Skip to contentHannes Grobe, Alfred Wegener Institute · CC BY-SA 2.5Alan Light · CC BY 2.0
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Best destinations for photography in December
Countries rated good or better for December where the desk marks the light, the colour or the weather as the reason to go then.
77 countries rated good or better
Chapter 01
Best destinations for photography in December
Oman95
about €110 / $119 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.40
Djibouti93
about €140 / $151 a day
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands93
about €850 / $918 a day
Antarctica92
about €900 / $972 a day
Chad92
about €120 / $130 a day · eSIM from €5.30 / $5.80
Egypt92
about €55 / $59 a day · eSIM from €4.90 / $5.30
92Gambiaabout €50 / $54 a day · eSIM from €8.40 / $9.1092Guinea-Bissauabout €70 / $76 a day · eSIM from €8.40 / $9.1092Palauabout €190 / $205 a day92QatarExcellent weather; peak season and peak rates.about €150 / $162 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.4092Saudi ArabiaMild and clear, with AlUla's festival season under way.about €130 / $140 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.4091Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunhaabout €130 / $140 a day91Senegalabout €60 / $65 a day · eSIM from €5.30 / $5.8091Sierra Leoneabout €60 / $65 a day · eSIM from €7.50 / $8.1090BangladeshCool and dry - the best conditions for the mangroves.about €35 / $38 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9090CambodiaCool, dry and clear; the busiest and priciest fortnight is the last.about €38 / $41 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9090Eritreaabout €90 / $97 a day90Ethiopiaabout €55 / $59 a day · eSIM from €10.50 / $11.4090Falkland IslandsChicks hatching under very long daylight.about €195 / $211 a day90Guamabout €150 / $162 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6090Guineaabout €60 / $65 a day · eSIM from €8.40 / $9.1090LaosCool and dry with sharp mornings in the north; peak season in Luang Prabang.about €35 / $38 a day · eSIM from €5.30 / $5.8090MaldivesExcellent conditions; the holiday fortnight is the most expensive of the year.about €130 / $140 a day · eSIM from €8.80 / $9.6090New Zealandabout €135 / $146 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9090Northern Mariana Islandsabout €140 / $151 a day89Côte d'Ivoireabout €70 / $76 a day · eSIM from €7.90 / $8.6089Togoabout €50 / $54 a day · eSIM from €7.90 / $8.6088ColombiaDry season returns; Feria de Cali; prices and crowds surge from mid-December.about €55 / $59 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.4088Costa RicaDry season returns; from mid-month, peak prices and crowds.about €110 / $119 a day · eSIM from €6.60 / $7.2088CubaExcellent weather; prices and occupancy surge from mid-December.about €70 / $76 a day88French Southern and Antarctic Landsabout €400 / $432 a day88TanzaniaRains easing; good wildlife and a holiday price spike.about €150 / $162 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.4086Equatorial Guineaabout €170 / $184 a day86Ghanaabout €55 / $59 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.4086GuatemalaClear, festive, cold at altitude; holiday crowds late month.about €50 / $54 a day · eSIM from €4.40 / $4.8086Ugandaabout €70 / $76 a day · eSIM from €6.20 / $6.7085Antigua and BarbudaDry season returns; festive surge and peak pricing from mid-month.about €150 / $162 a day · eSIM from €6.60 / $7.2085ArgentinaLong southern days; early December beats the holiday crowds and prices.about €80 / $86 a day · eSIM from €4.40 / $4.8085BarbadosDry season returns; festive-season pricing from mid-month.about €140 / $151 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6085BelizeDry season returns; prices spike from mid-month.about €90 / $97 a day · eSIM from €7.90 / $8.6085ChileLong days; early December beats the holiday wave into Paine.about €85 / $92 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.4085Dominican RepublicDry season returns; festive surge from mid-month.about €85 / $92 a day · eSIM from €5.30 / $5.8085GrenadaDry season returns; festive premium from mid-month.about €120 / $130 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6085Hong KongCool and dry with the year's best harbour visibility.about €110 / $119 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9085IndiaPeak season in Rajasthan, Kerala and Goa; northern fog disrupts trains.about €40 / $43 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.4085MexicoPerfect weather; Caribbean prices surge from mid-month.about €75 / $81 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9085NicaraguaDry season and La Purísima festivities; holiday bump late month.about €45 / $49 a day · eSIM from €10.10 / $11.0085PhilippinesDry season returns; Christmas is the country's biggest event by a distance.about €45 / $49 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9085Saint Kitts and NevisDry season returns; Sugar Mas carnival from mid-month.about €145 / $157 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6084JamaicaDry season returns; festive and increasingly busy from mid-month.about €110 / $119 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6084Nigeriaabout €85 / $92 a day · eSIM from €6.60 / $7.2084Saint LuciaDry season returns; festive crowds from mid-month.about €150 / $162 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6082BahamasHigh season begins; Boxing Day Junkanoo in Nassau. Prices peak over the holidays.about €160 / $173 a day · eSIM from €6.20 / $6.7082Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesDry season returns; Nine Mornings festivities before Christmas.about €125 / $135 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6080DominicaDry season returns - good hiking before the holiday uptick.about €105 / $113 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6078São Tomé and Príncipeabout €95 / $103 a day76Rwandaabout €90 / $97 a day · eSIM from €6.20 / $6.7075BhutanCold and dry with superb mountain views and very few visitors.about €250 / $270 a day · eSIM from €4.90 / $5.3074Christmas Islandabout €150 / $162 a day74Republic of the Congoabout €140 / $151 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6072Vatican CityThe Christmas crib and tree in the square; midnight mass needs tickets.about €120 / $130 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9070AustriaChristmas markets and the ski season opening.about €110 / $119 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9070NamibiaHot with the first storms, green shoots and calving.about €120 / $130 a day70NepalVery clear and very cold; short days and hard freezes at altitude.about €38 / $41 a day · eSIM from €4.40 / $4.8070SwitzerlandChristmas markets and the ski season opening.about €190 / $205 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9066Eswatiniabout €70 / $76 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6066Gabonabout €160 / $173 a day · eSIM from €5.30 / $5.8065ChinaCold and dry; Harbin's ice festival is the northern draw.about €65 / $70 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9065GermanyChristmas markets make the cold and dark worth it.about €105 / $113 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9065MoroccoCool and sometimes wet in the north; clear cold Saharan nights.about €65 / $70 a day · eSIM from €5.30 / $5.8062San MarinoThe Christmas market fills the centre for several weeks.about €90 / $97 a day62Svalbard and Jan Mayenabout €250 / $270 a day60BelgiumChristmas markets in Brussels, Bruges and Ghent.about €110 / $119 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9060FinlandChristmas in Lapland and polar night in the far north.about €125 / $135 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9060FranceChristmas markets in Alsace and the ski season opening.about €120 / $130 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9060ItalyAlpine Christmas markets; cities cold but atmospheric.about €110 / $119 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9060NetherlandsChristmas markets, Sinterklaas and canal-side lights.about €120 / $130 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.90
Chapter 02
Why these and not others
The tag is editorial: our desk writes it on a month it has written up, never derived from the score. A country scored from climate normals alone carries no tags, so it is not here - and nothing rated below good is, however well it would fit otherwise. A country under an active travel advisory is left out of the recommendation; the advisory itself is on its guide.
Chapter 03