Goa
- Day
- 31.7°C
- Sea
- 27.8°C
- Sun
- 7.7h
- Rain days
- 1
Find your sunshine
Goa is the hottest December choice at 32°C, while Kololi offers 30°C heat with a shorter flight from the UK. Both are a substantial step up from London's 8°C days. Choose between them mainly on flight time and how warm you like the sea. Elsewhere, tropical heat can come with frequent rain, while milder destinations suit travellers who want comfortable outdoor weather rather than a hot beach holiday.
Long-term climate averages, not a forecast · 1991-2020
A sunny escape, any month
Turn up the warmth
Ranked by average daytime high. Check the rain before you pack. Flight times are estimates from London Gatwick.
A little detail goes a long way
All 134 destinations, ordered by average daytime high. Night is the average low; sea is the average surface temperature; sun is per day; rainy days count 1 mm or more; flight time is an estimate for a direct flight from London Gatwick.
Scroll sideways for more weather, down for more places. Click a heading to sort.
| # | Destination | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GoaIndia | 31.7°C | 21.2°C | 27.8°C | 7.7 h | 1 | 10 h 12 min |
| 2 | BangkokThailand | 30.6°C | 21.7°C | 27.4°C | 5.9 h | 2 | 12 h 42 min |
| 3 | MombasaKenya | 30.4°C | 24.4°C | 27.7°C | 5.9 h | 17 | 9 h 48 min |
| 4 | Ho Chi Minh CityVietnam | 30.4°C | 22.6°C | - | 3.3 h | 9 | 13 h 30 min |
| 5 | ZanzibarTanzania | 29.8°C | 25.4°C | 28.5°C | 6.2 h | 20 | 10 h |
| 6 | KololiThe Gambia | 29.7°C | 21.9°C | 24.1°C | 5.7 h | 0 | 6 h 18 min |
| 7 | Rio de JaneiroBrazil | 29.5°C | 22.6°C | 24.2°C | 3.8 h | 20 | 12 h 18 min |
| 8 | Flic en FlacMauritius | 29.3°C | 24.1°C | 26.8°C | 6.9 h | 12 | 12 h 54 min |
| 9 | Khao LakThailand | 29.3°C | 23.8°C | 28.7°C | 3.6 h | 14 | 13 h 6 min |
| 10 | KeralaIndia | 29.2°C | 23.4°C | 28.5°C | 5.4 h | 7 | 11 h |
| 11 | GuanacasteCosta Rica | 29.1°C | 22.4°C | 27.2°C | 6.5 h | 2 | 11 h 42 min |
| 12 | KrabiThailand | 29.0°C | 23.4°C | 28.5°C | 3.1 h | 15 | 13 h 12 min |
| 13 | Kuala LumpurMalaysia | 28.8°C | 22.6°C | - | 1.2 h | 26 | 13 h 54 min |
| 14 | Phu QuocVietnam | 28.3°C | 25.2°C | 28.5°C | 4.0 h | 9 | 13 h 24 min |
| 15 | Puerto VallartaMexico | 28.3°C | 19.4°C | 25.4°C | 5.7 h | 3 | 12 h 18 min |
| 16 | GalleSri Lanka | 28.2°C | 23.9°C | 28.2°C | 3.0 h | 22 | 11 h 48 min |
| 17 | PhuketThailand | 28.2°C | 25.3°C | 28.6°C | 3.4 h | 12 | 13 h 6 min |
| 18 | Montego BayJamaica | 28.1°C | 23.2°C | 27.9°C | 6.6 h | 12 | 10 h 12 min |
| 19 | Singapore | 27.8°C | 24.8°C | 28.4°C | 1.2 h | 28 | 14 h 18 min |
| 20 | BaliIndonesia | 27.7°C | 24.5°C | 28.8°C | 1.9 h | 26 | 16 h 24 min |
| 21 | St Lucia | 27.5°C | 24.0°C | 27.7°C | 6.4 h | 14 | 9 h 12 min |
| 22 | Koh SamuiThailand | 27.5°C | 25.5°C | 28.0°C | 3.9 h | 14 | 13 h 6 min |
| 23 | Aruba | 27.4°C | 25.5°C | 27.2°C | 6.1 h | 15 | 10 h 12 min |
| 24 | Maldives | 27.3°C | 25.8°C | 28.4°C | 4.1 h | 19 | 11 h 24 min |
| 25 | Barbados | 27.3°C | 25.1°C | 27.8°C | 6.5 h | 13 | 9 h 12 min |
| 26 | Grenada | 27.1°C | 25.3°C | 27.8°C | 6.2 h | 16 | 9 h 30 min |
| 27 | Seychelles | 27.0°C | 25.5°C | 28.3°C | 4.6 h | 23 | 10 h 54 min |
| 28 | Chiang MaiThailand | 27.0°C | 16.0°C | - | 7.3 h | 2 | 12 h |
| 29 | Antigua | 26.8°C | 24.7°C | 27.3°C | 7.0 h | 14 | 9 h |
| 30 | Punta CanaDominican Republic | 26.6°C | 24.2°C | 27.2°C | 6.8 h | 14 | 9 h 24 min |
| 31 | TulumMexico | 26.5°C | 22.4°C | 27.2°C | 6.1 h | 11 | 10 h 54 min |
| 32 | DubaiUnited Arab Emirates | 26.2°C | 15.5°C | 24.4°C | 7.8 h | 1 | 7 h 36 min |
| 33 | Playa del CarmenMexico | 26.2°C | 22.4°C | 27.2°C | 5.9 h | 10 | 10 h 48 min |
| 34 | Boa VistaCape Verde | 26.0°C | 21.6°C | 24.1°C | 5.5 h | 0 | 6 h 12 min |
| 35 | CancunMexico | 25.9°C | 22.9°C | 26.7°C | 5.8 h | 11 | 10 h 42 min |
| 36 | VaraderoCuba | 25.6°C | 21.8°C | 26.0°C | 6.0 h | 6 | 10 h |
| 37 | Abu DhabiUnited Arab Emirates | 25.3°C | 17.8°C | 23.7°C | 7.7 h | 1 | 7 h 36 min |
| 38 | HawaiiUnited States | 25.1°C | 22.1°C | 25.2°C | 6.0 h | 7 | 15 h 18 min |
| 39 | Bahamas | 24.5°C | 22.2°C | 25.2°C | 5.5 h | 7 | 9 h 30 min |
| 40 | SydneyAustralia | 24.4°C | 17.7°C | 21.0°C | 6.3 h | 9 | 22 h |
| 41 | MiamiUnited States | 24.2°C | 19.6°C | 24.9°C | 5.3 h | 8 | 9 h 42 min |
| 42 | Cape TownSouth Africa | 24.1°C | 16.3°C | 16.5°C | 9.9 h | 3 | 12 h 48 min |
| 43 | SalCape Verde | 23.7°C | 22.5°C | 24.1°C | 5.5 h | 1 | 6 h 12 min |
| 44 | Sharm El SheikhEgypt | 23.4°C | 13.3°C | 24.7°C | 8.1 h | 0 | 5 h 36 min |
| 45 | OrlandoUnited States | 21.9°C | 12.8°C | - | 4.9 h | 6 | 9 h 30 min |
| 46 | HurghadaEgypt | 21.8°C | 15.0°C | 24.3°C | 8.2 h | 0 | 5 h 36 min |
| 47 | Gran CanariaSpain | 21.2°C | 16.9°C | 20.6°C | 6.4 h | 5 | 4 h 24 min |
| 48 | La GomeraSpain | 21.2°C | 18.4°C | 21.1°C | 6.5 h | 5 | 4 h 24 min |
| 49 | HanoiVietnam | 21.0°C | 14.2°C | - | 3.8 h | 7 | 12 h 18 min |
| 50 | AgadirMorocco | 20.8°C | 11.6°C | 17.7°C | 6.5 h | 4 | 3 h 48 min |
| 51 | TenerifeSpain | 20.7°C | 16.4°C | 21.1°C | 6.6 h | 6 | 4 h 24 min |
| 52 | Bermuda | 20.7°C | 18.7°C | 21.8°C | 3.1 h | 11 | 7 h 42 min |
| 53 | FuerteventuraSpain | 20.2°C | 16.9°C | 20.0°C | 5.6 h | 3 | 4 h 12 min |
| 54 | Hong Kong | 20.0°C | 14.8°C | 20.3°C | 5.6 h | 4 | 12 h 48 min |
| 55 | LanzaroteSpain | 19.6°C | 16.9°C | 19.9°C | 5.5 h | 4 | 4 h 6 min |
| 56 | MarrakechMorocco | 18.8°C | 4.7°C | - | 6.2 h | 5 | 3 h 36 min |
| 57 | La PalmaSpain | 18.3°C | 16.1°C | 21.1°C | 5.8 h | 6 | 4 h 24 min |
| 58 | MadeiraPortugal | 17.8°C | 14.9°C | 19.9°C | 3.5 h | 11 | 3 h 48 min |
| 59 | SousseTunisia | 17.7°C | 9.0°C | 18.0°C | 5.5 h | 6 | 3 h 6 min |
| 60 | Ayia NapaCyprus | 17.2°C | 13.0°C | 19.2°C | 5.4 h | 8 | 4 h 48 min |
| 61 | LimassolCyprus | 17.2°C | 11.5°C | 19.5°C | 5.3 h | 8 | 4 h 48 min |
| 62 | PaphosCyprus | 16.8°C | 12.6°C | 19.4°C | 5.3 h | 10 | 4 h 42 min |
| 63 | Costa de la LuzSpain | 16.5°C | 9.6°C | 16.5°C | 4.9 h | 8 | 2 h 54 min |
| 64 | AlbufeiraPortugal | 16.4°C | 9.5°C | 16.6°C | 4.5 h | 8 | 2 h 54 min |
| 65 | HammametTunisia | 16.4°C | 11.3°C | 18.1°C | 5.1 h | 7 | 3 h 6 min |
| 66 | AlgarvePortugal | 16.2°C | 10.3°C | 16.7°C | 4.6 h | 8 | 2 h 54 min |
| 67 | VallettaMalta | 16.2°C | 13.6°C | 18.1°C | 5.0 h | 10 | 3 h 18 min |
| 68 | SevilleSpain | 16.1°C | 7.7°C | - | 4.9 h | 7 | 2 h 42 min |
| 69 | AlicanteSpain | 15.9°C | 9.1°C | 16.2°C | 5.0 h | 5 | 2 h 30 min |
| 70 | BenidormSpain | 15.8°C | 8.9°C | 16.2°C | 5.0 h | 6 | 2 h 30 min |
| 71 | RhodesGreece | 15.8°C | 13.0°C | 19.3°C | 5.1 h | 12 | 4 h 12 min |
| 72 | MalagaSpain | 15.8°C | 10.7°C | 15.8°C | 4.5 h | 7 | 2 h 48 min |
| 73 | IbizaSpain | 15.7°C | 11.3°C | 16.4°C | 5.1 h | 6 | 2 h 30 min |
| 74 | CreteGreece | 15.6°C | 10.0°C | 18.0°C | 3.5 h | 11 | 4 h 6 min |
| 75 | KosGreece | 15.6°C | 12.9°C | 18.9°C | 4.9 h | 13 | 4 h 6 min |
| 76 | ValenciaSpain | 15.5°C | 7.9°C | 15.6°C | 5.0 h | 5 | 2 h 24 min |
| 77 | SicilyItaly | 15.4°C | 9.2°C | 16.8°C | 4.8 h | 8 | 3 h 12 min |
| 78 | MarbellaSpain | 15.4°C | 10.4°C | 15.9°C | 4.6 h | 9 | 2 h 48 min |
| 79 | FethiyeTurkey | 15.4°C | 7.3°C | 19.5°C | 4.9 h | 10 | 4 h 18 min |
| 80 | MarmarisTurkey | 15.3°C | 10.0°C | 19.3°C | 4.8 h | 12 | 4 h 12 min |
| 81 | MajorcaSpain | 15.1°C | 10.7°C | 16.4°C | 4.6 h | 7 | 2 h 24 min |
| 82 | ZanteGreece | 15.0°C | 12.3°C | 17.9°C | 4.3 h | 14 | 3 h 30 min |
| 83 | KefaloniaGreece | 14.9°C | 12.3°C | 17.7°C | 4.3 h | 13 | 3 h 30 min |
| 84 | BodrumTurkey | 14.9°C | 11.5°C | 18.3°C | 4.9 h | 12 | 4 h 6 min |
| 85 | MenorcaSpain | 14.7°C | 12.2°C | 16.3°C | 4.4 h | 8 | 2 h 24 min |
| 86 | NaxosGreece | 14.6°C | 12.2°C | 17.1°C | 4.3 h | 10 | 3 h 54 min |
| 87 | LisbonPortugal | 14.5°C | 10.2°C | 15.2°C | 4.1 h | 9 | 2 h 42 min |
| 88 | MykonosGreece | 14.5°C | 11.9°C | 16.7°C | 4.2 h | 10 | 3 h 54 min |
| 89 | AlanyaTurkey | 14.5°C | 7.6°C | 19.7°C | 4.9 h | 11 | 4 h 30 min |
| 90 | AntalyaTurkey | 14.1°C | 7.1°C | 19.5°C | 4.6 h | 13 | 4 h 24 min |
| 91 | SardiniaItaly | 13.9°C | 8.8°C | 15.2°C | 4.2 h | 9 | 2 h 24 min |
| 92 | SantoriniGreece | 13.9°C | 11.2°C | 17.6°C | 4.3 h | 10 | 4 h |
| 93 | KusadasiTurkey | 13.8°C | 7.2°C | 17.5°C | 4.6 h | 11 | 4 h |
| 94 | PaxosGreece | 13.7°C | 10.9°C | 17.4°C | 4.2 h | 14 | 3 h 18 min |
| 95 | PortoPortugal | 13.6°C | 7.5°C | 14.1°C | 3.4 h | 13 | 2 h 24 min |
| 96 | SalouSpain | 13.4°C | 6.4°C | 15.2°C | 4.7 h | 5 | 2 h 12 min |
| 97 | CorfuGreece | 13.3°C | 10.1°C | 17.3°C | 3.9 h | 14 | 3 h 18 min |
| 98 | SorrentoItaly | 13.2°C | 9.4°C | 16.9°C | 4.1 h | 13 | 2 h 48 min |
| 99 | AthensGreece | 13.2°C | 7.2°C | 17.3°C | 4.1 h | 8 | 3 h 42 min |
| 100 | SkiathosGreece | 13.2°C | 11.1°C | 15.6°C | 3.6 h | 12 | 3 h 36 min |
| 101 | PargaGreece | 13.2°C | 8.3°C | 17.4°C | 4.1 h | 13 | 3 h 18 min |
| 102 | BarcelonaSpain | 13.1°C | 6.2°C | 14.9°C | 4.5 h | 6 | 2 h 6 min |
| 103 | PugliaItaly | 13.1°C | 8.7°C | 14.8°C | 4.1 h | 10 | 2 h 54 min |
| 104 | Amalfi CoastItaly | 13.0°C | 9.2°C | 16.9°C | 4.1 h | 13 | 2 h 48 min |
| 105 | NaplesItaly | 13.0°C | 7.1°C | 16.9°C | 4.1 h | 12 | 2 h 42 min |
| 106 | Lloret de MarSpain | 13.0°C | 5.1°C | 14.7°C | 4.4 h | 7 | 2 h 6 min |
| 107 | Las VegasUnited States | 12.9°C | 3.5°C | - | 5.8 h | 3 | 11 h 18 min |
| 108 | SarandaAlbania | 12.7°C | 6.0°C | 17.2°C | 3.9 h | 14 | 3 h 18 min |
| 109 | RomeItaly | 12.4°C | 5.1°C | 16.3°C | 4.4 h | 11 | 2 h 30 min |
| 110 | NiceFrance | 12.4°C | 6.3°C | 15.5°C | 4.2 h | 8 | 2 h |
| 111 | AlonissosGreece | 12.4°C | 9.7°C | 15.6°C | 3.7 h | 11 | 3 h 36 min |
| 112 | DubrovnikCroatia | 11.8°C | 6.3°C | 16.0°C | 4.1 h | 13 | 2 h 48 min |
| 113 | BudvaMontenegro | 11.7°C | 6.8°C | 16.0°C | 3.8 h | 14 | 2 h 54 min |
| 114 | HalkidikiGreece | 11.4°C | 7.4°C | 15.5°C | 3.7 h | 9 | 3 h 30 min |
| 115 | SplitCroatia | 11.2°C | 5.2°C | 15.7°C | 4.0 h | 12 | 2 h 36 min |
| 116 | TokyoJapan | 10.5°C | 2.5°C | 15.6°C | 5.5 h | 8 | 12 h 42 min |
| 117 | ThassosGreece | 10.4°C | 6.3°C | 14.3°C | 3.8 h | 10 | 3 h 30 min |
| 118 | PulaCroatia | 10.4°C | 6.7°C | 13.7°C | 3.6 h | 12 | 2 h 18 min |
| 119 | IstanbulTurkey | 10.2°C | 6.3°C | 11.1°C | 3.0 h | 13 | 3 h 54 min |
| 120 | FlorenceItaly | 10.1°C | 2.9°C | - | 3.4 h | 12 | 2 h 12 min |
| 121 | MadridSpain | 10.1°C | 2.1°C | - | 4.1 h | 7 | 2 h 18 min |
| 122 | Lido di JesoloItaly | 8.2°C | 2.7°C | 12.3°C | 3.7 h | 8 | 2 h 12 min |
| 123 | Sunny BeachBulgaria | 8.1°C | 3.0°C | 9.8°C | 3.3 h | 9 | 3 h 36 min |
| 124 | VeniceItaly | 8.0°C | 2.6°C | 11.8°C | 3.5 h | 9 | 2 h 12 min |
| 125 | VeronaItaly | 7.8°C | 0.8°C | - | 3.8 h | 8 | 2 h 6 min |
| 126 | Lake GardaItaly | 7.6°C | 2.4°C | - | 3.6 h | 8 | 2 h |
| 127 | ParisFrance | 7.5°C | 2.5°C | - | 2.0 h | 13 | 1 h 6 min |
| 128 | MilanItaly | 7.0°C | -0.1°C | - | 3.5 h | 7 | 1 h 54 min |
| 129 | AmsterdamNetherlands | 6.4°C | 2.6°C | 6.4°C | 1.9 h | 13 | 1 h 12 min |
| 130 | New YorkUnited States | 6.0°C | -1.2°C | 8.0°C | 3.7 h | 10 | 7 h 42 min |
| 131 | BledSlovenia | 4.6°C | -1.8°C | - | 2.8 h | 9 | 2 h 12 min |
| 132 | PragueCzechia | 4.0°C | -1.1°C | - | 2.0 h | 10 | 2 h |
| 133 | BudapestHungary | 3.6°C | -1.8°C | - | 2.4 h | 8 | 2 h 36 min |
| 134 | KrakowPoland | 2.4°C | -3.1°C | - | 2.0 h | 10 | 2 h 30 min |
134 destinations shownDecember averages · climate, not a forecast.
Pool weather, a sea swim or a shorter flight? Start here.
38 of the 134 destinations average 25°C or more by day. These are the warmest.
We call the sea swimmable at 22°C or more. In December that is 40 destinations.
Direct flights under four hours from Gatwick, ranked by daytime high.
Goa leads the table with 32°C by day and 21°C at night, a 28°C sea and 1 rainy days (10 h 12 min from London). Bangkok leads with 31°C by day and 22°C at night, a 27°C sea and 2 rainy days (12 h 42 min from London). Mombasa leads with 30°C by day and 24°C at night, a 28°C sea and 17 rainy days (9 h 48 min from London). Ho Chi Minh City leads with 30°C by day and 23°C at night and 9 rainy days (13 h 30 min from London). Zanzibar leads with 30°C by day and 25°C at night, a 29°C sea and 20 rainy days (10 h from London).
Warm rather than hot (20-25°C): Bahamas 25°C, Sydney 24°C, Miami 24°C, Cape Town 24°C, Sal 24°C, Sharm El Sheikh 23°C and 10 more. Hot but wet - over 25°C with more than eight rainy days: Mombasa (17 days), Ho Chi Minh City (9 days), Zanzibar (20 days), Rio de Janeiro (20 days), Flic en Flac (12 days). Over 30°C by day: Goa, Bangkok, Mombasa, Ho Chi Minh City. For scale, London averages 8°C in December.
Goa suits travellers who want strong daytime heat and warm swimming water: the sea is 28°C, with just 1 rain day in December. The catch is a flight of 10 h 12 min, and 32°C afternoons call for shade rather than sustained activity. Kololi is the more practical choice if travel time matters. Its flight is 6 h 18 min, days reach 30°C and there are 0 rain days, although the 24°C sea feels cooler than Goa's. Guanacaste offers another relatively dry option, with 29°C days, a 27°C sea and 2 rain days. Its flight of 11 h 42 min makes it less compelling if your main aim is simply hot weather with less time travelling.
Khao Lak has a 29°C sea, making it appealing if swimming matters more than reliably dry days, but its 14 rain days are a meaningful compromise. Kerala offers a stronger balance for rain-conscious travellers: a 28°C sea, 29°C days and 6 rain days, with an 11 h flight. Mombasa and Zanzibar also have 28°C seas, but 17 and 20 rain days respectively make flexible plans sensible. Rio de Janeiro combines 30°C heat with 20 rain days and a cooler 24°C sea, so heat alone is not a reason to favour it for swimming. Flic en Flac sits between these choices, with a 27°C sea and 12 rain days. Pack light rain protection alongside swimwear for the wetter options.
If hot afternoons would limit your plans, consider warmth rather than chasing the highest temperature. Sal, Cape Town, Sydney, Miami and the Bahamas reach 24°C, while Sharm El Sheikh reaches 23°C. Tenerife, Gran Canaria and La Gomera are milder at 21°C: useful for travellers who prefer being outdoors without tropical heat, but not equivalent to Goa for a hot-weather break. For a city stay in stronger heat, Bangkok reaches 31°C with 2 rain days, compared with Ho Chi Minh City's 30°C and 9 rain days. Bangkok's 22°C nights also mean little relief from warmth after sunset. Choose loose clothing and leave room for a midday break.
A little more detail
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
38 of the 134 destinations we track average a daytime high of 25°C or more in December. The hottest are Goa (32°C), Bangkok (31°C), Mombasa (30°C), Ho Chi Minh City (30°C), Zanzibar (30°C), Kololi (30°C).
4 destinations average more than 30°C by day in December: Goa (32°C), Bangkok (31°C), Mombasa (30°C), Ho Chi Minh City (30°C).
The sea averages 22°C or more in December at 40 destinations, including Goa (28°C), Bangkok (27°C), Mombasa (28°C), Zanzibar (29°C), Kololi (24°C), Rio de Janeiro (24°C).
Warm (22°C+) with three rainy days or fewer in December: Goa (32°C, 1 rainy days), Bangkok (31°C, 2 rainy days), Kololi (30°C, 0 rainy days), Guanacaste (29°C, 2 rainy days), Puerto Vallarta (28°C, 3 rainy days), Chiang Mai (27°C, 2 rainy days).
London averages a daytime high of 7.7°C in December, so the 38 destinations over 25°C are at least 24°C warmer.
Among the hottest choices, Kololi has the shortest flight at 6 h 18 min. It pairs 30°C daytime heat with 0 rain days, making it a strong choice when travel time matters. Its 24°C sea is the trade-off against warmer-water destinations such as Goa.
Choose Goa for hotter, drier weather: it reaches 32°C with 1 rain day, compared with Kerala's 29°C and 6 rain days. Both have a 28°C sea. Goa also has the shorter flight, at 10 h 12 min against 11 h.
They are warm rather than hot. Tenerife, Gran Canaria and La Gomera reach 21°C by day, while Fuerteventura reaches 20°C. They suit travellers seeking milder outdoor conditions, but choose somewhere such as Goa or Kololi if strong daytime heat is the priority.
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis and NOAA satellite sea temperatures, 1991-2020
These are climate averages for December, not a forecast for your trip. Day and night mean average daily highs and lows; sea is the average sea temperature. Sun is average sunshine per day, estimated from cloud cover. A rainy day has 1 mm or more of rain. A dash means sea data is not available.
Flights are estimates for a direct flight from London Gatwick. Our swimming guide uses a sea temperature of 22°C or more; what feels comfortable is personal. How we measure holiday weather