🎄 Where to Go in December 2026

The best destinations to visit in December, ranked by weather, crowds, and value.

December is the month travel splits into two opposite experiences. Where to go in December means choosing: dive into the festive energy of cities celebrating Christmas and New Year, or escape the winter entirely for somewhere warm enough to swim. Japan in December offers serene winter travel — onsens at their most appealing in the cold, Christmas illuminations in Tokyo and Osaka that are genuinely spectacular, and Kyoto's frosty temples bathed in low winter light. New Zealand opens for summer — the South Island's hiking season begins, and Christmas on a beach with mountains in the background is a quintessentially antipodean joy. The Maldives begins its peak season in December: calm seas, zero cloud cover, and world-class diving visibility. In Central America, Costa Rica's dry season is officially beginning, making late December ideal for covering both coasts. European Christmas markets — Strasbourg, Vienna, Prague, Budapest — are fairy-lit wonderlands that justify the cold. December travel tip: December 26–January 5 is the most expensive travel week of the year globally. If you're flexible, flying December 23 and returning January 3 instead of peak dates can save hundreds of dollars per ticket. The crowds are exactly the same; the prices are not.

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🏆 Best Places to Visit in December 2026

All 10 destinations ranked for December — by weather, crowd levels, and value for money.

The coolest, most comfortable weather of the year. Perfect for temple hopping.

🌡 21–31°C

The true 'cool season'. The weather is breathtakingly clear, dry, and cool. You can comfortably walk through the Sunday Night Market for hours without sweating.

🌡 15–29°C

Sublime weather. Crisp, cool mornings (especially at Inle Lake) and brilliant blue skies all day long.

🌡 18–31°C

Perfect, completely dry weather. The air is cool and crisp. Exceptionally comfortable for cycling, hiking, and exploring temples.

🌡 14–28°C

🇦🇷 🇨🇱

Summer solstice! The sun rarely sets before 10 PM in the deep south. All trails, boat tours, and transport are running at maximum frequency.

Idyllic winter warmth. The nights in the desert and the mountains are perfectly crisp for a campfire.

🌡 19–26°C

December delivers Thailand's finest combination of perfect weather and festive atmosphere. The cool, dry northeast monsoon brings clear skies, cool evenings in Chiang Mai (where it can drop to 15°C at night), and pristine ocean conditions across all coasts. Bangkok dresses up for Christmas with shopping mall displays and hotel events, while Koh Samui and Koh Phi Phi host beach parties that stretch through New Year's Eve. The December Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan is the largest of the year, drawing 20,000+ people to Had Rin beach. King's Birthday on December 5 sees government buildings and temples beautifully illuminated.

🌡 21–31°C

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🌡 16–26°C

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🌡 17–24°C

Summer begins, bringing festive cheer and long days.

🌡 12–21°C

Perfect winter sun getaway with warm, clear days.

🌡 20–28°C

Cool, pleasant days perfect for non-stop sightseeing in Rajasthan.

The core south-coast season begins. Adam's Peak pilgrimage season opens.

🌡 22–30°C

The rains finally stop, and the dry season begins. The country is bathed in Christmas lights and festive cheer.

Summer is here. The days are incredibly long. Valparaíso hosts one of the biggest New Year's Eve fireworks displays in South America.

🌡 12–29°C

Sublime weather. 'Las Parrandas' in Remedios on Christmas Eve is a wild, firework-filled traditional street party.

🌡 19–27°C

Dominican Republic

The dry season takes hold. Sunny skies, comfortable breezes, and festive holiday energy across the island.

🌡 21–29°C

The dry season fully kicks in. The weather is brilliant, the humidity drops, and the festive spirit is everywhere.

🌡 23–29°C

The dry season is officially here. Barbados throws incredible, elegant Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations.

🌡 23–29°C

The weather stabilizes beautifully. The air is crisp, the sun is shining, and the island is geared up for massive holiday parties.

🌡 24–29°C

Beautiful, breezy, perfect winter escaping weather. The New Year's Eve fireworks over the beaches are legendary.

🌡 25–30°C

Extremely dry and pleasantly cool. The skyscrapers are rigged with massive, extravagant Christmas light displays.

🌡 15–20°C

The phenomenal weather returns. Flawless beach days, perfect snorkeling, and amazing sunsets over the Andaman Sea.

🌡 24–32°C

The dry season is officially here. It is wonderfully sunny, the skies are bright blue, and the atmosphere on the island is incredibly festive.

🌡 24–32°C

Art Basel is one of the most prestigious art fairs in the world, turning the whole city into a massive, glamorous gallery-party. The weather is brilliant.

🌡 18–25°C

December marks the return of the dry season on Costa Rica's Pacific coast, and the transformation is immediate — blue skies replace the overcast grey, dirt roads dry out, and the wildlife-watching conditions sharpen as water sources concentrate animals. The Fiestas de Zapote near San José run from Christmas to New Year's with a traditional bullfighting festival (bulls are not harmed — the 'toreros' are volunteers who run with the bulls), carnival rides, and an atmosphere of authentic tico celebration. Early December offers dry-season weather at prices that haven't yet reached Christmas levels.

🌡 20–31°C

The dry season is firmly established by December, with blue skies dominating and the lagoons returning to their extraordinary turquoise clarity. Christmas and New Year's Eve are the Maldives' most celebratory weeks — resorts host elaborate underwater themed dinners, sandbank barbecues under the stars, and countdown parties with fire dancers on private beaches. Early December is noticeably quieter and more affordable than the Christmas fortnight. Underwater visibility is climbing toward 30-40 meters, and manta ray and shark activity in the atolls is excellent.

🌡 25–30°C

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🌡 18–26°C

Festive decorations, piñatas, and posadas in the streets.

Festive holiday atmosphere on the Nile cruises. Very comfortable daytime walking.

🌡 11–21°C

A joyous, vibrant summer Christmas. The city is packed with outdoor events and markets.

🌡 15–26°C

The short rains taper off mid-month, leading into the hot, sunny New Year period.

🌡 25–32°C

Vibrant, hot holiday atmosphere. The flamboyant trees bloom in brilliant red across the island.

🌡 22–29°C

Long, 15-hour summer days in Patagonia mean you can hike until 9:00 PM.

🌡 19–28°C

Ecuador & Galapagos

Galapagos: The 'Warm Season' begins. The sun breaks through the mist, giant tortoises hatch, and the water is lovely.

🌡 22–29°C

The famous Boxing Day (Dec 26th) Junkanoo parade. The 'dry season' begins, bringing brilliant blue skies.

🌡 19–26°C

Tokyo does winter illuminations better than almost anywhere on earth. Roppongi Hills and Shiodome are draped in millions of LEDs.

The weather is very cool but not freezing. The iconic New Year's Eve fireworks shooting directly out of Taipei 101 are legendary.

🌡 16–21°C

The weather clears up significantly. Excellent for taking the funicular up Penang Hill or exploring the clan jetties.

🌡 24–31°C

philippines-palawan

The dry season officially begins. Comfortable temperatures, gentle breezes, and fantastic festive energy.

🌡 23–30°C

philippines-boracay

Fantastic pre-holiday weather, leading into massive, energetic New Year's Eve parties on the beach.

🌡 24–29°C

Puerto Rico has the longest Christmas season in the world, stretching into late January. The island is joyful, decorated, and full of traditional music.

🌡 23–29°C

The dry season officially begins. The oppressive jungle humidity breaks, leaving cool, very pleasant evenings and sunny days.

🌡 21–27°C

Excellent views and crisp, completely dry weather. Great deals on accommodation.

London does Christmas incredibly well (Regent Street lights, ice rinks at Somerset House).

The short rains taper off. The landscape is green, and babies (calves, foals) are born en masse.

🌡 15–26°C

The short rains usually subside. The northern parks are beautifully green.

🌡 16–28°C

You can sometimes catch the very tail-end of the autumn leaves in the first week. Very crisp, clear, dry winter air.

Osaka goes all-out with winter illuminations, particularly along Midosuji and around the central public halls.

Bright, sunny, and completely dry days. The Druk Wangyel Tshechu at the 3,100m Dochu La pass is a uniquely stunning backdrop.

LA puts its own spin on the holidays (think palm trees wrapped in Christmas lights). Theme parks are heavily decorated.

City Park is beautifully lit up for the holidays. Historic restaurants offer 'Reveillon', a 19th-century Creole holiday prix-fixe feast tradition.

Holiday boat parades are a unique Florida Keys tradition. The weather is generally sunny and mild.

🌡 19–25°C

The massive rains finally break around mid-December, marking the triumphant return of the dry season. The jungles are spectacularly green.

🌡 24–31°C

The famous fireworks shooting outwards from the actual facade of the Taipei 101 skyscraper is one of the best NYE shows on Earth.

🌡 15–21°C

December wraps Japan in winter magic. City illuminations — Omotesando's zelkova trees strung with lights, the Roppongi Hills Christmas market, Nabana no Sato's flower tunnel in Mie Prefecture — create a spectacle that rivals Europe. Hokkaido and Nagano ski resorts open for the season, with Niseko's powder already drawing serious skiers by mid-December. Onsen culture peaks in the cold: nothing compares to a steaming rotenburo (outdoor hot spring bath) with snow falling gently around you. The year-end atmosphere in Japanese cities is quietly festive.

December is Hawaii's most expensive month and also one of its most festive. The Honolulu Marathon on the second Sunday of December is one of the world's most beautiful race courses, finishing on Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki with Diamond Head behind you. Whale watching off Maui's coast gets underway properly by mid-December as humpbacks arrive in force. Christmas in Hawaii is surreal in the best way — Santa Claus arriving by outrigger canoe, decorated palm trees, and luau-style holiday feasts. New Year's Eve in Waikiki is legendary.

🌡 19–27°C

December dresses Italy in its finest — Rome's piazzas glow with Christmas lights and the Piazza Navona hosts its famous toy and nativity market, while Florence's Piazza della Repubblica fills with ice skaters. Elaborate presepi (nativity scenes) appear in churches across Naples and Sicily, some with hundreds of figurines and running water. Panettone and pandoro appear in every bakery. Milan's La Scala opera season opens on December 7th with the city's biggest cultural night. The holiday stretch from December 20th onwards sees prices spike sharply.

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The Light Festival illuminates the canals beautifully. Cozy festive atmosphere.

Ljubljana has one of the most underrated, beautiful Christmas light displays in Europe.

The city looks beautiful with Christmas lights, and you can buy traditional convent sweets (dulces).

The energy in Rio is unmatched. The beaches are packed with locals, music, and caipirinhas.

🌡 22–30°C

Myeongdong and Gangnam are draped in massive festive lights. Perfect excuse to eat spicy Korean BBQ or stews every night.

Haeundae Beach is covered in an incredible, massive carpet of glowing LED lights.

The island rapidly fills up with festive travelers craving winter heat.

🌡 24–29°C

Union Square looks magnificent with the massive tree and ice rink. A cozy, romantic atmosphere.

The NFR takes over the city early in the month (lots of cowboy hats). Bellagio Conservatory is decked out for Christmas. NYE is a massive street party.

December delivers a paradox: Bali's worst weather coinciding with its most festive atmosphere. Seminyak and Canggu throw some of the best Christmas and New Year's Eve parties in Southeast Asia, with beach clubs like Potato Head and La Plancha filling to capacity. Ubud's boutique hotels and resort villas dress up beautifully for the holidays. The rain is heavy and persistent — 20 rainy days on average — but it rarely stops the celebrations. If you're here specifically for the holiday season energy, Bali delivers it in abundance.

🌡 24–30°C

Iceland's Christmas traditions are unlike anywhere else in the world — the 13 Jólasveinar (Yule Lads), mischievous troll-like figures who descend from the mountains one by one in the 13 nights before Christmas, each leaving a gift or rotten potato in children's shoes. Ice caves are fully operational and beautifully lit for winter tours. And then there's New Year's Eve in Reykjavik: the entire population simultaneously sets off professional-grade fireworks from their own homes, turning the capital into a spontaneous, hour-long light show visible for miles.

December offers two distinct experiences in Portugal: a mild, festive city break on the mainland or one of the world's great New Year's Eve celebrations on Madeira. Lisbon's Christmas lights along the Avenida da Liberdade are genuinely impressive, and the Chiado and Baixa neighborhoods fill with seasonal markets and roasted chestnut vendors. On Madeira, the island's NYE fireworks display over Funchal harbor has been certified as the world's largest, drawing cruise ships and visitors from across Europe. The island's subtropical climate means December temperatures hover around a pleasant 20°C.

December transforms the city into a magical winter wonderland. The streets sparkle with elaborate light displays, particularly along Avenue Montaigne and Boulevard Haussmann, where department store windows at Galeries Lafayette draw huge crowds. Drink hot mulled wine and shop for artisan gifts at the Christmas markets near Notre-Dame or the Tuileries. Ice skating rinks pop up across the city. On New Year’s Eve, the spectacular light show on the Arc de Triomphe creates an unforgettable celebratory atmosphere.

December magically transforms the plaza directly surrounding the Gothic Cathedral into the highly festive Fira de Santa Llúcia, the oldest and most spectacular traditional Christmas market operating within the city. The beautifully illuminated streets feel wonderfully romantic and cheerful. On New Year's Eve, joyous locals passionately gather directly at Montjuïc specifically for spectacular midnight fireworks and the incredibly unique, deeply traditional midnight grape-eating ritual flawlessly designed to securely ensure amazing ongoing prosperity for the completely new incoming calendar year.

Konya festival is unique; winter food (salep) is warming and delicious.

The cities decorate beautifully for Christmas. Florence has a famous German-style market in Piazza Santa Croce.

A high-end, glamorous escape from the snowy Northern Hemisphere.

🌡 24–30°C

Vibrant holiday atmosphere. The coastline is stunning and hot.

🌡 19–31°C

If you are lucky, the early rains might start creating the mirror effect on the Uyuni salt flats.

canadian-rockies

Banff town looks like a Hallmark Christmas movie. Snowshoeing and dog sledding operate fully.

🌡 -13–-5°C

The city looks beautiful decorated for the holidays. Taking the gondola up Grouse Mountain offers a snowy escape right above the city.

The Distillery District Christmas Market is heavily commercialized but undeniably pretty. Ice skating outside City Hall is a classic experience.

The Opryland Hotel goes massively overboard with over 3 million Christmas lights—a spectacular must-see. The city throws a massive, free NYE concert.

The Grand Canyon Railway out of Williams runs a very popular Polar Express directly to the rim. It is majestic with snow.

Fijians love Christmas, and bringing in the New Year on a tropical island is incredibly festive.

🌡 23–31°C

A highly coveted destination for a lush, tropical Christmas away from the snow. Festive spirit is high.

🌡 24–31°C

Very quiet at major sites, except for a brief surge during the Christmas to New Year's week.

Seoul does winter illuminations beautifully. Christmas is largely a 'couples holiday' in Korea, with intense cafe and restaurant culture.

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🌡 23–30°C

Festive atmosphere for the holidays in Cusco.

Salerno (just south of the coast) puts on its famous 'Luci d'Artista' light displays.

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Scottish Highlands

Hogmanay is legendary. Scotland throws unparalleled New Year's Eve fire festivals.

Albufeira throws a massive open-air New Year's Eve concert and fireworks display.

Ponta Delgada puts up charming Christmas lights.

🌡 12–17°C

A fun atmosphere around the Gili Islands and Senggigi for New Year's Eve.

🌡 23–32°C

Mid-December marks the start of the official 'winter season'. Commercial snowcoaches and snowmobiles can once again enter the park to see geysers erupting in the snow.

🌡 -14–-2°C

Athens dresses up in Christmas lights and the city's central squares fill with seasonal markets and decorations through December. Thessaloniki's Christmas celebrations are particularly well-regarded — the city's waterfront promenade and historic upper town are beautifully lit, and the food markets showcase northern Greek specialties. Syntagma Square in Athens hosts a large Christmas tree and skating rink. New Year's Eve in Athens has a festive atmosphere around the Acropolis area. Prices are at their lowest of the entire year, and the city has a pleasantly local, unhurried feel.

Experiencing an intensely local, quiet, wind-swept Greek Christmas.

🌡 10–14°C

You might get lucky with a brief sunny window around Christmas.

🌡 25–32°C

A picture-postcard winter wonderland if you enjoy extreme snow-covered tranquility.

🌡 -11–-4°C

Ulaanbaatar decorates extensively for New Year's Eve (which is celebrated similarly to a Soviet/Russian Christmas).

🌡 -23–-12°C

📅 Browse by Month

Explore the best destinations for every month of 2026.

🇳🇿 New Zealand · 10/10

❤️ February

🇳🇿 New Zealand · 10/10

🇦🇷 Argentina · 10/10

🇯🇵 Japan · 10/10

🇮🇹 Italy · 10/10

🇵🇪 Peru · 10/10

🇵🇹 The Azores · 10/10

🇰🇪 Kenya · 10/10

🇬🇷 Greece · 10/10

🇳🇵 Nepal · 10/10

🌧️ November

🇲🇽 Mexico City · 10/10

🇰🇭 Cambodia · 10/10

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