Where to go for a beach holiday in December?
The 8 best destinations for a beach holiday in December, ranked on the weather actually recorded.
For a beach holiday in December, we kept seaside or island destinations with at least 24 °C in the afternoon, a sea at 22 °C or more where we measure it, and no more than eight days of rain. Temperatures and rainfall are real records, averaged from 2015 to 2024 at each destination's reference point, and the sea is measured at the nearest coastal point. 8 destinations pass this filter, in Africa, Asia and Americas. Top of the ranking: Goa (32 °C in the afternoon, 2 days of rain, sea at 29 °C).
The ranking at a glance
| # | Destination | Afternoon | Rainy days | Sea (°C) | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇮🇳 Goa | 32 °C | 2 | 29 °C | €30-70 a day |
| 2 | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 30 °C | 4 | 29 °C | €25-55 a day |
| 3 | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 31 °C | 4 | 29 °C | €30-60 a day |
| 4 | 🇴🇲 Oman | 26 °C | 1 | 26 °C | €110-180 a day |
| 5 | 🇸🇳 Dakar | 27 °C | 0 | 25 °C | €45-90 a day |
| 6 | 🇲🇽 Baja California | 25 °C | 1 | 24 °C | €70-130 a day |
| 7 | 🇦🇪 Dubai | 26 °C | 1 | 24 °C | €120-300 a day |
| 8 | 🇺🇾 Montevideo | 25 °C | 8 | 23 °C | €80-130 a day |
The 8 destinations in detail
City1 🇮🇳 Goa
🌡️ 32 °C in the afternoon, 2 days of rain, sea at 29 °C · 💶 €30-70 a day
Goa lines up 100 km of beaches on the Arabian Sea, listed baroque churches in Old Goa and ochre Portuguese houses in Fontainhas. India's smallest state is explored by scooter, is best visited from November to March and costs less than €50 a day if you stay in guesthouses.
Countries2 🇰🇭 Cambodia
🌡️ 30 °C in the afternoon, 4 days of rain, sea at 29 °C · 💶 €25-55 a day
Cambodia means sunrise over Angkor Wat, the painful memory of Phnom Penh and the floating villages of Tonle Sap Lake. A spiritual, endearing land, carried by the kindness of its people.
Countries3 🇹🇭 Thailand
🌡️ 31 °C in the afternoon, 4 days of rain, sea at 29 °C · 💶 €30-60 a day
Thailand means the hubbub of Bangkok's markets, golden temples, the green north around Chiang Mai, then the turquoise islands of the south. Street food on every corner, and a first trip to Asia of rare ease.
Countries4 🇴🇲 Oman
🌡️ 26 °C in the afternoon, 1 day of rain, sea at 26 °C · 💶 €110-180 a day
Oman means the turquoise pools of Wadi Shab, the ochre dunes of the Wahiba Sands where you sleep in a desert camp, and the mud-brick forts of Nizwa. An authentic Gulf, far from the bustle, all the way to the fjords of Musandam.
City5 🇸🇳 Dakar
🌡️ 27 °C in the afternoon, 0 days of rain, sea at 25 °C · 💶 €45-90 a day
Dakar occupies the westernmost tip of the African continent, on a 20 km peninsula where you go from Kermel market to Gorée Island in a 20-minute ferry ride. A capital of 4 million people lived outdoors, between surfing, thiéboudienne and concerts until dawn.
Region6 🇲🇽 Baja California
🌡️ 25 °C in the afternoon, 1 day of rain, sea at 24 °C · 💶 €70-130 a day
A 1,250 km desert peninsula between the Pacific and the Sea of Cortez, where grey whales come to calve in the lagoons from January to March and you swim with whale sharks off La Paz. Cardón cacti, Jesuit missions, the empty beaches of Bahía Concepción and the vineyards of the Valle de Guadalupe.
City7 🇦🇪 Dubai
🌡️ 26 °C in the afternoon, 1 day of rain, sea at 24 °C · 💶 €120-300 a day
Dubai means the view from the Burj Khalifa, a 4x4 safari in the dunes and gold souks a stone's throw from air-conditioned malls. A futuristic showcase of luxury, set between desert and Persian Gulf.
City8 🇺🇾 Montevideo
🌡️ 25 °C in the afternoon, 8 days of rain, sea at 23 °C · 💶 €80-130 a day
A capital of 1.3 million people, 40% of the country, Montevideo strings 22 kilometres of rambla along the Río de la Plata and keeps, in its Ciudad Vieja, an 1868 cast-iron market full of wood-fired grills. The stadium of the first World Cup, played here in 1930, is still in use.
Frequently asked questions
Where to go for a beach holiday in December?
Goa, Cambodia, Thailand, Oman and Dakar top our ranking for a beach holiday in December. In first place, Goa: 32 °C in the afternoon, 2 days of rain, sea at 29 °C on average over 2015-2024.
Which is the closest beach destination in December?
Dakar, about 5h30 by air from Paris, with 27 °C in the afternoon, 0 days of rain, sea at 25 °C in December.
Where does it rain least in December among these destinations?
Dakar: 0 days of rain on average in December, with 27 °C in the afternoon.
Where is it hottest in December?
Among these destinations, Goa, with 32 °C in the afternoon on average in December.
Other ideas in December
Beach in another month
Off to the beach in December?
We'll send you the destinations worth the trip at this time of year, backed by real weather data and budgets.