When the UK clocks shift into dark-afternoon mode, a certain kind of holiday starts looking very appealing. A new round-up of winter-sun destinations for 2026 makes the case that December is one of the best months to chase warmth — whether you want a short-haul hop or a proper Southern Hemisphere summer.

The Canary Islands dominate the short-haul options. Gran Canaria averages around 20C in December, with Las Palmas offering museums and a historic old town alongside beach resorts like Maspalomas, famous for its dunes. Tenerife sits at a similar temperature, with Spain's highest peak, Mount Teide (3,715m), drawing hikers inland. Lanzarote runs slightly cooler but trades on drama: over 300 volcanic cones, Timanfaya National Park, and the cave-and-tunnel arts space Jameos del Agua. Madeira, further north in the Atlantic, still manages highs of about 20C, plus its famous levada walking trails.

For guaranteed heat, long-haul wins. Bangkok averages 27C with nine hours of daily sun, and December falls in Thailand's drier, more comfortable season — good news for anyone planning temple visits or street-food crawls through Chinatown's Yaowarat Road before heading on to the islands. Cancun comes out of its rainy season with highs near 30C, easy access to Mayan sites like Chichen Itza and Tulum, and diving on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Muscat, Oman, hits a pleasant 23C with nine sunshine hours, and its position between the Gulf of Oman and the Hajar Mountains makes it a strong base for souqs, wadis and day trips to Nizwa.

Then there are the places where December is peak season, not a consolation prize. Sydney and Cape Town are both rolling into summer — Sydney averages 21C with eight hours of sun, Cape Town 23C with a remarkable eleven. If you've ever wanted to do the Bondi-to-Manly ferry run or hike Table Mountain in shorts, this is your month.

The practical takeaway: pick your heat level. Late-teens destinations like Cyprus and Madeira suit sightseeing and walking holidays without melting you; mid-20s spots like Oman, Sydney and Cape Town are proper beach weather; and Cancun or Bangkok deliver genuine tropical warmth at a time when northern Europe is at its grimmest. For Brits without much annual leave left, the Canaries remain the lowest-effort escape — four-ish hours' flight, no time zone change, and beach weather while home shivers.