Where’s hot in December for reliable winter sun?

For guaranteed tropical heat and bath warm seas in December, book the Caribbean, Maldives, Zanzibar or Thailand. For a shorter flight and dependable warmth without the long haul, the Canary Islands, Cape Verde and Egypt’s Red Sea coast are your best bet. Both routes solve the same problem, escaping the UK’s grey, wet December, but they solve it differently: one gives you mild, sunny days within a six hour flight, the other gives you 28°C afternoons and 29°C seas if you’re prepared to fly eight hours or more.

That’s the trade off at the heart of every “where’s hot in December” search, and it’s worth settling before you look at a single hotel. The Met Office’s own travel guidance points to the Canary Islands, parts of North Africa and the Middle East as consistently milder than northern Europe in December, while long-term sunshine averages, not this year’s forecast, are the number to trust when booking months ahead. The Post Office backs this up, putting the Canaries among Europe’s warmest December spots with daytime highs typically around 20 to 22°C.

Here’s the quick shortlist by flight time and reliability:

• Short haul (4 to 6 hours), mild and sunny: Canary Islands (Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura), Madeira, Cape Verde, Egypt’s Red Sea coast, southern Morocco.
• Long haul (8 hours plus), tropical heat guaranteed: Caribbean (Barbados, Antigua, Jamaica, St Lucia, Cuba), Maldives, Mauritius, Zanzibar, Thailand, Dubai.
• Budget hint: Canaries and Cape Verde sit in the budget to mid range bracket; Caribbean and Indian Ocean resorts lean mid to premium, especially over Christmas and New Year.
• What you actually get: Canaries deliver mild, reliable warmth with a brisk sea temperature typical of the range around 19 to 21°C; the Caribbean and Maldives deliver proper tropical heat with seas closer to 27 to 29°C.

Toogood Travel’s editorial team has spent years tracking which December destinations deliver on their promise and which quietly disappoint, and that reliability gap between “warm” and “genuinely hot” is where most booking mistakes happen.

Key Takeaways

Reliable December warmth comes down to two honest choices: short haul mild sun in the Canaries or Cape Verde, or long haul tropical heat in the Caribbean, Maldives or Thailand.

Where is hot in December? A quick comparison of the top destinations

Averages below are long term December norms rather than one year’s snapshot, which is exactly the approach the Met Office recommends when you’re booking a holiday six months out rather than checking tomorrow’s forecast.

The single most reliable short haul pick for December is Tenerife’s or Gran Canaria’s southern coast, where microclimates shrug off the cloud that can hang over northern resorts. For guaranteed warm seas without a hurricane risk, the Maldives or Thailand’s Andaman coast win, since Caribbean hurricane season has closed by late November while the Indian Ocean and South East Asia sit fully in their December dry windows.

Short haul warm breaks: the Canaries, Madeira, Morocco, Egypt and Cape Verde

If a long haul flight isn’t on your radar this December, these five destinations get you into shorts and sunglasses within half a day of leaving home. None of them will feel tropical, but all of them beat a British December by a wide margin.

Tenerife (south coast, Costa Adeje) holds daytime highs of around 22°C with roughly seven hours of sunshine, and its southern microclimate stays notably drier and brighter than the cloudier north of the island, a distinction worth remembering when you pick your resort area. Sea temperatures sit around 20°C, brisk but swimmable. Flight time from the UK runs 4 to 4.5 hours, and prices sit firmly in the budget to mid range bracket.

Gran Canaria (Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas) mirrors Tenerife’s climate almost exactly, with the added draw of its famous dune landscape and a slightly more adult leaning nightlife scene in Playa del Inglés. December daytime temperatures hover around 21 to 22°C.

Fuerteventura is arguably the most weather reliable of the four main Canary Islands, thanks to its flat terrain and lack of high mountains to trap cloud. Expect 21 to 23°C days, strong Atlantic winds that make it a windsurfing and kitesurfing hotspot, and some of the clearest water in the archipelago.

Lanzarote runs similarly warm and dry, with volcanic scenery that appeals to walkers and couples wanting something more distinctive than a standard beach strip.

Madeira (Funchal) sits slightly cooler, around 19 to 20°C, and is better understood as a scenery and walking destination than a beach holiday, its lush, mountainous landscape rewarding hikers rather than sun loungers.

Agadir (Morocco) offers 20 to 22°C days and strong sunshine hours, with the bonus of a short flight and lower costs than the Canaries for similar weather.

Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt’s Red Sea coast) push温度 up to 23 to 25°C with exceptionally reliable sunshine and some of the best winter diving conditions anywhere within six hours of the UK.

Sal and Boa Vista (Cape Verde) deliver the warmest short haul option on this list, 24 to 26°C, with a longer flight of around six hours but genuinely beach first, all inclusive resorts that punch above their price point.

• Fuerteventura and Lanzarote suit wind sports enthusiasts and walkers who want dramatic, less crowded landscapes.
• Tenerife and Gran Canaria work best for families wanting reliable infrastructure, direct flights and English speaking resorts.
• Egypt’s Red Sea coast is the standout for divers and snorkellers thanks to warm, clear water and healthy reef systems.
• Cape Verde suits couples and beach purists who want genuine heat without a long haul commitment.
• Madeira fits walkers and older travellers who prioritise scenery over sand.

Caribbean and the Americas: where you get true tropical heat in December

Once you’re prepared to fly eight hours or more, the reward is proper tropical heat and sea temperatures that feel like a warm bath rather than a bracing dip. December is arguably the best month of the year to visit this region, since hurricane season officially closes by the end of November and the dry season is fully underway.

Barbados offers 28 to 29°C days, low humidity by Caribbean standards and a lively, well established tourism infrastructure that suits couples and honeymooners equally well.

Antigua runs similarly warm with the added draw of “365 beaches”, one for every day of the year according to local lore, and a quieter, more laid back atmosphere than some neighbouring islands.

Jamaica delivers 28 to 29°C heat with a stronger nightlife and cultural scene, making it a good fit for groups and travellers who want more than a beach and a book.

St Lucia trades a little accessibility for dramatic scenery, its twin Piton peaks framing some of the most photographed beaches in the Caribbean, and suits couples wanting a romantic, resort heavy trip.

Cuba (Varadero) offers reliably hot, dry December weather and some of the cheapest all inclusive pricing in the wider Caribbean, appealing to budget conscious travellers who still want guaranteed heat.

Mexico’s Caribbean coast (Cancún, Riviera Maya, Tulum) matches the islands for climate, 27 to 29°C with a dry season fully in swing, while offering more variety in excursions, from Mayan ruins to cenote diving, and a broader spread of resort styles and price points.

The trade off across this whole region is cost and flight time. You’re looking at nine to ten and a half hours in the air, and prices climb sharply around Christmas and New Year, when MoneySavingExpert notes flight and holiday costs can rise by roughly 30 to 40% compared with the first two weeks of December.

• Book to depart in the first half of December rather than the 20th onwards if budget matters more than being away for Christmas Day itself.
• Expect resort facilities, spas, multiple restaurants and water sports, to be at their full, unrestricted best, since December sits outside any storm risk window.

Pro Tip: If your dates are flexible, flying out on 3 or 4 December instead of 22 or 23 December can knock a genuinely large chunk off both flights and hotel rates for the same fortnight of Caribbean sunshine.

Indian Ocean and East Africa: Maldives, Mauritius and Zanzibar

This is where December earns its reputation as the best month for barefoot luxury. The islands sit in a short transitional window between monsoon seasons, giving you warm, mostly dry weather and some of the clearest water anywhere on earth.

The Maldives delivers 28 to 30°C days and sea temperatures around 28 to 29°C, with December falling into the tail end of the dry season before the wetter period typically arrives in the new year. Overwater villas, world class diving and a genuinely romantic atmosphere make this the top pick for honeymooners on this list, though it also carries the longest flight time here, around 10.5 to 11 hours plus a seaplane or speedboat transfer that can add another hour or two.

Mauritius runs slightly cooler and drier at times, 27 to 29°C, with excellent snorkelling on its lagoon reefs and a broader mix of activities, from hiking to rum distillery tours, than the Maldives’ more single-purpose luxury.

Zanzibar (Tanzania) offers similar heat, 27 to 29°C, with a distinctive Swahili culture, spice plantation tours and Stone Town’s UNESCO listed old quarter adding depth beyond the beach.

Sri Lanka’s south west coast (Galle, Mirissa) also performs well in December, since this coast sits in its dry season while the island’s east coast is in monsoon, a distinction worth knowing if you’re comparing Sri Lanka itineraries.

• Many Maldives resorts run dedicated Christmas and New Year celebrations, often with a premium supplement attached, so check whether festive dining is included or charged separately.
• Zanzibar’s Stone Town adds a genuine cultural counterpoint if you want more than beach time on a long haul trip.
• Mauritius suits families better than the Maldives thanks to its wider range of land based activities and generally larger resorts.

South and South East Asia: Thailand, Goa and Sri Lanka

Asia’s warmth in December comes with more seasonal nuance than the Caribbean or Canaries, and this is where a lot of “where’s hot in December” searches go wrong if they don’t check which coast they’re booking.

Phuket and Krabi (Andaman coast, Thailand) sit firmly in their dry season during December, with daytime temperatures of 29 to 32°C and sea temperatures around 28 to 29°C. This is genuinely one of the best windows of the entire year to visit this coast.

Koh Samui (Gulf coast, Thailand) is a different story entirely, and this is the trap many travellers fall into.

Koh Samui sits on Thailand’s Gulf coast, not the Andaman side, and its wet season runs later, typically peaking around October to December, meaning the island most associated with “Thailand beach holiday” in travellers’ minds can actually be one of the wetter Thai destinations at exactly the time everyone assumes it’s guaranteed sun.

If you want Thailand in December, Phuket or Krabi are the safer bookings; save Koh Samui for February through April.

Goa (India) offers warm, dry conditions in December, typically 30 to 32°C, and sits inside its peak tourist season for good reason, with Christmas and New Year parties drawing a lively, youthful crowd to its beach shacks.

South west Sri Lanka (Galle, Mirissa) runs its dry season from December through March, making this coast a reliable pick, while the island’s east coast (Trincomalee, Arugam Bay) is in monsoon at the same time.

• Phuket and Krabi suit divers, families and anyone wanting classic tropical beach scenery without seasonal risk.
• Goa suits younger travellers and those wanting a livelier, more budget friendly festive atmosphere.
• December in this region often coincides with local festivals, Thailand’s Loy Krathong lantern festival can fall in early December some years, adding genuine cultural texture beyond the beach.

Where to avoid in December and the seasonal risks worth checking

Not every “warm sounding” destination performs well this month, and the mismatches trip up more travellers than any weather app will warn you about.

• Bali and Lombok (Indonesia) sit deep in their wet season during December, with frequent heavy downpours and higher humidity that can disrupt beach days and excursions.
• The Philippines’ typhoon tail end can still bring disruption into early December on some islands, even though the main season has largely passed.
• Northern Australia’s “build up” and wet season starts around this time, making Queensland’s tropical north less reliable than its reputation suggests.
• Koh Samui, as covered above, remains in its wetter window while its Andaman coast neighbours are dry.
• Northern Tenerife and Gran Canaria can be noticeably cloudier and cooler than their southern resort coasts, a quirk of local geography, as travel guides on the Canaries’ microclimates frequently point out, that catches out travellers who book based on the island’s name alone rather than the specific resort area.
• Even where air temperature looks fine, choppy Atlantic swell can limit snorkelling and diving visibility in December on some Canary Island coasts, worth checking if water sports are the priority.

Pro Tip: Before booking, check long term climate averages for your specific resort town, not just the country or island name, on a national meteorological service. A single search on the Met Office’s travel weather tool can save you from booking the wrong coast of the right country.

How to choose the right December sun holiday: Toogood Travel’s checklist

Picking between a dozen genuinely warm destinations comes down to a handful of honest questions, not endless browsing. Here’s the process Toogood Travel’s editorial team uses when a reader asks us to narrow down their shortlist.

1. Set your heat threshold. Decide whether “warm and pleasant” (Canaries, low twenties) or “properly hot” (Caribbean, Maldives, Thailand, high twenties to low thirties) is what you actually want.
2. Pick a flight time limit. Four to six hours keeps you in short haul territory; anything beyond that opens up the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Asia.
3. Decide how much the sea temperature matters. If you want to swim comfortably rather than just paddle, prioritise destinations with seas above 24°C.
4. Set your budget and festive timing. Flying in the first half of December costs meaningfully less than travelling over Christmas or New Year itself.
5. Check the specific resort area’s microclimate, not just the island or country name.

When comparing two shortlisted destinations, ask yourself:

• Which one has the more reliable, long term weather average for this exact fortnight?
• How does the sea temperature compare, and does that matter for your plans?
• What’s the actual door to door transfer time once you land?
• Does the local festive atmosphere, big resort parties versus quiet beach walks, suit your group?

Red flags worth watching for include destinations with an unusual local rainy season you hadn’t accounted for, hotels running reduced services over the festive period, and long, poorly described airport transfers buried in the small print. For deeper destination detail, Toogood Travel’s hot holiday destinations in December guide and our where’s hot in January round-up both expand on the picks above if you’re weighing up the turn of the year too.

Practical tips for booking a December sun trip

Timing genuinely is the biggest lever you control. Flying out in the first one to two weeks of December is consistently cheaper than the Christmas and New Year fortnight, when demand and prices both spike hard across flights and hotels alike.

For long haul destinations like the Caribbean, Maldives or Thailand, aim to book four to six months ahead if you want a decent choice of flight times and room categories, since the best value disappears first. Short haul Canary Islands trips have more flexibility and can often be booked six to eight weeks out without a major price penalty, outside the festive peak itself.

On transfers, always check the stated time from airport to resort rather than airport to island. A “Maldives transfer” description that just says “domestic flight plus speedboat” can mean anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours depending on which atoll your resort sits in.

A sensible December packing list covers light, breathable daywear, one or two smarter outfits for evening dining (many resorts have a dress code for dinner), swimwear, reef safe sun protection, and reef shoes if you’re heading somewhere with coral underfoot. If your trip includes a beach stop, checking reputable rental platforms for accommodation options can help if you’re building a multi centre trip with a villa stay alongside a resort stint.

• Confirm your travel insurance covers flight delays, medical treatment and trip cancellation, particularly important for long haul winter departures where weather disruption at UK airports is common.
• Check the Gov for your specific destination before booking, since entry requirements and local guidance can change.
• Pack layers for the flight itself and UK airport time, rather than dressing for the destination from the moment you leave home.

Pro Tip: Look specifically for flexible cancellation or “book now, pay later” options on long haul December bookings. Given how far ahead you’re often committing, the ability to adjust dates without penalty is worth more than a small headline discount.

Christmas and New Year abroad: what to expect at each type of destination

Spending the festive season somewhere warm changes the atmosphere considerably, and it’s worth knowing what you’re booking into before you commit.

Caribbean and Mexican resorts typically go all out for Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, with themed dinners, live music and fireworks built into all inclusive packages, though many charge a mandatory festive supplement for the 24th, 25th and 31st of December that can add a noticeable amount per person. Maldives and Mauritius resorts lean into a quieter, more romantic version of the same idea, candlelit beach dinners and private celebrations rather than big group parties, which suits the honeymoon crowd these destinations already attract.

Canary Islands resorts offer a more low key, family friendly Christmas, often blending Spanish festive traditions, Three Kings celebrations run into early January, with British style Christmas dinners aimed at UK holidaymakers. Thailand and Goa take a different tack entirely: neither country celebrates Christmas as a major cultural event, so festive touches are aimed squarely at tourists, while New Year’s Eve in Phuket or Goa tends to be a genuinely lively, party focused affair rather than a family dinner.

If you specifically want a big, traditional Christmas dinner abroad, confirm it’s included rather than assumed, some long haul luxury resorts treat 25 December as just another elegant evening on the menu rather than a set festive occasion.

The easiest way to pick your December sun break

December genuinely rewards a bit of upfront planning: sunshine hours and long term temperature averages matter more than this week’s forecast when you’re booking months out.

• Short flight, mild sun: Canary Islands, Cape Verde or Egypt, 4 to 6 hours away, 20 to 26°C.
• Long flight, tropical heat: Caribbean, Maldives, Mauritius, Zanzibar or Thailand, 8 hours plus, 27 to 32°C.
• Biggest cost lever: flying in early December rather than over Christmas or New Year, which can meaningfully cut both flight and hotel prices.

Your next move is simple: settle on a flight time band you’re comfortable with, then run a price check comparing an early December departure against the festive fortnight for the same destination. That single comparison usually tells you everything you need to know about value.

A travel adviser’s honest take on picking December sun

Most people overthink this decision by comparing destinations on prestige rather than reliability. The question isn’t “Maldives or Barbados”, it’s “how many hours am I willing to fly, and how warm does the sea genuinely need to be for me to enjoy it”. Answer those two things honestly and the shortlist narrows itself in about thirty seconds.

The mistake I see most often is travellers assuming any island south of the UK will deliver, then discovering their chosen coast, Koh Samui instead of Phuket, northern Tenerife instead of the south, is quietly working against them. The climate data doesn’t lie, but it does need reading at the resort level, not just the country level. Get that right and December stops being a compromise month and starts being one of the best times of year to travel, since you’re avoiding the crowds and premium pricing of peak summer while still landing in genuine heat.

If you take one thing from this guide, let it be this: pick your flight time band first, check the specific resort’s long term December average second, and book your dates around the price gap between early December and the festive fortnight third. That order of decisions saves more disappointment and more money than any single destination choice.

Book your December sun break with Toogood Travel

Comparing forty destinations against your own heat threshold, flight time limit and budget is exactly the kind of legwork Toogood Travel’s advisers do every day, so you don’t have to trawl weather averages and resort reviews across a dozen browser tabs yourself. As an independent agency, we’re not tied to pushing one hotel chain or one region, our recommendations are built around what actually suits your dates, your budget and how hot you genuinely want it to be.

Whether you’ve settled on a short haul week in Fuerteventura or you’re ready to commit to the Maldives for New Year, our team can check live availability, flag any festive supplements before you book, and put together a bespoke itinerary rather than a one size fits all package. If poker, sport or a specific niche interest shapes your ideal trip, our poker holiday packages show how far we tailor things beyond the standard beach fortnight. Get in touch to start planning your December escape and we’ll run the price comparison between early December and the festive peak for you, on the destinations that actually suit your dates.

Sources

• Where is hot in December, January & February in Europe? — Post Office
• Four ways to beat school holiday travel price hikes — MoneySavingExpert
• Gov

FAQ

Where is warm in December and cheap?

The Canary Islands and Cape Verde offer the best combination of reliable warmth and lower cost, with the Canaries typically in the budget to mid range bracket and daytime temperatures around 20 to 22°C.

Where is best to go in December for guaranteed sun?

For the most reliable sunshine hours, Egypt’s Red Sea coast, Dubai and Thailand’s Andaman coast rank among the sunniest, with 7 to 9 hours of sunshine most days and very low rainfall risk in December.

Where is over 25°C in December?

The Caribbean, Maldives, Mauritius, Zanzibar, Thailand and Dubai all typically deliver daytime temperatures above 25°C in December, with Thailand’s Andaman coast often reaching 29 to 32°C.

Where is hot in December but not far from the UK?

Cape Verde and Egypt’s Red Sea coast are the warmest options within a roughly six hour flight, both offering 23 to 26°C days, considerably warmer than the Canary Islands at a similar flight time. Toogood Travel can compare live pricing across all of these short haul options to find the best fit for your dates.