December is really two months wearing the same name. One December is cold and northern — Christmas markets steaming with Glühwein, ski lifts spinning for opening week, and the aurora arcing over the Arctic on the longest nights of the year. The other December is upside down: it's high summer in the Southern Hemisphere, the dry-season sun has finally landed on Southeast Asia's best beaches, and half the planet's warmest coastlines are at their most reliable. Almost every "best of December" list picks one hemisphere and ignores the other. That's how you end up in the wrong place.
The honest complication is price. The week from roughly December 20 to January 2 is the single most expensive travel window of the year almost everywhere on Earth — flights spike, hotels add holiday surcharges, and the good ski chalets and beach villas book out months ahead. But early and mid-December is one of travel's quiet sweet spots: the markets are open, the snow is often already down, the beaches are dry, and you're paying a fraction of what someone arriving on the 22nd will. Below are twelve destinations where December is demonstrably the right month — with real daily costs and a clear note on which weeks to book and which to skip.
Quick-Pick Comparison: 12 December Destinations
| Destination | Why December | Daily budget (mid-range, pp) | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vienna, Austria | Christmas markets at full voltage | $130–190 | High |
| Tromsø, Norway | Polar-night aurora season peak | $180–260 | Moderate–high |
| St. Anton am Arlberg, Austria | Ski season opening, reliable snow | $160–240 | High (holiday weeks) |
| Krabi & Railay, Thailand | Andaman dry season begins | $50–80 | High |
| Kerala, India | Dry, cool backwater season | $40–70 | Moderate |
| Southern Vietnam & Phu Quoc | Dry-season sun in the south | $45–75 | Moderate |
| Sri Lanka's south coast | Southwest beaches turn dry | $45–75 | Moderate–high |
| Dubai, UAE | Cool season, 25°C and sunny | $120–200 | High |
| Cape Town & the Winelands | Southern-summer peak | $80–130 | High |
| Torres del Paine, Patagonia | Long days, warmest window | $150–220 | Very high |
| Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Summer beaches, Réveillon | $70–120 | High |
| Tulum & the Riviera Maya | Dry season, warm Caribbean | $110–170 | High |
1. Vienna, Austria — Christmas Markets at Full Voltage
There are prettier single markets in Europe, but no city runs the whole tradition better than Vienna in December. The Rathausplatz market glows in front of the neo-Gothic city hall, the smaller Spittelberg and Karlsplatz markets trade tat for actual craft, and between them the coffee houses, opera, and museums give you a full city rather than just a row of huts. It's Christmas-market Europe with a capital behind it.
Cost reality: $130–190/day mid-range — hotel rates climb through December, so book the sleep first. The trade-off: the markets close around December 23–26, so the classic experience is early-to-mid December, not the days between Christmas and New Year. Come the first three weeks; skip the dead zone right after the markets shut.
2. Tromsø, Norway — The Aurora at Its Best
Two hundred miles north of the Arctic Circle, Tromsø spends December in polar night — the sun doesn't clear the horizon — which is exactly the point. Those long dark hours are prime aurora-hunting time, and Tromsø sits squarely under the auroral oval with tour operators who chase clear sky for a living. Add dog-sledding, Sami reindeer camps, and a surprisingly good little food-and-bar scene, and it's the most complete Arctic-winter base in Europe.
Cost reality: $180–260/day — Norway is expensive and aurora tours run $130–180 each; a self-drive chase night is the budget play. The trade-off: you're gambling on cloud cover, and there's no sunlight for landscape photos. Give it three or four nights so one clears — and read our northern lights guide before you book a chase.
3. St. Anton am Arlberg, Austria — Opening Week, Real Snow
The Austrian Alps are one of the few places where December reliably delivers early-season snow on serious terrain. St. Anton, at the heart of the vast Ski Arlberg network, opens in early December with high, snow-sure pistes and the après-ski culture that made its name — the Mooserwirt does more turnover than most nightclubs. Come before the holidays and you get the mountain at a fraction of the peak-week price.
Cost reality: $160–240/day plus a lift pass (~€60/day); early-December lodging is far cheaper than the Christmas-to-New-Year block. The trade-off: natural snow in the first half of December is good but not guaranteed at lower elevations — pick a high, glacier-backed area, and be flexible on exact dates. Christmas and New Year weeks are booked out by summer and cost roughly double.
4. Krabi & Railay, Thailand — The Andaman Turns Dry
While northern Europe bundles up, Thailand's Andaman coast is entering its best stretch of the year. December is the start of dry season around Krabi and Railay: warm 30°C days, calm turquoise water, and the limestone karsts standing crisp against clear sky instead of monsoon haze. Railay's climbing walls, the four-island longtail hops, and the Phi Phi day trips all work at their best right now.
Cost reality: $50–80/day mid-range — one of the strongest value-per-degree picks on this list. The trade-off: everyone knows December is Andaman season, so beaches and boats get busy, and rates ratchet up sharply from about December 20. Come in the first half of the month, and base in Railay or Ao Nang rather than crowded Phi Phi.
5. Kerala, India — Backwaters in the Cool, Dry Season
December is peak season in Kerala for the right reasons: the monsoon is long gone, humidity drops, and days settle into a comfortable 28–30°C. This is when the palm-lined backwaters are at their most photogenic, the tea hills of Munnar are crisp and green, and the beaches at Varkala and Marari are dry and warm. A houseboat night on the Alleppey backwaters is one of the great slow-travel experiences, and December is the month it delivers.
Cost reality: $40–70/day mid-range — a private houseboat splits cheaply between two and is worth the splurge. The trade-off: Kerala's peak season means the best houseboats and hill-station stays fill early, and Christmas-week rates jump. Book Munnar and Alleppey ahead; the coast stays easier.
6. Southern Vietnam & Phu Quoc — Dry-Season Sun in the South
Vietnam is a country of three climates, and in December the south is where you want to be. Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta, and the island of Phu Quoc sit in their dry season — warm, sunny days with little rain — while the central coast is still catching the tail of its wet months. Pair the Delta's floating markets and street food with a few days on Phu Quoc's west-coast beaches and you get a genuinely warm December at a fraction of Caribbean prices.
Cost reality: $45–75/day mid-range — street food, cheap domestic flights, and beach bungalows keep budgets low. The trade-off: the north (Hanoi, Sapa) is cool and can be grey-drizzly, and central Hoi An/Da Nang can still see rain early in the month. Build your December route around the south, not a full north-to-south sweep.
7. Sri Lanka's South Coast — The Beaches Flip to Dry
Sri Lanka runs on two monsoons, and December inverts the calendar we wrote about for August. Now it's the southwest coast that turns dry: Mirissa, Weligama, and Unawatuna get calm, sunny beach weather, the whale-watching season off Mirissa opens, and the cultural triangle and hill country at Ella are at their most pleasant. It's the country's headline season, and the south is the star.
Cost reality: $45–75/day mid-range — superb value, with $10 curries and boutique guesthouses on the beach. The trade-off: December is peak on the south coast, so Mirissa and Unawatuna get busy and prices firm up, especially over the holidays. The east coast (Arugam Bay) is now in its off-season — this is the opposite of an August trip to Sri Lanka, so don't reuse a summer itinerary.
8. Dubai, UAE — The City Finally Cools Down
Dubai is unbearable in summer and close to perfect in December. The cool season lands the desert at a sunny 25°C, which is why this is the emirate's headline month: beach clubs, desert safaris, and the whole outdoor city come alive without the furnace. It's also a genuinely easy long-haul base — modern, connected, and set up for first-time visitors — with the beaches, dunes, and dining all working at once.
Cost reality: $120–200/day mid-range — you can dial this way up or find surprising value on early-December hotel deals. The trade-off: December is high season, so rates and crowds climb, peaking hard over the New Year fireworks. The first two weeks are the smart window — same weather, far softer prices.
9. Cape Town & the Cape Winelands, South Africa — Southern Summer Peak
Flip the hemisphere and December is high summer at the tip of Africa. Cape Town runs long, bright 26°C days, Table Mountain is clear, the Cape beaches and the coastal drive to Cape Point are at their best, and the Winelands around Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are in full harvest-season swing. It's one of the world's great summer cities arriving exactly when the north goes dark — and a favorite among warm-weather honeymooners, as our 2026 honeymoon guide notes.
Cost reality: $80–130/day mid-range — strong value for a world-class city, though wine-country stays climb. The trade-off: December is also local summer holidays, so beaches, restaurants, and the Winelands get busy and prices rise into the New Year. Book the marquee restaurants and wine estates ahead, and expect the coast to be lively rather than quiet.
10. Torres del Paine, Patagonia — The One Warm Window
Patagonia is only comfortably walkable for a few months a year, and December sits right at the start of the best of them. In the far south of Chile, this is peak summer: the longest days on the continent (light past 10pm), the warmest temperatures the region gets, and the wind — while still famous — at its most forgiving. The W Trek through Torres del Paine, with its granite towers and glacier-fed lakes, is arguably the finest multi-day hike on the planet, and December is when it's genuinely open.
Cost reality: $150–220/day — Patagonia is remote and peak-season pricing is real; refugio beds and park logistics add up. The trade-off: this is the busiest month, so refugios and campsites inside the park book out months ahead — reserve now or you don't walk. The weather is still Patagonia: pack for four seasons in a day.
11. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — Summer Beaches and Réveillon
December in Rio is beach season at full tilt. The city runs hot and bright, Copacabana and Ipanema fill with the easy rhythm of Carioca summer, and Christ the Redeemer looks down on a city in its best mood of the year. The month climaxes with Réveillon — the New Year's Eve celebration on Copacabana beach, two million people in white watching the fireworks over the Atlantic, one of the biggest parties on the planet.
Cost reality: $70–120/day mid-range — everyday Rio is affordable; Réveillon week is not. The trade-off: if you want the fireworks, book Copacabana or Ipanema lodging months out and expect minimum-stay rules and holiday pricing. If you don't, come earlier in December for the same beaches at half the cost.
12. Tulum & the Riviera Maya, Mexico — Dry Season on the Caribbean
The Mexican Caribbean shakes off its wet months in December: humidity drops, the sargassum seaweed that plagues summer is usually at its lowest, and Tulum and the wider Riviera Maya settle into warm, dry 28°C days. Cenote swims, the Sian Ka'an biosphere, and the ruins above the turquoise sea all work without the afternoon downpours — and the reefs off Cozumel are at their clearest.
Cost reality: $110–170/day mid-range — Tulum has priced itself up; Playa del Carmen and Puerto Morelos are gentler on the budget. The trade-off: December is the start of high season, so it's busier and pricier than the fall, and the holiday week is a Tulum scene at full markup. Early December is the value pocket — dry weather, softer prices, fewer crowds.
Practical Tips for December Travel
- Book the two weeks around the holidays, or dodge them entirely. The December 20–January 2 window is the year's single most expensive stretch almost everywhere. If your dates are flexible, the first two weeks of December deliver the same markets, snow, and beaches for far less.
- Pick a hemisphere on purpose. December splits the planet: it's markets-and-ski cold up north and full summer down south. Don't chase a "warm December" in Vienna or a "cozy Christmas" in Rio — decide which December you actually want first.
- For sun, follow the dry season, not just the latitude. Southeast Asia's best beaches (Krabi, southern Vietnam, Sri Lanka's south coast) turn dry in December, while the central Vietnamese coast is still catching rain. The MonkeyTravel free AI trip planner can sanity-check the weather for your exact route.
- Aurora and snow are gambles — buy yourself time. Give the northern lights three or four nights to beat the cloud, and don't build a December ski trip around a single low-elevation resort. Height and buffer days are your insurance.
- If you can shift into January, the prices fall off a cliff. The first weeks of January bring near-identical weather at a fraction of holiday rates for most of this list. See how the months line up in our 2026 travel calendar.
Plan Your December Trip in 30 Seconds
Pick one of the twelve above, and MonkeyTravel's free AI trip planner will build a day-by-day itinerary for it — real places, opening hours, budgets — in about half a minute. No signup needed to try it.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Where is the best place to go in December 2026?
It depends which December you want. For the classic winter experience, Vienna's Christmas markets (early-to-mid December) and Tromsø for the aurora are hard to beat. For sun and value, Krabi, Kerala, and Sri Lanka's south coast are in dry season; for full summer, Cape Town and Rio de Janeiro are at their peak.
Where can I find winter sun in December?
Follow the dry season and the Southern Hemisphere summer. Thailand's Andaman coast, Kerala, southern Vietnam, and Sri Lanka's south coast are warm and dry; Dubai lands at a sunny 25°C; and Cape Town, Rio, and Tulum are in warm-to-hot summer weather. Avoid the Mediterranean and the Caribbean's still-transitional early days if you want guaranteed sun.
Is December too expensive to travel?
Only if you travel in the wrong two weeks. December 20 to January 2 is the year's peak-price window almost everywhere — flights, hotels, and ski chalets all surcharge. But early and mid-December is a genuine sweet spot: markets open, snow often down, beaches dry, and prices a fraction of the holiday week. Shifting your dates a week either side of Christmas can halve the bill.
Where is it cheap to travel in December?
Southeast and South Asia deliver the best value: Kerala ($40–70/day), southern Vietnam and Phu Quoc ($45–75/day), and Sri Lanka's south coast ($45–75/day) are all in prime season for little money. Cape Town ($80–130/day) is the strongest value among the summer-hemisphere cities. Avoid the holiday-week surcharge and these stretch even further.
