Key Takeaways
- Eleven places average a December high of 25°C (77°F) or more on official 1991-2020 climate normals, from Goa (33.1°C) to Key West (25.4°C).
- The warmest sea is in Asia: Phuket's December sea averages 28.6°C and Goa's 28.2°C, on our reading of NOAA satellite data. Barbados is the warmest in the Caribbean at 27.7°C.
- From New York, Miami is the shortest warm hop, about 1,760 km and roughly 2.5 hours in the air. San Juan and Cancún are about 3.5 hours.
- From London, nothing on the list is closer than Sal in Cape Verde, about 4,340 km and 5.5 hours, with a 26.1°C average high and almost no rain.
- The Canary Islands and Egypt's Red Sea miss the cut. Tenerife South averages 22.8°C and Hurghada 23.8°C in December: mild, not hot.
The warmest reliable places in December are Goa (33.1°C average high), Phuket (31.3°C), Aruba (30.7°C) and Barbados (29.6°C). Eleven destinations clear 25°C on official 1991-2020 normals. For Americans, Miami and San Juan are the short flights. For Europeans, Cape Verde is the closest true warmth, about 5.5 hours from London.
Searches for "where is warm in December" jump every autumn, and most lists answer with a feeling rather than a number. We set one rule: a December average high of at least 25°C (77°F) at the main weather station, from the national weather service or the World Meteorological Organization's 1991-2020 normals. Then we added the sea temperature, the rain and the distance from New York and London.
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Where is warm in December? The full comparison
Eleven places pass the 25°C test. Goa and Phuket are hottest, the Caribbean islands sit between 28.6°C and 30.7°C, and Dubai, Cape Verde, Cape Town, Miami and Key West sit just over the line at 25°C to 26.5°C. Rain varies more than heat: Goa gets 2.5 mm all month, San Juan 123 mm.
| Place | Dec avg high | Dec avg low | Sea (Dec avg) | Dec rain | From New York | From London |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goa, India (Panaji) | 33.1°C (92°F) | 20.9°C | 28.2°C | 2.5 mm | ~15.5 h | ~9.5 h |
| Phuket, Thailand | 31.3°C (88°F) | 23.1°C | 28.6°C | 86 mm | ~17.5 h | ~12 h |
| Aruba | 30.7°C (87°F) | 25.3°C | 27.3°C | 80 mm | ~4 h | ~9.5 h |
| Barbados | 29.6°C (85°F) | 23.9°C | 27.7°C | 91 mm | ~4.5 h | ~8.5 h |
| San Juan, Puerto Rico | 29.0°C (84°F) | 22.9°C | 27.3°C | 123 mm | ~3.5 h | ~8.5 h |
| Cancún, Mexico | 28.6°C (83°F) | 20.5°C | 27.1°C | 86 mm | ~3.5 h | ~10 h |
| Dubai, UAE | 26.5°C (80°F) | 17.3°C | 24.8°C | 15 mm | ~13.5 h | ~7 h |
| Sal, Cape Verde | 26.1°C (79°F) | 20.5°C | 24.1°C | 3.4 mm | ~7 h | ~5.5 h |
| Cape Town, South Africa | 25.8°C (78°F) | 15.6°C | 17.1°C | 13 mm | ~15.5 h | ~12 h |
| Miami, Florida | 25.7°C (78°F) | 17.9°C | 25.7°C | 62 mm | ~2.5 h | ~9 h |
| Key West, Florida | 25.4°C (78°F) | 20.2°C | 24.0°C | 55 mm | ~3 h | ~9 h |
How to read it: air figures are 1991-2020 averages from each country's weather service or the WMO normals published by NOAA (Cancún: Mexico's weather service, station records to 2010). Sea temperatures are our own reading of NOAA's 1991-2020 satellite sea-surface climatology at the open-water point nearest each main beach, so a sheltered bay can run a little warmer. Flight times are straight-line estimates, explained at the end. Connections add time, and some routes, especially from New York to Asia and Africa, need one.
Which place has the warmest sea in December?
Phuket, at an average 28.6°C, followed by Goa at 28.2°C. In the Caribbean, Barbados leads at 27.7°C, with Aruba and San Juan at 27.3°C. Cape Town is the trap: 25.8°C on land but about 17°C in the Atlantic offshore, too cold for most swimmers.
This is the number most December lists leave out, and it is the one that decides a beach trip. We pulled NOAA's 1991-2020 December average for the sea surface off each destination's main beach.
Three things stand out:
- Six places hold 27°C or more: Phuket, Goa, Barbados, Aruba, San Juan and Cancún. That is bath-warm by most people's standards.
- Miami's sea (25.7°C) is warmer than Key West's (24.0°C) in our reading, even though Key West is further south. If the water matters more than the air, Miami Beach is the better Florida pick.
- Dubai and the Red Sea are close: 24.8°C off Jumeirah, 24.6°C off Hurghada. Fine for a swim, cooler than the Caribbean.
Where is warm in December close to the US?
Miami, Key West, San Juan, Cancún, Aruba and Barbados, all within about 4.5 hours of New York. Miami is the shortest flight but the coolest of the six at 25.7°C. Aruba is the warmest at 30.7°C and has the warmest nights, with an average December low of 25.3°C.
- Miami and Key West: both just clear the bar, at 25.7°C and 25.4°C. No passport needed for Americans, but evenings can dip to 17.9°C in Miami, so pack a layer. Hotels in Miami · Hotels in Key West
- San Juan, Puerto Rico: 29.0°C and a 27.3°C sea, and flights from the US mainland are domestic. The catch is rain: NOAA counts about 20 days with measurable rain in December, totalling 123 mm, the wettest month on this list. Hotels in San Juan
- Cancún: 28.6°C, a 27.1°C sea and about 3.5 hours from New York. Mexico's weather service records 86 mm of December rain. Hotels in Cancún
- Aruba: the warmest Caribbean pick, with 30.7°C days and 25.3°C nights. Every air traveller must complete Aruba's online ED card, which opens 7 days before travel. Hotels in Oranjestad
- Barbados: 29.6°C and the warmest Caribbean sea on our list, at 27.7°C. The Barbados Meteorological Services counts 11 rain days in December. Hotels in Bridgetown
UK travellers visiting Miami, Key West or San Juan under the Visa Waiver Program need an approved ESTA, as for any US trip.
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Where is warm in December close to the UK and Europe?
Sal in Cape Verde is the nearest place on this list to London, about 4,340 km and 5.5 hours, with a 26.1°C average high and 3.4 mm of rain all month. Dubai is next, about 7 hours. Nothing reliably reaching 25°C in December sits inside Europe.
This is our second original number. Measured from Heathrow, the five nearest picks are Sal (about 4,340 km), Dubai (5,500 km), San Juan (6,730 km), Barbados (6,750 km) and Miami (7,110 km). The Canaries are much closer, at about 2,900 km, but they don't pass the test (more below).
- Sal, Cape Verde: the driest place on the list, with half a day of rain in an average December on the WMO normals. The sea is cooler than the Caribbean, at 24.1°C, and the trade winds blow steadily. British visitors can stay up to 30 days without a visa, but must pre-register on Cape Verde's EASE platform and pay the airport security fee online at least 5 days before arrival, according to the UK Foreign Office. Hotels in Santa Maria
- Goa: the hottest on the list at 33.1°C and almost no rain (2.5 mm). It is about 9.5 hours from London as the crow flies. British visitors need a visa for India, and an e-visa is available for many travellers. Hotels in Goa
Is Dubai warm enough in December?
Yes, just. Dubai International averages a 26.5°C high and a 17.3°C low in December on the WMO 1991-2020 normals, with 15 mm of rain over about 3 days. Days are beach-warm, evenings need a light layer, and the sea sits near 24.8°C.
December is one of Dubai's most comfortable months for walking around: the summer highs above 40°C (June to August on the same normals) are long gone. It is also a short hop for Europeans, about 7 hours from London. For costs on the ground, our Dubai on a budget guide breaks down what a week really costs.
Check rooms for your dates: Dubai hotels with live prices.
Where is hottest in December: Asia or Africa?
Asia. Goa (33.1°C) and Phuket (31.3°C) are the two hottest places on the list and have the warmest seas. Cape Town reaches 25.8°C in its early summer, with dry weather but a cold Atlantic, so it suits hiking and wine country more than swimming.
- Phuket: 31.3°C days, 23.1°C nights and a 28.6°C sea, the warmest on our list. December sits at the start of the drier season: the Thai Meteorological Department records 86 mm and about 11 rainy days, against 370 mm in October. Thailand now grants most visitors 30 days visa-free; our guide to the 30-day rule explains who it covers. Hotels in Phuket
- Cape Town: a 25.8°C average high and only 13 mm of rain, but nights fall to 15.6°C and the sea offshore averages about 17°C. Hotels in Cape Town
What about the Canary Islands and Egypt in December?
Both are mild, not hot. Tenerife South Airport averages 22.8°C in December and Gran Canaria Airport 22.2°C, on the standard normals published by Spain's AEMET (1981-2010). Hurghada on the Red Sea averages 23.8°C, with a 24.6°C sea. Good for a sunny break from London, but none of them reaches 25°C.
They are still the shortest sunshine flights from the UK: about 4 hours to the Canaries and 5 hours to Hurghada. If 23°C and sun is enough for you, they are the efficient choice. Just don't pack for 30°C. Hurghada's nights drop to 13.4°C in December, and the Canaries' sea sits near 21°C. Hotels in Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Hotels in Hurghada
How did we choose and measure?
One rule: a December average high of at least 25°C at the main weather station, on 1991-2020 normals from national weather services or the WMO. Sea temperatures come from NOAA's satellite climatology. Flight times are straight-line estimates, not schedules, and no fares are quoted.
- Air temperature and rain: NOAA for Miami, Key West and San Juan; the WMO 1991-2020 normals published by NOAA for Dubai, Sal, Cape Town, Goa (Panaji) and Hurghada; national services for Aruba, Barbados and Phuket. The Canaries use AEMET's published 1981-2010 normals, the latest on its station pages. Cancún uses Mexico's weather service station normals, with records up to 2010.
- Sea temperature: NOAA OISST v2.1, 1991-2020 December average, at the nearest open-water grid point (about 25 km wide) to each main beach.
- Flight time: great-circle distance from New York JFK or London Heathrow to the destination airport, divided by 850 km/h, plus 30 minutes for take-off and landing, rounded to the nearest half hour. Real schedules vary with winds and routing, and many routes need a connection.
Plan this trip
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- Flights: search December flights
- Hotels: Dubai, Cancún, Aruba, Phuket, or search any city
Frequently asked questions
Where is the warmest place to go in December?
Of the places we checked, Goa is the hottest, with a December average high of 33.1°C on the WMO 1991-2020 normals for Panaji, and almost no rain. For a warm sea, Phuket leads at 28.6°C. Closest to the US, Aruba is warmest at 30.7°C.
Where is warm in December in Europe?
Nowhere in Europe averages 25°C in December. The Canary Islands come closest: Tenerife South Airport averages 22.8°C and Gran Canaria Airport 22.2°C on AEMET's published 1981-2010 normals. For 25°C or more from the UK, Cape Verde is the nearest option, about 5.5 hours from London.
Is it warm in Florida in December?
Warm by day, cool at night. Miami averages a 25.7°C (78°F) high and a 17.9°C (64°F) low in December, and Key West 25.4°C (78°F) and 20.2°C (68°F), on NOAA's 1991-2020 normals. Miami's sea averages about 25.7°C in our reading of NOAA satellite data.
Is the Caribbean rainy in December?
It varies by island. Aruba gets about 80 mm and Barbados about 91 mm in an average December, while San Juan in Puerto Rico gets 123 mm over about 20 days with measurable rain. December comes after the Atlantic hurricane season, which officially ends on 30 November.
Sources
- NOAA NCEI, US Climate Normals 1991-2020 - Miami International (78.2°F / 64.3°F, 2.44 in, 8.0 days), Key West International (77.7°F / 68.3°F, 2.16 in, 6.4 days), San Juan (84.2°F / 73.3°F, 4.85 in, 20.2 days with 0.01 in or more)
- NOAA NCEI, WMO Climatological Standard Normals 1991-2020 - Dubai International, Sal, Cape Town International, Panjim (Goa) and Hurghada station data sheets
- Thai Meteorological Department, Climatological Data for the Period 1991-2020 (PDF) - Phuket Airport, p. 83
- Barbados Meteorological Services, climate data 1991-2020 (PDF) - Grantley Adams
- Departamento Meteorologico Aruba, climatological normals 1991-2020 (PDF, archived)
- Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (Mexico), Cancún station 23155 normals (archived)
- AEMET, Tenerife South Airport normals 1981-2010 and Gran Canaria Airport
- NOAA PSL, OISST v2.1 monthly long-term mean 1991-2020 - sea temperatures, Navoy analysis
- Aruba Tourism Authority, online ED card - mandatory for every passenger, fill in within 7 days before travel
- UK Foreign Office, Cape Verde entry requirements - 30 days visa-free, EASE pre-registration and fee at least 5 days before arrival
- UK Foreign Office, India entry requirements - visa required, e-visa available
- US CBP, ESTA guidance - required for Visa Waiver Program travellers to the US, including Puerto Rico
- USA.gov, travel to US territories - no passport needed for US citizens flying between the mainland and Puerto Rico
- Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 3 September 2026 - 30-day visa exemption from 15 September 2026
- NOAA National Hurricane Center, climatology - the Atlantic season runs 1 June to 30 November
All figures verified 6 October 2026. Climate normals describe a 30-year average, not a forecast for December 2026.
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- Thailand Cut Visa-Free Stays to 30 Days: What Changed
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About the Author
Ranym Garali
Ranym is the Marketing and Content Lead at Navoy. She's been writing about travel for two years and digs into the data behind each piece, flight prices, visa rules and what people are actually searching for , so the advice holds up in practice.
