1
Maldives
Maldives- Temperature
- 26–30°C
- Crowds
- High
- Prices
- $$$$$
+Dry-season conditions return and the islands have a festive atmosphere.
–Christmas and New Year create the year's biggest demand spike.
December
Best island getaways in December
For an island trip in December, Maldives comes out first, with average highs around 30°C and high crowds.
Island destinations, ranked by how good the month is there: weather, crowds, prices and events. Each card shows the real average temperature, crowd level and price level for December, and links to the full December guide for that destination.
By Daan · Last reviewed October 2026
Photo: Seychelles (#6 on this list)
2Phuket
Thailand- Temperature
- 25–32°C
- Crowds
- High
- Prices
- $$$$$
+Excellent beach weather and festive atmosphere.
–Christmas/New Year is one of the most expensive and crowded periods.
3Zanzibar
Tanzania- Temperature
- 24–32°C
- Crowds
- High
- Prices
- $$$$
+Beach holidays, festive atmosphere and New Year's celebrations
–Higher prices and busy resorts around the holidays
4Palma de Mallorca
Spain- Temperature
- 10–17°C
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- €€
+Festive lights and mild weather.
–Rain and limited services.
5Santorini
Greece- Temperature
- 12–16°C
- Crowds
- Very Low
- Prices
- €
+Low prices and local Christmas atmosphere.
–Wet, windy weather and limited services.
- 6
Seychelles
Seychelles- Temperature
- 25–30°C
- Crowds
- High
- Prices
- $$$$
+Warm weather and lush scenery
–Higher seasonal demand and frequent showers
7Aruba
Aruba- Temperature
- 25–31°C
- Crowds
- High
- Prices
- $$$$$
+Festive and sunny.
–Peak prices.
8Bahamas
Bahamas- Temperature
- 18–26°C
- Crowds
- High
- Prices
- $$$$
+Dry weather and Junkanoo on December 26.
–The most expensive weeks of the year.
9Malta
Malta- Temperature
- 12–17°C
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- €
+Seasonal atmosphere and quieter sightseeing
–Shorter days and changeable weather
10Crete
Greece- Temperature
- 11–17°C
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- €
+Local holiday atmosphere.
–Wet and many resorts closed.
11Maui
United States- Temperature
- 19–28°C
- Crowds
- High
- Prices
- $$$$$
+First whales arrive.
–Rainy and holiday crowds.
12San Juan
Puerto Rico- Temperature
- 23–29°C
- Crowds
- High
- Prices
- $$$$
+A long, festive holiday season.
–Busy and expensive later in the month.
13Taormina
Italy- Temperature
- 11–16°C
- Crowds
- Low
- Prices
- €€
+A small holiday-season bump in atmosphere around Christmas, without anything close to summer crowds.
–Cool and often wet, with some businesses reducing hours or closing between Christmas and early January.
14Bali
Indonesia- Temperature
- 25–31°C
- Crowds
- Busy from mid-month
- Prices
- $$$$
+Festive atmosphere and lively beach clubs around Christmas and New Year.
–Holiday demand pushes prices and crowds sharply higher.
15Honolulu
United States- Temperature
- 21–28°C
- Crowds
- Very High
- Prices
- $$$$
+Holiday lights and the Honolulu Marathon.
–The busiest, most expensive weeks.
Temperatures are monthly averages. Crowd and price levels are my own judgement. Want to narrow it down? Filter all destinations for December.
FAQ
Best island getaways in December
What are the best island getaways in December?
Maldives, Phuket and Zanzibar come out best in December. Island destinations, ranked by how good the month is there: weather, crowds, prices and events.
Which of these is warmest in December?
Phuket, with average highs around 32°C in December.
Which of these is quietest in December?
Santorini, where crowds in December are very low.
Best island getaways in another month
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