Winter sun in December: 13 hot escapes for you with 6-11 hours of sunshine and 15-27C temps

Grey mornings again? Trade drizzle for daylight with destinations serving real warmth, longer days and easy-breezy travel in December.

Planning a late‑year getaway can feel daunting when the UK is down to short days and single‑digit temperatures. Yet across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and far beyond, December brings shirtsleeves, blue skies and beach weather. Here’s where you can actually count on warmth, plus what each place suits best in 2025.

Thirteen winter‑sun ideas, from 15C strolls to 27C sizzlers, and daily sunshine stretching from five to eleven hours.

At a glance: where stays warm in December

Think in bands: under five hours to the Canaries and Madeira, mid‑haul to Oman and Egypt, long‑haul to the Americas, Africa and Asia.

Short‑haul sunshine you can reach fast

Gran Canaria

A cosmopolitan capital in Las Palmas, golden arcs at Amadores and the wind‑sculpted Maspalomas dunes give you city buzz and beach calm on one island. Inland, pine‑draped slopes and the Roque Nublo reward half‑day hikes with widescreen views.

Tenerife

Expect beach‑day conditions on the south‑west coast and cooler, crisp air in Teide National Park for volcanic trails above a sea of clouds. Santa Cruz and La Laguna add galleries, markets and a proper Canarian pace of life.

Lanzarote

Timanfaya’s lava fields, cliff‑backed coves and César Manrique’s stylish interventions make a striking winter palette of black, gold and ocean blue. The island’s compact size suits week‑long breaks without a car‑heavy itinerary.

Madeira

Funchal’s waterfront cafés and cable‑car gardens sit within an amphitheatre of green hills. Levadas provide level, waymarked walks, ideal for mild‑weather days when you want scenery without sweat‑drenched climbs.

Gibraltar

A British outpost at the Strait, it mixes limestone tunnels, an easy promenade and cliff‑top macaques with Mediterranean light. Clear days deliver views across to North Africa and good walking on the Upper Rock paths.

Paphos

Roman mosaics, cliff‑sheltered bays and a palm‑lined harbour bring culture and coast together. December suits archaeological sites without summer queues and gentle swims when the wind drops.

Mid‑haul and strong value

Hurghada

Red Sea reefs, boat trips to sandy islets and calm winter air create a laid‑back, good‑value beach break. Divers and snorkellers get colour‑rich coral gardens, while day tours to desert settlements add texture beyond the resort strip.

Muscat

Between the Hajar Mountains and the Gulf, you’ll find creamy beaches, a sublime corniche in Muttrah and a modern Grand Mosque that anchors the skyline. Day journeys reach wadis, forts and sea‑sliced coves, with evenings best for souq browsing.

December in the Gulf is “goldilocks” weather: warm seas, bright skies, and none of the searing summer extremes.

When you want real summer

Cancun

The dry season kicks in, bringing calm seas and beach‑first days on the Riviera Maya. Mix reef snorkelling and cenotes with time among Maya sites at Tulum or Chichen Itza for a sunny hit of history and hedonism.

Bangkok

Cooler, drier air meets full‑throttle street life. Spend mornings at the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, then graze through Chinatown by night. December is also perfect for pairing the capital with islands further south.

Sydney

Early summer means swims at Bondi and Manly, harbour ferries with a breeze on your face and daylight for rooftop bars. Galleries, coastal walks and botanic gardens turn warm days into easy city adventures.

Cape Town

Long, luminous days flatter Table Mountain’s trails and the city’s Atlantic beaches. Add Kirstenbosch’s shaded boardwalks, the V&A Waterfront’s museums and a ferry to Robben Island for a trip that balances leisure and perspective.

How to choose the right trip for you

• Travel time: under five hours to the Canaries, Madeira and Cyprus; around six to seven to Hurghada and Muscat; long‑haul for Mexico, Thailand, Australia and South Africa.
• Beach vs culture: Paphos, Muscat and Cape Town fuse heritage with sea time; Cancun, Tenerife and Gran Canaria lean beach‑first with easy day trips.
• Active breaks: Tenerife’s Teide trails, Gran Canaria’s ravines and Madeira’s levadas offer effort with views, not heatstroke.
• Nightlife: Cancun’s Hotel Zone hums; Bangkok’s markets and bars thrum late; Tenerife’s south‑west keeps music going without monsoon downpours.
• Families: choose resorts with heated pools and sheltered beaches; Lanzarote and Gran Canaria score well on short transfers and kid‑friendly promenades.

Timing, practicalities and smart packing

Seats to winter‑sun hubs sell briskly after school term ends. Autumn bookings often undercut last‑minute Christmas rushes, while early‑December departures typically avoid peak‑week premiums. Mid‑week flights can improve both fare and seat choice.

Entry rules vary. Some long‑haul destinations require electronic travel authorisations or visas; check rules for your passport and allow processing time. For health, carry routine medications in original packaging, and consider cover that includes medical costs and any planned water sports.

Pack for layers: breezy evenings follow warm days, especially on Atlantic islands and higher ground inland.

• Sun care: winter UV can still bite. Bring high‑SPF sunscreen, a hat and reef‑safe lotion for snorkelling days.
• Footwear: lightweight trainers for city miles and grippy soles for lava or sandstone paths.
• Money sense: prepaid cards help dodge poor exchange rates; small notes suit markets and taxis.
• Safety on the water: heed local flags and currents; many Atlantic beaches shelve quickly.

Extra ideas to widen your plan

Mix and match itineraries

Turn a single‑stop break into a two‑centre trip without overdoing transfers. Pair Tenerife’s beaches with a night in La Laguna’s old quarter; add a Cancun cenote circuit to beach time; split Cape Town between the Atlantic coast and a Winelands day for summer flavours without the long drive to the Garden Route.

Low‑impact choices

Choose hotels with desalination or grey‑water systems in arid regions, refill a bottle at airport fountains and pick marine tours that brief on reef etiquette. On dune systems such as Maspalomas, keep to marked paths to protect fragile plants.

December doesn’t have to mean darkness: pick your band of heat, match it to your flight tolerance, and book the light back into your year.