See full version: 15 Beach Destinations for Winter Vacations
Where to Stay: Recently renovated, The Laylow, an Autograph Collection, is Waikiki’s answer to trendy accommodations and traditional Hawaiian hospitality. Mid-century modern designs and floral wallpaper give the hotel a fresh feel for visitors in town during the winter season. [links]
Why Go: Winter is the best time for catching surf along the shores of this capital city, or catching just a glimpse at the pro surfers that fill the waters during any of the winter surf competitions held each year in Honolulu. The city’s breathtaking scenery and cosmopolitan atmosphere attract a diverse crowd, where Diamond Head hikers and Waikiki beach loungers can all end up around a bowl of poke at Ahi Assassins Fish Co. [links]
Where to Stay: The Four Seasons Resort Hualalai is a natural paradise along the Kona-Kohala Coast, where more than 865 acres encompass the award-winning golf course, spa, accommodations, and restaurants on the property. Hualalai is where many of the nation’s top athletes come to train for the Iron Man competition, and the resort’s state-of-the-art fitness facility always has something creative going on with their daily classes.
Where to Stay: Four restaurants, a movie theatre, and a rooftop bar are only a portion of the upscale offerings at the recently renovated Viceroy Los Cabos. This 192-room hotel sits in the Zona Hotelera district of San Jose del Cabo, where its dramatic courtyard looks out over the main pool and onto the sea beyond.
Why Go: Although all flights and ships enter through Viatape, few visitors stay in the main village for more than a few hours before venturing off to one of the many motu (small islands) that make up this Polynesian paradise. Most of the motu are occupied by individual resorts, and the top accommodations will feature a view of Bora Bora’s famous Mount Otemanu. Get your bearings with a jet ski tour of the islands with Moana Adventure Tours before heading out to snorkel and swim with colorful fish, stingrays, and reef sharks.
Where to Stay: Grand Cayman has become best known for its signature blend of ethereal luxury and down-to-earth hospitality, and the Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa seamlessly captures both qualities within its 266-room complex. The resort sits directly on Seven Mile Beach, where its open-air architecture makes good use of the soft Cayman breeze. here
While December is quite busy in Lima, as a very popular summer beach destination for South Americans, it's also still very reasonably priced so it's worth considering if you are exploring the continent. The beaches aren't spectacular as they are in Brazil and elsewhere, but Lima is still a great summer city with great outdoor life this time of year. more
Cape Town obviously has its summer beginning in December, so temperatures should feel nice to anyone coming from a winter climate. It's about as far from the equator as Los Angeles is, and it has a similar climate in reverse, meaning that it rarely gets too hot or cold, at least near the coast. here
Just as with Cancun mentioned below, the rest of the Caribbean has excellent weather yet very moderate prices, until just before Christmas. On the Friday before Christmas the region fills up and stays packed (at high prices) until mid January, but for those first 3 weeks you can get great deals, especially on Dominican Republic and Jamaica.
Hanoi is actually the cheapest tourist city in the world according to our Backpacker Index, and that's partly due to beer and museums being incredibly cheap. In reality, you'll want to spend more money than the minimum because everything is great value.
Other top sunny places to vacation in December include Acapulco, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas in Mexico; Rio de Janeiro in Brazil; and the beaches of Costa Rica. [links]
Beyond Florida, the desert areas of Arizona are among the best sunny places to vacation in December. They have boundless warm sunshine and plenty of things to see and do. The warm places to stay in Arizona are Scottsdale and Phoenix, where daytime temperatures in December hover around 75 to 80 degrees. While there, enjoy their health spas, nature walks, and a round of golf on world championship courses. The Grand Canyon is just a day trip away.
December means summer in some parts of the world. Such is the case in Australia and New Zealand, which have delightfully warm temperatures at that time of year. Sydney is a popular destination in Australia, as is Brisbane with its renowned beaches, theme parks and active nightlife. New Zealand is also noted for its spectacular beaches along its picturesque coastline.
When you think sunny places in December, Florida immediately comes to mind. Disney World in Orlando is a busy place in December because it offers warmth, as well as a taste of the holiday spirit throughout its theme parks. But other parts of Florida are just as warm and inviting, and a little less crowded. Sanibel Island, Fort Myers Beach, Naples, Venice and other areas along Florida’s Gulf Coast offer vacationers warm, sunny beaches, crystal clear water and plenty of attractions to explore.
It's warm in Dubai in the Middle East in December, with daytime temperatures ranging from 77 to 95 degrees. Jumeirah Beach, Aquaventure and Wild Wadi water theme parks, spas, professional golf courses and shopping are some of the popular vacation activities in this city in the United Arab Emirates. Dubai is also known for its snorkeling, sailing and kayaking. more
Things to shop: Churros, Shawls, thimbles, Majórica Pearls
Things to shop: Ao Dai – the national costume of Vietnam, bamboo crafts, conical hats, hand embroidery, pottery items here
Things to shop: Emu oils, opla, Ugg boots, Macadamia nuts
This is one of the most beautiful places in the world to visit in December. Siargao Island in the Philippine sea has is a unique shape of a tear-drop. The island is about 437 square kilometers long. Enjoy pristine sand-beaches and azure waters on this island. The weather in the region during December is dry, but good enough to explore this lovely island. Much loved destination by surfers, enjoy this water adventure sport on the popular wave ‘cloud-9’.