Auckland · New Zealand
December
Summer begins with pohutukawa in bloom — the most beautiful and expensive month.
Best match
#5 of 12 months
There are better months for Auckland — see the full ranking below.
See when to go instead →Climate
High
22°C
Low
15°C
Rain
87mm
Sun
7.4hrs/day
30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5
How December scores in Auckland
Weather
Outstanding
Value
Average
Crowds
Below average
Events
Very good
Atmosphere
Outstanding
What you gain in December
- ↑December is Auckland at its most visually distinctive: pohutukawa trees — the New Zealand Christmas tree — line the coastal roads, bays, and volcanic hillsides in full crimson bloom from mid-December through January. The red flowers against the blue Waitemata Harbour and green volcanic hills is the defining image of summer in New Zealand's largest city.
- ↑The full summer outdoor culture opens in December: Waiheke Island day trips resume at full service, Hauraki Gulf sailing conditions are excellent, and Mission Bay and Kohimarama beaches fill with locals. Waterfront dining at Viaduct Harbour — Ortolana, Soul Bar & Bistro, the Huami dim sum at SkyCity — is fully operational and animated.
- ↑December daylight extends to nearly 15 hours: the Waitemata Harbour at 9pm in December is still a pale golden dusk, and the sailing culture of the City of Sails makes the most of every hour of light.
What you sacrifice
- ↓December is increasingly expensive as Christmas approaches — accommodation prices surge from December 20, and New Year's Eve drives Viaduct Harbour hotel rates to their annual maximum. Summer holiday bookings require 6–8 weeks advance notice for any quality property.
- ↓December's 87mm of rainfall is concentrated in fewer but more intense summer rain events: Auckland's subtropical weather patterns mean clear weeks can break into heavy afternoon downpours that clear equally fast. Flexible daily planning is needed.
How December compares to October (best month)
| Factor | December | October ★ |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | 9 | 8 |
| Value | 4 | 6 |
| Crowds | 3 | 6 |
December in other destinations
Lisbon (14.4°C)Barcelona (13.8°C)Tokyo (12°C)Bali (30.3°C)Santorini (14.5°C)Paris (6.9°C)New York (5.1°C)Marrakech (18.1°C)Amsterdam (6.4°C)Maldives (30°C)Rome (11.7°C)Bangkok (30.4°C)Istanbul (9.4°C)Vienna (3°C)Seoul (3.7°C)Dubrovnik (11.6°C)Rio de Janeiro (29.5°C)Kyoto (11.3°C)Phuket (31.8°C)Cape Town (25.6°C)Prague (3°C)Amalfi Coast (13°C)Mexico City (21°C)Medellín (28°C)Fiji (30°C)London (8°C)Sydney (26°C)Iceland (2°C)Tulum (28°C)Dubai (25°C)Singapore (30°C)Hoi An (24°C)Chiang Mai (27.5°C)Miami (25.6°C)Florence (9.8°C)Queenstown (21°C)Madrid (9.5°C)Porto (14°C)Edinburgh (7°C)Copenhagen (5°C)Budapest (5°C)Kraków (2°C)Tbilisi (7°C)Palawan (29°C)Hanoi (20°C)Osaka (11°C)Goa (32°C)Cusco (20°C)Buenos Aires (29°C)Mykonos (14°C)Zanzibar (31°C)Sri Lanka (30°C)Costa Rica (25°C)Cancun (28°C)Krabi (32°C)Athens (14°C)Seville (15°C)Cartagena (31°C)Siem Reap (28°C)Havana (26°C)Split (11°C)Taipei (20°C)Kuala Lumpur (32°C)Valletta (16°C)Ho Chi Minh City (31°C)Hawaii (27°C)Cappadocia (6°C)Dominican Republic (28°C)Jamaica (30°C)Tanzania (27°C)Seychelles (30°C)Nepal (17°C)Jordan (14°C)Azores (18°C)Bora Bora (30°C)Los Angeles (20.4°C)Cairo (20.8°C)Kenya (26°C)Jaipur (22.8°C)Las Vegas (14.7°C)San Francisco (13.8°C)Madeira (20°C)Vancouver (7.1°C)Muscat (27.8°C)Lima (24.2°C)Cinque Terre (12°C)Kotor (11°C)Tel Aviv (19°C)Santiago (29°C)Bogotá (18°C)Bruges (6.8°C)Penang (30.9°C)Lombok (30.9°C)Cape Verde (26.8°C)Fez (15.2°C)Kerala (31°C)Kigali (26°C)Hong Kong (19°C)Oslo (2°C)
Climate data: 30-year normals (1991–2020) from Open Meteo ERA5 reanalysis. Scores compare months within Auckland, not across destinations. Methodology →