Aruba in December: Weather, Prices, Crowds, What to Book

Aruba in December is two different months stitched together. The first half is calm, warm and fairly priced. The second half is the busiest fortnight of the year, with rates that make guests write back asking if we made a typo. Ghislaine has hosted through enough Decembers in Noord to explain both halves, and when to book which.

What is the weather in Aruba in December?

Warm, breezy, with a chance of a shower. Daytime highs sit around 29 to 30 degrees Celsius, 85 Fahrenheit, and nights drop to about 25, which is as cool as Aruba ever gets. The sea is around 27 degrees. The trade wind is lighter in autumn and picks back up through December, so the second half is windier than the first.

December is the tail of Aruba’s short rainy season, which runs roughly October through December. In practice that means a few short showers a week, often before breakfast, and a sky that clears within the hour. A gray day happens once or twice a month. We have never had a guest lose a beach day to rain in December, but we have had guests lose one to a cold front elsewhere closing their departure airport. The island sits far south of the hurricane belt and the season is over by December 1 in any case.

Sargassum is not a December problem on the west coast beaches, where all our homes are.

How much does Aruba cost in December?

Here is the honest shape of it, by week:

• December 1 to about 15: shoulder rates, close to November. Flights are reasonable, restaurants take walk ins, the beaches are half full. Best value weeks of the winter.
• December 15 to 20: rates climb daily as the schools in the US and the Netherlands break up.
• December 20 to January 3: peak. Vacation rentals and hotels charge their top rate of the year, commonly 40 to 80 percent above shoulder season, and most require a seven night minimum. Ours do too, and we are honest that this is the only time of year our prices are not a bargain against the hotels.
• January 4 onward: still high season, but the holiday premium drops off within a week.

Rental cars follow the same curve and physically run out around Christmas, so book the car when you book the flight. Taxis add a $5 surcharge on public holidays, which covers December 24 through January 1. Our cost guide to rentals vs hotels has the line items, and the best time to visit article puts December next to the other months.

How crowded is Aruba in December?

Early December: pleasantly quiet. Late December: full. Palm Beach loungers are claimed before 8 am, Eagle Beach parking near the fofoti trees fills by mid morning, and the popular restaurants want a reservation three or four days out. The island does not feel overrun the way a cruise port does, because most visitors are in resorts and rentals spread along ten kilometers of coast, but you will notice the difference at the supermarket checkout and on the Arikok jeep tours.

What that means for planning: in late December, book dinners, sunset sails and the Natural Pool tour before you fly. In early December, do none of that.

What is on in Aruba in December?

The island takes its Dutch and local traditions seriously, and December is when you see them.

• December 5, Sinterklaas. The Dutch gift giving evening, celebrated by families and schools. You will see the lights and hear the songs; it is not a tourist event but it sets the mood.
• Early December onward: Christmas lights go up along the palm trees of the hotel boulevard and in downtown Oranjestad. The hotels run tree lightings and holiday buffets. Check the Aruba Tourism Authority calendar for the current dates.
• December 24 and 25: Christmas Eve is the big family night, Christmas Day is quiet. Many local restaurants close on the 25th, the strip stays open. Book Christmas Eve dinner early.
• December 31: pagara. Long strings of firecrackers are lit outside businesses and homes through the day to chase off the old year. It is loud, it is everywhere, and dogs hate it. At midnight the hotels and families set off fireworks along the whole coast. Our Ocean View 2BR balcony looks straight at the Palm Beach display; the Hideout suites are a short walk to Eagle Beach for the same thing with fewer people.
• December 31 to January 6: Dande. Groups of musicians with tambu drums and wiri go house to house singing a blessing for the new year. If a group comes to your door, a small tip is the custom.

Carnival season starts right after, usually in the first days of January, so a late December stay catches the first Carnival parties.

Is Aruba warm enough to swim in December?

Yes, every day. The sea is warmer than most Mediterranean beaches in August. The water on the west coast is calm because the island blocks the wind, so Eagle Beach and the snorkel spots at Arashi and Boca Catalina are fine for kids and for older swimmers. The north coast is rough all year and never for swimming.

What should you book, and by when?

• Six to nine months ahead: the home, flights, and the rental car, if your dates touch December 20 to January 3.
• Two to three months ahead: the same, for December 1 to 19.
• Before you fly, late December only: Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve dinners, a sunset sail, the Arikok jeep tour, De Palm Island if you are taking kids.
• The ED card and the sustainability fee, any time in the week before departure; our entry rules guide walks through it.

What to pack for Aruba in December

The same as any month, plus one light layer for the evening breeze on a terrace, and a rain jacket you will probably not use. Reef safe sunscreen is required by law, the sun is as strong in December as in July.

Stay nearby

Oasis Hideaway in Gold Coast is the one guests pick for the holidays: a private pool, room for a family, and five minutes from Arashi. Ocean View 2BR on the Palm Beach strip is the no car option with the fireworks view. Hideout Dream Big Suite and Hideout Happiness Suite near Eagle Beach are adults only and quiet even in the busy fortnight. All four carry a seven night minimum over Christmas and New Year. Check dates at /stays/.

Questions people ask

Is December a good time to visit Aruba?

Yes, with two caveats. The weather is warm and the island is festive, but the last two weeks are the most expensive and most booked of the whole year. December 1 to 15 is the sweet spot.

Does it rain in Aruba in December?

Some. December sits at the end of the short wet season, so expect a few brief showers, usually at night or early morning, and plenty of sun between them. Whole washed out days are rare.

How far ahead should I book Aruba for Christmas?

Six to nine months. Christmas and New Year weeks sell out first, most rentals require a seven night minimum, and rental cars run out. Flights from the US northeast peak too.

What happens in Aruba on New Year's Eve?

Firecracker strings called pagara go off all day on December 31, then fireworks at midnight along Palm Beach, Eagle Beach and Oranjestad. From January 1 Dande singers go house to house with New Year blessings.