Where to go in December
131 cities where December is one of the best months to travel. 96 of them need no visa. Temperature and rainfall are climate normals; prices are median nightly rates for a 2–3 star room and a hostel bed.
| City | Daytime | Rainfall | Room 2–3★ | Hostel | Visa |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Chiang MaiThailand | 27 °C | 13 mm | $52 | $19 | Visa-free |
 AxumEthiopia | 24 °C | 3 mm | $20 | — | Visa-free |
 AqabaJordan | 23 °C | 5 mm | $62 | — | Visa-free |
 DhakaBangladesh | 25 °C | 16 mm | $41 | $22 | Visa-free |
 BaganMyanmar | 31 °C | 7 mm | $51 | — | Visa needed |
 NizwaOman | 27 °C | 8 mm | $99 | — | Visa-free |
 EilatIsrael | 22 °C | 5 mm | $622 | $207 | Visa-free |
 ManamaBahrain | 22 °C | 8 mm | $96 | — | Visa-free |
 DohaQatar | 24 °C | 9 mm | $91 | — | Visa-free |
 JeddahSaudi Arabia | 30 °C | 5 mm | $77 | — | Visa-free |
| SurOman | 27 °C | 7 mm | $128 | — | Visa-free |
 ZiguinchorSenegal | 30 °C | 0 mm | $38 | — | Visa-free |
 AdelaideAustralia | 27 °C | 23 mm | $98 | — | Visa-free |
 MumbaiIndia | 30 °C | 5 mm | $48 | $12 | Visa needed |
 Cape TownSouth Africa | 21 °C | 12 mm | $146 | $26 | Visa-free |
| PerthAustralia | 25 °C | 12 mm | $130 | $31 | Visa-free |
 HavanaCuba | 27 °C | 30 mm | $76 | — | Visa needed |
| ChittagongBangladesh | 25 °C | 14 mm | $58 | — | Visa-free |
 LahorePakistan | 22 °C | 10 mm | $54 | — | Visa-free |
 Luang PrabangLaos | 28 °C | 12 mm | $55 | $22 | Visa-free |
 LumbiniNepal | 23 °C | 5 mm | $42 | — | Visa-free |
| Vang ViengLaos | 29 °C | 7 mm | $26 | $15 | Visa-free |
 Hong KongГонконг | 21 °C | 25 mm | $104 | $18 | Visa-free |
| LalibelaEthiopia | 21 °C | 7 mm | $30 | $22 | Visa-free |
 MéridaMexico | 29 °C | 34 mm | $76 | $48 | Visa-free |
| VientianeLaos | 27 °C | 6 mm | $49 | $16 | Visa-free |
| OaxacaMexico | 24 °C | 8 mm | $49 | — | Visa-free |
| VaranasiIndia | 24 °C | 5 mm | $36 | $24 | Visa needed |
| RiyadhSaudi Arabia | 22 °C | 6 mm | $92 | $32 | Visa-free |
 DubaiUnited Arab Emirates | 25 °C | 14 mm | $85 | — | Visa-free |
| SalalahOman | 29 °C | 3 mm | $54 | — | Visa-free |
| MandalayMyanmar | 32 °C | 7 mm | $27 | — | Visa needed |
| TrinidadCuba | 28 °C | 16 mm | $60 | — | Visa needed |
| JaipurIndia | 24 °C | 3 mm | $30 | $4 | Visa needed |
| AgraIndia | 24 °C | 6 mm | $28 | — | Visa needed |
| Chiang RaiThailand | 26 °C | 15 mm | $28 | $20 | Visa-free |
 HanoiVietnam | 21 °C | 25 mm | $34 | $13 | Visa needed |
| San Cristóbal de las CasasMexico | 22 °C | 27 mm | $71 | — | Visa-free |
| MuscatOman | 25 °C | 10 mm | $65 | — | Visa-free |
| Ninh BinhVietnam | 21 °C | 27 mm | $70 | — | Visa needed |
 AswanEgypt | 25 °C | 0 mm | $75 | — | Visa-free |
 PanajachelGuatemala | 22 °C | 8 mm | $96 | — | Visa-free |
| Ha LongVietnam | 21 °C | 28 mm | $49 | — | Visa needed |
| LuxorEgypt | 23 °C | 0 mm | $51 | $15 | Visa-free |
| KarachiPakistan | 26 °C | 7 mm | $27 | — | Visa-free |
| Addis AbabaEthiopia | 22 °C | 13 mm | $59 | $30 | Visa-free |
| Abu DhabiUnited Arab Emirates | 25 °C | 9 mm | $143 | $77 | Visa-free |
| GondarEthiopia | 26 °C | 7 mm | $38 | — | Visa-free |
| Bahir DarEthiopia | 26 °C | 10 mm | $58 | — | Visa-free |
| StellenboschSouth Africa | 25 °C | 21 mm | $184 | $157 | Visa-free |
| DakarSenegal | 26 °C | 13 mm | $187 | — | Visa-free |
| Cox's BazarBangladesh | 24 °C | 11 mm | $48 | — | Visa-free |
 PunakhaBhutan | 20 °C | 2 mm | $53 | — | Visa needed |
 KaipingChina | 20 °C | 31 mm | — | — | Visa needed |
| AlUlaSaudi Arabia | 23 °C | 4 mm | $79 | — | Visa-free |
| Mexico CityMexico | 21 °C | 6 mm | $105 | — | Visa-free |
| DelhiIndia | 23 °C | 7 mm | $30 | $15 | Visa needed |
 KanoNigeria | 31 °C | 0 mm | — | — | Visa needed |
| Saint-LouisSenegal | 30 °C | 0 mm | — | — | Visa-free |
| GuangzhouChina | 21 °C | 30 mm | $52 | $11 | Visa needed |
| Antigua GuatemalaGuatemala | 22 °C | 8 mm | $169 | — | Visa-free |
 YaoundeCameroon | 28 °C | 18 mm | $49 | — | Visa needed |
| ShenzhenChina | 21 °C | 21 mm | $79 | $53 | Visa needed |
| GuadalajaraMexico | 24 °C | 7 mm | $67 | — | Visa-free |
 QeshmIran | 25 °C | 15 mm | — | — | Visa needed |
 MonteverdeCosta Rica | 22 °C | 28 mm | $210 | — | Visa-free |
| AlexandriaEgypt | 20 °C | 20 mm | $95 | — | Visa-free |
 MarrakechMorocco | 20 °C | 32 mm | $55 | $21 | Visa-free |
| CairoEgypt | 20 °C | 7 mm | $49 | $24 | Visa-free |
| NgapaliMyanmar | 30 °C | 9 mm | $55 | — | Visa needed |
| PokharaNepal | 20 °C | 6 mm | $30 | $10 | Visa-free |
 Kuwait CityKuwait | 20 °C | 8 mm | $111 | — | Visa-free |
| TulumMexico | 27 °C | 60 mm | $74 | — | Visa-free |
| MelbourneAustralia | 23 °C | 60 mm | $170 | $48 | Visa-free |
| La FortunaCosta Rica | 27 °C | 61 mm | $133 | — | Visa-free |
 BarilocheArgentina | 19 °C | 30 mm | $115 | $84 | Visa-free |
| IslamabadPakistan | 19 °C | 25 mm | $93 | $28 | Visa-free |
 UyuniBolivia | 20 °C | 64 mm | $60 | — | Visa-free |
| AbujaNigeria | 32 °C | 1 mm | $74 | — | Visa needed |
| ShushtarIran | 20 °C | 50 mm | — | — | Visa needed |
| San JoséCosta Rica | 23 °C | 70 mm | $107 | — | Visa-free |
| ShushIran | 19 °C | 48 mm | $47 | — | Visa needed |
 SamanaDominican Republic | 29 °C | 57 mm | $99 | — | Visa-free |
| Santo DomingoDominican Republic | 29 °C | 42 mm | $77 | — | Visa-free |
 ChristchurchNew Zealand | 22 °C | 77 mm | $115 | — | Visa-free |
| AyutthayaThailand | 30 °C | 9 mm | $48 | — | Visa-free |
| NanningChina | 19 °C | 33 mm | $49 | $24 | Visa needed |
| AucklandNew Zealand | 21 °C | 81 mm | $112 | — | Visa-free |
| GoaIndia | 30 °C | 4 mm | $36 | $11 | Visa needed |
| PakseLaos | 31 °C | 10 mm | $44 | $9 | Visa-free |
 MontevideoUruguay | 25 °C | 86 mm | $96 | — | Visa-free |
 SihanoukvilleCambodia | 28 °C | 48 mm | $48 | $14 | Visa-free |
| Tel AvivIsrael | 20 °C | 83 mm | $235 | $75 | Visa-free |
| Buenos AiresArgentina | 26 °C | 94 mm | $103 | — | Visa-free |
| Colonia del SacramentoUruguay | 26 °C | 94 mm | $114 | — | Visa-free |
| BangkokThailand | 31 °C | 10 mm | $54 | — | Visa-free |
 NaivashaKenya | 24 °C | 95 mm | $52 | $35 | Visa-free |
| NakuruKenya | 25 °C | 95 mm | $84 | $27 | Visa-free |
| RotoruaNew Zealand | 21 °C | 96 mm | $165 | — | Visa-free |
| YangonMyanmar | 31 °C | 7 mm | $60 | — | Visa needed |
| KeralaIndia | 30 °C | 26 mm | $73 | $51 | Visa needed |
 Fort PortalUganda | 25 °C | 99 mm | $75 | $67 | Visa needed |
| LimbeCameroon | 29 °C | 28 mm | $129 | — | Visa needed |
 QuitoEcuador | 22 °C | 100 mm | $97 | — | Visa-free |
| BattambangCambodia | 31 °C | 10 mm | $43 | $9 | Visa-free |
| SapaVietnam | 18 °C | 33 mm | $29 | $14 | Visa needed |
 KigaliRwanda | 25 °C | 109 mm | — | — | Visa-free |
 ValparaísoChile | 18 °C | 3 mm | $103 | $43 | Visa-free |
| FloresGuatemala | 26 °C | 109 mm | $28 | — | Visa-free |
| KampotCambodia | 29 °C | 44 mm | $49 | — | Visa-free |
 KumasiGhana | 31 °C | 21 mm | $89 | $40 | Visa-free |
| KampalaUganda | 28 °C | 116 mm | $95 | — | Visa needed |
| LagosNigeria | 29 °C | 25 mm | $78 | — | Visa needed |
| Siem ReapCambodia | 32 °C | 7 mm | $43 | $13 | Visa-free |
| Port HarcourtNigeria | 30 °C | 29 mm | $72 | $54 | Visa needed |
| Ho Chi Minh CityVietnam | 30 °C | 32 mm | $31 | $15 | Visa needed |
| WellingtonNew Zealand | 17 °C | 69 mm | $107 | — | Visa-free |
 SalvadorBrazil | 30 °C | 57 mm | $63 | $14 | Visa-free |
| FortalezaBrazil | 30 °C | 25 mm | $60 | — | Visa-free |
| QueenstownNew Zealand | 19 °C | 120 mm | $216 | $33 | Visa-free |
 YamoussoukroCôte d'Ivoire | 33 °C | 25 mm | $45 | — | Visa-free |
| Phnom PenhCambodia | 32 °C | 28 mm | $52 | — | Visa-free |
 CartagenaColombia | 29 °C | 56 mm | $85 | — | Visa-free |
| KrabiThailand | 28 °C | 139 mm | $38 | — | Visa-free |
| PhuketThailand | 28 °C | 137 mm | $42 | $21 | Visa-free |
| DoualaCameroon | 30 °C | 28 mm | $81 | $47 | Visa needed |
| Santa MartaColombia | 31 °C | 26 mm | $95 | $16 | Visa-free |
 LangkawiMalaysia | 29 °C | 174 mm | $83 | $26 | Visa-free |
| Puerto NatalesChile | 13 °C | 108 mm | $126 | — | Visa-free |
| MalaccaMalaysia | 29 °C | 230 mm | $39 | $21 | Visa-free |
| Kuala LumpurMalaysia | 29 °C | 263 mm | $40 | $20 | Visa-free |
Where the numbers come from
Temperature and rainfall are monthly climate normals from NASA POWER and NOAA weather stations, averaged over many years. They are not a forecast for a given date: a single year deviates from the norm, but the order of magnitude holds.
Prices are median nightly rates blended from several booking sources, flights excluded. "Room 2–3★" is a double room in a mid-range hotel or guesthouse, priced per room. "Hostel" is a bed in a shared dorm, priced per person, and is known for about half the cities.
Which column to read depends on who is travelling. Solo, a hostel bed is cheaper. For two, a room usually wins: split in half it costs about the same as two dorm beds, but comes with a door and a bathroom. For three or four, the room wins outright.
Visa status is shown for a US passport and applies to the country, not the city. Check the rules on the country page before you travel: they change far more often than the climate.
Frequently asked
Where can I go visa-free in December?
96 of the 131 cities listed are in countries that need no visa. The visa-free filter leaves exactly those in the table, and the daytime column shows which of them are warm this month.
Where is it warm in December?
The daytime column is the average daily high for the month, and warmest-first sorts by it. Watch the rainfall too: in the tropics a warm month can coincide with the wet season, and the rainfall normal will be several times higher.
How much does a night cost in December?
The table carries two prices: a double room in a 2–3 star hotel or guesthouse per room, and a dorm bed per person. Solo travellers usually do better in a hostel; for two, the room split in half costs about the same as two beds but comes with a private bathroom. Flights are not included.