Hawaii · United States
December
Christmas peak — the most expensive fortnight in Hawaii, wetter weather, but festive energy.
Worth considering
#12 of 12 months
There are better months for Hawaii — see the full ranking below.
See when to go instead →Climate
High
27°C
Low
22°C
Rain
92mm
Sun
6.5hrs/day
30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5
How December scores in Hawaii
Weather
Above average
Value
Below average
Crowds
Below average
Events
Good
Atmosphere
Good
What you gain in December
- ↑Honolulu Marathon (second Sunday in December) is the fifth-largest marathon in the US — over 20,000 runners from 60+ countries, predominantly Japanese participants, race from Aloha Tower through Waikiki at dawn; the race atmosphere and the spectating along Kalakaua Avenue are free and worth attending even for non-runners
- ↑Christmas and New Year in Hawaii deliver a genuinely festive atmosphere — outdoor hula performances, live Hawaiian music at resorts and in shopping centres, and the combination of warm weather with holiday decoration creates a unique version of the season
- ↑North Shore Pipeline reaches its peak season: December swells regularly exceed 20 feet at Ehukai Beach, and the Eddie Aikau surf competition (triggered only when waves exceed 40 feet) has its best chance of running in December and January
What you sacrifice
- ↓Christmas week (December 23–January 2) is the single most expensive travel period in Hawaii — airfares can be 2–3x standard rates and quality hotels on all islands are fully booked months in advance; budget accommodation is essentially unavailable at short notice
- ↓December is the wettest month of the year: 92mm of rainfall distributed across predominantly the north and east-facing coasts; the wettest years see sustained rainy spells that can dampen Christmas week plans for those based on windward coasts
- ↓The tourist density at peak Christmas makes popular sites feel overwhelmed — Pearl Harbor's USS Arizona Memorial requires timed tickets booked weeks ahead, Waikiki's beachfront is crowded from sunrise to well after sunset, and restaurant queues at popular spots extend to hours
How December compares to May (best month)
| Factor | December | May ★ |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | 5 | 9 |
| Value | 3 | 7 |
| Crowds | 3 | 7 |
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)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)Auckland (22°C)
Climate data: 30-year normals (1991–2020) from Open Meteo ERA5 reanalysis. Scores compare months within Hawaii, not across destinations. Methodology →