The short answer
Nowhere in mainland Europe is hot at Christmas. The closest reliable warmth is the Canary Islands, around four hours from the UK, where December afternoons are usually in the low twenties. For proper heat, 28°C and above, you need to fly further: the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, India, the Indian Ocean or the southern hemisphere.
Temperatures below are rough averages for December, rounded. Flight times are typical from London.
Under five hours: the Canary Islands
- [Tenerife](/destinations/tenerife): the south coast is the warmest, around 22 to 23°C in the day. About 4 hours 15 minutes.
- [Gran Canaria](/destinations/gran-canaria): similar, around 22°C, sunniest in the south around Maspalomas. At Christmas, Las Palmas has a big nativity scene made of sand on Las Canteras beach. About 4 hours.
- [Lanzarote](/destinations/lanzarote): around 21°C and very dry, but breezier, so it feels a little cooler. About 4 hours.
The Canaries are on the same time as the UK, and the sea is around 19 to 20°C in December, which is bracing but swimmable. Evenings drop to around 15 to 17°C, so pack a jumper. Many hotels put on a Christmas Day lunch, so book a table if you want one.
A little further: Cape Verde and the Gulf
Cape Verde, about six hours away, is warmer than the Canaries and very dry, though often windy. Dubai and Oman, around seven hours away, are in their best season, with highs in the mid-twenties and almost no rain. Dubai goes big on Christmas in its hotels and malls, and puts on huge New Year fireworks.
The Caribbean: dry season begins
December is the start of the Caribbean's dry season, with daytime highs around 28 to 29°C and the hurricane season over. It's also the most expensive time of year to go, so book early.
- [Barbados](/destinations/barbados): calm west-coast beaches and a direct flight of around eight and a half hours.
- [Antigua](/destinations/antigua): a different beach for every day of the year, and Sunday sunset parties at Shirley Heights.
- [St Lucia](/destinations/st-lucia): more dramatic, with rainforest, the Pitons and a drive-in volcano. Its National Day on 13 December brings the Festival of Lights to Castries.
- [Cancún](/destinations/cancun): usually cheaper, with Mayan ruins and cenotes as well as beaches.
Showers are still possible in early December, but they tend to be short.
Asia and the Indian Ocean: long flights, big heat
- [Phuket](/destinations/phuket): Thailand's west coast is at its driest and calmest in December, around 31°C, with good snorkelling. No direct flights, so allow 14 to 16 hours.
- [Goa](/destinations/goa): around 32°C and dry, and Christmas is a big celebration here, with midnight mass and paper stars outside houses. You need an Indian e-Visa.
- [Sri Lanka](/destinations/sri-lanka): the south and west coasts are in season, though the east is wet.
- [Kerala](/destinations/kerala): backwaters and beaches, warm and mostly dry after the monsoon.
- [Maldives](/destinations/maldives): dry season starts in December, at around 30°C, but prices peak over Christmas.
- [Seychelles](/destinations/seychelles): hot and humid, with some tropical showers. The calmest seas are in spring and autumn, but it's warm all year.
Christmas in summer: the southern hemisphere
In Cape Town, Sydney and Rio de Janeiro, Christmas falls in summer. Cape Town is dry and sunny, around 26°C, and on almost the same time as the UK. Sydney has a famous Christmas Day on Bondi Beach and New Year's Eve fireworks over the harbour. Rio is hot and humid, around 30°C, with afternoon storms and the world's biggest New Year's Eve party on Copacabana beach. Mauritius is warm too, at the start of its summer.
How to choose
Start with how far you want to fly. For a week of sunshine with no jet lag, the Canary Islands are hard to beat. For guaranteed heat, the Caribbean is the easiest long-haul choice from the UK, with direct flights and English spoken. For the most for your money once you're there, Thailand and Goa are much cheaper on the ground, once you've paid for the flights.
Whichever you pick, Christmas and New Year are the dearest weeks of the year to travel. Going in the first half of December, or just after New Year, can cost far less for almost the same weather.
For snow and markets instead, see our Christmas holidays page and where to go for a white Christmas.