Brits dodge the big chill: thirteen hot December escapes with 15–27c heat and 6–11 sunshine hours

Dark mornings bite. Scarves creep back. Your calendar fills while your body begs for warmth, light and a dose of easy joy.

The turn into December needn’t mean hibernation. From short hops in Europe to long-haul icons, there are reliable places where the mercury rises, the sea shimmers and daylight lingers. Here’s how to pick a trip that gives you real sun for your time and money in 2025.

December at a glance

Expect 15–27c daytime warmth and 6–11 hours of sunshine in proven winter-sun spots across Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.

December sits in peak summer for the southern hemisphere and the dry, bright season for several Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian cities. Even Europe offers pockets of mild, beach-friendly weather.

Short-haul sunshine you can reach before lunch

Canary islands: big skies, easy warmth

Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Lanzarote deliver a dependable mix of 18–22c highs, long promenades and sheltered coves. Gran Canaria’s dunes at Maspalomas and the highland monolith Roque Nublo add drama to beach days. Tenerife brings Mount Teide’s volcanic panoramas, while Lanzarote’s Timanfaya National Park presents stark, lunar terrain beside golden bays.

For families, four-hour flights and pool-ready afternoons keep costs and stress down.

Atlantic outpost with a softer winter: Madeira

Madeira offers 16–20c days, neat levada trails and lively Funchal squares. You get craggy coasts and mountain viewpoints rather than wall-to-wall beach clubs, plus decent sea-swimming when the trade winds calm.

Cyprus and Gibraltar: mild, bright and cultural

Limassol and Paphos hover around 15–20c, with Roman ruins, castles and waterfront strolls as the main draw. Gibraltar pairs cliff-top vistas and limestone caves with a compact old town. Pack a light layer for evenings.

Heat with culture and coast

Canún and the Riviera Maya

Canún hits the mid-20s to 30c window after the rains ease. White sands frame clear Caribbean water, while the Mesoamerican Reef supports standout diving and snorkelling. Day trips layer history on top of beach time: Chichén Itzá for grand Mayan architecture, Tulum for clifftop temples and cenotes for cool, limestone pools.

Hurghada and the Red Sea

Hurghada sits around 21–22c in December, warm enough for boat trips and reef dives without the peak-summer scorch. Families lean on calm, shallow beaches. Day tours reach Bedouin settlements and offshore islands for pale sands and glassy shallows.

Warm city breaks with serious sights

Muscat’s coastal calm

Muscat balances a crescent of fine beaches with mountain backdrops and a low-rise skyline. Expect 23c days, a breezy Corniche in Muttrah and the scent of frankincense in the souq. The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque showcases modern Islamic design, while wadis and forts sit within easy reach for day trips.

Bangkok’s dry-season buzz

Bangkok turns on the charm at around 27c and bright, dry air. The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew glint in the sun, while Wat Pho’s sprawling grounds reward unhurried walks. Evenings belong to night markets and street food lanes in Yaowarat and across the riverside districts.

Southern hemisphere summer, straight up

Sydney’s beaches and harbours

Summer starts in earnest in Sydney, with 21c averages and eight hours of sun. Ferries sweep across a glittering harbour, surfers gather at Bondi and Manly, and galleries sit within a short stroll of the Royal Botanic Garden. Add a coastal path walk for sea air and cliff views.

Cape Town’s mountain-meets-ocean mix

Cape Town thrives on 22c days and generous sunshine. Table Mountain tempts hikers in the softer heat, and the V&A Waterfront concentrates restaurants, markets and museums. Camps Bay serves easy beach hours, while Bo-Kaap’s colour-washed streets deliver deep local character. Robben Island adds context and reflection.

Who should go where

• Families with small children: Gran Canaria or Tenerife for short flights and sandy, sheltered beaches.
• Couples chasing culture and coast: Limassol, Paphos or Madeira for ruins, gardens and cliff paths.
• Divers and snorkellers: Canún and Hurghada for reefs, calm seas and reliable boat operators.
• City lovers: Bangkok for temples and food, Muscat for souqs and sea views.
• Adventurers: Cape Town for hiking and coastal drives, Lanzarote for volcanic landscapes.

Timing, tides and practical choices

Travel in early December for calmer airports, lower rates and warm weather before school holidays lift demand.

Early December often brings better value than the festive fortnight. Shoulder dates cut hotel rates and improve seat choice on flights.

Pack layers for European picks, where evenings dip. For Canún, Bangkok and Muscat, go light and breathable. A light rain jacket helps in tropical climates, even in drier months. Reef-safe sun cream protects marine life where you plan to swim.

Jet lag varies. Cape Town aligns closely with UK time, which helps on short trips. Bangkok sits seven hours ahead, and Sydney pushes a full day, so build in a recovery day if you want to keep mornings free for activities.

Extra value in 2025

How to balance cost and comfort

Package holidays can undercut DIY bookings on the Canaries and Cyprus once you add transfers and checked luggage. For long haul, check whether a hotel’s flexible rate with free cancellation offsets the risk of fare shifts on flights you book later.

Consider multi-centre stays. Two nights in Bangkok, then a beach week on a Thai island, or a Cape Town city base plus a Winelands side trip, stretches variety without adding long internal flights.

Activities that lift a winter-sun week

Swap one beach day for a signature walk: Tenerife’s trails around Teide’s lava fields, Madeira’s levadas or Gran Canaria’s highland viewpoints change the pace and add standout photos. In Muscat, a morning at the Grand Mosque followed by sunset on Qurum Beach fits neatly into a single day. In Canún, plan cenotes early to beat crowds and catch the light.

Health, safety and small print you shouldn’t skip

Bring high-SPF sun cream, a brimmed hat and mineral water on all-day outings, even at 18–20c. In warmer zones, schedule outdoor exertion early or late. If you plan to dive or snorkel, allow at least 24 hours between your last dive and your flight home.

Check local public holidays near Christmas and New Year. Museums and markets sometimes shift hours. Pre-book popular sights such as Robben Island to lock in a slot, and keep digital copies of reservations for quick access at checkpoints.