Travel in December: The most beautiful bathing destinations for the rest of your vacation in the sun

Admittedly, autumn was beautiful and often felt like late summer in this country. That’s why we feel the wet and gray winter weather as a shock. If you don’t want to deal with it and would rather go back to summer, you will find a number of fascinating places around the world in December. We present five destinations with perfect beach weather – for a holiday under palm trees instead of “Oh Christmas tree”.

Mexico: Two times the pleasure of the coast

Dry season and two coasts – the Pacific and the Caribbean: December is the best time to travel (November to April) for a beach holiday in Mexico. In the southeast of the country, which is more than 3,000 kilometers long, lies the Yucatan Peninsula, between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.

The best-known seaside resort is Cancun, which was planned as a tourist center in the seventies based on the model of Miami Beach. There are kilometers of beaches with white sand, palm trees and turquoise sea. And offshore islands like Contoy, Cozumel, Holbox and Mujeres, which are considered divers’ paradises.

The beach town of Tulum, a good two hours south, lures with Mayan ruins located directly on the sea and access to subterranean freshwater cave systems. The opposite coast on the Pacific also promises the finest beach holidays with dream beaches, small bays and islands and typical Mexican cities such as Acapulco or Puerto Vallarta.

• Hotel tip: Coral Level at Iberostar Selection Cancun
• Prices: 7 nights all inclusive with flight, train to flight and hotel transfer from 2096 euros per person

Dominican Republic: Caribbean at its finest

The tropical paradise can be reached in a good ten flight hours: The Dominican Republic lies between the Atlantic and the Caribbean and impresses with a 1600 km long coast, powder sugar beaches, palm trees, jungles, mountains up to 3000 meters high and colonial cities. December is the perfect time for a beach holiday on the south and east coasts.

It only rains a little until May temperatures are pleasant up to 30 degrees, the humidity is no longer extreme and the hurricane season is a long way off. One of the most famous bathing resorts is Punta Cana with the 48 km long Playa Bavaro – it is considered one of the longest white beaches in the Caribbean. Part of it is also known as Costa del Coco because of its many coconut trees. Also worth mentioning is the crystal clear sea, which is 26 to 28 degrees all year round and whose emerald green has magical appeal. More dream beach is not possible!

• Hotel tip: Dreams Royal Beach Punta Cana
• Prices: 7 nights all inclusive with flight and hotel transfer from 1,361 euros per person

Phuket: Permanent sun from December to February

Thailand’s largest island is on the west coast of the Andaman Sea and can often be reached by direct flight from Germany. In December, the rainy season is over and the cooler, drier phase follows – with temperatures that are not too hot (between 23 and 31 degrees), relatively low humidity and blue skies. The sea invites you to splash around at a wonderfully warm 27 degrees. Probably the best-known place for this is also the center of the wild nightlife: Patong. T he three kilometer long palm beach is considered the heart of the island.

If this is too loud and lively, there are still many picture-book options such as the neighboring Kamala Beach, the Nair Harn Beach in the south of the island, which is surrounded by jungle-covered hills, or the small bay of Kata Noi Beach. But just hanging out on the beach or in the bars, Phuket is actually too good for that, because there are many interesting places and people to discover.

For example: the Karon Viewpoint, the 45-meter-tall white marble Buddha on Nakkerd Hill, Wat Chalong Temple, which houses a bone fragment of Buddha, and elephants in sanctuaries. Or how about a boat tour to the legendary limestone islands in Phang Na National Park, better known as James Bond Islands (from the film “The Man with the Golden Gun”), to the Phi Phi Islands or to those so popular with divers Similan Islands?

• Hotel tip: Hotel Zeavola, Phi Phi Islands
• Prices: 7 nights including breakfast, flight, train to flight and hotel transfer from 1706 euros per person

Maldives: Welcome to the Barefoot Islands

Snow-white coral beaches, palm trees, turquoise-blue lagoons, atolls to fall in love with and pure luxury off the southern tip of India: there are more than 150 hotel islands – mostly mini-islands with a Robinson Crusoe feeling – in the Maldives and the perfect travel time is between December and March. During this period, the northeast monsoon brings drier and calmer weather.

That means: around 30 degrees with eight hours of sunshine a day, smooth sea with 28 degrees, optimal snorkeling and diving conditions. What is special, apart from the accommodation in the form of over-water bungalows, is the powder-sugar-soft sand on the beaches, which has been ground and washed out of reefs and corals by the sea over an incredible number of years. It glows white to pale pink and is cleaned and faired every day on the tourist atolls.

There are no better conditions for walking barefoot. The coral sand is also commonly found on pathways and serves as the floor in lobbies, bars and restaurants at most luxury hotels. Walking barefoot from morning to night and digging your toes into the warm sand with every step conveys feelings of freedom, lightness and nature. This is how a relaxed luxury holiday works!

• Hotel tip: Reethi Faru
• Prices: 7 nights including breakfast, flight, train to flight and hotel transfer from 1556 euros per person

Fuerteventura: Sunbathing off the coast of Morocco

It is the second largest and most easterly of the seven Canary Islands: Fuerteventura is only 100 kilometers off the coast of Morocco. It has a desert-like, dry climate that makes it a warm, bathing destination all year round. In December the sun shines six hours a day with temperatures around 20 degrees. In 2018, the value was almost continuously at almost 25 degrees.

The Atlantic not only shines in surreal shades of turquoise, but also with average temperatures of 21 degrees. Almost 150 kilometers of wide and light sandy beaches make the island the perfect destination for beach fans who like to have their own personal beach. Example: Sotavento beach on the Jandia peninsula, Cofete Beach or Playa Bajo Negro, which is said to be one of the most beautiful on the island. But also water sports enthusiasts such as wind, wing and kite surfers and surfers will find conditions here that can only be found in a few places in Europe – from beginner waves to big waves to flat water areas and strong wind zones.

The fact that a constant wind blows over the island is already indicated by its name, which means something like strong wind. A big advantage of Fuerteventura: Compared to the other December destinations, you can get there quickly – the flight from Germany takes just under five hours.

• Hotel tip: MUR Hotel Faro Jandia & Spa Fuerteventura
• Prices: 7 nights including half board and flight from 798 euros per person