26 Cheap destinations in 2023 with great weather in December
December is an interesting and unusual month for choosing holiday destinations. Many of the world’s favorite tropical beach areas and cities have the best weather of the year in December, but because most people can only take that last week of the month off work, the prices from one week to the next can be vastly different. The first two weeks of December are some of the cheapest weeks of the year in most of the places listed below, while the last week of the year is often literally the most expensive week of the year. In other words, if you can go in early December you can save a fortune or stay in a much nicer place than if you go for Christmas week.
We have a separate list of cheap and warm places to spend Christmas and New Years and there are similarities with the list below, but the prices are more in line with what you might expect to pay. On the other hand, if you can do a trip early in the month of December, you’ll get basically the same weather and the hotels (and flights) will be half the price. The important thing is to book early if you are going over the big holidays.
This article was updated in July, 2023.
Important December 2023 holidays
- December 2 and 3 – National Day Holiday in United Arab Emirates (major public holiday)
- December 6 – St. Nicholas’ Eve and Day (major public holiday in many European countries)
- December 8 – Feast of the Immaculate Conception (public holiday in many Catholic countries)
- December 10 – Constitution Day in Thailand (major public holiday with celebrations on 12-Dec)
- December 24, 25 – Christmas Eve and Day (major public holiday)
- December 26 – St. Stephen’s Day and Boxing Day (major public holidays in many countries)
- December 31 – New Year’s Eve (major public holiday, celebrations)
New video of this article
Here’s a new video I made showing all the highlights of the article below with footage of most places on this list. Please have a look!
The Americas
If you are looking to save money you’ll find that the first week of December will be many times cheaper than the last week of December in the Caribbean and most other places on this list.
The Caribbean
The Caribbean generally has excellent weather in December, although sometimes the rainy season keeps going through the first week or so. Cancun is the most popular destination in the area and it has perfect weather starting in December.
If you are mainly looking for a place to relax on the beach and take a couple boat trips or water sports, you might consider just booking at an all-inclusive resort. There are hundreds of them in the Caribbean and they have to compete for guests by offering prices that can seem suspiciously low, but most of them actually deliver what they promise for those low rates.
- 17 Cheapest Caribbean all-inclusive destinations
- 32 Caribbean destinations from cheapest to most expensive
Cancun, Mexico
- December avg high: 83°F/28°C
- December avg low: 70°F/21°C
- December avg precip: 3.8″/9.5cm
Cancun is far more popular than any Caribbean island because it is easier to reach and there is excellent infrastructure for visitors. It has a perfect Caribbean climate, although there might be a downpour or two early in December, although those tend to last 15 minutes or less and can be refreshing.
When planning a trip to Cancun it’s important to choose the best area for your style. Cancun itself is mainly a long L-shaped strip of resort hotels and timeshares along a beach, with very few other restaurants or shops between them. If you want to stay in your resort the whole time, Cancun itself is a good choice. But about an hour south of Cancun by shuttle you can be in Playa del Carmen, which is an actual fun tourist town filled with shops, bars, and restaurants. If you want to sample different things on your trip, Playa del Carmen is a better choice. The island of Cozumel is just across the water from Playa del Carmen and it’s kind of a hybrid of the other two. And Tulum is a bit south of those and it’s a smaller and more artsy town that is gaining in popularity in recent years. All of these choices are served by the Cancun airport and are easy to reach from there.
You might also consider getting a Cancun Pass for your trip. It bundles a bunch of expensive attractions into one moderate price. It’s worth a look because some of the attractions are amazing and most people aren’t even aware of them.
>>>New: Guide to choosing where to stay in the Cancun area
- 3-star hotels from: US$67 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$139 per night for two people
>>Cancun prices and travel tips
>>>Check current Cancun resort and package deals
Where to find the cheapest Caribbean all-inclusive resorts
In this new video below I’ll explain exactly how and where to find the cheapest all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean that are really good.
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
- December avg high: 84°F/29°C
- December avg low: 73°F/23°C
- December avg precip: 0.8″/2.0cm
As December begins in the Caribbean, the hurricane season is officially over and the weather is pretty much perfect by any standard. Punta Cana is the Dominican Republic’s most popular resort areas, especially for those who aren’t particularly interested in absorbing the local culture. This is a resort area with wonderful beaches and not much history.
Unsurprisingly, the end of December is the beginning of the peak season for resort prices, so those who are able to come earlier in the month will be getting better deals. Still, the all-inclusive resorts are locked in heavy competition all year so this area can be a great deal compared to the alternatives, even in high season. If you are looking for where to go in December for an all-inclusive beach holiday, this is your best option for most people. Punta Cana is also on the list of our best Caribbean destinations for families with kids, by the way.
- 3-star hotels from: US$48 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$91 per night for two people
Montego Bay, Jamaica
- December avg high: 85°F/29°C
- December avg low: 73°F/23°C
- December avg precip: 1.6″/4.0cm
As with other Caribbean resort destinations, the weather in Montego Bay is perfect in December, and the first half of the month is still cheap for flights and resort prices. The weekend before Christmas is when peak season here starts, and if you book early enough you can still get a good deal then, but don’t expect many last-minute bargains during that period.
Montego Bay’s busy airport has cheap flights from most major hubs including many in Europe, so it’s one of the easier places to reach as well. If Montego Bay itself doesn’t sound perfect then you might instead consider Negril or Ocho Rios, both of which are about 90 minutes from the same airport and each has a different feel. Two of our 11 best luxury all-inclusive resorts in the entire Caribbean are in Jamaica, and one is near the Montego Bay Airport so it’s easy to reach.
It’s worth noting a couple more points about Jamaica if you are considering a visit. On a positive note, many people enjoy the fact that it’s a place where all of the locals (and therefore the hotel staff) speak English. In Mexico and the DR you’ll find that only the key hotel employees can speak English very well. On the other hand, Jamaica has a pretty bad reputation for aggressive vendors on beaches and sometimes even in shops. If that bothers you then Jamaica will probably be more annoying than most other places in the Caribbean.
- 3-star hotels from: US$83 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$209 per night for two people
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- December avg high: 86°F/30°C
- December avg low: 64°F/18°C
- December avg precip: 0.9″/2.3cm
The destinations above are good choices for anyone in Europe or the eastern half of the US or Canada, but those in the western US and Canada should consider Puerto Vallarta instead. Unlike many other tropical resort destinations, Puerto Vallarta is a real town with history and an interesting downtown area right on the beach.
The December weather is pretty much perfect and dry, and airfares and hotel rates are very reasonable up until Christmas itself. If you are in California you might also consider Los Cabos (see below), although Puerto Vallarta is more interesting and usually cheaper as well. This is definitely one of the best places to go in December if you are anywhere near the Pacific Ocean.
It’s worth noting that while the hotel prices listed below are real, those are not typical of larger chain hotels on the beach. If you want to stay in, say, a Marriott on the beach in Puerto Vallarta, you are going to be paying much closer to US$200 per night for two people if not more.
- 3-star hotels from: US$35 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$64 per night for two people
>>Puerto Vallarta prices and travel tips
>>>Check current Puerto Vallarta resort and package deals
Mexico City, Mexico
- December avg high: 69°F/21°C
- December avg low: 44°F/7°C
- December avg precip: 0.2″/0.5cm
Surprising to some people, December can actually be a bit cool in Mexico City, especially at night. Its elevation keeps it mild all year, but at least the rainy season is totally over by December, so it’s an ideal month for a cheap cultural holiday, perhaps combined with a trip to one of Mexico’s many beach resorts. You can get cheap flights between Mexico City and Cancun or Puerto Vallarta, for example. This could be a good place to do some Christmas shopping because they have huge shopping centers with appealing prices, while in the beach resorts it tends to be cheap souvenirs and bathing attire.
As Christmas approaches the city will fill up much more, so if you can go early in the month you’ll be much better off. But even if you can’t go before the last week of the month you’ll still find Mexico City to be a tremendous bargain compared to pretty much anywhere else in North America. It’s a great shopping destination, and not just for goofy souvenirs, so that’s something to think about as well.
- 3-star hotels from: US$61 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$72 per night for two people
>>Mexico City prices and travel tips
>>>Check current Mexico City hotel and package deals
Los Cabos, Mexico
- December avg high: 80°F/27°C
- December avg low: 58°F/15°C
- December avg precip: 0.6″/1.4cm
While Puerto Vallarta is a classic and traditional Mexican beach resort area, Los Cabos is much newer and very different. One important thing to note is that the evening temperatures in Cabo in December are cool enough that you’ll need to bring a light jacket or sweater, so if you want a real tropical destination you’ll want to go elsewhere. The weather is dry and very pleasant though, so Cabo has become a very popular and trendy winter destination for celebrities and other rich folks in the last decade or so.
Los Cabos is the name for the whole area, but it’s really two towns that are also quite different. Cabo San Lucas is in the west and it’s built around the large and somewhat glamorous marina. This is also where you’ll find the famous Land’s End arch that is in every photo of Cabo. About 30 minutes away by car to the east is San José del Cabo, which has a newer and more modern town center and is close to the airport. There are also really nice beach resorts stretching along the coast between the two towns, so if you don’t want to go bar hopping or do much shopping, you might be better booking at one of the stand-alone resorts in between.
- 3-star hotels from: US$55 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$163 per night for two people
>>>Check current Cabo resort and package deals
Guanacaste, Costa Rica
- December avg high: 91°F/33°C
- December avg low: 70°F/21°C
- December avg precip: 0.5″/1.3cm
Costa Rica is known as the adventure travel capital of Central America, partly because a third of the country is national parks. But Costa Rica is also famous for beaches, and the best ones are mainly clustered along the northern Pacific coast in the Guanacaste region. The nearby Liberia Airport provides a convenient way to get in and out quickly.
Tamarindo and Smara are two of the most popular beach areas, but there are other good choices in the area as well. This part of Costa Rica is known for large chain resorts on the beach, and the 4-star resorts can be pricey, while the more traditional 3-star hotels are still very reasonable. Costa Rica is obviously one of the hot countries in December in both temperature and popularity, so book early. Each of the beach towns also has smaller and cheaper family-run hotels that also have the advantage that you can try different local restaurants for every meal. They are very different experiences and you probably know which one suits you better.
- 3-star hotels from: US$65 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$179 per night for two people
>>Guanacaste prices and travel tips
>>>Check current San Jose hotel and package deals
Cartagena, Colombia
- December avg high: 86°F/30°C
- December avg low: 76°F/24°C
- December avg precip: 1.3″/3.3cm
By early December the rainy season is pretty much over in Cartagena, and it cools down just a bit more as well, so the weather really doesn’t get any better than this. As with most others on this list, right around Christmas you’ll find that hotels get more expensive and are more crowded, so if you can go earlier in the month you’ll be paying less and dealing with fewer crowds.
Cartagena is becoming a very popular winter beach destination for people from North America, and it’s still a fantastic bargain compared to better known places, but it might not stay that way forever. As Colombia gets more popular (and as long as it stays safe) then prices should keep going up at these resort towns. The gorgeous and historic walled city in Cartagena makes for a great cultural and culinary visit, and there are nice beaches just a few blocks away. Very few tropical destinations have both in one place.
- 3-star hotels from: US$71 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$119 per night for two people
>>Cartagena prices and travel tips
>>>Check current Cartagena hotel and package deals
Lima, Peru
- December avg high: 76°F/24°C
- December avg low: 66°F/19°C
- December avg precip: 0.0″/0.0cm
While December is quite busy in Lima, as a very popular summer beach destination for South Americans, it’s also still very reasonably priced so it’s worth considering if you are exploring the continent. The beaches aren’t spectacular as they are in Brazil and elsewhere, but Lima is still a great summer city with great outdoor life this time of year.
The food, including its famous ceviche dishes, is a particular highlight here, and the tourist district of Miraflores is packed with interesting and cheap restaurants. Basic and cheap hotels are in the same neighborhood, so it’s a better alternative to the historic center of Lima for most people. By the way, the rainy season in Cusco starts in December, so the trails can sometimes be cut off, although many people go anyway.
- 3-star hotels from: US$52 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$83 per night for two people
>>Lima prices and travel tips
>>>Check prices on Peru hotels and resorts
Santiago, Chile
- December avg high: 83°F/28°C
- December avg low: 54°F/12°C
- December avg precip: 0.1″/0.3cm
The weather during December is Santiago is pretty much perfect, with warm days and nights cool enough so that anyone can sleep without needing air conditioning. This is obviously part of high season in Santiago, although the first half of the month won’t be as crowded or expensive as the second half.
It’s true that Santiago is not considered a top-flight destination by everyone, but it’s a fantastic base for a trip involving several stops in Chile, especially this time of year. There’s the Colonial town of Valparaiso and many adventure towns in the mountains, so you can get a bit of everything in at very reasonable prices.
- 3-star hotels from: US$65 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$97 per night for two people
>>Santiago prices and travel tips
>>>Check prices on Chile hotels and resorts
Buenos Aires, Argentina
- December avg high: 83°F/28°C
- December avg low: 65°F/18°C
- December avg precip: 4.1″/10.3cm
Unlike most cities on South America’s west coast, Buenos Aires has fairly consistent rainfall all year long, and you might see a bit of the wet stuff even during December. Still, the temperatures should be ideal for being outdoors, and this is really mostly an indoor city anyway, so when it does rain you’ll be able to pop into a shop or museum or cafe and have a great time.
Hotel prices definitely go up in around Christmas so it’s best to come early in the month if that’s possible, but it’s still a pretty good bargain even during the peak weeks. Book early if you can because the better and cheaper hotels will fill up first, of course. Also consider a side trip to the Mendoza wine region, Patagonia, or the amazing water falls of Iguazu.
In 2023 the Argentine peso continues to drop and local inflation is very high, but the entire country remains incredibly cheap for foreigners. Better still, if you read up on the “blue dollar” and how to bring US dollars and exchange them in Argentina for the current rate, everything will cost about half what it would otherwise. If this is the first you are hearing of it you probably think it sounds very shady or like a scam, but it’s very normal in Argentina where they are desperate to get currencies that don’t evaporate like their peso does for the last decade or so.
- 3-star hotels from: US$33 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$52 per night for two people
>>Buenos Aires prices and travel tips
>>>Check current Buenos Aires hotel and package deals
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- December avg high: 88°F/31°C
- December avg low: 72°F/22°C
- December avg precip: 5.1″/12.8cm
December is yet another fantastic month for weather in Brazil, although you can expect some short tropical rain storms a couple times each week, usually only an hour or so each time. It’s also getting warm enough that you are going to want a hotel with air conditioning to get to sleep at night, since it’ll be warm and muggy even in the wee hours.
As with most on this list, hotels get very full and more expensive just before the Christmas holidays, so it’s better to come early in the month if possible. That way you’ll have your pick of places at some surprisingly good room rates, even at some high-end places on the famous beaches. If you are coming during Christmas then book a hotel NOW because they’ll be full and will keep getting more expensive the longer you wait.
Brazil was one of the more expensive countries in Latin America as of a few years ago, but its currency has dropped and stayed lower so it’s quite a bargain again for foreign visitors.
- 3-star hotels from: US$55 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$67 per night for two people
>>>Rio de Janeiro prices and travel tips
>>>Check current Rio de Janeiro hotel and package deals
Europe
From December through February there are literally no European cities that could qualify as having “great weather,” except for the Canary Islands, which is listed below. So during the winter Europe is all about cultural tourism, and lower hotel prices make it especially appealing for those who like to stretch their travel budgets and avoid crowds at the same time.
If you are thinking about a city break instead you should check out our recommended cheap London hotels, our recommended cheap Paris hotels, and our recommended cheap Amsterdam hotels, recommended cheap Rome hotels, recommended cheap Prague hotels, and recommended cheap Berlin hotels.
Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
- December avg high: 71°F/22°C
- December avg low: 61°F/16°C
- December avg precip: 1.7″/4.3cm
December might be the only month of the year in the Canary Islands where very few people would consider sunbathing. Still, compared to everywhere else in Europe, Tenerife is balmy. The largest and most English-speaking of the Canary Islands, Tenerife is no mystery to the hundreds of thousands of northern Europeans who spend a month or more here every year.
Even if you can’t sunbathe, the weather is still reliably pleasant all the time, with almost no rain. Weekly and monthly apartment rentals here are very popular, but there are plenty of hotels and hundreds of restaurants for those coming for shorter periods. If you want to be with the most English speakers you’ll want to focus on the southwest area of the island around Los Cristianos and Playa de la America.
It’s also worth mentioning that Tenerife is only one of the Canary Islands and there are sometimes even better deals on the others including Gran Canary, Lanzarote, and La Palma. They are usually all shown together when searching ‘Canary Islands’ for hotels, but in Europe they are usually listed separately so you have to check each of them out on your own.
- 3-star hotels from: US$58 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$79 per night for two people
>>>Tenerife prices and travel tips
>>>Check current Tenerife hotel deals
Africa
December is ideal in much of Africa, though Morocco might be a bit too cool by this time. The list below is quite incomplete due to how few cities we cover in the region.
Cairo, Egypt
- December avg high: 68°F/20°C
- December avg low: 50°F/10°C
- December avg precip: 0.2″/0.5cm
In spite of its image of being blazing hot all the time, December in Cairo can actually be on the cool side, at least in the evenings. This is great though because almost all the important sights are outdoors and requite a lot of walking between them. For 9 months of the year it can get very hot doing that, so these few cooler months are ideal for visiting the famous sights.
Fortunately, it rarely rains at all in Cairo, so even though December is one of the wetter months, that means nothing and you are unlikely to see even a drop of rain. Hotel prices do reach their peak in Cairo starting late in December, so it’s best to go early in the month if possible. Egypt is definitely one of the cheapest places to travel in December, and the weather is surprisingly nice as well.
- 3-star hotels from: US$36 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$52 per night for two people
>>Cairo prices and travel tips
>>>Check current Cairo hotel deals
Cape Town, South Africa
- December avg high: 77°F/25°C
- December avg low: 59°F/15°C
- December avg precip: 0.7″/1.8cm
Cape Town obviously has its summer beginning in December, so temperatures should feel nice to anyone coming from a winter climate. It’s about as far from the equator as Los Angeles is, and it has a similar climate in reverse, meaning that it rarely gets too hot or cold, at least near the coast.
This is a fairly cheap city compared to Europe or North America, so at least bargains are not hard to find on the ground once you get there. The flights are of course long and usually a bit expensive, so the whole trip will add up for sure. Hotels will be cheaper in early December than during Christmas week, of course.
- 3-star hotels from: US$58 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$83 per night for two people
>>>Cape Town prices and travel tips
>>>Check Cape Town hotel deals
Middle East
December is cool and even a bit rainy in most of the Middle East. An exception is Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which both have perfect sunny weather.
Dubai, UAE
- December avg high: 79°F/26°C
- December avg low: 61°F/16°C
- December avg precip: 0.6″/1.5cm
December and January are the busiest two months in Dubai, primarily because it’s one of the closest places to Europe that actually has warm weather this time of year and is also safe. Even though the UAE is a Muslim country, the Christmas weeks are the most expensive here because most visitors are from Europe anyway.
The December weather is actually warm enough to sit on the beach, but most people who come to Dubai tend to just relax and do a lot of shopping at one of the enormous and modern malls here. The restaurant scene is very interesting as well, and you can eat cheaply if you follow the local workers, or go to one of the hotel restaurants and get world-class cuisine.
- 3-star hotels from: US$55 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$79 per night for two people
>>>Dubai prices and travel tips
>>>Check current Dubai hotel deals
Asia
December is an ideal month in most of Southeast Asia, except for much of the coast of Vietnam, which gets rain this month. Crowds, of course, get big just before Christmas, and hotel prices go up accordingly. It’s too cold in China, Korea, and Japan to make this list.
For a longer list see our best December destinations in Asia choices, which includes some of these but quite a few more.
Boracay Island, Philippines
- December average high: 82°F/28°C
- December average low: 75°F/24°C
- December avg precip: 7.1″/17.8cm
The traditional rainy season winds down in early December in Boracay, but even early in the month you are only likely to get a few quick showers each week. Typical of the Tropics, the rain often hits in the afternoon, and is over 30 minutes later, leaving behind yet another amazing sunset as the clouds slowly disappear.
If you are looking for something far less developed than Phuket or any other Thai island, Boracay might be for you. This gorgeous strip of sand is a bit out of the way, but partly because of that it still feels somewhat undiscovered. You’ll spend your days relaxing along White Beach or walking up and down the sandy paths that serve as the only real form of transport for most people. Many visitors come every year, and quite a few of those never seem to leave.
The hotel prices here might seem a bit high for Asia at first glance, but that’s because the island is long and thin so almost every hotel is literally on the beach or within a block or maybe two of it. The value is very good and food is a bargain here as well.
- 3-star hotels from: US$72 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$119 per night for two people
>>Boracay prices and travel tips
>>>Check Boracay resort deals
Bangkok, Thailand
- December avg high: 88°F/31°C
- December avg low: 69°F/21°C
- December avg precip: 0.4″/1.0cm
The driest and coolest month of the year, Bangkok is ideal during December, or at least as ideal as it’s ever going to get. It’s very hot and quite humid almost every day of the year, but the humidity backs off just a bit during winter, and that will be much appreciated for anyone spending more than an hour or two outside.
There’s a massive range of quality and prices when it comes to hotels in Bangkok, and the city is enormous as well, so you really want to do your research for this place. Most people are happier paying a bit more to stay near the river and all the tourist attractions, or even in the infamous Khosan Road backpacker district, which is cheap and fun, if tacky. If you like to shop then Bangkok is a slice of heaven. There are close to 15 large malls in the Siam Square area, which is also central and convenient since the elevated metro system cuts right through it.
- 3-star hotels from: US$38 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$48 per night for two people
>>Bangkok prices and travel tips
>>>Check current Bangkok hotel deals
Phuket, Thailand
- December avg high: 88°F/31°C
- December avg low: 75°F/24°C
- December avg precip: 2.3″/5.8cm
Phuket is incredibly popular among Europeans in December, especially the final week, of course, so it’s critical to book early to get a good price at a beachfront hotel if that’s your mission. It’s also important to mention that Phuket is an island with more than a dozen different beach towns, each with its own personality and price range. Some are raucous and down-market while others are quiet and very expensive.
The prices given here are on the low side, especially during the winter season, so you are going to pay more unless you are willing to stay in one of the simple hotels in Phuket Town. It’s not a beach resort, but it’s a fun place itself, cheaper than the beaches, and allows an easy way to cheaply visit multiple beaches during a visit. My favorite beaches are Kata and Karon beach, which are both a bit south of the adult-oriented Patong Beach area.
- 3-star hotels from: US$45 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$62 per night for two people
>>Phuket prices and travel tips
>>>Check Phuket hotel and resort promotions
Chiang Mai, Thailand
- December avg high: 83°F/28°C
- December avg low: 59°F/15°C
- December avg precip: 0.8″/2.0cm
Unlike Bangkok, which has warm evenings and blazing hot days pretty much all year, Chiang Mai cools off nicely during December, at least in the evenings. This is an outdoor city with an emphasis on hiking and exploring temples so the cooler temperatures will be welcome for most people. It’s still hot most days, and quite dry as well, so it balances nicely.
Hotels in Chiang Mai are among the world’s greatest travel bargains, with decent private rooms available for under US$15 per night in the city center. Pay more and you get a lot more, so it’s fun to feel like a big shot in a US$30 room that is almost like a suite. It gets crowded around Christmas so prepare for that and book early.
- 3-star hotels from: US$27 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$55 per night for two people
>>Chiang Mai prices and travel tips
>>>Check current Chiang Mai hotel deals
Goa, India
- December avg high: 91°F/33°C
- December avg low: 69°F/21°C
- December avg precip: 0.3″/0.8cm
If you are looking for a cheap, beautiful, and relaxing beach destination during December then Goa is ideal. This has become hugely popular with package tourists from Europe and Israel (and more recently Russia), and the fact that pretty much everyone speaks English and there aren’t many cultural opportunities means that it’s a perfect place to just vegetate in a beach chair for a week or two.
Not surprisingly, the weeks around Christmas and New Years are literally the busiest of the year in Goa, so either book a hotel way in advance or be flexible once you arrive. Some towns, like Calungute, are lined with package hotels that fill up completely, but other towns, like Anjuna and Vagator, are usually booked in person or by email, so you can often find a place just walking around. If you are in the mood to tour around, Mumbai has great weather during December, and Delhi has warm days but cool evenings this time of year. Goa has some of the best beaches in December in all of Asia, so give this one a serious look.
- 3-star hotels from: US$38 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$72 per night for two people
>>Goa prices and travel tips
>>>Check current Goa hotel deals
Luang Prabang, Laos
- December avg high: 80°F/27°C
- December avg low: 58°F/14°C
- December avg precip: 0.5″/1.3cm
It’s not the most famous city in Southeast Asia, but Luang Prabang is incredibly popular among those who’ve visited, and fortunately the weather during December is pretty much perfect. There’s no rain to worry about and it even cools off enough in the evenings to where you won’t need an air conditioner and morning hikes will be very comfortable.
Hotel prices definitely jump up around Christmas, so this is yet another place where you should come in the first half of the month if possible. Most people visit along with a trip to Bangkok and Siem Reap, but other cities in Laos are worth a stop as well, especially Vang Vieng (if you are a backpacker type) and Vientiane.
- 3-star hotels from: US$54 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$61 per night for two people
>>Luang Prabang prices and travel tips
>>>Check current Luang Prabang hotel deals
Siem Reap, Cambodia
- December avg high: 88°F/31°C
- December avg low: 69°F/21°C
- December avg precip: 0.4″/1.0cm
There is a key reason why December is the best month of the year to visit Siem Reap. More than any non-beach city on this list, Siem Reap is an outdoor town due to the main attraction being the glorious Angkor Wat temples just to its north (and the whole reason you are coming to Siem Reap in the first place).
Those temples are all outdoor for the most part, so cooler and dryer conditions mean you can spend more time touring the temples and still being comfortable. Almost any other month of the year and you’ll be better off going back to your hotel for a few hours in the afternoon, but in December you can carry on all day if you like. The town of Siem Reap is a delight in itself, but of course it fills up near Christmas.
- 3-star hotels from: US$36 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$54 per night for two people
>>Siem Reap prices and travel tips
>>>Check current Siem Reap hotel deals
Hanoi, Vietnam
- December avg high: 71°F/22°C
- December avg low: 60°F/16°C
- December avg precip: 0.8″/2.0cm
It’s actually a bit chilly in Hanoi in December, but generally very dry and exceedingly pleasant around the clock, so it’s a very good time to visit. Nearly everyone who visits Hanoi will be doing it as part of a larger tour of Vietnam or other countries in Southeast Asia, and this is one of the cooler cities this time of year, therefore a nice balance to some of the places that are still quite hot.
Hanoi is actually one of the cheapest tourist cities in the world according to our Backpacker Index, and that’s partly due to beer and museums being incredibly cheap. In reality, you’ll want to spend more money than the minimum because everything is great value. There are hundreds of family-run hotels with 10 to 20 rooms and a breakfast room in the basement serving surprisingly great food included in the rate. They tend to be spotless and well run, so it could be worth skipping a chain hotel and saving some money in the process.
- 3-star hotels from: US$29 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$65 per night for two people
>>Hanoi prices and travel tips
>>>Check current Hanoi hotel deals
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- December avg high: 87°F/31°C
- December avg low: 71°F/22°C
- December avg precip: 2.2″/5.5cm
December is the coolest month of the year in Saigon (as it’s locally known) and the rainy season is pretty much over by November, so this is an ideal time to come as part of a tour of Southeast Asia. It’s normally blazing hot and humid here, so the moderate temperatures will be a bonus even if you have nothing to compare it to.
HCMC is not quite as cheap as Hanoi, and it’s not as nice to look at either, but it’s definitely worth a visit for a combination of history and culture. This is a huge and sprawling city so it’s important to choose the location of your hotel carefully. During Christmas things do fill up and prices go up as well, so book early if possible.
- 3-star hotels from: US$46 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$75 per night for two people
>>>Ho Chi Minh City prices and travel tips
>>>Check current Ho Chi Minh City hotel deals
Oceania
Auckland, New Zealand
- December average high: 71°F/22°C
- December average low: 57°F/14°C
- December avg precip: 3.6″/9.0cm
Auckland is where most international flights to New Zealand land, but most people get their fill of the crowded city within a day or two. The real magic of New Zealand is in the scenery and smaller towns. December is the beginning of summer in New Zealand so temperatures should rise as the month goes on. If you’ve got at least a week and hopefully more, New Zealand is best discovered by doing a tour. You can rent a campervan/RV in Auckland and drive around to see the best sights on the North Island, and then take a ferry to the South Island to see even better scenery.
You can also rent a car and drive to the same places where you can stay in cabins in holiday parks/campgrounds, and small hotels and guest houses are reasonably priced as well. But renting a campervan is the classic way to see New Zealand and it can be surprisingly cheap since you’ll only be paying a small fee to park for the night in the abundant campgrounds. You’ll also be cooking many of your own meals, which is helpful because New Zealand doesn’t have many cheap restaurants or take out joints outside of the bigger cities. Queenstown on the South Island is the adventure sports capital of New Zealand and not to be missed. Rotorua on the North Island is also very much worth a stop.
- 3-star hotels from: US$65 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$81 per night for two people
Hi Roger,
Nice work, I really appreciate it..
Me and my wife are planning to take about 5 days vacation around 10th December this year. We are more like nature lover people, like to do some outdoor activities not too extreme though…like to stay away from the beaches though…That will be from Atlanta….what all options do we have…I was leaning towards Iceland….
Thanks in advance,
Samir
Samir,
It would be hard to find a bigger Iceland fan than me. The problem is that the days there are extremely short in December (it’s just below the Arctic Circle), so nearly all of the travelers who go there in winter are there to see the Northern Lights. If that sounds good to you, then it’s worth considering.
From Atlanta, the places that come to mind with the theme of “nature” would be Costa Rica and Belize. Costa Rica is probably the better choice, as it famously has around a third of its land as natural parks. Much of it is jungle, and they have all sorts of activities including zip lining, but also canopy tours and much more. There is also the Arenal volcano there, which is really nice and has some fun hot springs around it. They also have beaches, of course, but there is plenty in the interior of the island to keep you busy. If you know a bit of Spanish, it helps, but most other visitors know little or none.
Belize has similarities, except it’s not as slick and developed. There are a few towns off the coast with jungle tours and other sites, and the Tikal ruins (amazing) is not far away inside Guatemala. English is one of the main languages there, so some things are a bit easier.
Puerto Rico has a rain forest and quite a few outdoor and nature activities, and it’s probably the easiest Caribbean island to do that kind of trip in. Let me know if any of these sound interesting, and I’ll be happy to help more. -Roger
Hi Roger – my family and I would love to travel to a warm location 84-85 degrees or hotter would be nice. Price isn’t really an issue – crowds are as my husband has some anxiety. Love the beaches – open to suggestions – have passports – ready to go first two weeks of December. Thanks!! Nancy
Nancy,
Since you mention the temperature in Fahrenheit, I’ll assume you are in the United States. You might have to go to the Southern Hemisphere to reliably get 84F or higher, but you can get over 80F in most of the Caribbean. You’ll get low 80s in Hawaii in early December as well. Fortunately, neither of those places get too crowded until just before Christmas, so either should work.
If you have a budget that allows at least US$300 per night, you should be able to rent a nice condo in Hawaii. If you haven’t been there before, it’s worth knowing that each of the 4 main tourist islands is quite different from each other, and only Oahu has an urban center that should probably be avoided. You’ll want to rent a car as well, as getting around is difficult without one.
If the Caribbean sounds better, I’ll recommend Puerto Rico. The area around San Juan is fairly crowded, although not nearly as crowded as a typical resort area that is loaded with hotels. And there are many smaller resort towns on other parts of the island where people usually rent a condo for a week or two. In a town like Rincon you won’t get crowds, and you will get great beaches.
There are many other good possibilities in the Caribbean as well. I really like Puerto Rico and think it would suit you, but many islands have little tourist towns on beaches with no crowds. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Looking for a four day weekend in early to mid December. Departing from Philadelphia metro area. Looking for something inexpensive, relatively warm, possible beach destination. Not too touristy. Other areas of interest include dining, hiking, drinking wine perhaps, relaxing. Just need a good starting point. So many choices to make!
Mike W,
Starting from Philadelphia, your best options are all going to be in and near the Caribbean, including the destinations mentioned a the top of this article. You’ll be able to get some great deals if you are home before the Christmas holidays are going.
When you mention, “not too touristy”, the first thing that comes to mind is San Juan, Puerto Rico. I’m not sure if you’ve been there already or not, but one great thing about it is that the “tourist” areas close to Old San Juan are filled more with apartments than with hotels, unlike Cancun, where it’s nothing but hotels and timeshares. I can highly recommend the Condado neighborhood, which does have some large hotels but is mostly apartments for expats and seasonal visitors. There is even a free bus that goes from there to the heart of Old San Juan, which is a gorgeous colonial town filled with great restaurants, bars, and interesting attractions.
Puerto Rico isn’t quite as cheap as Mexico or the Dominican Republic, but it’s MUCH easier and less stressful since it’s part of the US and security is good.
If you don’t need sunbathing temperatures, you might also consider the Gulf coast of Florida. The area around Fort Meyers is modestly priced and won’t be too busy that time of year. You can get a cheap flight into Naples and rent a car quite cheap as well. I hope this helps, and let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Dear Roger,
I am now deciding between Bandung, Indonesia or Philippines. NZ have to be put on a later date as deem too expensive with the car rental for us both. If you do suggest Philippines, can you recommend which part will be better? Cheers!
Jun,
Those rental cars and campervans in New Zealand can be a bit expensive any time, and if you want to go in the peak holiday period I’m not surprised that they are out of reach.
As for Indonesia vs. Philippines, I’ve been to Bali quite a few times but I haven’t been to Bandung. And for the Philippines I’ve spent time in Manila and in Tagaytay just to its south, and I don’t think I’d recommend those for a longer trip. And I also spent two weeks on Boracay Island, which is quite nice, but it’s small and also a place I wouldn’t recommend for a longer trip like yours. For information on Indonesia you might go to my friend’s site – travelfish.org – which is an excellent resource. Unfortunately, they don’t cover the Philippines yet. Best of luck with what you end up doing. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Amazing work.. Kudos to you !!
Anyways, me & my wife are planning for our honeymoon vacation. I stay in Delhi, India & I am planning to keep my travel dates from 14th dec 2016 to 1st Jan 2017. Well, we plan for EUROPE or NZ. I know it’ll be freezing down there in December but how about places like Spain.. Portugal ..Malta ? southernmost part of these areas?
If not Europe can you suggest any other place ? We dont want any south east asian countries…we dont want South Africa..Seychelles..Mauritius..Maldives..
Our budget would be within 3-4 lakhs (INR) for both of us.say around 4500-5800 USD ( 1 USD = 68 Rs )
Waiting to hear from you.
Mohit,
This is an interesting question. As you know, your honeymoon dates are right in the heart of the Christmas and New Year’s travel season, so flights to most places are going to be expensive. And it will be quite cold in all of southern Europe, including Malta and Greece, with the only exception being the Canary Islands off Africa.
You mention New Zealand and of course it’s summer there then, so it would be a good choice. However, all of these places will be crowded and near peak hotel rates if they are warm. So I’ll be happy to give you advice if you tell me if you’d rather visit one or more European cities in the cold season, or if you are looking for a warm place like New Zealand where it will be fairly crowded. By the way, the southern European cities such as Rome and Barcelona are lively and enjoyable that time of year, as the Christmas season goes on, and there aren’t too many tourists except for a few that travel to see their families around the holidays. So it can be a good time for southern Europe, as long as you don’t mind wearing a jacket or jumper during the day, and maybe a bit more in the evening. Give me a bit more guidance and I’ll be happy to try to help. -Roger
Hi Roger,
First of all, applause to all your kind help (and your time). My 8 years old boy and I want to travel in December to a warm country and I am a little bit nervous to be only two of us since my hubby could not join us. I am just wondering if Costa Rica (or Brazil) safe to travel for a woman alone with young kid? Any other safe countries in your mind (with affordable price)? We live in D.C and don’t want to fly too far like Asia, Australia, etc. We have been in Dubai and Mexico.
Yee K,
I’d say Costa Rica is definitely safe for a woman with a young kid, as it’s very well organized and the crime rate is quite low compared to its neighbors in the region. It’s also a bit more expensive than Panama and its other neighbors, but it is loaded with well-kept national parks and many other attractions so you get good value for your money.
Brazil, on the other hand, has a famous problem with petty crime in tourist areas so I wouldn’t recommend it for a woman and young child. Another to consider is Puerto Rico, which has a lot to offer including great weather, and it’s also more or less part of the US, so it’s fairly safe and well organized. Hotels in Puerto Rico are a bit expensive, but you should be able to get an apartment rental in the San Juan area (gorgeous, by the way) for a modest price if you are staying for more than a few days. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
hello Roger,
Love the way you help people in deciding the places and itineraries.
We are couple and are planning a 4/5 nights trip (starting from 22nd december) from US(WA) that is not very far,slightly reasonable and beautifull.
can you please suggest the destinations??
Thanks and Regards
Hi Roger!
I am from Singapore and looking to travel in mid December for about 7-14days (we are still deciding). i am looking to travel with my spouse and so far had travel to Japan and Vietnam this year.. from the recent comment, seems like New Zealand is a good options with a relatively good weather of between 11-21 Degrees Celsius.
How many days you think it will be good to explore NZ and if there is other better options out there?
Jun,
New Zealand is an excellent option in December, as it’s before the Christmas crowds and just before the summer holidays there. The best and most popular way to explore New Zealand is to rent a camper van or a car and drive from one “holiday park” to another. Auckland is a pretty generic city so it’s not worth spending more than 1 or maybe 2 days there. Just fly in, and rent a vehicle to leave the next morning, and drive south. The North Island has a lot to see, but the South Island is even more scenic and pleasant. You can take a ferry between the two with your vehicle.
I’d recommend 1 night in Auckland, then 3 nights on the North Island, and then a ferry to the South Island. If you can spend a week there, and return the camper van or car to Christchurch for a flight to Auckland and home, it would be perfect. As long as you can spend at least 4 nights on the South Island, it will be worth it. But if your schedule or budget don’t allow that much, you might just stay on the North Island. The most interesting place on the South Island is Queenstown, but there is plenty to see all over.
If that’s the sort of holiday you are after, then New Zealand is the best place. However, if you wanted to visit cities or beaches or ancient cultures, there are better options. Let me know if you have any questions. -Roger
Hi Roger,
First of all thank you for the fast reply. I am amaze that this article is still so relevant despite written in 2013! alot of people has benefit from your knowledge, so many thanks in writing this!
I know why New Zealand did not make it here as it is not Cheap. However i really like your earlier suggestions and curious to find out more on the ideal itinerary on NZ…
i am wondering if it is practical to fly into Auckland and drive all the way, do you mean i can take my car in the ferry to south island and continue my drive down?
is it possible to do so as the 2 island look rather big to cover… how many days would it be ideal to cover New Zealand well enough? would it be better to depart from Queenstown to Singapore or to Auckland then home?
Star gazing appeal to me, i should probably spend more time in SOuth island?
sorry to ask so many questions, i am noob in NZ landscapes… cheers
-Jun
Jun,
The article was written in 2013, but then updated and expanded every year. Since so many people visiting New Zealand do it in a rented car or camper van, all of the companies have deals that include the ferry crossing and returning the car on a different island. Just shop around online and you’ll find prices that include all of that. And also look into renting a campervan if that appeals to you at all. It’s really a wonderful way to see the country, and it’s cheaper than renting a car and staying in hotels or cabins.
On my own trip I spent 3 nights on the North Island after leaving Auckland, and then 4 nights on the South Island. The South Island is more scenic and interesting, and much less crowded, so I would have liked to have stayed another 2 or 3 nights if I had the time. So I’d recommend 3 or 4 nights on the North Island and 5 to 7 nights on the South Island. With smaller towns and smaller crowds on the South Island, that is the better place for star gazing, though most of the North Island is fairly empty as well. It’s an amazing place and I’m sure you’ll love it. Have a great trip. -Roger
Hello Roger,
We (my husband and I) have really enjoyed reading this thread and found it very interesting and informational, thank you.
We are looking to travel somewhere warm in December of this year, for approximately 3-4 weeks. We are originating from Canada – Alberta, to be exact, and have done a fair bit of travelling throughout our lives, however, we are now bringing along our 4 year old son. With that in mind, I suppose our biggest concerns are now flight durations and safety (in our younger years and without children, these weren’t so much a factor, but definitely are considerations now).
We spent a month in Costa Rica last year and although we thoroughly enjoyed the trip, we don’t tend to be “repeat customers”, so we’d like to venture somewhere new (we saw that you had mentioned this as kid-friendly a few times, so just wanted to let you know that we’ve already been there). Some available attractions and activities would be ideal, but, we’d also quite enjoy the beach towns of some sort. We love hostel type of accommodations, aren’t overly-indulgent and can get by on a fairly modest budget. We are of the mind-set that spending more time, is more valuable than spending more money.
Ultimately and up to this point, we’ve been considering Mexico and Central America, but after having read this entire thread on your site, we would love to hear if you have any suggestions in particular?
Your advice is appreciated and we look forward to your response, so thank you again for this site and for your time, and we hope to hear back from you.
Warm regards,
Shelley
Shelley,
Thank you for the kind words. Interestingly, had you not included that you’ve been to Costa Rica, I’d say that was the obvious suggestion because they really do that sort of thing well and it’s at least a bit better organized than its neighbors. And if you were less concerned over travel time, I’d have some interesting suggestions for you in Asia. However, as you know, it takes nearly a full day just to get to Asia from the US or Canada, and then a few days to adjust, so you might be best off saving that for later.
Hawaii, as you probably know, would be great for what you have in mind, except that there are no cheaper options there at all. After that I agree with you that there are places in Mexico that could work. One in particular that I like a lot is the area around Playa del Carmen, which is just south of Cancun. It’s a lively and tourist-friendly town, instead of a strip of big hotels like Cancun, and there is a wide range of activities and accommodations in different price ranges.
In Central America you could consider Belize. It’s small, but it’s got islands and beaches (not everywhere though) and forests and other cultural sights, and English is more or less the official language. It’s not as well organized as Costa Rica, but it’s not bad and it feels safe. The other to consider there is Panama, which obviously has a lot in common with Costa Rica. It has far fewer adventure activities and the good beaches are spaced out a bit, but still it’s a relatively rich country with tens of thousands of Americans and Canadians living there as well as visiting, so they have a good tourist infrastructure and it’s safe.
In South America, and you start getting into some longer flights here, the best and safest places are Argentina, Peru, and Chile. I’m not sure if this helps you much, but at least it should let you know that you were thinking along the right lines already, and there are no obvious places that you’d overlooked. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hi,
I am wanting to plan a college graduation trip for 10 days/2 weeks during the last days of December and early January. We live in Az. The graduate would like to do the Galapagos or Austraila or New Zealand. I am thinking it is too late to plan the Galapagos as those trips seem to get booked so far in advance. We want to have a memorable trip. Are these destinations you would suggest? Any other suggestions? We want to be somewhat active, not just driving and looking at sights.
Thanks so much
faith,
I’ve yet to do Galapagos myself, but some of my writers have done it and it sounds like you can book those trips on short notice, even once you get there. I’d keep that on your list and look into it.
Pretty much everywhere is going to be at or near capacity for those dates because half the world is on Christmas break. Between Australia and New Zealand, I think New Zealand would be far more interesting for 10 to 14 days. In Australia you pretty much have to spend a few days in Sydney, a few days in Melbourne, and a few days at the Great Barrier Reef, all of which require flights and will be very crowded over those weeks.
New Zealand will also be crowded, but the country is otherwise mostly empty so it is still wonderful. You could fly to Auckland for one day or so and rent a campervan/motorhome. Drive it for 3 or so days on the North Island, and then onto the ferry to the South Island for the rest of your time. The South Island is far more scenic and less crowded. You’ll be doing some driving and looking, but after a few hours of that you can stop at a campground and have plenty of things to do such as hiking or water sports and much more.
Aside from those places, you might also consider Hawaii, but of course it’s quite expensive, especially that time of year. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger