Where to go in December

Asia

Vietnam · 22°C (72°F) · 5 rainy days

Hanoi

Cool and mostly dry, with occasional chilly spells; air pollution can be high on still days.

Vietnam · 31°C (88°F) · 5 rainy days

Ho Chi Minh City

Dry, breezy and pleasant with Christmas lights along Đồng Khởi and Nguyễn Huệ.

China · 20°C (68°F) · 4 rainy days

Hong Kong

Cool, dry and clear with festive lights; hotel prices rise around Christmas and New Year.

Taiwan · 21°C (70°F) · 13 rainy days

Taipei

Cool and damp but mild; hot-spring season, Christmas lights in Xinyi and New Year's Eve fireworks.

Thailand · 31°C (88°F) · 1 rainy days

Bangkok

Dry, sunny and pleasant, with peak crowds over Christmas and New Year.

Thailand · 31°C (88°F) · 6 rainy days

Phuket

Dry season settles in, with calm water and busy beaches; Christmas and New Year are the most expensive weeks.

Nepal · 20°C (68°F) · 0 rainy days

Kathmandu

Dry and sunny with cold nights; a quieter month for valley sightseeing and lower-altitude treks.

China · 20°C (68°F) · 3 rainy days

Macau

Cool and dry; festive lights decorate the Historic Centre and resorts.

Philippines · 30°C (86°F) · 7 rainy days

Manila

Pleasant and festive, with lights, carols and long Christmas celebrations; traffic is heavy.

Malaysia · 31°C (88°F) · 12 rainy days

Penang

Rain eases through the month and the dry season begins; Christmas and year-end holidays fill hotels.

Cambodia · 30°C (86°F) · 3 rainy days

Phnom Penh

Dry, sunny and the least humid month; busy with holiday visitors.

India · 24°C (75°F) · 1 rainy days

Agra

Cool and busy over Christmas and New Year; fog often delays morning trains and hides the Taj at dawn.

Thailand · 28°C (82°F) · 1 rainy days

Chiang Mai

Sunny days and cool nights; the busiest and most expensive time, with Thai holidaymakers heading to the mountains.

Sri Lanka · 30°C (86°F) · 10 rainy days

Colombo

Drier weather returns and the west coast's high season starts; Christmas lights decorate Galle Road and the malls.

India · 33°C (91°F) · 1 rainy days

Goa

Peak season: dry, sunny and festive, with the highest prices and crowds between Christmas and New Year.

India · 24°C (75°F) · 1 rainy days

Jaipur

Sunny days and cold nights; Christmas and New Year are the busiest and most expensive weeks of the year.

Thailand · 31°C (88°F) · 8 rainy days

Krabi

Mostly dry and calm; Christmas and New Year are the busiest and most expensive weeks.

Malaysia · 31°C (88°F) · 9 rainy days

Langkawi

The dry season returns with calm seas; school holidays and Christmas make it the busiest month.

Laos · 27°C (81°F) · 2 rainy days

Luang Prabang

Cool, dry and busy, with cold early mornings; book rooms early around Christmas and New Year.

Maldives · 30°C (86°F) · 12 rainy days

Maldives

Drier, sunny weather returns; Christmas and New Year are the most expensive weeks of the year.

India · 33°C (91°F) · 0 rainy days

Mumbai

Dry, sunny and comfortable; the busiest and most expensive time, especially around Christmas and New Year.

Europe

Germany · 4°C (39°F) · 11 rainy days

Munich

Cold and festive, with mulled wine at Christmas markets on Marienplatz and in the Residenz courtyard.

Germany · 6°C (43°F) · 11 rainy days

Cologne

Several Christmas markets, including the one below the cathedral, draw large crowds, especially at weekends.

Germany · 5°C (41°F) · 11 rainy days

Frankfurt

Christmas market on the Römerberg and around the Paulsplatz, with mulled apple wine and Bethmännchen.

Middle East

United Arab Emirates · 26°C (79°F) · 2 rainy days

Abu Dhabi

Peak season with mild days and festive events; book hotels early for National Day and the New Year.

Qatar · 24°C (75°F) · 2 rainy days

Doha

Mild, sunny and festive around National Day; the busiest and highest-priced month for hotels.

United Arab Emirates · 26°C (79°F) · 2 rainy days

Dubai

Peak season, with warm days, festive events and the highest prices around Christmas and New Year.

Oman · 26°C (79°F) · 2 rainy days

Muscat

Warm days and mild nights; busy over the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Africa

Egypt · 21°C (70°F) · 1 rainy days

Cairo

Mild and sunny with cool nights; Christmas and New Year make it the busiest and most expensive time to visit.

Latin America & Caribbean

Mexico · 28°C (82°F) · 8 rainy days

Cancún

Pleasantly warm and drier, with the busiest and most expensive weeks of the year over Christmas and New Year.

Jamaica · 30°C (86°F) · 7 rainy days

Montego Bay

Pleasant and breezy; Christmas and New Year weeks are the most expensive of the year.

Dominican Republic · 29°C (84°F) · 10 rainy days

Punta Cana

Pleasant, breezy weather; the Christmas and New Year weeks are the most expensive of the year.

Cuba · 26°C (79°F) · 6 rainy days

Havana

Dry, warm and the busiest time of year, especially around Christmas and New Year.

Bahamas · 26°C (79°F) · 6 rainy days

Nassau

Dry and comfortable; Christmas and the Boxing Day Junkanoo parade make it the most festive month.

Puerto Rico · 29°C (84°F) · 13 rainy days

San Juan

Festive and busy, with parrandas (carolling parties), lights in the old town and coquito everywhere.

North America

United States · 25°C (77°F) · 7 rainy days

Miami

Warm, dry and sunny; Art Basel week in early December and the holidays bring peak prices.

United States · 19°C (66°F) · 4 rainy days

Phoenix

Mild days and chilly nights, with holiday lights in the desert.

United States · 25°C (77°F) · 6 rainy days

Key West

Warm and dry with holiday crowds; the end-of-year weeks are especially busy and expensive.

Oceania

New Zealand · 22°C (72°F) · 10 rainy days

Auckland

Early summer and the start of the holiday season; pōhutukawa in full bloom and the city empties after Christmas as locals head to the beach.

New Zealand · 20°C (68°F) · 10 rainy days

Queenstown

Early summer and the build-up to the Christmas holidays; very long evenings for lake and trail time.

Beach, city or budget: December picks by trip type

What's on in December

Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.

• Hanoi: Christmas Eve crowds and decorations around St Joseph's Cathedral (24 December)
• Ho Chi Minh City: Christmas Eve crowds around the cathedral and along Đồng Khởi (24 December)
• Hong Kong: Christmas lights along the harbourfront and in malls (December)
• Munich: Christkindlmarkt on Marienplatz (late November to 24 December)
• Taipei: New Year's Eve fireworks from Taipei 101 (31 December)
• Abu Dhabi: UAE National Day — fireworks and celebrations (2 December)
• Bangkok: Father's Day and the late King Bhumibol's birthday — public holiday (5 December)
• Cairo: New Year's Eve parties at Nile-side hotels (31 December)
• Cancún: Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe (12 December)
• Doha: Qatar National Day — celebrations, fireworks and heritage events (18 December)
• Dubai: UAE National Day celebrations (2 December)
• Miami: Art Basel Miami Beach and satellite art fairs (usually early December)

Daylight in December

Day length on these trips ranges from about 7.9 hours in Cologne to 15.6 hours in Queenstown (sunrise to sunset on 15 December). Longer days mean more sightseeing time; shorter ones favour museums, food and evenings.

December weather compared

Questions travellers ask