Best December Global Holidays Travel
The last month of the year marks the time when people in northern climates start looking for an escape from the sun.
Fortunately, there are large parts of the world that have the best weather of the year at this time, and they are also very cheap once you get there. The Best places to visit in December are, of course, near or even below the equator.
Most of the destinations below are in Latin America and Southeast Asia, so depending on where you start, it can be quite a long flight to get there.
Many of us can take two weeks or even longer at this time of year, but that fact means all of these places get crowded and hotel prices spike during the weeks around Christmas and New Year.
The Most Emblematic December Global Holidays
Speaking of which, we have a separate list of cheap and warm places to visit at Christmas and New Years, which only lists the beach areas around the world with affordable hotels during that period.
It’s best to book as far in advance as possible for both your flights and your hotels as many people have the same idea and prices generally keep going up as you get closer.
December is undoubtedly the most festive month of the year. The month is marked by all kinds of events and festivals around the world, including religious, cultural and even corporate events.
- Christmas
- Hannukah
- Ōmisoka
- Kwanzaa
- Boxing Day
- Santa Lucia Day
- New Year’s Eve
Where To Go During December Global Holidays
Those looking for a winter getaway from the United States or Canada will be happy to know that they have many great options for travel in the sun during the December global holidays, including many of the destinations listed below.
Cancun, Mexico
While Cancun has become the king of Mexican spa towns in the few decades since it was formed, it is just one of many, and everyone on both coasts has very pleasant December weather.
In fact, Cancun is probably the most expensive of them, so especially if you come from the west coast, you are better off in Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco or Los Cabos.
Again, it is worth noting that the first half of December will be cheaper and much less crowded than the Christmas season, so if possible you should arrive early to get the best value.
Still, compared to, say, Miami Beach, Cancun, and the other Mexican resort cities they are much cheaper and at least as fun.
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By the way, Cancun is primarily a strip of high-rise hotels along a beautiful beach, while Playa del Carmen (about an hour south) is a true resort town with smaller December global holidays hotels, as well as hundreds of restaurants and shops. to choose. from.
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
As December begins in the Caribbean, hurricane season is officially over and the weather is pretty much perfect by any standards.
Punta Cana is the most popular tourist area in the Dominican Republic, especially for those who are not particularly interested in absorbing the local culture. This is a tourist area with wonderful beaches and without much history.
Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Costa Rica is known as the adventure travel capital of Central America, in part because a third of the country is national parks.
But Costa Rica is also famous for its beaches, and the best ones are found mainly along the northern Pacific coast in the Guanacaste region. The nearby Liberia airport offers a convenient way to get in and out quickly.
Tamarindo and Smara are two of the most popular beach areas, but there are other good options in the area as well.
This part of Costa Rica is known for large hotel chains on the beach, and 4-star resorts can be pricey, while more traditional 3-star hotels are still very reasonable. Costa Rica is obviously one of the hot countries in December in both temperature and popularity, so book early.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
December is another fantastic month for weather in Brazil, although you can expect a few short tropical rainstorms a few times a week, usually only around an hour each time.
It is also warm enough that you would want an air-conditioned hotel to sleep in at night, as it will be hot and humid even in the early hours of the morning.
As with most of this list, hotels are very full and more expensive right before the Christmas and December global holidays, so it’s best to come early in the month if possible.
This way, you will have your choice of places at surprisingly good rates, even in some upscale spots on famous beaches. If you come during Christmas book a hotel NOW as they will be full and get more expensive the longer you wait.
Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
December could be the only month of the year in the Canary Islands when very few people would consider sunbathing.
Still, compared to the rest of Europe, Tenerife is nice. Tenerife, the largest and most English-speaking of the Canary Islands, is no mystery to the hundreds of thousands of northern Europeans who spend a month or more here each year.
Even if you can’t sunbathe, the weather is still nice all the time, with almost no rain. Weekly and monthly apartment rentals here are very popular, but there are many hotels and hundreds of restaurants for those who come for shorter periods.
If you want to be with the majority of English speakers, you will want to focus on the southwestern area of the island around Los Cristianos and Playa de la América.
Cairo, Egypt
Despite its image of a heatwave all the time, December in Cairo can actually be chilly, at least in the evening. This is great because almost all of the important sites are outdoors and require a lot of walking between them.
For 9 months of the year, it can get very hot, so these cooler few months are ideal for visiting famous December global holiday sites.
Fortunately, it rarely rains in Cairo, so even though December is one of the wettest months it doesn’t mean anything and you are unlikely to see even a drop of rain.
Hotel prices peak in Cairo at the end of December, so it’s best to go early in the month if possible. Egypt is definitely one of the cheapest places to travel in December, and the weather is surprisingly pleasant as well.
Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town obviously has its summer starting in December, so temperatures should be pleasant for anyone coming from a wintry climate.
It’s about as far from the equator as Los Angeles, and it has a similar climate in reverse, meaning it’s rarely too hot or too cold, at least near the coast.
It’s a fairly inexpensive city compared to Europe or North America, so at least good deals aren’t hard to come by in the field once you’re there.
Flights are of course long and usually a bit expensive so the whole trip will add up for sure. Hotels will be cheaper in early December than during Christmas week, of course.
Bangkok, Thailand
The driest and coolest month of the year, Bangkok is ideal in December, or at least as ideal as ever. It is very hot and quite humid most days of the year, but the humidity decreases a bit in the winter, which will be much appreciated for anyone who spends more than an hour or two outdoors.
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There is a huge range of quality and December global holidays price when it comes to hotels in Bangkok, and the city is huge too, so you really want to do your research for this place.
Most people are happier to pay a little extra to stay near the river and all the tourist attractions, or even in the infamous Khaosan Road backpacker district which is cheap and fun, albeit it is. cheesy.
Goa, India
If you are looking for a cheap, beautiful and relaxing beach destination in December, Goa is ideal. It has become extremely popular with package tourists from Europe and Israel (and more recently Russia).
The fact that almost everyone speaks English and there aren’t many cultural opportunities means that it’s a perfect place to vegetate on a beach chair for a week or two.
Unsurprisingly, the weeks around Christmas and New Year’s are literally the busiest of the year in Goa, so book a hotel well in advance or be flexible once you arrive.
Some cities, like Calangute, are lined with package hotels that fill up completely, but other cities, like Anjuna and Vagator, are usually booked in person or by email, so you can often find a place just inside yourself.
If you are in the mood to take the tour, Mumbai has wonderful weather in December and Delhi has warm days but cool evenings this time of year.
Goa has some of the best December global holiday beaches in all of Asia, so check this one out.
Dubai, UAE
December and January are the two busiest months in Dubai, mainly because it is one of the closest places to Europe which has hot weather this time of year and is also safe.
Even though the UAE is a Muslim country, Christmas weeks are the most expensive here as most visitors come from Europe anyway.
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The weather in December is actually warm enough to sit on the beach, but most people who come to Dubai tend to relax and do a lot of shopping in one of the huge and modern malls here.
The restaurant scene is also very interesting and you can eat cheaply if you follow the local workers, or go to one of the hotel restaurants and enjoy world-class cuisine.
- Best December Global Holidays Travel. Find Hotel Near Me With Discount Rooms.