Where to go in December
December brings dry heat to the Middle East and North Africa, with highs around 22-26°C and almost no rain in Yemen, Mauritania, Qatar, the UAE, and Egypt. Cape Verde and Mexico offer warm, dry coastal days too, while Nepal gives clear mountain air at 17.9°C. India and Ethiopia stay warm and largely rain-free, and Hong Kong cools to a comfortable 20.1°C. Further south, Norfolk Island sits in a mild Pacific summer. Northern Europe is the toughest region this month: Norway and Finland barely reach 1.2°C, Svalbard drops to -4.4°C, and the Faroe Islands see rain on about 20 days with seas near 7.8°C. Latvia is cold and wet too, with highs of just 2°C.
Top picks
Best places to go in December
Ranked by our month score: temperature, rain, sunshine and sea.
-
1.Yemen
10.0/10Asia
Scores 10, almost no rain and a cool, comfortable 23°C high with 10.7 hours of sun.
- High / low
- 23°C / 10°C
- Rain days
- 0
- Sun daily
- 10.7 hrs
-
2.Cape Verde
9.9/10Africa
Highs around 24°C, rain on about 1 days.
- High / low
- 24°C / 23°C
- Rain days
- 1
- Sun daily
- 10.1 hrs
-
3.Mauritania
9.9/10Africa
Score of 9.9, with mild days near 26°C and lows around 13°C, plus very little rain.
- High / low
- 26°C / 13°C
- Rain days
- 0
- Sun daily
- 9.7 hrs
-
4.Qatar
9.8/10Asia
Top score of 9.8, with highs near 24.5°C, lows of 15.5°C and just 1 rain day all month.
- High / low
- 25°C / 16°C
- Rain days
- 1
- Sun daily
- 9.3 hrs
-
5.Egypt
9.7/10Africa
Score of 9.7, cool and comfortable at 21.3°C highs, 11.4°C lows, with 9.1 hours of sun.
- High / low
- 21°C / 11°C
- Rain days
- 1
- Sun daily
- 9.1 hrs
-
6.Nepal
9.7/10Asia
Scores 9.7, driest month with just 1 rain day and 9mm rain, highs around 17.9°C under 9.1 sun hours.
- High / low
- 18°C / 7°C
- Rain days
- 1
- Sun daily
- 9.1 hrs
-
7.Mexico
9.6/10Americas
Scores 9.6, cooler 20.7°C highs with only 1.8 rain days and 12mm, keeping skies mostly dry.
- High / low
- 21°C / 7°C
- Rain days
- 2
- Sun daily
- 9.5 hrs
-
8.Bahamas
8.6/10Americas
Score of 8.6, dry-ish with 9.9 rain days and a comfortable 25.6°C high.
- High / low
- 26°C / 23°C
- Rain days
- 10
- Sun daily
- 8.9 hrs
-
9.Cuba
8.6/10Americas
Scores 8.6, with highs of 27.2°C, just 3.9 rain days and 29mm of rain.
- High / low
- 27°C / 25°C
- Rain days
- 4
- Sun daily
- 10.1 hrs
-
10.Spain
7.7/10Europe
Highs around 12°C, rain on about 7 days.
- High / low
- 12°C / 3°C
- Rain days
- 7
- Sun daily
- 6.4 hrs
-
11.Cyprus
7.6/10Europe
Highs around 18°C, rain on about 8 days.
- High / low
- 18°C / 9°C
- Rain days
- 8
- Sun daily
- 7.9 hrs
-
12.New Zealand
7.5/10Oceania
Highs around 21°C, rain on about 13 days.
- High / low
- 21°C / 16°C
- Rain days
- 13
- Sun daily
- 11.9 hrs
-
13.Australia
7.2/10Oceania
Highs around 26°C, rain on about 10 days, sea 21°C.
- High / low
- 26°C / 18°C
- Rain days
- 10
- Sun daily
- 11.6 hrs
-
14.Gibraltar
7.2/10Europe
Highs around 16°C, rain on about 10 days.
- High / low
- 16°C / 12°C
- Rain days
- 10
- Sun daily
- 7.8 hrs
-
15.Papua New Guinea
6.9/10Oceania
Highs around 23°C, rain on about 30 days.
- High / low
- 23°C / 18°C
- Rain days
- 30
- Sun daily
- 7.7 hrs
December
Warm & sunny
Highs of 24 °C or more and few rainy days.
-
Cape Verde 9.9/10Highs 24°C · 1 rain days
-
Mauritania 9.9/10Highs 26°C · 0 rain days
-
Qatar 9.8/10Highs 25°C · 1 rain days
-
United Arab Emirates 9.6/10Highs 26°C · 1 rain days
-
India 8.8/10Highs 28°C · 1 rain days
-
Cuba 8.6/10Highs 27°C · 4 rain days
-
Chile 7.9/10Highs 28°C · 1 rain days
-
Thailand 7.4/10Highs 31°C · 2 rain days
December
Beach weather
Coast with the sea at 22 °C or warmer.
December
Short-haul from Europe
Within about 3,500 km of central Europe.
-
Egypt 9.7/10Highs 21°C · 1 rain days
-
Algeria 8.6/10Highs 18°C · 7 rain days
-
Morocco 8.0/10Highs 15°C · 2 rain days
-
Jordan 7.8/10Highs 15°C · 5 rain days
-
Spain 7.7/10Highs 12°C · 7 rain days
-
Cyprus 7.6/10Highs 18°C · 8 rain days
-
Israel 7.3/10Highs 15°C · 6 rain days
-
Gibraltar 7.2/10Highs 16°C · 10 rain days
Honest advice
Toughest weather in December
Places where the weather is usually at its worst this month.
-
Faroe Islands 0.3/10
Wet month: rain on about 20 days.
For better weather, try Spain · 7.7/10 · highs 12°C
-
Svalbard and Jan Mayen 0.4/10
Wet month: rain on about 13 days.
For better weather, try Spain · 7.7/10 · highs 12°C
-
Norway 0.4/10
Wet month: rain on about 13 days.
For better weather, try Gibraltar · 7.2/10 · highs 16°C
-
Latvia 0.5/10
Wet month: rain on about 14 days.
For better weather, try Cyprus · 7.6/10 · highs 18°C
-
Finland 0.5/10
Wet month: rain on about 14 days.
For better weather, try Cyprus · 7.6/10 · highs 18°C
Side by side
December weather comparison: top 10 destinations
Average weather of each destination's main city this month, and our month score out of 10.
| Destination | Avg high | Avg low | Rainfall | Sun hrs/day | Sea temp | December score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yemen | 23°C | 10°C | 0 mm | 10.7 hrs | – | 10.0 |
| Cape Verde | 24°C | 23°C | 3 mm | 10.1 hrs | – | 9.9 |
| Mauritania | 26°C | 13°C | 3 mm | 9.7 hrs | – | 9.9 |
| Qatar | 25°C | 16°C | 10 mm | 9.3 hrs | – | 9.8 |
| Egypt | 21°C | 11°C | 6 mm | 9.1 hrs | – | 9.7 |
| Nepal | 18°C | 7°C | 9 mm | 9.1 hrs | Inland | 9.7 |
| Mexico | 21°C | 7°C | 12 mm | 9.5 hrs | – | 9.6 |
| Bahamas | 26°C | 23°C | 51 mm | 8.9 hrs | 25°C | 8.6 |
| Cuba | 27°C | 25°C | 29 mm | 10.1 hrs | – | 8.6 |
| Spain | 12°C | 3°C | 42 mm | 6.4 hrs | Inland | 7.7 |
FAQ
Travelling in December
Where is warm in December?
Yemen, Mauritania and Cape Verde are the warmest safe bets, with highs of 22.6°C, 25.8°C and 24.3°C and almost no rain. The UAE (26.4°C) and India (28°C) also stay hot and dry, so December works well for desert and tropical trips alike.
Is December a good time to visit Egypt?
Yes. Egypt scores 9.7 out of 10 for December, with a high of 21.3°C and just 1.4 rain days on average. Mild, dry weather makes it a solid choice for sightseeing without summer heat.
Where is the weather toughest in December?
The Faroe Islands, Svalbard and Norway are hardest hit. The Faroes average only 5.7°C with 20.2 rain days, while Svalbard drops to -4.4°C. Norway and Finland sit near freezing too, around 1.2°C, with 13 to 14 rain days, so expect cold, wet or snowy conditions.
Is Nepal good in December?
Yes, Nepal scores 9.7 for December. Daytime highs reach 17.9°C with only 1 rain day on average, giving clear skies that suit trekking and mountain views, though nights get cold at altitude.
Does it rain a lot in Hong Kong in December?
No, Hong Kong stays fairly dry in December with 3.6 rain days and a high of 20.1°C. It scores 9.3 for the month, making it a comfortable, mild option for an Asian city break.