When the UK hits its darkest, dampest stretch of the year, a handful of places are basking in summer or shrugging off winter entirely. A new round-up of December sun spots spans the Canaries to the Southern Hemisphere, with something for every budget and flight tolerance.
The Canary Islands remain the reliable short-haul pick. Gran Canaria averages around 20C, with Las Palmas' historic Vegueta district, the Museo Canario and hikes through ravines like Guayadeque, plus the famous Maspalomas dunes. Lanzarote (19C average) trades beaches for drama: over 300 volcanic cones, Timanfaya National Park's lunar terrain, the cliff formations of Los Hervideros and the cave-art venue Jameos del Agua. Tenerife, the largest of the islands, averages highs of about 21C, with Mount Teide — Spain's highest peak at 3,715m — towering over volcanic parkland, while resort towns like Los Cristianos and Playa de las Americas handle the beach-and-sangria crowd.
For long-haul heat, Cancun comes out of its rainy season with highs near 30C and seven hours of daily sun. Beyond the Hotel Zone nightlife there's the Riviera Maya's white sand, diving on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, Mayan ruins at El Rey and San Miguelito, and day trips to Tulum, Merida and Chichen Itza. Muscat in Oman averages 23C with a huge nine hours of sunshine — think the Muttrah Souq's frankincense stalls, the Grand Mosque and the whitewashed Old Muscat quarter backed by the Hajar Mountains.
Bangkok is at its best in December: 27C, nine sun hours, and dry-season conditions ideal for temple-hopping between the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew and the Wat Pho complex, then diving into Chinatown's Yaowarat Road or the Chatuchak markets. Sydney flips into summer at 21C average (and typically warmer in reality), with ferry rides from Circular Quay to Manly, Bondi swims and neighbourhood wandering in Surry Hills and Newtown. Cape Town hits mid-20s with 11 hours of sunshine — arguably peak season, as the round-up notes it's one of the best months to visit.
Close to home, Limassol in Cyprus averages a mild 16C — one of the warmest corners of Europe in winter — with a marina, Limassol Castle, the 2,000-year-old ruins at Amathus and swimmable beaches like Governor's Beach. Madeira, floating in the Atlantic off Africa, manages 17C and highs around 20C, and its network of levada irrigation-channel trails makes it a walker's island even in December.
Who should care: anyone booking now for a December escape. Short on time or budget? The Canaries and Cyprus deliver sun on a short flight with no jet lag. Got two weeks and a bigger budget? Mexico, Oman, Thailand, Australia or South Africa offer real heat plus culture worth sticking around for. The practical takeaway: book shoulder dates early December if you can — and remember the Southern Hemisphere options are in full summer, so crowds and prices peak too.
