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Warm winter destinations
50 places that are warm through the northern winter, chosen from three years of weather records and each place's best season rather than brochure claims. For somewhere closer to home, see winter sun in Europe.
Hot from December to February
Places where the average daytime high across December, January and February is 25°C or more and winter is the dry or best season. In the tropics a wet day in the records is often a short afternoon shower, so we also lean on each place's known best months. Grouped by region.
Caribbean
Havana
Dec 28°/21° · Jan 27°/19° · Feb 29°/20° · ~8 wet days/monthEl Capitolio, Hotel Nacional de Cuba, Plaza de la Catedral, Malecón. Budget day from about €40.
Bahamas
Dec 26°/22° · Jan 25°/21° · Feb 26°/22° · ~11 wet days/monthPink-sand Harbour Island, Dean's Blue Hole, Exuma Cays nurse sharks, cracked conch. Budget day from about €160.
Jamaica
Dec 29°/23° · Jan 28°/21° · Feb 28°/21° · ~12 wet days/monthDunn's River Falls, Blue Mountains coffee, jerk chicken, reggae, Negril sunsets. Budget day from about €95.
Dominican Republic
Dec 28°/24° · Jan 27°/23° · Feb 27°/23° · ~18 wet days/monthHumpback whales in Samaná, Punta Cana beaches, and merengue street festivals. Budget day from about €64.
Barbados
Dec 29°/24° · Jan 28°/23° · Feb 28°/23° · ~13 wet days/monthHarrison’s Cave, Oistins Fish Fry, Crane Beach, Bridgetown Garrison, Mount Gay. Budget day from about €111.
Aruba
Dec 29°/26° · Jan 28°/25° · Feb 28°/25° · ~15 wet days/monthEagle Beach, Arikok National Park, California Lighthouse, Zeerovers. Budget day from about €129.
Asia
Mumbai
Dec 31°/20° · Jan 29°/19° · Feb 31°/19° · ~1 wet day/monthGateway of India, Marine Drive, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Elephanta Caves. Budget day from about €33.
Chiang Mai
Dec 27°/18° · Jan 27°/16° · Feb 29°/17° · ~4 wet days/monthWat Chedi Luang, Doi Suthep, Warorot Market, Tha Phae Gate. Budget day from about €30.
Luang Prabang
Dec 28°/16° · Jan 28°/15° · Feb 30°/17° · ~4 wet days/monthWat Xieng Thong, Kuang Si Falls, Mount Phousi, Pak Ou Caves. Budget day from about €24.
Phnom Penh
Dec 30°/23° · Jan 30°/22° · Feb 32°/23° · ~4 wet days/monthRoyal Palace, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, Central Market, Mekong River. Budget day from about €32.
Siem Reap
Dec 30°/21° · Jan 30°/21° · Feb 32°/22° · ~5 wet days/monthAngkor Wat, Bayon Temple, Ta Prohm, Tonlé Sap, Pub Street. Budget day from about €44.
Bangkok
Dec 31°/21° · Jan 31°/21° · Feb 32°/23° · ~5 wet days/monthGrand Palace, Wat Arun, Chatuchak Market, Lumpini Park. Budget day from about €46.
Chiang Rai
Dec 26°/16° · Jan 27°/14° · Feb 29°/15° · ~5 wet days/monthWhite Temple, Blue Temple, Baandam Museum, Clock Tower. Budget day from about €25.
Kochi
Dec 30°/24° · Jan 30°/23° · Feb 30°/24° · ~7 wet days/monthChinese Fishing Nets, Mattancherry Palace, Paradesi Synagogue, Kathakali Centre. Budget day from about €23.
Maldives
Dec 28°/26° · Jan 28°/26° · Feb 28°/27° · ~12 wet days/monthOverwater bungalows, manta rays, bioluminescent plankton, private island resorts. Budget day from about €124.
Phuket
Dec 29°/24° · Jan 30°/24° · Feb 31°/24° · ~14 wet days/monthBig Buddha, Wat Chalong, Old Town, Phang Nga Bay, Bangla Road. Budget day from about €40.
Middle East
Muscat
Dec 27°/19° · Jan 24°/17° · Feb 26°/19° · ~1 wet day/monthSultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Mutrah Souq, Royal Opera House, Wadi Shab, Qurum Beach. Budget day from about €72.
Abu Dhabi
Dec 27°/20° · Jan 23°/17° · Feb 25°/18° · ~2 wet days/monthSheikh Zayed Grand Mosque's 82 marble domes and Louvre Abu Dhabi. Budget day from about €80.
Dubai
Dec 27°/16° · Jan 24°/14° · Feb 27°/15° · ~2 wet days/monthBurj Khalifa, gold souks, desert safaris, and dancing fountains. Budget day from about €92.
Jeddah
Dec 30°/22° · Jan 28°/20° · Feb 28°/19° · ~4 wet days/monthAl-Balad, King Fahd Fountain, Al-Rahma Mosque, Naseef House, Red Sea Corniche. Budget day from about €59.
North America
Oaxaca
Dec 26°/10° · Jan 26°/11° · Feb 28°/11° · ~0 wet days/monthMonte Albán, Templo de Santo Domingo, Hierve el Agua, Mercado 20 de Noviembre. Budget day from about €45.
Guadalajara
Dec 24°/10° · Jan 25°/10° · Feb 28°/11° · ~1 wet day/monthGuadalajara Cathedral, Hospicio Cabañas, Mercado Libertad, Tlaquepaque. Budget day from about €44.
Merida
Dec 30°/20° · Jan 28°/19° · Feb 30°/20° · ~6 wet days/monthPlaza Grande, Paseo de Montejo, Mérida Cathedral, Uxmal ruins. Budget day from about €46.
Miami
Dec 25°/19° · Jan 24°/17° · Feb 26°/20° · ~11 wet days/monthArt Deco South Beach, Wynwood murals, Cuban food, Everglades wildlife. Budget day from about €142.
Cabo San Lucas
Dec 27°/18° · Jan 25°/16° · Feb 25°/16° · ~1 wet day/monthEl Arco, Medano Beach, Mount Solmar, Marina District, Land's End. Budget day from about €90.
Puerto Vallarta
Dec 28°/19° · Jan 26°/17° · Feb 26°/17° · ~1 wet day/monthChurch of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Los Arcos, Malecón, Cuale River Island. Budget day from about €68.
Puerto Escondido
Dec 31°/20° · Jan 30°/20° · Feb 31°/20° · ~1 wet day/monthPlaya Zicatela, Manialtepec Lagoon, Playa Carrizalillo, Punta Cometa. Budget day from about €51.
Maui
Dec 27°/21° · Jan 26°/20° · Feb 26°/20° · ~9 wet days/monthHaleakalā, Road to Hana, Molokini Crater, Iao Valley, Mama's Fish House. Budget day from about €227.
Playa del Carmen
Dec 27°/23° · Jan 26°/22° · Feb 27°/23° · ~13 wet days/monthPortal Maya, Cenote Azul, Xcaret, Quinta Avenida, Cozumel ferry. Budget day from about €68.
Tulum
Dec 27°/22° · Jan 27°/22° · Feb 27°/23° · ~15 wet days/monthEl Castillo, Gran Cenote, Sian Ka’an, Hartwood. Budget day from about €73.
Africa
Accra
Dec 32°/24° · Jan 31°/24° · Feb 31°/25° · ~6 wet days/monthJamestown Lighthouse, Independence Arch, Makola Market, Labadi Beach. Budget day from about €55.
Diani
Dec 30°/24° · Jan 30°/25° · Feb 31°/25° · ~13 wet days/monthColobus Conservation, Wasini Island, Kaya Kinondo, Ali Barbour’s Cave. Budget day from about €53.
Nairobi
Dec 25°/15° · Jan 26°/14° · Feb 27°/14° · ~10 wet days/monthNairobi National Park, Giraffe Centre, Karen Blixen Museum, Karura Forest. Budget day from about €78.
South America
Santiago
Dec 29°/14° · Jan 29°/14° · Feb 29°/15° · ~1 wet day/monthCerro San Cristóbal, Palacio de La Moneda, Mercado Central, Plaza de Armas. Budget day from about €46.
Cartagena
Dec 31°/24° · Jan 32°/24° · Feb 32°/24° · ~5 wet days/monthCastillo San Felipe, Walled City, Islas del Rosario, Getsemaní, Clock Tower.
Montevideo
Dec 25°/18° · Jan 28°/20° · Feb 26°/19° · ~11 wet days/monthRambla, Palacio Salvo, Mercado del Puerto, Teatro Solís, Plaza Independencia. Budget day from about €68.
Rio de Janeiro
Dec 28°/22° · Jan 29°/23° · Feb 29°/23° · ~16 wet days/monthChrist the Redeemer, Copacabana, Sugarloaf Mountain, Tijuca Forest, feijoada. Budget day from about €61.
Florianopolis
Dec 27°/21° · Jan 28°/23° · Feb 29°/22° · ~18 wet days/monthHercílio Luz Bridge, Praia da Joaquina, Lagoa da Conceição, Ribeirão da Ilha. Budget day from about €34.
San Pedro de Atacama
Dec 28°/11° · Jan 28°/11° · Feb 27°/11° · ~3 wet days/monthValle de la Luna, El Tatio, Laguna Cejar, Pukará de Quitor. Budget day from about €72.
Mendoza
Dec 30°/19° · Jan 30°/20° · Feb 28°/18° · ~6 wet days/monthParque General San Martín, Potrerillos Dam, Bodega Catena Zapata, Aconcagua.
Oceania
Sydney
Dec 25°/17° · Jan 26°/19° · Feb 25°/19° · ~15 wet days/monthSydney Opera House, Bondi Beach, Blue Mountains, Sydney Rock Oysters. Budget day from about €96.
Perth
Dec 29°/18° · Jan 31°/20° · Feb 30°/19° · ~1 wet day/monthKings Park, Cottesloe Beach, Elizabeth Quay, Fremantle Prison. Budget day from about €86.
Adelaide
Dec 25°/15° · Jan 27°/17° · Feb 26°/17° · ~4 wet days/monthAdelaide Central Market, Glenelg Beach, North Terrace, Adelaide Hills, Hahndorf. Budget day from about €76.
Warm and sunny, closer to Europe
Not tropical heat, but dry, sunny days in the low to mid 20s and a short flight from much of Europe.
Luxor
Dec 25°/12° · Jan 23°/10° · Feb 24°/10° · ~0 wet days/monthKarnak Temple, Valley of the Kings, Luxor Temple, Hatshepsut Temple. Budget day from about €33.
Sharm El Sheikh
Dec 25°/16° · Jan 23°/13° · Feb 23°/14° · ~1 wet day/monthRas Mohammed, Al-Sahaba Mosque, Mount Sinai, Tiran Island, Soho Square. Budget day from about €52.
Dahab
Dec 24°/17° · Jan 22°/15° · Feb 22°/15° · ~1 wet day/monthBlue Hole, Mount Sinai, Canyon, Mashraba, Ras Abu Galum. Budget day from about €24.
Riyadh
Dec 23°/11° · Jan 19°/9° · Feb 24°/11° · ~3 wet days/monthMasmak Fortress, Kingdom Centre, Diriyah, Souq Al Zal, Edge of the World. Budget day from about €66.
Hurghada
Dec 23°/16° · Jan 21°/14° · Feb 21°/14° · ~0 wet days/monthGiftun Islands, El Mina Mosque, Shaab Abu Nuhas, Marina Boulevard. Budget day from about €42.
Marrakech
Dec 22°/8° · Jan 20°/6° · Feb 22°/8° · ~4 wet days/monthDjemaa el-Fna, Majorelle Garden, Bahia Palace, Atlas Mountains day trips. Budget day from about €48.
Cairo
Dec 22°/12° · Jan 20°/9° · Feb 20°/9° · ~2 wet days/monthGiza Pyramids, Khan el-Khalili, The Egyptian Museum, Mosque of Muhammad Ali. Budget day from about €48.
Common questions
Where is hot in December, January and February?
This page lists destinations on our records with an average daytime high of 25°C or more across the three months, where winter is also the dry or best season. The Caribbean, South-East Asia, the Gulf and the southern hemisphere summer are the main options; Egypt and Morocco are milder but sunny.
What is the cheapest warm place to go in winter?
On our budget-day figures (bed, food, sights and local transport), the cheapest places on this page are Kochi (about €23 a day), Luang Prabang (about €24 a day), Dahab (about €24 a day), Chiang Rai (about €25 a day). Flights are not included and are usually the bigger cost for long-haul trips.
Is winter a busy time in these places?
Yes. December to February is high season across much of the Caribbean, South-East Asia and the Middle East because the weather is at its best. Christmas, New Year and the February school holidays are the most expensive weeks; early December and late January are usually better value.
Want a day-by-day plan?
Tell Tony AI your dates and what you like, and get an itinerary built around them.
Plan my winter trip →Weather: Open-Meteo ERA5 archive, daily values 2021–2023, one representative point per destination (average daily high / low; a wet day is 1 mm of rain or more). Costs: TonyPlan budget-day estimates for 2026 (bed sharing a double, food, sights, local transport), in euros at recent rates. Flights not included. Event dates change: always confirm with the organiser before you book.