The best cities for winter sun
For anyone in the northern hemisphere who wants sun between December and February without a resort. The cities are ordered by how reliably warm and dry they are in those months and how well the itinerary works in the heat, with the temperatures the itineraries themselves quote.
The window is December to February for all of these, with Cape Town, Sydney and Buenos Aires in their summer and the rest in their dry season. Christmas and New Year are the price peak everywhere on the list.
Checked October 10, 2026. Every city links to a day-by-day itinerary with the hours and prices looked up.
- Dubai · United Arab Emirates · 3 days
Dubai
November to March is the season: 68 to 86°F (20 to 30°C), dry, and Kite Beach on day 3 is pleasant all day rather than only before 10 a.m. The Creek abra and the souks on day 1 are built for walking in this weather. Ramadan is expected from about February 8 to March 9, 2027, when museums keep shorter hours and the evenings after iftar are lively.
See the itinerary: 3 days in Dubai
- Cancún · Mexico · 4 days
Cancún
December to April is the dry season at 75 to 84°F (24 to 29°C), and the sargassum that fouls the east-facing beaches from spring to fall is gone. Christmas week and the March spring break are the two peaks; late November and early December are the quiet, clear weeks. Playa Delfines on day 1 and Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres on day 4 are the swims.
See the itinerary: 4 days in Cancún and the Riviera Maya
- Bangkok · Thailand · 3 days
Bangkok
November to February is the cool season, which in Bangkok means about 86°F (30°C) and dry rather than the 95°F (35°C)-plus heat of April. It is the busiest season too, so the Grand Palace at opening on day 1 matters more than usual. Chatuchak on a cool-season Saturday morning is the version of the market worth getting up for.
See the itinerary: 3 days in Bangkok
- Cape Town · South Africa · 3 days
Cape Town
December and January are the southern summer: dry, warm, long evenings, and sunset at Camps Bay nearer 8 p.m. The south-easter blows hardest then and can close the Table Mountain cableway for a day at a time, so keep day 1 flexible. Clifton's coves have the whitest sand and the coldest water; Muizenberg on the False Bay side is the warmer swim.
See the itinerary: 3 days in Cape Town
- Marrakech · Morocco · 3 days
Marrakech
December and January are sunny by day, around 64 to 68°F (18 to 20°C) in the souks, and near 41°F (5°C) at night, so pack a jacket for the roof terraces. The medina on days 1 and 2 is a walking city in this weather rather than the early-morning city it becomes in summer. Ramadan is expected from about February 8 to March 9, 2027, when the square fills after sunset.
See the itinerary: 3 days in Marrakech
- Zanzibar · Tanzania · 4 days
Zanzibar
December to February is hot and mostly dry, around 86 to 90°F (30 to 32°C), between the short rains of November and the long rains that start around March. Stone Town's lanes are for the early morning; the beaches at Nungwi and Kendwa on the northern tip have the swimming that does not depend on the tide. Expect the highest prices of the year over Christmas and New Year.
See the itinerary: 4 days in Zanzibar
- Doha · Qatar · 2 days
Doha
December to February sits around 68 to 77°F (20 to 25°C) by day, cool enough to walk the Corniche and Souq Waqif at noon, which nobody does from May to September. The Museum of Islamic Art and the National Museum take the afternoons. Two days is the right length, and the city works as a stopover on the way to Asia or Australia.
See the itinerary: 2 days in Doha
- Sydney · Australia · 4 days
Sydney
December to February is Sydney's summer: 77 to 86°F (25 to 30°C) most days, humid, with afternoon storms and a UV index that reaches extreme by late morning, so swim early. Manly on day 2 and the Coogee to Bondi walk on day 3 start before 8 a.m. for a reason. New Year's Eve on the harbor doubles hotel prices for the week.
See the itinerary: 4 days in Sydney
- Colombo · Sri Lanka · 4 days
Colombo and Galle
The southwest coast is dry and around 86°F (30°C) from December to March, which is why Galle Fort and the beaches at Unawatuna and Mirissa fill with northern Europeans then. Colombo is a day of Pettah's markets and Galle Face Green at sunset before the coast train south. The east coast is in its monsoon in the same months, so stay south and west.
See the itinerary: 4 days in Colombo and Galle
- Buenos Aires · Argentina · 3 days
Buenos Aires
January is 86°F (30°C) and humid and half the city is at the coast, which leaves the parrilla tables and the Subte easier than usual. February is similar; by March it is a mild 25 and the better month for walking Palermo and San Telmo.
See the itinerary: 3 days in Buenos Aires
Questions
Where is it hottest in December?
Bangkok and Zanzibar at around 86 to 90°F (30 to 32°C), then Sydney, Cancún and Dubai. Marrakech and Doha are the gentler ones, around 64 to 77°F (18 to 25°C) by day and cold after dark.
Which winter sun city is cheapest?
Bangkok, at 1,500 to 2,500 baht a day on the itinerary, then Marrakech at 600 to 1,000 MAD. Dubai and Sydney are the expensive ones.
Is Ramadan a problem in Dubai, Doha or Marrakech?
It is expected from about February 8 to March 9, 2027. Museums keep shorter hours and some cafés go quiet by day, but many restaurants serve, and the evenings after iftar are lively.
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