The 20 Best Places to Visit in December Around the World

In December, Krabi experiences cool temperatures (30 degrees Celsius). Located on the south-west coast of Thailand, this destination is popular with travelers looking to experience tropical weather and adventure. While in Krabi province you can island hop and check out party island Phi Phi, honeymooner-favourite Ko Lanta, Ko Poda and others, enjoying the stunning limestone mounds, film-worthy beaches (Beaches was actually filmed there) and aqua blue waters that surround all of them. If you're craving the excitement and culture of an urban setting, Bangkok is just over an hour's flight away and can cost as low as $35.

For festive Christmas recipes this December, check out Flour 101: Your guide to mastering holiday baking.

Croatia’s capital is home to what is widely regarded as one of Europe’s best Christmas markets. Stunning light displays, live music, mulled wine and divinely rich baked goods are just some of the reasons to be in Zagreb between December 1 and January 6. While the city can be crowded this time of year, it’s also one of the cheapest winter destinations for Canadians.

There are many great adventures every Canadian needs to try and Regina is now home to one of the more unusual ones. You’ve heard of kitesurfing and you’ve heard of snowboarding, but did you know you can combine the two? With snowkiting, you use a kite to harness the wind and zip across the snow. Regina’s flat, open terrain is perfect for new sport.

The Persian poet Rumi died in Konya in 1273. After his death, his followers founded the Mevlevi Order, better known as the Whirling Dervishes. Every year, the Mevlana Whirling Dervishes Festival celebrates Rumi’s life. It is held from December 10 to 17, the anniversary of the poet’s death.

Tyrol is not only a great place to hit the ski slopes in December. This Alpine region is home to a celebration of Bad Santa – and not of the Billy Bob Thornton variety. In Tyrolean folklore, Krampus is Santa’s evil twin and the region's towns and villages hold Krampus parades either on the night of December 5 or 6. Those marching in the parades dress up in scary costumes and create mischief along the way. If you can’t make it to one of the best places to attend Carnival, Tyrol’s Krampus parades are a fascinating alternative.

Southeast Asia is lovely in December, with winter weather still hot, but much less humid. To see one of the region’s most celebrated heritage sites in a different way, visit Angkor Wat on December 2. The Angkor Wat International Half Marathon is a charity event that raises money to help landmine victims. If a half marathon around the temple grounds seems too challenging, you can also participate in the 10 km or 3 km events.

The town of Acolman is home to the 16th-century monastery of San Agustin. It is here that, more than 400 years ago, Spanish monks started making that essential feature of any Mexican party: the piñata. From December 16 to 24, Acolman hosts its annual Piñata Fair, complete with piñata-making workshops. Come a little earlier to see the processions for the Virgin of Guadalupe in nearby Mexico City on December 12.

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The winter weather is the perfect excuse to head indoors and sip on Scotland’s finest whiskies – and where better to do it than Glasgow? The city pulls out all the stops to get you in the holiday spirit. In addition to the Christmas markets throughout December, there is the Santa Dash on December 9, when thousands of Santas take part in a 5 km fun run for charity. The kids can attend the Scotland Street Santa School to learn what to do in case the real one gets stuck in the chimney. Stay until the end of December and you get to celebrate a real Scottish Hogmanay (New Year) as well.

Don a furry hat and head to Moscow for an unforgettable December experience. The city hosts the Russian Winter Festival from December 25 to January 5, complete with ice skating, troika rides, art and crafts, pancakes and lots of vodka. Then there’s also the world-famous Bolshoi Ballet. They will perform the holiday classic, The Nutcracker, from December 22 to January 7.

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From December 7 to 9, Geneva celebrates L’Escalade, commemorating the city’s victory over the the Duke of Savoy in 1602. For three days the city comes alive with parades, bonfires, musket-firing demonstrations and the chance to walk along the Passage du Monetier through the Old Town’s walls. The real attraction though are the large cauldrons of chocolate.

If the tourist resorts of Los Cabos are your biggest nightmare, you’ll love more low-key La Paz, the capital of Baja California Sur. Environmental tourism is big here and in December, you can see migrating grey and humpback whales in the waters of the Sea of Cortez. December days here are warm and sunny, although you might want to include something warm in your Mexico packing list, since the nights are quite chilly.

Niagara Falls is one of Canada’s top tourist destinations and it's easy to see why. Did you know the falls are even more gorgeous when they’re illuminated at night? This happens during the Winter Festival of Lights, when the entire city of Niagara Falls becomes one giant light display. In addition to the thousands of lights, there are laser shows and fireworks. The festival takes place from November 3 to January 31.

Would you like to meet Santa Claus in his hometown? If so, head to the Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi in Finland’s Lapland region. Among the many things to do in the area this time of year is the chance to ride in a sleigh pulled by reindeer, just like Santa himself does it. Stay in a glass igloo and you might even see him flying overhead on Christmas Eve.

Tromso is one of the best places to see the Northern Lights. If you want a truly unique vantage point, take the cable car up to the mountain's edge. December is a great time to visit this city in northern Norway as there are plenty of snow-based activities to try. There’s another great reason to visit this time of year: humpback whales and orcas gather in the fjords around Tromso to feed on the herring.

If you love music festivals, you probably lament the fact that they are so few and far between during the winter months. All the more reason to visit Phethcaburi in southern Thailand, where the Big Mountain Music Festival takes place on December 8 and 9. The weather is hot without being too humid, so you can also visit some temples, hit the beach or try your hand at whitewater rafting.

Manhattan may have its giant Christmas tree, but Brooklyn boasts the world’s largest menorah. It stands in Grand Army Plaza and is lit from December 2 to 9, during Hanukkah. Live music, latkes and gifts for the kids make this Hanukkah celebration extra special. It’s all free of charge, truly making New York one of the cheapest places to travel to from Canada.

Boston celebrates more than just the holidays in December. You don’t need to be a history buff to know about the city’s most famous event, when protestors dumped chests of tea into Boston Harbor. Every year on December 16, the city commemorates the Boston Tea Party with a raucous reenactment of the day that changed American history.

Cape Town is gorgeous in December, with endless summer days, making for great beach weather. The perfect place to show off your tan is the Mother City Queer Project, the city’s biggest costume party. It’s held on New Year's eve this year — and is sure to be epic with the entertainment and DJ lineup planned.

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The Bahamas may be home to one of the most expensive cities to live, but this doesn’t mean visiting will break the bank. December is a great time to come if you want to escape the Canadian winter and have some fun in the sun. This is also when the Bahamas hosts one of the biggest street parties in the Caribbean. Junkanoo parades are held in towns throughout the islands with December 2 the date for the big one in Nassau.

Even though it’s part of Australia, Christmas Island is located closer to Indonesia. December is wet season, which doesn’t make for great beach weather, but it does make for one of nature’s unforgettable spectacles. This is when the Christmas Island red crabs migrate from the inland forests to the coast to lay their eggs and turn the beaches into a sea of Santa’s favourite colour. Of course you also get to say that you spent the holidays on Christmas Island.

Take a month off work and you can be on the Australian mainland for Australia Day, which makes the country one of the best places to visit in January.