A traveler-to-traveler planning guide for December. What to book first, what to leave loose, where to base, and which mistakes we have personally made so you do not have to.
Book in this order
1. The flight, before the accommodation
Airfare to summer destinations in December swings more than accommodation pricing. Lock the route first. Be flexible about which beach you end up on, not which week you travel.
2. Internal transport, before the hotel
Ferries, internal flights, and rental cars run thin or expensive in many of our December destinations. Confirm these before the accommodation, not after. We have lost three days to a missed ferry that was not bookable on the morning we needed it.
3. The first three nights only
Book the first three nights firm, then leave the rest of the trip loose. The single biggest cause of mediocre travel is over-booking. You arrive, you find a town you love, you cannot stay because you have a non-refundable booking two hours away. Three firm nights, then improvise.
Where to base
Maldives mid-range resorts on Maafushi, Dhigurah, and Thoddoo are realistic. Mauritian self-catering apartments in Tamarin and Pereybere beat resort buffet life. Thai villas in Rawai, Naiyang, and Bangtao are excellent value if booked early. Costa Rican surf hostels and small lodges in Santa Teresa and Nosara are best booked direct. Australian east coast holiday houses in the hinterland behind Byron are quieter than the beach itself.
Money and budget
December pricing varies wildly across our destinations. The same week can cost double in one country and half in another. Build your shortlist with a budget filter early. The cheapest destinations in December are often the most authentic ones, and the most expensive ones are often the most over-marketed.
What to skip
- All-day organized tours from city hotels. You will spend more time in transit than on the beach.
- Resort buffets when the local restaurant scene is good. You came for the place, not the buffet.
- Multi-island hopping in less than 10 days. The journey eats the holiday.
- Booking the most famous beach. The second-most-famous beach is usually better and emptier.
Daily rhythm
Maldivian house reef snorkeling is unbeatable in December. Mauritian lagoons are at peak warmth at Le Morne, Trou aux Biches, and Belle Mare. Phuket and Krabi waters glass over by sunrise. Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula surf at Santa Teresa, Nosara, and Mal Pais is consistent and clean. Australia's east coast is at full beach mode from Byron to Bondi.
The December rhythm tends to be the same across our recommended destinations. Early swim, late breakfast, mid-morning activity, long lunch, quiet hour, second swim, sunset. Resist the urge to over-program. The point of these places is exactly this rhythm, and any travel that breaks it is travel you will regret.
Final advice
December at warm latitudes is the original endless summer experience. Pay attention to timing and it pays back.
Christmas week prices spike 200 to 300 percent in tropical destinations. Travel the first half of December or the second half of January for value. Maldives transfers by seaplane only operate in daylight. Late arrivals get an overnight in Male. Sydney New Year fireworks accommodation books a year out. Thailand's Krabi is busier than Phuket the week between Christmas and New Year because of cheaper flights.
