Where is hot in December
By Mark Hodson, Sunday Times Travel Writer and Editor of 101 Holidays
December is a great month to get away on holiday. It’s frankly miserable and cold at home, even if Christmas is on the horizon. In fact, Christmas can be a great time to jet off somewhere hot. Rather than wake up shivering on the big day, you could be splashing around on a tropical beach. See our Christmas holiday ideas.
Don’t even think about going short haul in the middle of winter. You might get some sunshine in the Med, but it could be miserable and it certainly won’t be hot. So where is hot in December for a holiday?
Mid haul sunshine
We recommend you fly at least 4 – 5 hours. That will get you as far as the Canary Islands, where you should be looking at Lanzarote and Gran Canaria and the nicer parts of Tenerife (where we recommend the Abama Golf & Spa Resort). You can expect temperatures of at least 20°C.
Egypt is a great bet, whether you’re exploring Cairo or enjoying a Nile cruise, or soaking up the sun on the Red Sea. You are looking at 7 hours of sunshine and temperatures of 24°C. Perfect.
We would advise against Tunisia in December – it’s not quite warm enough – and it’s rainy season in Jordan. However, Morocco is a good bet with sunny days and chilly nights. This is a nice time to explore Marrakech, a great place to do some Christmas shopping.
If you’re prepared to fly for 6 hours you can be in the Gambia on the west coast of Africa. With no time difference you won’t suffer jet lag and prices are very reasonable. The beaches are amazing and you’ll get a warm welcome at the hotels. Even warmer are the temperatures: about 32°C with 8 to 10 hours of sun. Check out the latest deals.
Long haul hot holidays in December
December is very good month to be in south east Asia. Vietnam is one of the highlights for history, culture, great food and miles of empty beaches. If you want a really special experience, head to Burma, a country that is slowly emerging from troubled times. You’ll get an amazing welcome from the people there.
For a purely indulgent beach blast, it’s hard to beat Bali (31°C, 6 hours of sun)- and it’s not all seaside resorts, Bali also has some stunning culture. Thailand is a great destination in winter, although you should avoid the east coast in December, the rainy season. Instead, enjoy the 8 hours of sunshine and 31°C in Phuket and Ko Phi Phi. If you want to relax in a spa hotel, Chiva Som is one of the world’s best.
India is a great place to visit in December. In Northern India you’ll find temperatures of 23°C and 8 hours of sun. Gorgeous Goa is perfect for beach holidays: 31°C and 9 hours of sun. Try The Serai, a luxury desert camp near Jaisalmer, a tour of Rajasthan or a tiger safari.
For dreamy tropical beaches it’s hard to beat the Indian Ocean. Go for Mauritius (29°C and 8 hours of sun) or the Maldives but steer clear of the Seychelles which is entering its rainy season.
It’s the middle of summer in Brazil and Argentina where we recommend Dehouche, a locally-based tour company. Another country with perfect summer weather is South Africa – where you can go on safari, lie on a beach and explore beautiful Cape Town, where temperatures are 26°C and there is a massive 11 hours of daily sunshine.
Caribbean holidays
It’s the start of the season in the Caribbean. If you go before the start of the Christmas holidays, you’ll find prices are low. As soon as the peak season hits, it gets expensive. Typically, you can expect to find average highs of about 30°C and 9 hours of daily sunshine.
Check out our recommendations in Barbados, the Cayman Islands, Tobago and Jamaica. Our favourite small islands include Grenada where we like the Calabash Hotel and Laluna.
You can combine beach and culture in Cuba where we’ve found this great-value self-drive holiday and a 10-night Affordable Luxury in Cuba tour that includes 3 nights in a Havana, 3 nights in the colonial city of Trinidad and 4 nights on the beach at Cayo Ensenachos.
You can also embark on a tall ship cruise of the Caribbean with Star Clippers. See our pick of the best Caribbean holidays.
See a full selection of our expert tips on where to go on holiday in December. Our sister site, 101 Honeymoons, has recommendations on the best December honeymoons.
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Hot holidays in December
