If you want heat and sunshine in December 2026, go to Thailand’s Andaman coast, southern Vietnam or Goa, where average highs run 31°C to 32°C and the dry season has started. For a shorter flight from Europe, the Canary Islands (22°C), Egypt’s Red Sea coast (23°C) and Dubai (26°C) are reliably mild and dry. Bali, Ko Samui and central Vietnam are warm but in their rainy season. Every figure below is a long-term December average published by each country’s national weather service through the World Meteorological Organization, so treat them as what’s typical, not a forecast.
December weather at a glance
| Destination | Avg high | Avg low | Rain (mm) | Rainy days | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goa, India | 32.4°C | 20.6°C | 17 | 0.4 | Hot and dry |
| Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | 31.6°C | 23.9°C | 41 | 5 | Hot, mostly dry |
| Phuket, Thailand | 31.5°C | 24.0°C | 62 | 8.3 | Hot, dry season starting |
| Bangkok, Thailand | 31.3°C | 20.8°C | 10 | 1 | Hot and dry |
| Cancun, Mexico | 28.2°C | 21.2°C | 96 | 10.6 | Warm, some rain |
| Punta Cana, Dominican Republic | 28.1°C | 22.3°C | 79 | 11 | Warm, some rain |
| Muscat, Oman | 26.8°C | 18.3°C | 17 | 1.4 | Warm and dry |
| Dubai, UAE | 26.2°C | 15.4°C | 14 | 2 | Warm and dry |
| Sal, Cape Verde | 25.2°C | n/a | 2 | 0 | Warm and dry |
| Cape Town, South Africa | 24.9°C | 14.9°C | 17 | 6.2 | Early summer |
| Hurghada, Egypt | 23.2°C | 13.0°C | 2 | 0.2 | Warm days, cool nights |
| Eilat, Israel | 23.0°C | 11.9°C | 5 | 1.7 | Warm days, cool nights |
| Gran Canaria, Spain | 22.2°C | 16.2°C | 31 | 7.1 | Mild, mostly dry |
| Tenerife, Spain | 22.1°C | 16.6°C | 43 | 9.4 | Mild, some showers |
| Denpasar, Bali | 33.0°C | 23.5°C | 276 | 22 | Hot but rainy season |
| Ko Samui, Thailand | 29.1°C | 23.9°C | 209 | 14 | Monsoon tail |
Rain is the average December total. Rainy days are counted by each weather service’s own threshold, usually 0.1 mm or 1 mm. The averages cover different reference periods by country (for example 1981-2010 for the Canary Islands and Egypt, 1991-2020 for Vietnam), so small differences between places mean little.
Short flights from Europe
1. Canary Islands, Spain
The Canary Islands are the warmest part of Europe in December and one of the easiest winter sun trips from European airports. Santa Cruz de Tenerife averages 22.1°C by day and 16.6°C at night, Las Palmas on Gran Canaria 22.2°C, and Arrecife on Lanzarote 21.8°C with only 29 mm of rain. That is T-shirt weather by day and a light jacket in the evening, not tropical heat.
The islands reward people who move around. Rent a car with Hertz to reach the quieter north coast, take the Mt. Teide and Masca Valley tour up through the national park, or go out on a whale and dolphin catamaran trip from the south coast. If dry days matter most, the stations at Arrecife on Lanzarote and Las Palmas on Gran Canaria record less December rain than Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Book on ViatorMt. Teide and Masca Valley Tour in Tenerife
Book on ViatorMost Famous Catamaran in Tenerife Island - Unlimited Drinks2. Madeira, Portugal (mild, not hot)
Madeira often appears on winter sun lists, but the numbers say spring rather than summer. Funchal averages 20.0°C highs in December with about 100 mm of rain over 13 days. Go for the levada walks and New Year’s Eve fireworks, not for the beach.
3. Cape Verde
The Sal airport weather station records 25.2°C highs and just 1.6 mm of rain in an average December, which makes Sal one of the driest warm places in the Atlantic in December. Sal itself is flat and sandy, so this is a beach-and-pool trip rather than a sightseeing one.
The Red Sea and the Gulf
4. Egypt’s Red Sea coast
Hurghada averages 23.2°C highs and Sharm el-Sheikh 23.4°C, with almost no rain at all (1 mm to 2 mm for the month). The catch is the evenings: nights fall to 13°C in Hurghada and 15°C in Sharm, so dinner outside means a sweater.
The reefs are the reason to go. A snorkeling cruise to Orange Bay on Giftun Island covers the classic day out from Hurghada, and December is a comfortable month for the long day trip to Luxor, where the Egyptian Meteorological Authority records 24.3°C highs and only 7.8°C lows.
Book on ViatorHurghada: VIP Seafood Yacht to 3 Islands, Dolphins & Snorkeling
Book on ViatorHurghada: Luxor Valley of the Kings & Tutankhamun Tomb Trip5. Eilat, Israel and Aqaba, Jordan
At the northern tip of the Red Sea, Eilat averages 23.0°C highs with 5 mm of rain in December, and Aqaba across the border 21.8°C. The pattern matches Egypt: warm sunny days, nights around 10°C to 12°C. Tel Aviv, by contrast, averages under 20°C and 127 mm of rain in December, so the Mediterranean coast is not a sun escape at this time of year.
6. Dubai and Abu Dhabi, UAE
December is one of the best months to visit the Emirates. Dubai averages 26.2°C by day and 15.4°C at night with about 14 mm of rain, and Abu Dhabi is similar at 25.7°C. That makes the beaches pleasant and outdoor plans possible, which they aren’t in summer. A desert safari with dune driving, a camel ride and a barbecue dinner is the standard way to see the dunes, and it is far more comfortable at this time of year.
7. Muscat, Oman
Oman’s capital is a degree warmer than Dubai, with 26.8°C highs, 18.3°C lows and 16.5 mm of rain in an average December. It is quieter and lower-rise than the UAE, with mountains and wadis within an easy drive.
Southeast and South Asia
8. Thailand: Andaman coast and Bangkok
December is when Thailand’s west coast dries out. Phuket averages 31.5°C highs and 24°C lows, and its rain drops from 174 mm in November to 62 mm in December. Bangkok is hot and almost dry (31.3°C, 10 mm), and Chiang Mai in the north is pleasant by day (28.3°C) with cool nights around 15°C.
The Andaman side is where the island trips are. A speedboat day trip to Phi Phi and a sea-canoe trip around James Bond Island in Phang Nga Bay are the two classics from Phuket. Plan ahead, because late December is high season.
Book on ViatorPhi Phi Islands Adventure Day Trip w/ Seaview Lunch by V. Marine
Book on ViatorPhang Nga Bay Canoeing & James Bond Island Tour from PhuketThe Gulf of Thailand works on a different calendar. Ko Samui averages 209 mm of rain over 14 days in December, after 490 mm in November. If Samui, Koh Phangan or Koh Tao are on your list, February to April is the drier window.
For routes, food and places to stay, see Shirly Glick Alon’s Thailand map or Traveliri’s Bangkok map, both in Hebrew.
9. Southern Vietnam
Vietnam is long enough to have opposite seasons. Ho Chi Minh City averages 31.6°C with 41 mm of rain over 5 days in December, the start of the south’s dry season. The central coast is the opposite: Da Nang averages 272 mm over 21 rainy days, and Nha Trang 224 mm. Base yourself in the south, and take the Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta tour for a day out of the city. Yair Kaveh’s solo route through southern Vietnam (in Hebrew) runs from Da Nang down to Saigon.
10. Goa, India
Goa is the hottest and driest stop on this list: 32.4°C highs, 20.6°C lows and 17 mm of rain, with rain on fewer than one day in an average December. It is also peak season, with Christmas and New Year parties on the northern beaches, so book early or head to the quieter south.
Sri Lanka’s west and south coast (a maybe)
December is a changeover month in Sri Lanka. Colombo averages 30.3°C but still 175 mm of rain, down from 414 mm in November, and the east coast is in its wet season (Trincomalee averages 365 mm). If you go, stick to the south and west beaches and expect showers early in the month.
The Americas and the Caribbean
11. Mexico: Cancun and Los Cabos
Cancun averages 28.2°C highs and 96 mm of rain spread over about 11 days in December, less than half of what falls in September and October. Los Cabos on the Pacific side is drier (19 mm) and a little cooler at 26.4°C. From Cancun, the Chichen Itza, Ik Kil cenote and Valladolid day trip is the classic excursion.
The Caribbean islands
December brings the start of the Caribbean dry season. Punta Cana averages 28.1°C with 79 mm of rain, Antigua 28.6°C with 87 mm and Havana 26.5°C with 58 mm. Expect some rainy days, but the Atlantic hurricane season officially ends on November 30.
Florida Keys and Hawaii
From North America, the nearest reliable warmth is in the Florida Keys and Hawaii. Key West averages 24.4°C highs and 19.4°C lows with 56 mm of rain in December, and Miami is the same 24.4°C. Honolulu is warmer at 27.3°C, with 82 mm of rain over about 10 days.
Summer in the southern hemisphere
12. Cape Town, Sydney and Rio de Janeiro
December is early summer south of the equator. Cape Town averages 24.9°C and only 17 mm of rain, with long daylight hours. Sydney averages 25.5°C with 79 mm, and Auckland a mild 21.8°C. Rio de Janeiro is warmer at 28.6°C but in its rainy summer, with 169 mm over 13 days. If Rio is your pick, the Rio de Janeiro map on Guidez (in English) covers the beaches and viewpoints.
Warm but wet: where to skip in December
- Bali. Denpasar averages 33°C but 276 mm of rain over 22 days in December. Bali still works if you accept daily downpours, and Traveliri’s Bali map (in Hebrew) is full of indoor and covered stops, but it isn’t a sun trip.
- Ko Samui and the Gulf of Thailand. 209 mm in December, as above.
- Central Vietnam (Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue). 272 mm over 21 days in Da Nang.
- The Maldives. Male averages 217 mm in December. February and March are the driest months there.
- Singapore. 332 mm in an average December, its wettest month.
Which winter sun destination should you choose?
- You want real heat and a beach: Phuket and the Andaman islands, Goa, or southern Vietnam. All three average above 31°C with a dry month.
- You have a short break from Europe: the Canary Islands or Egypt’s Red Sea coast. Expect 22°C to 23°C by day and cool evenings.
- You want warm weather plus a city: Dubai, Muscat or Bangkok. Dubai and Muscat sit in the mid-20s, Bangkok above 30°C.
- You want to dive or snorkel: the Red Sea (Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh, Eilat) or the Andaman Sea off Phuket.
- You are traveling from North America: the Mexican Caribbean, the Dominican Republic or Hawaii for real warmth, Key West for a milder short trip.
- You don’t mind rain for lower crowds: Bali or Sri Lanka, keeping in mind the averages above.
How we picked these places
We compared December averages for about 40 popular warm-weather destinations using the World Meteorological Organization’s World Weather Information Service, which publishes each national weather service’s official climate normals. We kept places with average highs of at least 22°C and flagged those with more than about 150 mm of December rain as wet. Air temperature is only part of the picture: wind, sea temperature and the number of sunny hours vary by beach, so check a local forecast a week before you fly.
When to book for December 2026
Christmas Day 2026 falls on a Friday, and so does New Year’s Day 2027. That turns both into long weekends, so flights and hotels are usually priced highest for departures in the days before each one. The first two weeks of December are usually cheaper, and for Thailand’s Andaman coast, Bangkok and Goa the dry season has already begun by then.
Before you fly, set up mobile data with an Airalo eSIM, sold per country or as regional plans; our eSIM vs local SIM vs roaming guide explains when a local SIM is cheaper. If you are choosing between tours on Viator and GetYourGuide, our side-by-side comparison covers fees and cancellation rules. And if you’d rather have cold weather and mulled wine, the best Christmas markets in Europe for 2026 is our guide to the other kind of December trip.
