Those with the resources have been heading to Hawaii for Christmas for a long time, but there are actually dozens of countries and islands with similar tropical climates around the world, and most of them are far cheaper, at least once you get there. Below is a list of nearly every major tourist destination that combines warm weather and low prices during the weeks around Christmas and New Year’s.
Myth: Hotels are cheaper in countries that don’t observe Christmas
When I first started researching travel prices around the world, I assumed that hotels around Christmas time would be cheaper in countries that don’t observe Christmas themselves. Unfortunately, it turned out not to be true at all. Here’s the thing, hotels in the tropical beach areas of the world are all priced according to demand, and local customs have nothing to do with it.
A huge majority of the people who are well off enough to fly internationally are those living in countries that have a Christmas holiday, and that’s no secret to hotel owners. In other words, hotels in Thailand, Indonesia, Egypt, and India all raise prices for stays during those key holiday weeks because they know those are the most popular weeks of the year for their business. The good news though, is that those countries still offer great bargains compared to, say, Hawaii, which goes off the charts during Christmas week.
When to book a sunny Christmas or New Years holiday trip: As soon as possible
There is all kinds of research showing the cheapest time to book flights and even research showing that hotel prices often drop a month or two out, but the key exception to both of those is around big holidays like Christmas. Suppliers do adjust prices as the months come and go, except for when they know they’ll have no trouble filling up even at the last minute.For flights: Buy ASAP
The research shows that flights for key holiday periods start off at normal levels and then they just keep going up as seats are sold and the date approaches. There are no last-minute deals on flights just before or after Christmas, at least to and from sunshine destinations.
For hotels: Bargains are possible at the last minute, but it’s risky
Hotels
in tropical resort areas know what the typical demand is for rooms
around the holidays, and most of them will charge as much as they can so
they can fill every room. If they charged too little they could be sold
out many months in advance, which doesn’t really help them, so they
tend to start with rates high enough that they only sell out a few weeks
early at most.The best and most popular beach resort hotels will usually only have a few rooms left by early December, and they will price those high enough that most people will look elsewhere. But some other hotels can be too optimistic in pricing so they have to cut rates in December just to fill up. In other words, you shouldn’t really count on an appealing rate at a specific hotel where you are going, but there’s a decent chance you could still get a decent rate if you are flexible enough to accept something nearby.
Package deals: Also buy early
Again, the airfare portion of a holiday trip is almost certain to get more expensive as the year goes on, so a hotel+flight package will generally just keep going up in price as well.Particularly to places like the Caribbean, Mexico, and Thailand with huge numbers of package visitors, you’ll almost certainly get the best rates in addition to the widest choices the earlier you book.
Cheap and warm destinations for Christmas and New Year holidays
Obviously “cheap” is a relative term, but these are the cheapest holiday resort areas around the world that also have warm and sunny weather in late December and early January.Hotel rates listed are current as of July, 2015. Rates listed are including all taxes.
1Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- December average high: 86°F/30°C
- December average low: 64°F/18°C
On
Mexico’s Pacific coast, Puerto Vallarta remains as one of the country’s
tourism jewels. Not only has it avoided the safety problems that a few
other resort areas have struggled with in recent years, but it’s also
regarded as the most interesting and authentic of Mexico’s resort areas.The weather during Christmas time is pretty much perfect for anyone wanting to escape the cold, and the large international airport also has good deals on flights from many North American cities as well. Hotels for well under US$100 per night per couple are easy to find, although if you want a well-located chain hotel you’ll be paying at least a bit more.
- 3-star hotels from: US$41 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$214 per night for two people
2Cancún/Cozumel/Riviera Maya, Mexico
- December average high: 84°F/29°C
- December average low: 69°F/21°C
In
case you aren’t aware of all of these, Cancún is the purpose-built
resort city on the Yucatán Peninsula facing the Caribbean, and the area
just to its south is known as the Riviera Maya, which includes the
nearby island of Cozumel. In other words, they are all basically the
same travel market, with nearly 1,000 hotels in total, and all served by
the huge Cancún Airport with cheap flights from all over. The weather in late December is predictably perfect with barely a chance of a quick thunderstorm, much less anything worse. With so many hundreds of hotels competing for business, holiday room rates for well under US$100 per night are easy to find. Package deals to Cancún are very popular, and probably the best deal for those who book early.
- 3-star hotels from: US$40 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$309 per night for two people
3Punta Cana/Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
- December average high: 83°F/28°C
- December average low: 72°F/22°C
The
Dominican Republic has a reputation for its large all-inclusive hotels
at great prices, and its two most popular resort areas are Punta Cana
(on the eastern tip) and Puerto Plata (on the northern shore). Each has
about 200 hotels to choose from, including dozens of all-inclusive
resorts designed to keep you there for your entire stay. The weather and resort prices are similar in both places in late December, so either one would be a fine choice for someone looking for a cheap and warm place to spend a week. You’ll find that flight+hotel package prices are especially appealing to the DR, and those who book early will usually get the best deals.
- 3-star hotels from: US$36 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$100 per night for two people
4Montego Bay/Ocho Rios/Negril, Jamaica
- December average high: 86°F/30°C
- December average low: 70°F/21°C
All three towns have a different vibe, so it’s really only the weather and most prices that are similar. Along with the Cancun area and the Dominican Republic, these Jamaican resorts are also known for all-inclusive resorts and appealing package deals. Even during the peak holiday months, it’s possible to lock in an appealing deal if you book early enough.
- 3-star hotels from: US$65 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$165 per night for two people
5Ambergris Caye/Caye Caulker, Belize
- December average high: 81°F/27°C
- December average low: 68°F/20°C
Those
looking for more of a low-key holiday with no huge chain hotels in
sight might prefer the islands of Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, both
just off the coast of Belize City. These are both long, thin islands
where golf carts serve as taxis and there is little or no pavement in
sight. The diving and snorkeling here are some of the best in the world,
even if these islands are short on long sandy beaches. Belize is (more or less) an English-speaking country, and these islands both have a bit of a Rastafarian feel in places, so it’s an interesting mix of culture and convenience. Nearly all 4-star hotels here start over US$200 per night for the holiday weeks, but there are 3-star bargains nearby in addition to holiday villas for rent for those with higher budgets.
- 3-star hotels from: US$72 per night for two people
6Roatán Island, Honduras
- December average high: 84°F/29°C
- December average low: 75°F/24°C
Similar
in most ways to the islands of Belize mentioned just above, Roatán
Island is actually just to their south, so it also sits off the world’s
second largest barrier reef. This means there is excellent diving and
snorkeling, plus more sandy beaches than you’d get in the Belize
islands. Honduras is a Spanish-speaking country, though especially with the recent influx of cruise-ship crowds here, it’s very easy to get by in English only. There are only about 60 hotels on the island at this point, and holiday rates are still surprisingly reasonable considering what is on offer. Still, booking early is probably wise.
- 3-star hotels from: US$52 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$190 per night for two people
7Tamarindo/Guanacaste, Costa Rica
- December average high: 90°F/32°C
- December average low: 70°F/21°C
Costa
Rica has a wide variety of resort towns along both its Caribbean and
Pacific coasts, and all of them will be warm and sunny in late December.
There are also national parks and volcanos (not always sunny) in the
interior, but if your main goal is to relax and be a tourist, the best
area is around Tamarindo in the Guanacaste province. There’s even a
newer international airport nearby in the main city of Liberia, so
finding cheap direct flights is fairly easy.Most of this northwestern area is new and quite luxurious, so 4-star resorts and rental properties aren’t much cheaper than in Hawaii, but there are still some really good 3-star bargains. Nosara is another small town in the area that doesn’t feel quite so mass-market compared to Tamarindo.
- 3-star hotels from: US$79 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$290 per night for two people
8Cartagena, Colombia
- December average high: 86°F/30°C
- December average low: 76°F/24°C
The
entire country of Colombia has been rediscovered by the tourism world
in recent years, but the historic beach city of Cartagena has been
popular for much longer. Along the country’s Caribbean coast (about the
same latitude as northern Costa Rica, by the way), Cartagena is an
interesting mix of beach hotels and a walled colonial city with plenty
to see.Not only is Cartagena popular with international tourists in the winter months, but domestic Colombian tourists taking their holidays as well. So you won’t be avoiding the crowds here, but at least it’s one of the more affordable sunshine destinations in the region.
- 3-star hotels from: US$40 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$129 per night for two people
9Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
- December average high: 71°F/22°C
- December average low: 61°F/16°C
Tenerife
is the most English-language-friendly of Spain’s Canary Islands, which
are just west of Morocco (and about the same latitude as central
Florida). As you can see above, it’s not nearly as hot as most others on
this list during December, but it’s still damn nice so it’s very
popular among Europeans looking for something warmer.Partly because it’s not really a great beach season, hotels in Tenerife are still quite cheap during the Christmas holiday period. Most everything else is quite affordable as well, at least compared to where you live now. Especially if you are looking for a place with reasonable airfares from elsewhere in Europe, this could be a good choice.
- 3-star hotels from: US$40 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$46 per night for two people
10Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
- December average high: 74°F/23°C
- December average low: 59°F/15°C
At
the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, Sharm el-Sheikh is
more or less the Cancun of the region, although not quite as warm in
December. This is a purpose-built resort area that has been popular with
Europeans and others for some time now. While it’s remote and has
generally been safe from the turmoil nearby, most of its fans are
choosing to go elsewhere at the moment.We all hope that one day soon, travelers can head to Egypt without checking all the security warnings every few days. Until then, this one isn’t for everybody, although those who do visit are greeted with some amazing hotel rates, including for the popular Christmas holiday period.
- 3-star hotels from: US$23 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$36 per night for two people
11Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- December average high: 79°F/26°C
- December average low: 61°F/16°C
One
of the most unusual destinations anywhere, Dubai is a huge and booming
city with a few nice beaches and an extremely busy airport. The period
in late December is one of the nicer times of the year, so it can get
pretty crowded during the holidays. The main activity here is shopping
at enormous malls filled with all ranges of goods at reasonable prices.It’s worth noting, however, that the nicer and better located hotels in Dubai will cost at least two or three times the minimums mentioned below. Those on lower budgets can get by pretty well here, but that’s not to be confused with the luxury market and beach hotels that rival top room rates anywhere on earth.
- 3-star hotels from: US$70 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$75 per night for two people
12Goa, India
- December average high: 91°F/33°C
- December average low: 69°F/21°C
Goa
has been a famous hippie hangout for Europeans and some others for
decades now, but it’s also popular with families this time of the year,
including many from elsewhere in India. Goa is actually a small state in
southern India with more than a dozen different low-key beach towns,
each catering to its own groups of fans.In other words, it pays to do some research before choosing a beach hotel here because most of them won’t be suited to you. Room rates are quite reasonable even during this busiest time of year, although it’s important to note that the cheapest hotels in Goa (and all over India) tend to be disappointing and rarely worth the savings.
- 3-star hotels from: US$47 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$77 per night for two people
13Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia
- December average high: 88°F/31°C
- December average low: 74°F/23°C
Perhaps
not as well known as most of the others on this list, Penang Island and
its main city of Georgetown are certainly worth a look for some people.
The area is quite popular with Asian visitors and adventurous
Westerners as an alternative to Phuket and other Thailand islands. The cheaper hotels in the area are those in the historic center of Georgetown, while the beachfront resorts are going to cost quite a bit more. Still, there is great value here, particularly in the food scene. Penang is known as the culinary capital of Malaysia, with an abundance of cheap and cheerful food courts in addition to some notable fine dining.
- 3-star hotels from: US$15 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$40 per night for two people
14Phuket, Thailand
- December average high: 88°F/31°C
- December average low: 75°F/24°C
Phuket
is Asia’s most popular beach destination, featuring well over 1,000
hotels and resorts. It’s actually an island with about 12 different
beach areas that are quite different from one another, so this is
another destination where hotel research is critical. Patong Beach is by
far the biggest and most crowded of the beach areas, to the degree that
many people absolutely loathe it. Karon and Kata are nearby beach areas that are at least a little more serene, and there are several other enclaves of upmarket luxury hotels and resorts. This has been a very popular Christmas destination for northern Europeans for decades, and yet it’s still quite affordable even during its peak season.
- 3-star hotels from: US$16 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$37 per night for two people
15Hoi An/Da Nang, Vietnam
- December average high: 77°F/25°C
- December average low: 67°F/19°C
Da
Nang is a bit of a wildcard on this list because it’s not really suited
to mass-market visitors, at least those from the West. This beach city
along Vietnam’s central coast is a short drive from the ultra-charming
Hoi An, and both are quite popular for different reasons, especially for
cheap hotels.Hoi An has been a favorite among visitors to Vietnam for decades, while Da Nang is more of a newcomer after it’s built a string of large beachfront hotels meant for foreign guests. Vietnamese food has a large cult following around the world, and both of these towns have an abundance of great and affordable restaurants serving several varieties. This is one to think about if it feels like you’ve been everywhere else.
- 3-star hotels from: US$21 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$36 per night for two people
16Bali, Indonesia
- December average high: 86°F/30°C
- December average low: 76°F/26°C
Unlike
the others on this list, Bali is (slightly) in the Southern Hemisphere,
and December is actually one of the rainy months so Christmas visitors
can expect at least a few downpours per week. But the rain usually
doesn’t last long so it’s still very popular here on the Christmas
holidays, particularly with Australians. The cheapest hotels here are of
low standards and often without A/C, which you’ll really need in
December. The most crowded and popular area is the famous surf beach along Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak on the west coast, but there are many lower-key beach areas in addition to Ubud a bit up in the central hills. Well-heeled visitors might also consider the tourist zone of Nusa Dua in the south, which is filled with large chain hotels that are often loaded with honeymoon couples.
- 3-star hotels from: US$16 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$24 per night for two people
17Boracay Island, Philippines
- December average high: 82°F/28°C
- December average low: 75°F/24°C
December
marks the tail end of the rainy season in Boracay Island, but those
tropical storms rarely last long so the place is very popular over the
Christmas holidays anyway. This gorgeous strip of sand is lined with
hotels, as well as a sand pathway along the beach, making it possible to
spend days at a time in bare feet. There are no super-cheap hotels on Boracay Island, but that’s mainly because every hotel is within 100 meters or less of the sandy beach. There are many choices of international cuisine here, including many chain restaurants. The most obvious choices are the great number of affordable all-you-can-eat buffets that set up every evening right on the beach. There’s also plenty of live music, as you’d expect in the Philippines.
- 3-star hotels from: US$47 per night for two people
- 4-star hotels from: US$70 per night for two people
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