Do you want to escape the hustle and bustle of Christmas and relax in the sun to the sound of the sea? Then we’ve got five destinations that will guarantee you a wonderful beach break in December.
Admittedly, autumn is beautiful and it often feels like the end of summer in this country. That’s why we’re shocked by the wet and grey winter weather. If you don’t want to deal with it and would rather go back to summer, you will find many stunning places in the world in December. We showcase five destinations with perfect beach weather – holidaying under palm trees rather than “oh Christmas trees”.
Mexico: twice the fun of the coast
Dry season and two coasts – the Pacific and the Caribbean: December is the best time to visit Mexico’s beaches (November to April). In the south-east of the country, the Yucatan Peninsula, located between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, is over 3,000 kilometres long.
The most famous beach resort is Cancun, which was planned as a tourist centre in the 1970s on the model of Miami Beach. The beaches stretch for kilometres, with their white sands, palm trees and turquoise seas. There are also offshore islands such as Contoy, Cozumel, Holbox and Mujeres, which are considered to be a paradise for divers.
The seaside town of Tulum, a two-hour drive south, is fascinating for its Mayan ruins directly at sea and its access to an underground freshwater cave system. The coast across the Pacific Ocean also promises the best beach holidays, with fantastic beaches, coves and islands and typical Mexican cities such as Acapulco or Puerto Vallarta.
Hotel tip: Coral Level at Iberostar Selection Cancun
Price: 7 nights all inclusive, including flights, train to flight and hotel transfers from €2096 per person
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Dominican Republic: the best of the Caribbean
Tropical paradise can be reached in a ten-hour flight: the Dominican Republic is located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, with 1600 km of coast, pink sugar beaches, palm trees, jungles, mountains up to 3000 metres high and colonial cities. . December is the best time to enjoy a beach holiday on the southern and eastern coasts.
Until May, there is little rain, pleasant temperatures of up to 30 degrees, humidity is no longer extreme and there is still a long way to go before hurricane season. One of the most famous seaside resorts is Punta Cana, with its 48 kilometres of Playa Bavaro, 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, emerald green waters of 26 to 28 degrees all year round, which have a magical charm. More dream beaches are not possible!
Hotel tip: Dream Royal Beach Punta Cana
Price: 7 nights all inclusive with flights and hotel transfers from €1,361 per person
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Phuket: permanent sunshine from December to February
Thailand’s largest island is located on the west coast of the Andaman Sea and can usually be reached by direct flights from Germany. December sees the end of the rainy season, followed by a cooler, drier phase – with less hot temperatures (between 23 and 31 degrees), relatively low humidity and blue skies. The sea invites you to play in the warm weather of 27 degrees. Probably the most famous place is also the centre of wild nightlife: Patong. The three-kilometre-long palm beach is considered the heart of the island.
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If it’s too noisy and lively, there are still plenty of picture-book options, such as the neighbouring Kamala beach, Nerhan beach in the south of the island surrounded by jungle-covered hills, or Little Kata’s cove beach. But just hanging out on the beach or in the bars, Phuket is actually too good for that, as there are so many interesting places and people to discover.
Examples include the Karon Lookout, the 45-metre high white marble Buddha statue on Nakkerd Hill, the Chalong Temple, which houses fragments of Buddha’s bones, and the elephants in the reserve. Or take a boat trip to the legendary limestone islands of Phangna National Park, more popularly known as the James Bond Islands (from the film The Man with the Golden Gun), Phi Phi Islands or those popular Similan Island islands for divers?
Hotel tip: Hotel Zeavola, Phi Phi Island
Price: 7 nights including breakfast, flights, train to flight and hotel transfers from 1706€ per person
Maldives: Welcome to the Barefoot Islands
Snow-capped coral beaches, palm trees, turquoise blue lagoons, loveable atolls and the sheer luxury of the southern tip of India: home to over 150 hotel islands – most of them mini islands with a Robinson Crusoe feel – the Maldives and the perfect The time to travel is between December and March. During this period, the north-east monsoon brings drier and calmer weather.
This means: around 30 degrees, 8 hours of sunshine a day, calm seas at 28 degrees and optimal conditions for snorkelling and diving. Unusually, apart from the accommodation in the form of overwater bungalows, the fine sand on the beach is a powdered sugar-soft sand that has been ground and washed from the reefs and corals by the sea over countless years. It glows white to pale pink and is cleaned and groomed daily on the tourist atoll.
There are no better conditions than walking barefoot. Coral sand is also commonly found on pavements and used as flooring in the lobbies, bars and restaurants of most luxury hotels. Walking barefoot from morning to night, sinking your toes into the warm sand with every step, gives a feeling of freedom, lightness and nature. This is how relaxed luxury holidays work!
Hotel tip: Reethi Faru
Price: 7 nights including breakfast, flights, train to flight and hotel transfers from €1556 per person
Fuerteventura: sunbathing on the Moroccan coast
It is the second largest and easternmost of the seven Canary Islands: Fuerteventura is just 100 km from the Moroccan coast. Its dry desert-like climate makes it a warm year-round bathing destination. In December, the sun shines for six hours a day and the temperature is around 20 degrees. in 2018, this value has remained almost constant at almost 25 degrees.
The Atlantic Ocean not only shines in surreal turquoise hues, but also has an average temperature of 21 degrees. Nearly 150 kilometres of wide, light sandy beaches make the island the perfect destination for beach lovers who like to have their own private beach. Examples: Sotavento beach, Cofete beach or Playa Bajo Negro on the Jandia peninsula, said to be one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. But water sports enthusiasts such as wind, wing and kite surfers and surfers will also find conditions here that can only be found in a few places in Europe – from beginner waves to big waves to flat water and strong windy areas.
The fact that a constant wind blows across the island is already indicated by its name, which means something like strong winds. A great advantage of Fuerteventura: you can get there quickly compared to other destinations in December – just under five hours from Germany.
Hotel tip: MUR Hotel Faro Jandia & Spa Fuerteventura
Price: 7 nights, including half board and flights from €798 per person
