Where to go in December

+Dry, sunny and comfortable by Bangkok standards, with excellent conditions for exploring.

–Christmas and New Year push crowds and hotel rates higher.

+Around 26°C with perfect weather and a festive atmosphere — beach days by day, celebrations by night.

–The busiest and most expensive month, especially around Christmas and New Year's Eve.

+Dry-season conditions return and the islands have a festive atmosphere.

–Christmas and New Year create the year's biggest demand spike.

+Excellent beach weather and festive atmosphere.

–Christmas/New Year is one of the most expensive and crowded periods.

+Very low rainfall

–Cooler evenings

+Major event season

–Holiday prices

+Drying conditions

–Holiday demand

+Mild winter atmosphere

–Shorter daylight and more rain

+Beach holidays, festive atmosphere and New Year's celebrations

–Higher prices and busy resorts around the holidays

+Festive energy + low daytime heat

–Cold nights + holiday crowds

+Festive atmosphere + mild winter

–Too cool for dependable beach days

+The joint-lowest rainfall and fewest rainy days of the year.

–Cloud, mist and cool evenings can surprise travelers expecting tropical heat.

+Excellent winter weather and huge holiday programming.

–Christmas through New Year is one of the busiest and most expensive periods.

+Holiday events, decorated neighborhoods and generally mild winter weather.

–Christmas/New Year demand pushes up prices.

+Christmas markets, lights and thermal baths.

–Festive demand raises prices.

+Peak summer, beach weather and an incredible festive atmosphere.

–Christmas and New Year create extreme demand, especially around the harbour.

+A strong escape from European winter, with excellent weather compared with the hot, wet summer months.

–Demand rises significantly toward the holidays.

+Exceptional festive atmosphere

–Cold and busy

+Festive city energy

–Wet weather and higher prices

+Christmas lights and window displays are genuinely worth the trip.

–Holiday fortnight sends crowds and rates sharply up.

+Bright, dry weather and illuminations across the city.

–Everything closes and prices jump in the final week.

+Christmas lights, festive markets and New Year celebrations make December uniquely atmospheric.

–Christmas shopping and the holiday period push crowds and prices higher.

+Christmas gives Rome a particularly atmospheric feel.

–Cooler, wetter weather and increased demand around Christmas and New Year.

+Christmas lights, decorated streets, Rockefeller Center, holiday markets and department-store windows make this the most atmospheric month of the year.

–December is cold, and a high-demand, higher-price period — especially around Christmas and New Year's Eve.

+Mild winter weather and festive atmosphere.

–Cooler and increased demand around the holiday period.

+A quieter period with cooler weather and a relaxed atmosphere.

–Cool temperatures mean it's not patio-and-lake season.

+Festive atmosphere, lights and Christmas markets.

–Cold, with higher demand around Christmas and New Year.

+Christmas markets and festive streets.

–Festive demand raises crowds and prices.

+Christmas markets, lights and Tivoli atmosphere.

–Festive demand can raise prices.

+Lowest crowds and lowest prices of the year.

–Cool and rainy, with occasional snow and short days.

+Mild compared with northern Europe and beautiful in winter light.

–Rooftop weather is not reliable.

+Christmas markets and a genuinely festive city.

–Cold, and the holiday fortnight spikes crowds and rates.

+Festive atmosphere and lively beach clubs around Christmas and New Year.

–Holiday demand pushes prices and crowds sharply higher.

+Cool, sunny, dry days, with some of the best rates of the year before the 20th.

–The last ten days get busy and pricey with holiday travel.

+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.

+Winter illuminations (Osaka Hikari Renaissance, Umeda Sky Building) make the city sparkle.

–Cold, and the New Year period at month’s end gets busy and pricey.

+Magical winter landscapes

–Cold and weather-dependent

+Excellent dry-season weather returns.

–The busiest and most expensive period of the year.

+Christkindlmarket and Mag Mile lights make the city genuinely festive.

–Cold, and the week around Christmas/New Year’s pushes rates back up.