Diamond Beach, Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia

Our pick · 101 beaches

Where is hot in December

Where is hot in December? The sea averages at least 18 °C / 64 °F at 101 popular beaches in our selection, warmest at Broome (30.8 °C / 87 °F). In the Mediterranean the warmest is Oludeniz, at 20.7 °C / 69 °F.

December beach holidays range from a mild Atlantic break to tropical swimming in the Caribbean or Indian Ocean. First decide whether you want warm water every day or simply time outdoors away from winter at home.Read more

December average Diamond Beach Sea 29.2°C / 84.5°FAir 27°C / 81°F

Warmest sea among our beaches in December: Cable Beach · Australia (30.8 °C), Nosy Iranja · Madagascar (29.4 °C), Diamond Beach · Indonesia (29.2 °C).

Bathtub ≥ 28°C / 82°F 30

Beach day 23° / 73°–28°C / 82°F 46

Refreshing 18° / 64°–23°C / 73°F 25

Where to go for winter sun in December

December beach holidays range from a mild Atlantic break to tropical swimming in the Caribbean or Indian Ocean. First decide whether you want warm water every day or simply time outdoors away from winter at home. Tenerife and the Maldives answer those wishes differently, even when both appear in a winter sun search.

Christmas by the sea

Compare Tenerife with Cancún for a clear contrast in monthly water temperatures. For a Maldives trip, remember that December is a monsoon transition month rather than the middle of its usual dry season. With Christmas and New Year travel, check flight times, the final transfer and any hotel requirements before booking separately. If the stay involves a boat or seaplane, confirm whether the connection works with your arrival time. A well-matched itinerary matters more than adding another island to a short holiday.

World coasts

°C

Comparison: December

16.5°MediterraneanPalma27.4°CaribbeanCancún28.8°South-East AsiaKrabi25.0°AustraliaGold Coast

2021–2025 sea temperature averages for the named places, not entire regions. Not a forecast.

The tiles compare monthly sea and air averages for 2021–2025. The selection includes beaches with an average sea temperature of at least 18 °C; it is not a forecast for a particular week or a guarantee of comfortable swimming.

Where is hot in December · December average

2021–2025 sea temperature averages for the named places, not entire regions. Not a forecast.

Where is hot in December · December average
All beachesSea (°C)Air (°C)
Cable Beach, Australia · Broome30.8 °C30 °C
Nosy Iranja, Madagascar · Indian Ocean29.4 °C27 °C
Diamond Beach, Indonesia · Nusa Penida29.2 °C27 °C
Ofu Beach, American Samoa · South Pacific29.1 °C27 °C
Malolo Lailai, Fiji · Mamanuca Islands29.1 °C27 °C
Upolu, Samoa · South Pacific29.0 °C26 °C
El Nido, Philippines · Palawan29.0 °C28 °C
Ko Phi Phi Don, Thailand · Phi Phi28.9 °C27 °C
Pink Beach, Indonesia · Komodo28.9 °C27 °C
Railay Beach, Thailand · Krabi28.8 °C27 °C
James Bond Island, Thailand · Phang Nga28.8 °C27 °C
Anse Source d'Argent, Seychelles · La Digue28.8 °C27 °C
Maldives, Maldives · Indian Ocean28.8 °C27 °C
Kendwa, Tanzania · Zanzibar28.7 °C27 °C
Cartagena, Colombia · Caribbean28.7 °C28 °C
Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica28.7 °C25 °C
Mirissa, Sri Lanka · Indian Ocean28.7 °C26 °C
Corniche, Saudi Arabia · Jeddah28.6 °C26 °C
Pulau Lang Tengah, Malaysia · South China Sea28.5 °C27 °C
Ocho Rios, Jamaica28.4 °C26 °C
Sao Beach, Vietnam · Phú Quốc28.4 °C27 °C
White Beach, Philippines · Boracay28.3 °C27 °C
Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands · Grand Cayman28.3 °C27 °C
Bora Bora, French Polynesia · South Pacific28.2 °C26 °C
Bocas del Toro, Panama28.2 °C26 °C
Koh Samui, Thailand28.0 °C27 °C
Haad Than Sadet, Thailand · Koh Phangan28.0 °C27 °C
Crane Beach, Barbados28.0 °C26 °C
Soufrière, Saint Lucia · The Pitons28.0 °C26 °C
Whitehaven Beach, Australia · Whitsundays28.0 °C27 °C
Cayo de Agua, Venezuela · Los Roques27.9 °C27 °C
Playa del Carmen, Mexico27.9 °C25 °C
Pigeon Point, Trinidad and Tobago · Tobago27.9 °C27 °C
Flamenco Beach, Puerto Rico · Culebra27.9 °C26 °C
Dickenson Bay, Antigua and Barbuda · Antigua27.8 °C26 °C
Meads Bay, Anguilla27.8 °C26 °C
Gustavia, Saint Barthélemy27.8 °C26 °C
Playa Bávaro, Dominican Republic · Punta Cana27.8 °C26 °C
Trunk Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands · St John27.8 °C26 °C
Devil's Island, French Guiana · Salvation Islands27.8 °C26 °C
Flamingo Beach, Aruba27.8 °C27 °C
Freeman's Bay, Antigua and Barbuda · Antigua27.8 °C26 °C
Maho Beach, Sint Maarten27.7 °C26 °C
The Baths, British Virgin Islands · Virgin Gorda27.7 °C26 °C
Moorea, French Polynesia · South Pacific27.7 °C26 °C
Cayo Largo, Cuba27.7 °C26 °C
Baía do Sancho, Brazil · Fernando de Noronha27.6 °C27 °C
Cancún, Mexico27.4 °C26 °C
Cayo Levantado, Dominican Republic · Samaná27.4 °C25 °C
Le Morne, Mauritius · Indian Ocean27.1 °C26 °C
Grace Bay, Turks & Caicos · Providenciales27.0 °C26 °C
Varadero, Cuba26.7 °C25 °C
Cabo San Juan, Colombia · Tayrona26.6 °C24 °C
Rarotonga, Cook Islands · South Pacific26.1 °C25 °C
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico26.0 °C22 °C
Dubai, United Arab Emirates · Persian Gulf25.9 °C24 °C
Al Mughsayl, Oman · Arabian Sea25.6 °C21 °C
Barr Al Jissah, Oman · Gulf of Oman25.6 °C23 °C
Waikiki, Hawaii · Oahu25.5 °C24 °C
Miami Beach, United States · Florida25.5 °C22 °C
Paradise Island, Bahamas · Nassau25.4 °C24 °C
Port Ghalib, Egypt · Marsa Alam25.3 °C22 °C
Sanya Bay, China · Hainan25.3 °C22 °C
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico25.1 °C22 °C
Praia, Cape Verde · Santiago25.1 °C23 °C
Na Pali Coast, Hawaii · Kauai25.0 °C23 °C
Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt · Red Sea25.0 °C21 °C
Gold Coast, Australia · Queensland25.0 °C23 °C
Key West, United States · Florida Keys24.8 °C23 °C
Da Nang, Vietnam · South China Sea24.7 °C23 °C
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates · Persian Gulf24.4 °C23 °C
Tawila Island, Egypt · Hurghada24.1 °C20 °C
Tokashiki Island, Japan · Okinawa24.1 °C20 °C
Pontal do Atalaia, Brazil · Atlantic24.0 °C24 °C
Ipanema, Brazil · Rio de Janeiro23.4 °C25 °C
Mancora, Peru · Pacific23.1 °C24 °C
Gardner Bay, Ecuador · Galápagos22.7 °C22 °C
Doha, Qatar · Persian Gulf22.7 °C21 °C
Ocean Flower Island, China · Hainan22.7 °C20 °C
Tel Aviv, Israel · Mediterranean22.4 °C17 °C
Ely's Harbor, Bermuda · Atlantic22.1 °C20 °C
Coral Beach, Israel · Eilat21.8 °C16 °C
Sydney, Australia · Pacific21.8 °C21 °C
Hong Kong, Hong Kong · South China Sea21.8 °C18 °C
Morro Jable, Spain · Canary Islands20.9 °C20 °C
Oludeniz, Turkey20.7 °C15 °C
Amadores Beach, Spain · Canary Islands20.6 °C19 °C
Tenerife, Spain · Canary Islands20.6 °C19 °C
Nissi Beach, Cyprus · Ayia Napa20.6 °C18 °C
Punta del Este, Uruguay · Atlantic20.5 °C20 °C
Madeira, Portugal20.5 °C16 °C
Lindos, Greece · Rhodes20.0 °C17 °C
Bodrum, Turkey19.6 °C16 °C
Antalya, Turkey19.4 °C12 °C
Clearwater Beach, United States · Florida19.1 °C18 °C
Cathedral Cove, New Zealand · Coromandel18.9 °C19 °C
Santorini, Greece18.7 °C16 °C
Elafonissi, Greece · Crete18.7 °C15 °C
Balos Lagoon, Greece · Crete18.7 °C16 °C
Malta, Malta18.7 °C17 °C
Athens, Greece · Attica18.0 °C12 °C

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