Find your sunshine

Where is hot in December?

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

Hottest day
31.7°CGoa
Warmest sea
28.8°CBali
Most sunshine
9.9h/dayCape Town
London comparison
7.7°CAverage daytime high

A sunny escape, any month

Keeping it closer to home?

Europe only Short-haul

Turn up the warmth

Top picks for December

Ranked by average daytime high. Check the rain before you pack. Flight times are estimates from London Gatwick.

Compare all 134
#1Hot

Goa

India · 10 h 12 min from London

Day
31.7°C
Sea
27.8°C
Sun
7.7h
Rain days
1
#2Hot

Bangkok

Thailand · 12 h 42 min from London

Day
30.6°C
Sea
27.4°C
Sun
5.9h
Rain days
2
#3Hot

Mombasa

Kenya · 9 h 48 min from London

Day
30.4°C
Sea
27.7°C
Sun
5.9h
Rain days
17
#4Hot

Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam · 13 h 30 min from London

Day
30.4°C
Sea
-
Sun
3.3h
Rain days
9
#5Hot

Zanzibar

Tanzania · 10 h from London

Day
29.8°C
Sea
28.5°C
Sun
6.2h
Rain days
20
#6Hot

Kololi

The Gambia · 6 h 18 min from London

Day
29.7°C
Sea
24.1°C
Sun
5.7h
Rain days
0
#7Hot

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil · 12 h 18 min from London

Day
29.5°C
Sea
24.2°C
Sun
3.8h
Rain days
20
#8Hot

Flic en Flac

Mauritius · 12 h 54 min from London

Day
29.3°C
Sea
26.8°C
Sun
6.9h
Rain days
12
#9Hot

Khao Lak

Thailand · 13 h 6 min from London

Day
29.3°C
Sea
28.7°C
Sun
3.6h
Rain days
14
#10Hot

Kerala

India · 11 h from London

Day
29.2°C
Sea
28.5°C
Sun
5.4h
Rain days
7
#11Hot

Guanacaste

Costa Rica · 11 h 42 min from London

Day
29.1°C
Sea
27.2°C
Sun
6.5h
Rain days
2
#12Hot

Krabi

Thailand · 13 h 12 min from London

Day
29.0°C
Sea
28.5°C
Sun
3.1h
Rain days
15

A little detail goes a long way

December, side by side

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.

134 destinations

Scroll sideways for more weather, down for more places. Click a heading to sort.

134 destinations ranked by December temperature
#Destination
1GoaIndia31.7°C21.2°C27.8°C7.7 h110 h 12 min
2BangkokThailand30.6°C21.7°C27.4°C5.9 h212 h 42 min
3MombasaKenya30.4°C24.4°C27.7°C5.9 h179 h 48 min
4Ho Chi Minh CityVietnam30.4°C22.6°C-3.3 h913 h 30 min
5ZanzibarTanzania29.8°C25.4°C28.5°C6.2 h2010 h
6KololiThe Gambia29.7°C21.9°C24.1°C5.7 h06 h 18 min
7Rio de JaneiroBrazil29.5°C22.6°C24.2°C3.8 h2012 h 18 min
8Flic en FlacMauritius29.3°C24.1°C26.8°C6.9 h1212 h 54 min
9Khao LakThailand29.3°C23.8°C28.7°C3.6 h1413 h 6 min
10KeralaIndia29.2°C23.4°C28.5°C5.4 h711 h
11GuanacasteCosta Rica29.1°C22.4°C27.2°C6.5 h211 h 42 min
12KrabiThailand29.0°C23.4°C28.5°C3.1 h1513 h 12 min
13Kuala LumpurMalaysia28.8°C22.6°C-1.2 h2613 h 54 min
14Phu QuocVietnam28.3°C25.2°C28.5°C4.0 h913 h 24 min
15Puerto VallartaMexico28.3°C19.4°C25.4°C5.7 h312 h 18 min
16GalleSri Lanka28.2°C23.9°C28.2°C3.0 h2211 h 48 min
17PhuketThailand28.2°C25.3°C28.6°C3.4 h1213 h 6 min
18Montego BayJamaica28.1°C23.2°C27.9°C6.6 h1210 h 12 min
19Singapore27.8°C24.8°C28.4°C1.2 h2814 h 18 min
20BaliIndonesia27.7°C24.5°C28.8°C1.9 h2616 h 24 min
21St Lucia27.5°C24.0°C27.7°C6.4 h149 h 12 min
22Koh SamuiThailand27.5°C25.5°C28.0°C3.9 h1413 h 6 min
23Aruba27.4°C25.5°C27.2°C6.1 h1510 h 12 min
24Maldives27.3°C25.8°C28.4°C4.1 h1911 h 24 min
25Barbados27.3°C25.1°C27.8°C6.5 h139 h 12 min
26Grenada27.1°C25.3°C27.8°C6.2 h169 h 30 min
27Seychelles27.0°C25.5°C28.3°C4.6 h2310 h 54 min
28Chiang MaiThailand27.0°C16.0°C-7.3 h212 h
29Antigua26.8°C24.7°C27.3°C7.0 h149 h
30Punta CanaDominican Republic26.6°C24.2°C27.2°C6.8 h149 h 24 min
31TulumMexico26.5°C22.4°C27.2°C6.1 h1110 h 54 min
32DubaiUnited Arab Emirates26.2°C15.5°C24.4°C7.8 h17 h 36 min
33Playa del CarmenMexico26.2°C22.4°C27.2°C5.9 h1010 h 48 min
34Boa VistaCape Verde26.0°C21.6°C24.1°C5.5 h06 h 12 min
35CancunMexico25.9°C22.9°C26.7°C5.8 h1110 h 42 min
36VaraderoCuba25.6°C21.8°C26.0°C6.0 h610 h
37Abu DhabiUnited Arab Emirates25.3°C17.8°C23.7°C7.7 h17 h 36 min
38HawaiiUnited States25.1°C22.1°C25.2°C6.0 h715 h 18 min
39Bahamas24.5°C22.2°C25.2°C5.5 h79 h 30 min
40SydneyAustralia24.4°C17.7°C21.0°C6.3 h922 h
41MiamiUnited States24.2°C19.6°C24.9°C5.3 h89 h 42 min
42Cape TownSouth Africa24.1°C16.3°C16.5°C9.9 h312 h 48 min
43SalCape Verde23.7°C22.5°C24.1°C5.5 h16 h 12 min
44Sharm El SheikhEgypt23.4°C13.3°C24.7°C8.1 h05 h 36 min
45OrlandoUnited States21.9°C12.8°C-4.9 h69 h 30 min
46HurghadaEgypt21.8°C15.0°C24.3°C8.2 h05 h 36 min
47Gran CanariaSpain21.2°C16.9°C20.6°C6.4 h54 h 24 min
48La GomeraSpain21.2°C18.4°C21.1°C6.5 h54 h 24 min
49HanoiVietnam21.0°C14.2°C-3.8 h712 h 18 min
50AgadirMorocco20.8°C11.6°C17.7°C6.5 h43 h 48 min
51TenerifeSpain20.7°C16.4°C21.1°C6.6 h64 h 24 min
52Bermuda20.7°C18.7°C21.8°C3.1 h117 h 42 min
53FuerteventuraSpain20.2°C16.9°C20.0°C5.6 h34 h 12 min
54Hong Kong20.0°C14.8°C20.3°C5.6 h412 h 48 min
55LanzaroteSpain19.6°C16.9°C19.9°C5.5 h44 h 6 min
56MarrakechMorocco18.8°C4.7°C-6.2 h53 h 36 min
57La PalmaSpain18.3°C16.1°C21.1°C5.8 h64 h 24 min
58MadeiraPortugal17.8°C14.9°C19.9°C3.5 h113 h 48 min
59SousseTunisia17.7°C9.0°C18.0°C5.5 h63 h 6 min
60Ayia NapaCyprus17.2°C13.0°C19.2°C5.4 h84 h 48 min
61LimassolCyprus17.2°C11.5°C19.5°C5.3 h84 h 48 min
62PaphosCyprus16.8°C12.6°C19.4°C5.3 h104 h 42 min
63Costa de la LuzSpain16.5°C9.6°C16.5°C4.9 h82 h 54 min
64AlbufeiraPortugal16.4°C9.5°C16.6°C4.5 h82 h 54 min
65HammametTunisia16.4°C11.3°C18.1°C5.1 h73 h 6 min
66AlgarvePortugal16.2°C10.3°C16.7°C4.6 h82 h 54 min
67VallettaMalta16.2°C13.6°C18.1°C5.0 h103 h 18 min
68SevilleSpain16.1°C7.7°C-4.9 h72 h 42 min
69AlicanteSpain15.9°C9.1°C16.2°C5.0 h52 h 30 min
70BenidormSpain15.8°C8.9°C16.2°C5.0 h62 h 30 min
71RhodesGreece15.8°C13.0°C19.3°C5.1 h124 h 12 min
72MalagaSpain15.8°C10.7°C15.8°C4.5 h72 h 48 min
73IbizaSpain15.7°C11.3°C16.4°C5.1 h62 h 30 min
74CreteGreece15.6°C10.0°C18.0°C3.5 h114 h 6 min
75KosGreece15.6°C12.9°C18.9°C4.9 h134 h 6 min
76ValenciaSpain15.5°C7.9°C15.6°C5.0 h52 h 24 min
77SicilyItaly15.4°C9.2°C16.8°C4.8 h83 h 12 min
78MarbellaSpain15.4°C10.4°C15.9°C4.6 h92 h 48 min
79FethiyeTurkey15.4°C7.3°C19.5°C4.9 h104 h 18 min
80MarmarisTurkey15.3°C10.0°C19.3°C4.8 h124 h 12 min
81MajorcaSpain15.1°C10.7°C16.4°C4.6 h72 h 24 min
82ZanteGreece15.0°C12.3°C17.9°C4.3 h143 h 30 min
83KefaloniaGreece14.9°C12.3°C17.7°C4.3 h133 h 30 min
84BodrumTurkey14.9°C11.5°C18.3°C4.9 h124 h 6 min
85MenorcaSpain14.7°C12.2°C16.3°C4.4 h82 h 24 min
86NaxosGreece14.6°C12.2°C17.1°C4.3 h103 h 54 min
87LisbonPortugal14.5°C10.2°C15.2°C4.1 h92 h 42 min
88MykonosGreece14.5°C11.9°C16.7°C4.2 h103 h 54 min
89AlanyaTurkey14.5°C7.6°C19.7°C4.9 h114 h 30 min
90AntalyaTurkey14.1°C7.1°C19.5°C4.6 h134 h 24 min
91SardiniaItaly13.9°C8.8°C15.2°C4.2 h92 h 24 min
92SantoriniGreece13.9°C11.2°C17.6°C4.3 h104 h
93KusadasiTurkey13.8°C7.2°C17.5°C4.6 h114 h
94PaxosGreece13.7°C10.9°C17.4°C4.2 h143 h 18 min
95PortoPortugal13.6°C7.5°C14.1°C3.4 h132 h 24 min
96SalouSpain13.4°C6.4°C15.2°C4.7 h52 h 12 min
97CorfuGreece13.3°C10.1°C17.3°C3.9 h143 h 18 min
98SorrentoItaly13.2°C9.4°C16.9°C4.1 h132 h 48 min
99AthensGreece13.2°C7.2°C17.3°C4.1 h83 h 42 min
100SkiathosGreece13.2°C11.1°C15.6°C3.6 h123 h 36 min
101PargaGreece13.2°C8.3°C17.4°C4.1 h133 h 18 min
102BarcelonaSpain13.1°C6.2°C14.9°C4.5 h62 h 6 min
103PugliaItaly13.1°C8.7°C14.8°C4.1 h102 h 54 min
104Amalfi CoastItaly13.0°C9.2°C16.9°C4.1 h132 h 48 min
105NaplesItaly13.0°C7.1°C16.9°C4.1 h122 h 42 min
106Lloret de MarSpain13.0°C5.1°C14.7°C4.4 h72 h 6 min
107Las VegasUnited States12.9°C3.5°C-5.8 h311 h 18 min
108SarandaAlbania12.7°C6.0°C17.2°C3.9 h143 h 18 min
109RomeItaly12.4°C5.1°C16.3°C4.4 h112 h 30 min
110NiceFrance12.4°C6.3°C15.5°C4.2 h82 h
111AlonissosGreece12.4°C9.7°C15.6°C3.7 h113 h 36 min
112DubrovnikCroatia11.8°C6.3°C16.0°C4.1 h132 h 48 min
113BudvaMontenegro11.7°C6.8°C16.0°C3.8 h142 h 54 min
114HalkidikiGreece11.4°C7.4°C15.5°C3.7 h93 h 30 min
115SplitCroatia11.2°C5.2°C15.7°C4.0 h122 h 36 min
116TokyoJapan10.5°C2.5°C15.6°C5.5 h812 h 42 min
117ThassosGreece10.4°C6.3°C14.3°C3.8 h103 h 30 min
118PulaCroatia10.4°C6.7°C13.7°C3.6 h122 h 18 min
119IstanbulTurkey10.2°C6.3°C11.1°C3.0 h133 h 54 min
120FlorenceItaly10.1°C2.9°C-3.4 h122 h 12 min
121MadridSpain10.1°C2.1°C-4.1 h72 h 18 min
122Lido di JesoloItaly8.2°C2.7°C12.3°C3.7 h82 h 12 min
123Sunny BeachBulgaria8.1°C3.0°C9.8°C3.3 h93 h 36 min
124VeniceItaly8.0°C2.6°C11.8°C3.5 h92 h 12 min
125VeronaItaly7.8°C0.8°C-3.8 h82 h 6 min
126Lake GardaItaly7.6°C2.4°C-3.6 h82 h
127ParisFrance7.5°C2.5°C-2.0 h131 h 6 min
128MilanItaly7.0°C-0.1°C-3.5 h71 h 54 min
129AmsterdamNetherlands6.4°C2.6°C6.4°C1.9 h131 h 12 min
130New YorkUnited States6.0°C-1.2°C8.0°C3.7 h107 h 42 min
131BledSlovenia4.6°C-1.8°C-2.8 h92 h 12 min
132PragueCzechia4.0°C-1.1°C-2.0 h102 h
133BudapestHungary3.6°C-1.8°C-2.4 h82 h 36 min
134KrakowPoland2.4°C-3.1°C-2.0 h102 h 30 min

134 destinations shownDecember averages · climate, not a forecast.

Find your kind of warm

Pool weather, a sea swim or a shorter flight? Start here.

38 destinations

Days at 25°C+

38 of the 134 destinations average 25°C or more by day. These are the warmest.

40 destinations

Sea warm enough to swim

We call the sea swimmable at 22°C or more. In December that is 40 destinations.

Closer to home

Within four hours

Direct flights under four hours from Gatwick, ranked by daytime high.

December in brief

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.

Short, mid and long-haul in December

By region

For dry heat, start with Goa or Kololi

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.

For warmer seas, decide how much rain you can accept

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.

Choose milder warmth if you want to stay active

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

Your December questions

Plain answers, grounded in the averages.

Where is 25 degrees and above in December?

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).

Where is over 30 degrees in December?

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).

Where is the sea warm enough to swim in December?

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).

Where is warm and dry in December?

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).

How warm is the UK in December?

London averages a daytime high of 7.7°C in December, so the 38 destinations over 25°C are at least 24°C warmer.

Which hot destination has the shortest flight?

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.

Should I choose Goa or Kerala for December weather?

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.

Are the Canary Islands hot in December?

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.

Real climate data. A clearer holiday plan.

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