Best Winter Sun in December: 7 Destinations, Ranked

Choosing among the best winter sun destinations in December is a different exercise than picking a January or February escape. Dry and wet seasons flip depending on hemisphere and region, so a destination that basks in sunshine in one winter month can be soaked through in another.

This list ranks seven destinations on three factors: how reliable the dry season actually is in December, how festive pricing behaves around the holidays, and how much there is to do beyond the beach. Every pick below is somewhere Insider Villas holds villas directly, so where to stay is a specific house, not a category of hotel.

One thing most roundups skip is naming a place to avoid. The Seychelles sits in its wettest patch of the year in December, which makes it a poor match for anyone chasing a guaranteed warm escape from the cold this particular month.

Below are the seven picks ordered by December reliability, starting with the destination that delivers the most consistent winter sun and working down from there. For a broader, month-by-month reference across the full winter season, see Best Places for Winter Sun: 47 Perfect Escapes by Month; this list is the December-specific.

TL;DR: Where to Go for Winter Sun in December

Mauritius is the strongest overall pick for December winter sun, since December sits inside its driest stretch of
the year, and Cape Town is the destination where winter sun means an actual summer.

• For the most reliable December weather: Mauritius
• For genuine summer, not just warmth: Cape Town & the Garden Route
• For a fully-run private-island week: the British Virgin Islands (Necker & Moskito)
• For a classic Caribbean beach: Anguilla
• For short-haul, guaranteed sun from Europe: the Canary Islands
• For a city-and-culture break, not a beach one: Marrakech
• For the mildest short-haul escape: the Algarve
• Skip in December: Seychelles (its wettest month)

Each destination below is ranked by how consistent its December weather actually is, not just how it markets itself. That distinction matters more than it sounds: plenty of well-known getaways trade on reputation while quietly sitting in a shoulder season during December.

How We Ranked These December Winter Sun Destinations

Every destination on this list is scored against the same five criteria.

Reliable dry-season weather

This measures whether December falls inside a destination’s confirmed dry season or its wet, storm-prone stretch.

The distinction matters because some well-marketed destinations, including parts of the Indian Ocean, are actually deep in their wet season by December. The Seychelles is the clearest example on our own portfolio: it sits under this trap and is scored down accordingly, rather than assumed sunny just because it’s tropical.

December temperatures that actually feel warm

This criterion looks at whether daytime and evening temperatures in December are genuinely comfortable for beach time, not just technically mild.

A destination can be dry and still feel cool in the evenings, which matters for anyone planning a full week outdoors. Marrakech is scored honestly here: dry and sunny by day, cold enough by night that it earns a place on this list for its souks and desert, not its beaches.

Festive season pricing and crowds

This tracks how much prices spike around Christmas and New Year compared with the rest of the season.

Peak festive surcharges can push villa rates and flights well beyond shoulder-season levels, so this criterion flags where booking early matters most.

Flight time from the UK and Europe

This measures practical travel time, since a long-haul escape has different trade-offs than a short hop.

Shorter flight times matter more for a quick December break; longer ones make more sense when paired with a longer stay, which is how most of our Caribbean and Indian Ocean weeks are booked.

Things to do beyond the beach

This assesses whether a destination offers culture, activities, and local food beyond simply lying on sand.

A place can win on weather alone and still fall short here, which is why it’s scored as a separate factor rather than folded into climate.

1. Mauritius

River Camp Villa in Rivières des Anguilles, Mauritius

Overview

Best for: the most reliable December weather on this list, since December falls inside Mauritius’s driest stretch of the year rather than at the edge of it.

Mauritius is in its summer while Europe is in winter, which means long days, warm lagoon water, and a mix of French, Indian, and Creole cooking that makes dinner a reason to travel in itself.

Most visitors cluster along the north-west coast; the south, around Bel Ombre and Rivières des Anguilles, is greener, quieter, and closer to the nature parks.

Weather in December

December sits inside Mauritius’s driest window, which runs October through December. January through March is hotter, more humid, and inside the cyclone season, which makes December the sharper pick of the two.

Average temperatures through the season run around 28°C, with warm lagoon water and long daylight hours.

Best Things to Do

• Take a helicopter tour over the lagoons.
• Meet the giant tortoises at La Vanille Nature Park in Rivières des Anguilles.
• Sail a catamaran out of Bel Ombre for a Champagne sunset.
• Book dinner at Château de Bel Ombre, a colonial-style mansion with a menu built on local produce.

Who It’s For

Mauritius suits honeymooners, couples, and families who want the most dependable December weather on this list, paired with real variety beyond the beach: gardens, waterfalls, and two coasts with different characters.

Where to Stay

River Camp Villa is an 1800s sugar-plantation home on a cliff above the south coast, recently renovated, with five bedrooms for ten guests, an infinity pool, a rooftop terrace for sundowners, and a chef included, from €14,000 a week. Browse our villas in Mauritius for the wider collection.

2. Cape Town & the Garden Route, South Africa

Zenstone Villa in Llandudno, Cape Town

Overview

Best for: the one destination on this list where winter sun means an actual summer, not just a
warm escape from one.

December to March is high summer at the Cape, so this is the entry with dry days, late sunsets, Table Mountain
hikes in the morning, and the Constantia or Stellenbosch wine farms in the afternoon. South Africa sits in a
similar time zone to the UK, so this is one of the few long-haul-feeling trips that doesn’t come with a jet-lag
penalty.

Weather in December

December marks the start of the Cape’s summer season, which runs through March, with warm temperatures around
26–27°C and long, sunny days.

The city gets busiest during local school holidays, and conditions ease into a quieter, still-warm stretch once
January settles in.

Best Things to Do

• Drive the Cape Peninsula to Cape Point and the penguins at Boulders Beach.
• Spend a day on the Constantia wine route, ten minutes from the villa.
• Take an oyster picnic on Noetzie Beach on the Garden Route.
• Book a private whale-watching boat from the Knysna lagoon, or a round at Pezula Championship Golf
  Course.

Who It’s For

Cape Town suits travelers who want full summer weather paired with wildlife, wine, and city exploring rather
than a single-note beach trip, and who’d rather not lose a week of the holiday to jet lag.

Where to Stay

Zenstone Villa is carved into the boulders above Llandudno Beach with steps straight to the sand and five en-suite bedrooms for ten guests, from €36,710 a week. In the winelands, Lapiz Lazuli is an 1890 Cape Dutch manor on a working wine farm in Constantia, and on the Garden Route Craighross Castle sits directly on Noetzie Beach for up to 14 guests, from €4,845 a week. See our villas in South Africa.

3. British Virgin Islands: Necker & Moskito

Necker Island, British Virgin Islands

Overview

Best for: a fully-run private-island week rather than a beachfront villa with a rate card.

The British Virgin Islands are the Caribbean at its most sheltered: a cluster of green islands around the North Sound, dry and warm from December through April, with the trade winds keeping the afternoons comfortable. This is also where Insider Villas books two of Sir Richard Branson’s private islands directly, which is a different proposition from a beachfront rental: all meals and drinks, watersports, and boat transfers are included, and the island team runs the week.

Weather in December

December sits at the start of the islands’ dry season, which runs through April, with average temperatures around 28°C.

December is also the start of the Celebration Weeks calendar and the busiest booking window of the year, so this is the entry where getting in early matters most.

Best Things to Do

• Kitesurf and sail around the North Sound with the islands’ instructors.
• Feed the lemurs and flamingos on Necker.
• Paddleboard off The Cove on Moskito.
• Take the boat over to Virgin Gorda for the Baths.

Who It’s For

Necker and Moskito suit groups and multigenerational families who want the whole week handled, not just the accommodation booked, and who value privacy over a resort’s amenities list.

Where to Stay

Necker Island takes up to 48 adults and six children across the Great House and its Balinese-style rooms, exclusively or by the room during select Celebration Weeks, on seven-night Saturday-to-Saturday stays. Next door on Moskito Island, The Beach Estate is three standalone villas for 22 guests, each rentable on its own, on a four-night minimum with any-day starts. How private island rentals work explains the costs and logistics.

4. Anguilla

Shiloh Villa Estate in Anguilla

Overview

Best for: the classic Caribbean beach pick, without a private-island week’s scale or price point.

Anguilla is the quiet one: a low, flat island with some of the longest soft-sand beaches in the Caribbean, clear water, no cruise ships and no casinos, and a restaurant scene that punches well above its size. It suits couples and families who want the sea to be the point of the trip and the evenings to be calm.

Weather in December

December sits at the start of Anguilla’s dry season, which runs through April, with average temperatures around 28°C and low humidity compared with the wetter months earlier in the year.

December through the New Year is peak season here, so villa rates and flight prices both run at their highest of the year.

Best Things to Do

• Tee off at sunrise at Aurora International Golf Club.
• Boat out to Sandy Island or Prickly Pear for a beach lunch.
• Work through Shoal Bay and Meads Bay one beach at a time.
• Book dinner at one of the island’s beach-shack restaurants, several of which outclass their setting.

Who It’s For

Anguilla suits couples and families who want a straightforward, low-risk December beach week rather than an adventurous or off-grid trip, and who’d rather the island stay quiet than crowded.

Where to Stay

Shiloh Villa Estate is a four-bedroom estate for eight guests; the rate is on request. See our villas in Anguilla, and our Anguilla travel guide for when to visit and what to book ahead.

5. Canary Islands, Spain

Casa Olivo in Tenerife, Spain

Overview

Best for: guaranteed December sun on a short flight from the UK and Europe, without the Caribbean’s travel time.

Tenerife and Fuerteventura hold their mild climate through the whole winter, which is why the Canary Islands are a perennial favorite for European winter sun seekers who want a shorter trip than a long-haul island.

Weather in December

December sits inside the islands’ November–March mild season, with average temperatures around 20°C and consistent sunshine.

Evenings cool down noticeably compared with the Caribbean or Indian Ocean entries on this list, so this is a daytime-sun destination rather than a warm-all-night one.

Best Things to Do

• Hike Mount Teide, Tenerife’s volcanic peak and Spain’s highest point.
• Take a private dolphin-watching tour off the south-west coast.
• Walk the volcanic beaches around La Oliva on Fuerteventura.
• Book a table at one of Tenerife’s coastal restaurants for the December sunset.

Who It’s For

The Canary Islands suit anyone who wants a genuinely short flight, roughly 4 to 4.5 hours from the UK, paired with dependable December sun rather than a gamble on a mainland Mediterranean destination.

Where to Stay

Casa Olivo in Tenerife is set in lush gardens with ocean views, built around a blend of modern design and natural stone. On Fuerteventura, Casa Montelongo is a two-bedroom, adults-only house in La Oliva with a central patio pool, built from a 19th-century theatre and farmhouse.

6. Marrakech, Morocco

Villa D in Marrakech, Morocco

Overview

Best for: a short-haul December city break built around souks, palaces, and the desert, not around beach time.

Marrakech belongs on this list for its culture and its climate, not for sun-lounger weather. Days are dry and bright; nights drop sharply, and many riads are built around open courtyards with limited insulation. That distinction matters, because marketing this destination as beach-ready would set the wrong expectation.

Weather in December

Daytime temperatures typically run 15 to 20°C with plenty of sunshine, comfortable for walking the Medina and outdoor sightseeing.

Evenings can feel genuinely cold, so this is a pack-warm-layers destination even when the days feel mild.

Best Things to Do

• Wander Jemaa el-Fna, the central square where much of the city’s life converges.
• Visit the Bahia and El Badi palaces for a look at the city’s architectural history.
• Explore Jardin Majorelle, a landscaped botanical garden in the city.
• Take a day trip into the Atlas Mountains or the Agafay desert.

Who It’s For

Marrakech suits culture seekers and short-break travelers looking for an accessible, energetic city rather than sun and sand. It’s a poor fit for anyone whose main December goal is beach time.

Where to Stay

For a private stay, consider one of our luxurious villas in Marrakech. Villa D sleeps 20 across ten bedrooms on a six-hectare farm with a 25-metre pool and a hammam. On the Atlantic coast near Larache, Villa Ocean Treasure is the quieter, three-bedroom alternative for anyone pairing the city with a few days by the sea.

7. Algarve, Portugal

Red Chalet in Algarve, Portugal

Overview

Best for: the mildest, closest sun on this list, for a shorter December break.

The Algarve is a sophisticated winter escape with golden beaches, scenic cliffs, and high-end golf resorts. It’s the coolest entry on this list, so it suits travelers prioritizing flight time and a mild coastal week over guaranteed heat.

Weather in December

December sits inside the Algarve’s November–March mild season, with average temperatures around 17°C.

Mild winters allow for yachting and golf on some of Europe’s top courses, though this is not a beach-tanning destination in December.

Best Things to Do

• Kayak through the Benagil Cave.
• Surf at Tonel Beach.
• Hike a stretch of the Rota Vicentina.
• Visit a local winery to sample Portuguese wines.

Who It’s For

The Algarve suits travelers who want a short, roughly 2.5 to 3-hour flight from the UK, dependable mild weather, and golf or coastal walking over a full beach holiday.

Where to Stay

Opt for one of our private villa rentals along the cliffs or the seaside. Red Chalet at Galé is the winter pick: a Belle Époque beach house with a heated pool and a sauna, eight guests across four bedrooms, from €17,500 a week.

Winter Sun in December Comparison Table

The table below distills the December conditions and trade-offs for all seven destinations into one scannable view. Use it to compare weather reliability, flight time, and the key watch-out before narrowing down a winter sun destination for your trip.

Places to Avoid for Winter Sun in December

Not every popular sun destination is actually a good match for December, and getting the season wrong is the most common booking mistake on this list.

The Seychelles in December

The Seychelles’ broader visiting window runs November through April, and it’s a genuine winter-sun destination across that range. December specifically, though, falls within the islands’ northwest monsoon, which is the wettest patch inside that window, with more rain and higher humidity than November or the February–April stretch.

The Seychelles is an excellent warm-weather destination either side of December; this particular month simply isn’t when the islands are at their driest.

Reading the shoulder months

A destination’s shoulder months are the weeks just before or after its main dry season, when weather can shift quickly and unpredictably.

Conditions in these transition periods can flip within a matter of weeks, so a place that’s reliably warm in November or January isn’t guaranteed to behave the same way in December. Portobelo, Panama, is a case in point: warm all year, but its drier stretch doesn’t properly start until January, which is why it isn’t ranked on this December list even though it appears on our broader winter-sun guide.

How to Choose the Right December Winter Sun
Destination

Choosing well comes down to four checks: season timing, flight length, festive pricing, and how you want to split your days between the beach and everything else.

Match dry season to your travel dates

Confirm that your exact December dates fall within the destination’s dry season. As the Seychelles example above shows, some islands run wet during December even when a nearby month is dry, so check the specific month rather than the season as a whole.

Decide between short-haul and long-haul

Weigh flight time against how guaranteed the heat needs to be for your trip. Short-haul options like the Canary Islands, Marrakech, or the Algarve cut travel time but run milder; long-haul picks like Mauritius, Cape Town, or the Caribbean trade a longer flight for more dependable warmth.

Budget for festive-season pricing

Expect Christmas and New Year to be peak season across nearly every destination on this list, with the British Virgin Islands and Anguilla booking out earliest. Reaching out well in advance secures the villa and the dates you actually want.

Balance beach time with things to do

Match your pick to whether the trip is meant to be pure beach relaxation or built around culture and adventure. Marrakech is the clearest example of a destination chosen for something other than the beach; the rest of the list balances both.

Send us your dates and group size for any destination on this list and we’ll send three villa options within the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the best winter sun destination for December?

Mauritius is the strongest overall pick, since December sits inside its driest window of the year rather than at the edge of it. Cape Town is the closest runner-up for anyone who wants genuine summer weather rather than a warm escape from winter.

Which Caribbean island is best in December?

Anguilla is the strongest classic-beach choice, since it sits inside its dry season from December through April. For a fully-run private island week rather than a beachfront villa, the British Virgin Islands, where Insider Villas books Necker and Moskito directly, is the stronger fit.

Is Mauritius good in December?

Yes. December sits inside Mauritius’s driest window, which runs October through December, ahead of the hotter, more humid, cyclone season months from January through March. Average temperatures through the season run around 28°C.

Are the Seychelles good for winter sun in December?

Not particularly. December sits within the Seychelles’ northwest monsoon, its wettest stretch, making it a weaker month for a beach focused trip than November or the February–April window. The islands are an excellent winter-sun destination either side of December.

Is Marrakech warm enough for a beach holiday in December?

No. Marrakech runs mild and dry by day, generally 15 to 20°C, but evenings drop sharply and riads are often built around unheated courtyards. It’s a strong December pick for souks, palaces, and the desert, not for sun-lounger time.

Is December a good time to visit Cape Town?

Yes. December sits at the height of Cape Town’s summer, with warm temperatures around 26–27°C and long, sunny days. It’s also one of the busier months locally due to school holidays, so popular sites and beaches see more visitors.

Where can you get winter sun in Europe in December?

The Canary Islands are the most reliable pick within Europe, holding around 20°C through December on a flight of roughly 4 to 4.5 hours from the UK. The Algarve is milder still, around 17°C, but both are genuinely more dependable in December than mainland Mediterranean destinations, which are rarely warm enough for a beach week this time of year.