; in the Gulf, Koh Samui rains later, from October to December, peaking in November. December is not interchangeable between the two coasts. Detail is in the best time to visit Thailand guide. | A circuit, a beach or both, with enough nights. | Coast, domestic flights and slack for boat trips. |
| Maldives | The official meteorological service gives a wet monsoon from mid-May to November and December as a transition. The country stays warm; showers are possible. | Resort, sea and privacy, with room for the weather. | Island, transfer, meal plan and a dated proposal. |
| Mauritius | The southern summer (November to April) is warmer and more humid. The official cyclone season runs from 1 November to 15 May, as explained in the Mauritius guide: warnings are active, not a cyclone every week. | Beach on one coast; the side of the island changes the wind. | Coast, month and terms if a warning is issued. |
| Northeast Brazil | The air is warm for much of the year. On the east coast (Salvador, Recife, Natal, Maceio), rain is concentrated, as a rule, between April and July — December sits outside that window. Visit Brasil describes Salvador with a humid tropical climate, beach and city. | Beach with city, especially in Salvador; do not mix coasts in one week. | Base city and whether you want the 24th, New Year’s Eve or the month without a party. See the Northeast guide. |
| Bali | BMKG in Bali describes December to March as the peak of the rains. The island does not disappear; the programme needs slack. Detail is in the Bali guide. | Beach or Ubud with a plan B for storms. | Area, transfers and whether the beach is non-negotiable. |
Flight time should not be a fixed number: it depends on the departure airport, airline, connections and internal links. A proposal from one airport may differ from a proposal from another. Compare the complete itinerary, baggage and time between the airport and the hotel.
The whole of December is not Christmas week
A stay from 5 to 12 December is not comparable with 23 to 30, nor with a trip that includes the night of the 31st. Demand, flights and hotels change in that last week. If your criterion is “being there on Christmas Day” or “watching fireworks in Funchal”, use the Christmas guide and, in Madeira, the New Year guide. If you want warmth in December without that window, this page is the right place.
Circuit or beach: do not use the same yardstick
A Thailand circuit, with several hotel changes, is not a reference for a week on a single island. Cuba and Zanzibar belong in the tropical-beach conversation; in Zanzibar, the official tourism commission points to June to October as the dry season — December is already outside that window, so ask for the forecast for your dates. See the offers catalogue and request a quote through the quote form for any destination, from your preferred departure airport.
Choose by your pace
To switch off with little organisation, start with Cape Verde or a single area in Punta Cana. For mild warmth and a shorter trip, compare the Canary Islands and Madeira — Madeira needs a different conversation if it rains. To walk the streets, Dubai and Egypt in the cooler half of the year. For a circuit with more nights, Thailand (on the right coast) or Vietnam. Maldives, Mauritius and Salvador need a dated proposal, without transferring prices from another month.
The questions that unlock the search
Say whether you mean the whole of December or Christmas week, how many nights you have, your preferred departure airport, how many connections you accept and whether you want beach, city or a circuit. Add your total budget, ages and meal plan. With these filters, the list of warm places starts comparing trips you can actually take.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I go in December for warmth if I do not want Christmas week?
This guide. It compares the whole month. If the criterion is the 24th, New Year’s Eve or both, use the warm Christmas guide.
Canary Islands or Cape Verde in December?
The Canary Islands are a mild winter for sightseeing; Cape Verde usually fits a beach-and-resort week better. Neither is Caribbean tropics.
Phuket or Koh Samui in December?
They are not the same coast. The TAT describes the Gulf monsoon later, with rain in Koh Samui from October to December. The Andaman coast feels mainly May to October. Confirm the month in the Thailand guide and in the TMD forecast.
Does it still rain in the Maldives in December?
December is a transition after the wet monsoon. It stays warm; showers are possible. Request a proposal with island and dates, not a generic price.
Is December in Bali a bad idea?
It is the peak of the rains, according to BMKG. The beach is still possible, with slack in the programme. If a dry beach is non-negotiable, compare another destination.
Can't find the trip you're looking for? Request a quote for any destination, departing from wherever you like. You can also check the offers catalogue.
Editorial content by Global Gateways by Marta. Climate sources from the official pages cited for each destination, reviewed on 29 October 2026; availability, prices and conditions are those in the quote confirmed by the supplier.