December holiday, where would you recommend or have been to?

[CornishTeaTime]

Best places to go to in December want...
Warm climate, excellent hotel - room, service, food. Me and DH and DS age 20 who loves waterparks, slides etc.
Want relaxation but a couple of things to do, places to visit in the day and maybe abit if entertaiment at night.

Not a cruise though.

Was thinking Dubai - but wouldnt be able to afford more than 4 nights
Caribbean - lively island rather than remote, quiet

Other end of the scale was thinking New York - but so much to see wouldnt be relaxing and very cold
Sooooo....where have you been, where would you recommend????

Dubai
Cape Town
Caribbean
Mauritius

Think Mauritus would be too quiet for us

We go away every December.
Thailand, great weather, great fun, loads to do and cheap.
Mexico, we took our grown DS's (22 & 25) and we had an amazing time, stayed in Plant Hollywood, it's not the normal type of holiday for me and DH (too busy) but DS's loved it, we didn't really see them, day trips to ruins etc.
Cape Verde, not the best just a hotel nothing close.
USA different bits, warm and fun.
Just firming with the boys as they want to come this year and they want to try Thailand.

We usually go to Thailand. Never boring. We island-hop and stay in small hotels, usually no waterparks. But plenty of snorkelling and diving.

Dont fancy Thailand for this particular holiday...think that would be more of a researching islands, planned trip.

Mexico...that's an option

Mauritius would work for relaxation but a couple of things to do - few tours around the island, boat trips and such. It's not super cheap either though.

Dubai is an easy option — you can split your stay and stay somewhere nice for the 4 nights and somewhere very simple for an extra few and get out and about and extend your stay that way?

Any hotel suggestuons for Dubai?

I vote Cape Town too. Flights are expensive in December though so might depend on when you go exactly. Weather will be nice, not too hot. lots of great accomodation options, sightseeing, great food and drink etc. Hiking, diving, surfing... all on the doorstep.

Have a read through this list, which might help:
https://blooloop.com/water-parks/in-depth/worlds-top-water-parks/

I just noticed that 1 option is Wuhan in China! 😮

Just booked Cape Town for December, paid £550 return per person!

Mexico

We've had great holidays in Barbados.

@m00rfarm any hotel recommendations?

I have been several times, but ended up on the west coast in December and loved it. Am going back in a few weeks also to the west coast. I stayed in a beautiful townhouse about 5 minutes walk to the beach. It is far better than the photos show, and the photos are pretty good! There are several facebook groups which are incredibly helpful - Barbados for Travellers is one that I would recommend. Basically, the south/south west is much busier as this is where the cruise ships come in - it is more buzzy and lots more beach clubs etc. The west coast has fabulous beaches, lots of very nice restaurants but not overrun. I tend to prefer self catering, as there are so many options for good restaurants - many of them right next to the sea and they are magical in the evenings! West is well placed for sightseeing as well - many of the most interesting attractions are much closer - St Nicholas Abbey, Animal FLower Caves, Huntes Gardens etc.

www.airbnb.com/rooms/46778541?adults=1&children=0&infants=0&search_mode=regular_search&check_in=2025-03-22&check_out=2025-03-27&source_impression_id=p3_1738143069_P3OlRGh0qfUcVXZH&previous_page_section_name=1000&federated_search_id=e4770e17-c388-4742-8e2d-6c0df162e0c0

@m00rfarm wow...that place looks amazing!!!!

We went to Antigua at the end of Nov and beginning of Dec. Although the holiday was great, our hotel was very carribean foodwise and had theme nights that were excellent.

I found coming home really weird, there was a little bit of Christmas going on but to suddenly come home to a UK in full Christmas mode really shook me.

We've agreed never to go anywhere hot before Christmas in future but we're looking forward to holidays somewhere snowy in future