Jamaica by month
Jamaica in December
Jamaica in December: 84°F highs, 72°F lows, dry · early december (1st–19th) runs moderate crowds and $$ pricing—shoulder-season tail-end, easy to find rooms and beach chairs. Crowds, hotel prices, when to book, and what's worth doing.
December splits into two trips: early December is quiet, dry and affordably priced—warm days, cool evenings, empty beaches. After about the 20th, Jamaica flips to peak-season circus: resorts sell out, prices triple, minimum stays lock you in. Weather is gorgeous either way—dry trade winds, calm seas, humidity finally gone—but early December gets you the same water and sun for half the price and a fraction of the crowd.
Updated September 2026
Temperature
84°F highs, 72°F lows — the coolest nights of the year, but still T-shirt weather
Wind
Dry season trade winds return: steady breeze, low humidity, comfortable all day
Rain
Dry. The November rains are done; expect sun and calm seas through the month
Crowds & prices
Early December (1st–19th) runs moderate crowds and $$ pricing—shoulder-season tail-end, easy to find rooms and beach chairs. December 20 onward is peak Jamaica: resorts hit $$$–$$$$ rates, sell out weeks ahead, and impose minimum stays over Christmas and New Year's. Seven Mile Beach gets packed, Dunn's River becomes a conga line, and restaurants need reservations. If you want December weather without the scrum, book the first two weeks.
When to book
Book December travel 6+ months out—especially anything touching Christmas or New Year's, when resorts sell out by summer and airfares climb. Early December (before the 15th) has more slack, but popular all-inclusives still fill by fall.
Our getting-there guide covers flights to Jamaica plus a cheapest-fare-by-month table to sanity-check December flight prices.
What to do
What December is made for.
On the calendar
- Grand Market on Christmas Eve
- Sting concert (historic December dancehall clash)
- Junkanoo-style parades in some towns during Christmas week
Pack for December
- Light sweater or long sleeves for evening breezes—December nights are the coolest you'll see
- Reef-safe sunscreen and a sun hat: low humidity feels milder but UV is year-round Jamaica strong
- Water shoes for Dunn's River and river excursions
- Casual resort-night outfit if you're at an all-inclusive during the holiday weeks—some properties dress up dinners
- Snorkel gear if you own it: December visibility is too good to skip the reefs
Know before you go
- Travel December 1–19 if you want dry-season weather without peak prices and crowds—same sun, half the cost, actual space on the beach
- If you're locked into Christmas week, book by June and brace for minimum stays (often 5–7 nights), premium rates, and resort crowds
- Negril's Seven Mile Beach faces west with the best December sunsets, and the calm trade winds keep the water flat—prioritize it over the rockier Montego Bay Hotel Zone
- December mornings are the coolest of the year (low 70s): perfect for early Dunn's climb or a Blue Hole hike before the tour-bus wave
- Reserve popular restaurants (Scotchies, beachfront spots) if you're traveling post-December 20—holiday crowds fill tables fast
- Grand Market on Christmas Eve is Jamaica's street-party tradition: food stalls, music, late-night vibe in town centers—worth staying up for if you're on-island
- MBJ and resort transfers get jammed the week before Christmas and between Christmas and New Year's—add buffer time and confirm pickups a day ahead
Going in December? Get a plan built around it.
The planner turns your dates, budget, and travel style into resortpicks, restaurants, and a day-by-day rhythm — in about two minutes.