Guide CXXVI — Asia — Month by month
Asia in December: Where to Go, What It Costs, What to Avoid
Thailand at its finest, Japan crisp and quiet before New Year, and festive rates across the region from the 20th.
At a glance
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The short answer
The first three weeks of December are one of the region's best-kept windows: Thailand in perfect cool dry weather, Japan crisp and quiet with winter illuminations, and rates that have not yet moved.
From around 20 December everything changes. Festive minimum stays, peak pricing and full inventory land across Thailand, the Maldives, Bali and the Japanese ski resorts at once — committed nine to twelve months earlier.
December across the region
| Destination | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | Cold, dry, quiet until the 27th; snow in the north | Excellent early |
| Thailand | Peak dry season, perfect | The month's winner |
| Bali | Wet; festive rates from the 20th | Value only, early |
| Maldives | Calm and clear; festive peak | Excellent, expensive |
| Philippines | Dry and breezy | Very good |
Where to be, and what to book
Thailand
The cool dry season at its best; festive rates and minimum stays from the 20th.
Japan
Quiet cities and illuminations to the 27th, then the New Year rush; the ski season builds.
Maldives
Calm, clear and at the highest rates of the year over the festive fortnight.
- Anything covering 20 December to 4 January needs nine to twelve months' lead time.
- Festive minimum stays of five to ten nights are standard across the region.
- The first three weeks of December are the value window almost everywhere.
- Japanese restaurants and shops close from 31 December to 3 January.
Houses and rentals for this month:
Frequently asked questions
- Where is best in Asia in December?
- Thailand, at the height of its cool dry season, with Japan excellent and quiet until the New Year rush begins around the 27th.
- How expensive is Asia over Christmas?
- Festive rates from around 20 December are the highest of the year in Thailand, the Maldives and Bali, usually with minimum-stay requirements.
- Is December good for Bali?
- It is wet season, and the festive fortnight is expensive despite the rain. Early December is the better value window.
Editorial note & limitations
Seasonal patterns are drawn from national tourism board data and long-run climate normals, reviewed September 2026. Rates are indicative planning figures from connected partner inventory, not quotations. Collection inventory in Asia is concentrated in Japan, Bali, Bangkok, the Maldives and Palawan.