Quick answer
December is India's busiest travel month, driven by Christmas, New Year and school winter breaks. In India, pick Goa for Christmas and New Year, Nagaland for the Hornbill Festival from 1 to 10 December, or Gulmarg for snow. Abroad, choose Dubai for the Shopping Festival, Singapore for Christmas lights and the Marina Bay countdown, or Finnish Lapland for snow and the northern lights.
Best places in India in December
20–33°C, dryGoa
Midnight Mass at the old churches on Christmas Eve and New Year parties in the north make this Goa's peak fortnight. Rates for 24–31 December are often double those of early December, so travel in the first half of the month if your dates are flexible.
6–20°C, dryHornbill Festival, Nagaland
Held every year from 1 to 10 December at Kisama Heritage Village near Kohima, with performances by Nagaland's tribes, food stalls and a night bazaar. Book Kohima stays two to three months ahead; Indian visitors need an Inner Line Permit, available online.
−6 to 5°C, snowGulmarg, Kashmir
Snow usually builds through December, and by Christmas the Gondola and ski slopes are normally running. New Year in Gulmarg is in high demand, so book by October.
11–28°C, dryRann of Kutch
Rann Utsav is in full swing, and full-moon nights over the white salt desert are the most-booked of the season. Nights drop to about 10°C, so pack warm layers.
23–32°C, mostly dryKerala
Christmas in Fort Kochi's old churches and the Cochin Carnival over New Year bring the coast to life, and the weather is dry for houseboats in Alleppey. Houseboat rates peak in the last ten days of December.
6–24°C, dryJaisalmer
Desert camps at Sam and Khuri run Christmas and New Year evenings, and clear, cold nights are good for stargazing on the dunes. Days are about 24°C and nights drop to about 6°C.
23–30°C, dryAndaman Islands
Peak season brings calm seas and good visibility at Havelock and Neil. Ferries and beach resorts for Christmas week often sell out by October.
15–28°C, dryKonark and Puri, Odisha
The Konark Dance Festival is held from 1 to 5 December at the open-air auditorium beside the Sun Temple. Puri's beach and the migratory birds at Chilika Lake make it a full week.
Best places abroad in December
16–26°C, dryDubai
The Dubai Shopping Festival opens in December, along with UAE National Day on 2 December and the Burj Khalifa New Year fireworks. Hotel rates are at their annual peak in the last ten days of the month.
24–31°C, heavy showersSingapore
Orchard Road's Christmas light-up and the Marina Bay New Year countdown make Singapore a strong family pick. December is also one of its wettest months, with heavy afternoon showers, so plan indoor options.
−12 to −3°C, snowFinnish Lapland
Rovaniemi's Santa Claus Village, husky safaris and reindeer farms are built for December, and long nights give the best chance of seeing the northern lights. Daylight lasts only a few hours around Christmas.
−2 to 4°C, coldVienna and Salzburg, Austria
Christmas markets in Vienna and Salzburg run until about 24 December, and the Alps around Innsbruck are snowy. Many markets close on Christmas Eve, so plan for the first three weeks of the month.
23–32°C, dryPhuket and Krabi, Thailand
The Andaman coast is in its prime: dry, calm and clear for Phi Phi and the Similan Islands. Phuket and Krabi rates peak from about 20 December to the first week of January.
23–31°C, drying out on the south-west coastSri Lanka
The south and west coasts start their dry season and whale watching off Mirissa begins. The east coast is in its monsoon, so stick to Galle, Bentota and the hill country.
18–26°C (Sydney), warmAustralia
Summer begins, and Sydney's New Year's Eve fireworks over the Harbour Bridge are one of the world's best-known celebrations. Fares from India peak around Christmas, so book by September.
15–32°C, dry in the southVietnam
The south, including Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc, is dry and warm, and the north is cool for Ha Long Bay cruises. Central Vietnam can still be wet in early December.
Festivals and events in December
Kisama Heritage Village, near Kohima, Nagaland
Hornbill Festival
1–10 December every year. Kohima stays sell out two to three months ahead.
Konark, Odisha
Konark Dance Festival
1–5 December. Classical dance with the Sun Temple as the backdrop.
Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Chennai Music Season
December to mid-January. Hundreds of Carnatic music and dance performances across the city's sabhas during Margazhi.
Goa, Kochi and Shillong
Christmas and New Year's Eve
Midnight Mass on 24 December, New Year parties in north Goa and the Cochin Carnival in Fort Kochi.
Dubai, UAE
Dubai Shopping Festival
Usually early December to mid-January, with mall sales, drone shows and fireworks.
Germany, Austria and Prague
Christmas markets
Usually late November to 23–24 December. Weekday evenings are less crowded than weekends.
How busy is December for Indian travellers?
December is the most expensive month of the year to travel. Honeymoons from the November–December weddings, Christmas, New Year and school winter breaks all land in the second half of the month. This year, Christmas Day (25 December 2026) and New Year's Day (1 January 2027) both fall on Fridays, which gives two back-to-back long weekends. North Indian schools usually close for winter from late December or early January, and many offices thin out in the last week.
Prices follow. From about 20 December to 3 January, hotel rates in Goa, Kerala, Rajasthan, Kashmir, Dubai, Thailand and Singapore can be 30–80% higher than in the first half of December, and fares on popular routes often double. Book eight to twelve weeks ahead for those dates. The first two weeks of December are the value window, with the same weather and calmer resorts. Our family tour packages and honeymoon tour packages both have early-December departures.
Where is the weather best in December?
Most of India is dry and cool. Goa, Kerala, the Andamans, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Odisha all have 22–30°C days, and Kashmir and Himachal start getting regular snow. See the best time to visit Goa for how December compares with January. Nagaland's Hornbill Festival and Odisha's Konark Dance Festival both open the month; our festivals hub has the details.
Abroad, December suits Dubai, Thailand's Andaman coast, Sri Lanka's south-west coast, southern Vietnam and Australia, plus Europe and Lapland for Christmas markets and snow. Dubai trip cost shows what peak-season rates look like.
Where should you avoid in December?
- Chennai and Puducherry in early December: The north-east monsoon can still bring cyclones and heavy rain.
- Manali and Shimla on New Year's Eve: Traffic jams of several hours are common, and snow can close the Atal Tunnel and the roads above Manali.
- Ladakh and Spiti: Only for hardy travellers on specialist trips.
- Bali: It is the rainy season, and Christmas rates are high anyway.
- Early flights and trains via Delhi, Agra and Varanasi: Fog causes regular delays from mid-December.
- Malaysia's east coast islands: Most resorts on the Perhentians are closed for the monsoon.
What does a December trip cost?
| Trip | Starting price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Goa, 3 nights | ₹10,000+ | Often double over Christmas week |
| Kerala, 5 nights | ₹19,000+ | Houseboats peak after 20 December |
| Kashmir, 5 nights | ₹17,000+ | New Year costs more |
| Dubai, 4 nights with flights | ₹42,000+ | Peak from 20 December |
| Thailand, 5 nights | ₹20,000+ | Early December is better value |
| Singapore, 4 nights | ₹38,000+ | Christmas week costs more |
Prices are per person, twin sharing, excluding flights unless stated, and apply to the first half of the month.
If you can only travel over Christmas or New Year, fix your flights first. Hotels have more room to negotiate than airlines do in the last week of December.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best place to visit in India in December?
When should I book a Christmas or New Year trip?
Where can I see snow in December from India?
Is Dubai good for New Year's Eve?
Is December a good time for a honeymoon?
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Written and fact-checked by the Elitech Travels editorial desk in New Delhi, drawing on our consultants' day-to-day booking work and the official sources below. Rules, fares and fees change — always confirm anything critical with the issuing authority before you travel. Our editorial policy.