Where to go in December
36 of our 95 destinations are at their best in December, across Asia, Middle East, Europe, Africa, North America, Central America & Caribbean, South America and Oceania. The best places to visit in December include Bangkok, Galle, Kerala Backwaters, Luang Prabang, Muscat and Niseko.
Beach trips in December 6
El Nido
Philippines · Asia$$A town on Palawan in the Philippines, surrounded by limestone cliffs and hidden lagoons. Island-hopping boats visit the Bacuit Bay archipelago.
Best: December to AprilGoa
India · Asia$India's smallest state, with long sandy beaches, whitewashed Portuguese churches and seafood curries. The north is lively; the south is quieter.
Best: November to MarchMaldives
Maldives · Asia$$$$1,192 coral islands in 26 atolls. Manta rays, whale sharks, and some of the clearest water in the Indian Ocean.
Best: December to AprilSt Lucia
St Lucia · Central America & Caribbean$$$$An Eastern Caribbean island known for the Pitons, two volcanic spires rising from the sea. There is rainforest inland, and you can bathe at a drive-in volcano near Soufrière.
Best: December to AprilTulum
Mexico · Central America & Caribbean$$$Maya ruins on a clifftop above the Caribbean, with freshwater cenotes to swim in nearby. Sargassum seaweed tends to peak in summer.
Best: November to AprilZanzibar
Tanzania · Africa$$Swahili coral-stone town, spice plantations and powder-white beaches on the Indian Ocean. Easy to add after a safari.
Best: June to October, or December to February
City trips in December 7
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates · Middle East$$$$The UAE's capital pairs the white marble Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque with Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island. Winter brings warm beach days and the Formula 1 finale.
Best: November to MarchBangkok
Thailand · Asia$Gilded temples on the Chao Phraya, floating markets, and street food at every hour. Cool season from November to February is the easiest time.
Best: November to FebruaryCape Town
South Africa · Africa$$Table Mountain above the city, penguins at Boulders Beach, and the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek winelands an hour away.
Best: November to MarchDubai
United Arab Emirates · Middle East$$$$Record-setting towers, gold and spice souks along the Creek, and dune desert 45 minutes out of town. Summers pass 40°C, so go in winter.
Best: November to MarchMedellín
Colombia · South America$Colombia's second city, with spring-like weather all year. Cable cars link hillside neighbourhoods, and Comuna 13 is known for its street art and outdoor escalators.
Best: June to August, or December to FebruaryNew York City
United States · North America$$$$Five boroughs, the Met and MoMA, Broadway, and every cuisine on earth. Walk the High Line and cross the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset.
Best: April to June, September and October, or DecemberRio de Janeiro
Brazil · South America$$Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, Sugarloaf by cable car, and Carnival in February or March.
Best: May, September, or December to March
Culture trips in December 14
AlUla
Saudi Arabia · Middle East$$$$A desert valley in northwest Saudi Arabia with Hegra, the country's first UNESCO site: over 100 Nabataean tombs cut into sandstone. The mirrored Maraya concert hall stands among the canyons.
Best: October to MarchAntigua Guatemala
Guatemala · Central America & Caribbean$A colonial city of cobbled streets and ruined churches, ringed by three volcanoes. Its Holy Week processions are among the largest in the Americas.
Best: November to AprilCairo & Giza
Egypt · Africa$The last standing wonder of the ancient world sits at the edge of a city of 22 million. Pair the pyramids with the Grand Egyptian Museum.
Best: October to MarchCartagena
Colombia · Central America & Caribbean$$Bougainvillea-draped balconies inside 11 km of colonial walls, with day trips to the Rosario Islands.
Best: December to AprilGalle
Sri Lanka · Asia$$A fort town on Sri Lanka's south coast, begun by the Portuguese and rebuilt by the Dutch in the 17th century, with cafés and boutique hotels inside its ramparts. Beaches and whale watching at Mirissa are close by.
Best: December to MarchHavana
Cuba · Central America & Caribbean$$Crumbling colonial grandeur, 1950s cars, and live son music. Walk the Malecón seawall at sunset.
Best: December to AprilJaipur
India · Asia$Rajasthan's Pink City: Amber Fort above the lake, the Hawa Mahal's honeycomb facade, and textile and gem bazaars in the old walled city.
Best: October to MarchLuang Prabang
Laos · Asia$A UNESCO-listed town where the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers meet, with gilded temples and French colonial houses. Monks collect alms at dawn, and Kuang Si Falls is nearby.
Best: November to FebruaryLuxor
Egypt · Africa$$Ancient Thebes, on the Nile in southern Egypt. See Karnak and Luxor temples on the east bank and the Valley of the Kings on the west. Winter is the comfortable season.
Best: October to MarchMuscat
Oman · Middle East$$$Oman's low-rise capital sits between rugged mountains and the Gulf of Oman. See the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, the Mutrah souq and forts on the rocks; go in the cooler months.
Best: November to FebruaryOaxaca
Mexico · North America$Seven moles, mezcal distilleries, and Zapotec ruins at Monte Albán. Día de Muertos (Oct 31–Nov 2) is the most vivid time to visit.
Best: October to MarchPrague
Czechia · Europe$$A largely intact medieval centre, the Charles Bridge, and a hilltop castle complex. December brings the Old Town Square Christmas market.
Best: April and May, September and October, or DecemberSiem Reap
Cambodia · Asia$Gateway to Angkor, the largest religious monument on earth. Buy a multi-day pass and see Angkor Wat at sunrise and Ta Prohm in the jungle.
Best: November to MarchUdaipur
India · Asia$$Rajasthan's City of Lakes, with the white Lake Palace floating on Lake Pichola and the huge City Palace above it. Evening boat rides show it at its best.
Best: October to March
Nature trips in December 3
Galápagos Islands
Ecuador · South America$$$$Giant tortoises, marine iguanas and blue-footed boobies that don't fear people. Most visitors explore by small-ship cruise.
Best: December to JuneKerala Backwaters
India · Asia$A maze of canals, rivers and lagoons behind Kerala's coast. Overnight houseboats from Alleppey drift past rice paddies, coconut palms and village life.
Best: November to FebruaryTasmania
Australia · Oceania$$$Australia's island state, with Cradle Mountain, the curve of Wineglass Bay and MONA, a daring art museum in Hobart. Summer is best for hiking.
Best: December to March
Adventure trips in December 6
Costa Rica (Arenal)
Costa Rica · Central America & Caribbean$$A cone-shaped volcano above rainforest, with hanging bridges, zip lines and hot springs. Pair with Monteverde's cloud forest.
Best: December to AprilNiseko
Japan · Asia$$$A ski area on Hokkaido known for some of the world's most reliable powder snow. In summer, the same hills offer hiking, rafting and cool weather.
Best: July, or December to FebruaryPatagonia (Torres del Paine)
Chile · South America$$$Granite spires, glaciers and turquoise lakes at the bottom of the continent. The W Trek takes four to five days.
Best: November to MarchQueenstown
New Zealand · Oceania$$$Birthplace of commercial bungee jumping, with ski fields in winter and Milford Sound a day trip away.
Best: June to August, or December to MarchRovaniemi
Finland · Europe$$$$The capital of Finnish Lapland, just south of the Arctic Circle. Winter brings husky and reindeer sledding, northern lights and the Santa Claus Village.
Best: December to MarchVolcanoes National Park
Rwanda · Africa$$$$A park on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes in northwest Rwanda. Permits allow a small number of visitors each day to spend an hour with mountain gorillas.
Best: June to September, or December to February