Christmas festivities. New Year’s Eve parties. Snowmen and hot mulled wine, freezing walks and crackling fires. The holiday season is in full swing, and with it the chill winds of winter are blowing. There are, however, plenty of warm places to visit in December.
To find real heat, long haul is the answer. That may mean more airport stress, but it also means far-flung paradises. Tiny islands in the Caribbean and South Pacific. Tropical metropolises Asia and the Middle East. And South America shines. All feature in my guide to where it’s hot in December.
Warm places to visit in December 2024
Filter below by price or temperature to find the best warm places to visit in December based on KAYAK data, or read on for my picks on where to go.
The best places to travel in December for warm weather
The best islands to visit in December
From one of the warmest Caribbean islands in December to the warmest US state. There are plenty of reasons to make your December vacation an island one.
1. Oranjestad, Aruba
- Average December temperature: 81°F
Aruba’s glorious capital sizzles in December. Average temperatures hover around a beach-friendly 81° but regularly peak in the mid 80s. Blue skies, blazing sun and tanned bodies are the norm throughout the month.
December is my favorite time to go for winter sun. It’s the shoulder month before January weather drives sun-seeking tourists in from the US and UK. Go earlier in the month for low-season prices and room to stretch out on the beaches. And what beaches they are!
Palm and Manchebo are two well-trod white sand dreams. I prefer Druif and Surfside, the latter is home to one of Oranjestad’s best kept secrets – Reflections bar and grill. Pop a cold beer, snack on fresh grilled fish and watch the planes drift in and out of the airport not far away.
2. O‘ahu, Hawai‘i
- Average December temperature: 75°F
While Honolulu sits near the top of KAYAK’s warm weather data list for where’s hot in December, it’s the legendary North Shore that steals the show. To complement the balmy temperatures hovering in the high 70s, this is peak surf season.
Powerful Pacific storms drive huge swells south unload mercilessly onto O‘ahu’s legendary northern beaches. Banzai pipeline, Sunset Beach and Waimea Bay are synonymous with giant, fast waves. There’s no better time to watch the world’s best surfers ride them.
For something a little more serene though no less impressive, climb the Makapu‘u Lighthouse Trail to watch the sunrise. Watch for great frigate birds, ‘iwa, riding hot air currents above, and North Pacific humpbacks, koholā, cruising warm waters below.
3. Maui, Hawai‘i
- Average December temperature: 75°F
Not to be outdone, O‘ahu’s sister island is no shrinking violet in the spectacular nature stakes. Temperatures are comparable, lingering very acceptably in the mid to high 70s all month.
The star of Maui’s show is undoubtedly Haleakalā, the world’s largest dormant volcano. Head to Haleakalā National Park and watch the sun climb over morning clouds and glint on extraordinary silversword plants. It’s even more spectacular than O‘ahu’s early morning show.
Humpbacks frolic offshore here too, preferring Maui’s waters for mating and birthing. See them up close on a kayak trip through Makena Bay.
As the day draws to a close, head to Ka‘anapali Beach for sundowners. Each evening, a ceremonial cliff diving event, or lele kawa, celebrates this treasured Hawai‘ian tradition at Pu‘u Keka‘a.
The best warm places to visit in December in Africa and the Middle East
From South Africa to the Persian Gulf, December is the best time to take a long haul flight to this part of the world.
4. Cape Town, South Africa
- Average December temperature: 68°F
There’s never really a bad time to visit Cape Town. It’s one of the world’s more beautiful cities whatever the weather with its crashing mountains and roiling seas. And in December, when early summer sets Table Mountain aglow, there’s nowhere else like it. Because of that, be prepared for peak season crowds and average flight prices of around $ 2117.
It’s warm enough to do whatever you want. Make for Camps Bay Beach or False Bay to bronze on the sands and cool down in the Atlantic. Ride the cable car or hike the Platteklip Gorge Trail to the top of Table Mountain. At Maclear’s Beacon, the views over Cape Point and beyond will take your breath away more than any hike ever could.
It wouldn’t be a proper SA visit without wine. In the city, head to Groot Constantia, makers of Napoleon’s deathbed tipple. For true Cape Wine, a day trip to the vineyards of Stellenbosch or Franschhoek should sate the palate.
5. Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Average December temperature: 68°F
Often overlooked for its gold-plated neighbor Dubai, cosmopolitan Abu Dhabi is more than capable of wowing in its own right. December is the ideal time to go. The simmering desert heat of summer has subsided, as have the sandstorms that engulf the city. In their place, warm temperatures and the opportunity to indulge its many attractions.
It is a multi-faceted city. A showcase of experimental modern and phenomenal Arabic architecture: the gravity defying Capital Gate, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center. Among its towers, more than 2,000 green spaces and a waterfront, magic for picnicking and watching local life unfold.
December is Abu Dhabi’s biggest month because the Formula One juggernaut rolls into town for the Grand Prix on the 8th. The last stop on F1’s global tour, the Yas Marina circuit glows under the spotlight of the UAE’s showpiece event. If you can’t get tickets, use it as an excuse to visit Ferrari World and ride Formula Rossa, the world’s fastest rollercoaster.
6. Durban, South Africa
- Average December temperature: 73°F
South Africa is brimming with warm destinations in December. Around 1,000 miles from Cape Town on its eastern coast, Durban is the city of choice for well-heeled South Africans.
Being subtropical makes it a year-round option with December seeing warm, humid days. According to KAYAK data, peak average temperatures reach a balmy 79°. As perfect for the city as the beach as the safaris in KwaZulu-Natal – all are in easy reach.
Beaches define Durban. Vast stretches of glistening sand, from the famed Golden Mile at the city’s edge to Dairy Beach for surfing, South Beach for swimming and uShaka Beach for kayaking. And as it’s the Indian Ocean, the water is far warmer than Cape Town’s chilly South Atlantic seas.
After a hard day beaching, head to hip Station Drive where independent bars and restaurants bustle for business. Pick up a local brew and bunny chow, the lamb curry served in hollowed out bread that’s a staple of the city’s dining scene.
The best warm places to visit in December in the Americas
Beyond the US, there are plenty of warm December vacations across Central and South America. I’ve added a couple of classics here but personally have found myself gravitating more and more to the warmest Caribbean islands in December. Currently, the Dominican Republic is my island of choice, in particular its gorgeous northern coast.
7. Cancún, Mexico
- Average December temperature: 77°F
Cancún’s weather is about as close as you can get to perfect in December. Long sunny days and balmy breezy nights make it a buzzing vacation and party destination. Temperatures mostly hover in the high 70s but regularly climb into the low 80s. Beaches and bars throb.
If it’s partying you’re here for, the Zona Hotelera is your first (and likely only) port of call. Beach clubs by day, bars and nightclubs after dark – Cancún’s resort district is celebration central. Christmas and New Year feel like one month-long party.
Slow the pace with the sand between your toes. Miles of beaches lapped at by luminous seas and idyllic offshore islands are tonic for mind and soul. Extraordinary cenotes (underground caves) offer a novel take on a traditional beach day out. Equally mesmerizing are the Mayan ruins of El Rey, San Miguelito and Chichen Itzá.
8. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Average December temperature: 79°F
Is there a more instantly mesmerizing city than Rio de Janeiro? In December, when temperatures swelter to average highs of 88°F and everything shines under a ferocious sun, I’d argue not.
At its edges the winding, tangled coastline is ribboned by gorgeous beaches and rolling waves. Ipanema, Copacabana and the Guanabara Bay; tiny g-strings and bronzed bodies. Engulfing it on every side, vertiginous mountains washed in thick jungle; Sugarloaf and Tijuca Forest, epic for hiking and adventure.
The city itself is a teeming mass of urbanity, humanity and disparity. Towering skyscrapers throw long views for the city’s wealthy and longer shadows over everything else. Heaving favelas like Complexo do Alemão, see millions live in relative poverty. Cast an eye over it all from the Corcovado and take in the view of the towering Christ the Redeemer watching over everything.
The best warm places to visit in December in Asia
You could jab a finger randomly into a map of Asia and land on any one of the warmest places in December. I’ve included two of my favorites from Vietnam below, but I have many other so-called ‘favorites’. Thailand and Singapore for sticky metropolises. Tokyo and Osaka for stunning warm winter blooms. Seoul in Korea for cooler conditions and mega culture.
9. Hanoi, Vietnam
- Average December temperature: 64°F
December in Vietnam’s capital is dry season, meaning little to no rain and far less humidity than the drenching summer months. Although average temperatures hover around 64 and highs averaging 70, in truth Hanoi always swelters.
Its streets are supercharged by a seemingly impenetrable mass of scooters and motorbikes transporting all manner of inappropriate bounty. Chinese and French cultures collide in its architecture and cuisine. Communist history lingers in its civic buildings.
Your only option is to embrace the mania and get carried away in its magic. Start in the past with a serene morning walk in the Old Quarter past its shophouses and stalls. Circumvent Hồ Hoàn Kiếm, the lake of the restored sword, on your way to the Imperial Citadel. Find calm in the sanctuaries of Hai Bà Trưng and the thousand-year-old Temple of Literature.
Finish the day in the melee of Bia Hơi Junction where tourists and locals perch on tiny plastic stools and wash away the heat of the day. Gallons of the city’s bia hơi fresh beer lubricate the crowds, as noisy as the traffic still teeming around them.
10. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Average December temperature: 80°F
If Hanoi is Vietnam’s ancient heart, Ho Chi Minh City is its modern metropolis. A city weighted by history, it has emerged as a commercial and cultural powerhouse that defines a new Vietnamese identity. Set foot on its hectic streets and it’s impossible not to get swept along for the ride.
December is the best time to visit – hot, a bit sticky but settled enough that you can explore in comfort. Take things slow where you can. HCMC is full of contrasts, quiet spaces of reflection amid the roaring motorcycle mayhem.
The War Remnants Museum gives a somber and eye-opening context to the Vietnam War. Pass by the Reunification Palace whose gates were famously breached by a North Vietnamese tank – the photo of which came to represent the fall of Saigon.
For authentic street food, finish your city walk in District 4. A web of narrow lanes, market stalls and kerbside cooks, dip in at your pleasure and trust the local crowds. They always know where’s best.
Where is hot and cheap in December?
Beyond the Hawai‘ian islands, there aren’t many warm destinations in December in the US. KAYAK data points to Florida as your best option. Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando all average between the low 60s and high 70s, with plenty of beach time a reality.
As with November, Asia is where it’s hottest in December. Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea offer temperatures that range from sweltering to mild. As the season peaks, prices climb – especially for flights, which can reach $2,000. With that said cost of living tends to be quite low particularly across Thailand and Vietnam. Can’t decide? Try KAYAK Explore.
My guides to where’s hot in October and November are packed with beaches and long balmy evenings. The best places to visit in October and November will keep you partying and festivalling all month long.
When it comes to booking, cheap flights, car rental and a place to stay are what KAYAK does best.