How hot is Cancun in December?

Cancun averages 28C daytime highs in December with a sea temperature around 27C.

Head-to-head for families

Cancun or Nassau and the Bahamas in December for families?

Families score Cancun 8.6 out of 10 in December against 7.7 for Nassau and the Bahamas, mainly on food scene and things to do.

Kids in tow changes the maths: pool time, short transfers, food everyone will eat and day trips that survive a nap schedule.

Quick verdict

Cancun for food scene, things to do, value for money. Nassau and the Bahamas for beaches.

Cancun, Mexico

8.6/10

28C days, 27C sea, 105mm rain

Nassau and the Bahamas, Bahamas

7.7/10

26C days, 50mm rain

Rated for families

Out of five on each criterion. Highlighted rows are the ones that matter most to you.

Cancun and Nassau and the Bahamas rated out of five on each criterion
What matters	Cancun	Nassau and the Bahamas
NightlifeBars, clubs and late-night energy
BeachesSand quality, water clarity and swimming
Food sceneRange, quality and local character
FamiliesKid-friendly resorts, pools and day trips
RomanceCouples, honeymoons and adults-only stays
Things to doExcursions, culture and day trips
All-inclusiveChoice and value of all-inclusive resorts
Value for moneyWhat a typical day actually costs
Easy and safeComfort for first-time visitors
Exploring soloHow easy it is to get out on your own
Flight accessDirect routes and flight time from North America

Side by side in December

Cancun compared with Nassau and the Bahamas
Factor	Cancun	Nassau and the Bahamas
Daytime high	28C	26C
Rainfall	105mm	50mm
Sea temperature	27C, swimmable	Varies by season
Beach quality	Wide white sand, calm Caribbean	5 out of 5
Getting there	under 5 hours from most of North America	1h from Miami
Typical cost	Highest rates of the year, so lock in early.	Expensive
Between beach days	Chichen Itza, Tulum, cenotes, Isla Mujeres, reef snorkelling	Shortest flight from Florida, Stunning water clarity

What is on in Cancun in December

Guadalupe Day pilgrimages on 12 December
Christmas and New Year fireworks over the lagoon and beach
Cool, dry, sunny days in the high 20s

Crowds. Peak season. Book flights and restaurants well ahead.

Prices. Highest rates of the year, so lock in early.

Seaweed. Sargassum seaweed risk is low, so the sand is at its cleanest.

Storms. Outside hurricane season entirely.

Dated plans and community meetups are listed on the Cancun events calendar.

Book Cancun for December

Prefer a plan first? Build a free day-by-day Cancun itinerary.

Where Nassau and the Bahamas genuinely wins

Shortest flight from Florida
Stunning water clarity
Great for short breaks

Pick Nassau and the Bahamas if your budget is open and you specifically want what only it offers: shortest flight from florida.

What catches people out

One of the priciest Caribbean options
Cruise crowds in Nassau
Limited cultural depth

The Cancun edge

Cancun matches the water and beats it on price, food, nightlife and day trips.

Cancun is the rare beach destination that also works as a base. The airport is one of the busiest in Latin America, the transfer to your hotel takes twenty minutes, and within two hours you can be swimming in a cenote, climbing a Mayan pyramid, snorkelling the second largest reef on the planet, or eating cochinita pibil in a downtown market for the price of a coffee elsewhere. That combination is why we keep building these comparisons and keep reaching the same conclusion.

Cancun wins for you? Start here.

Compare hotelsAll-inclusive, adults-only and boutique Explore activitiesRuins, cenotes, reef and boat days Find your areaHotel Zone, downtown or Isla Mujeres Build your tripFree day-by-day planner

Cancun or Nassau and the Bahamas for your kind of trip

Compare Nassau and the Bahamas in other months

Other places people compare with Cancun in December

See every destination comparison