December is one of the best months for Tulum: dry, with average highs of 29°C, lows of 19°C and 42 mm of rain, and hurricane season over on 30 November. The first half is quieter. From 21 December Mexican school holidays, Christmas and New Year fill hotels, so book early and reach the cenotes at opening.
Tulum in December is warm, dry and busy. The official normals give an average high of 29°C, a low of 19°C and just 42 mm of rain across the month, with the sea at about 27°C. Hurricane season ended on 30 November. The month splits in two: the first three weeks are calm, and from 21 December Mexican school holidays, Christmas and New Year fill the hotels and the cenote car parks.
| December | |
|---|---|
| Average high | 29°C |
| Average low | 19°C |
| Rain | 42 mm |
| Sea | About 27°C |
| Cenote water | About 24 to 25°C |
| Daylight | About 10.9 hours |
Temperatures and rain are CONAGUA’s 1991 to 2020 normals for the Tulum station; sea and daylight come from WeatherSpark. December falls inside WeatherSpark’s cool season, which runs from 13 November to 9 February, and inside the period it rates best for outdoor activity, late November to mid-March. Only January has cooler nights. A light layer for the evenings is enough.
The shortest day of the year is 21 December, with 10 hours 55 minutes of daylight. That matters for cenote plans more than the temperature does.
The first three weeks are the sweet spot: the weather has turned but the holiday rush has not started. Then three things stack up:
Zamna Tulum, the electronic music festival, runs its 2027 anniversary season from 31 December 2026 to 10 January 2027. Its individual events and line-up were not yet published in October 2026.
Book rooms early for the second half of December. One Hotel Zone hotel, Azulik, was offering 25% off villas for stays up to 15 December 2026 when we checked in October, direct bookings only. Our where to stay in Tulum guide compares the areas.
The sargassum season usually runs from April to October, so December is normally one of the clearer months. 2026 has been a heavy year, though. A tracker still rated Tulum’s beaches Moderate on 19 October 2026, and the University of South Florida’s outlook expected amounts to keep falling only until about November. Check a live report the week you travel. Our Tulum sargassum guide explains how.
December weather suits long days out. Good options:
Short days change the maths on long trips. Chichén Itzá is in Yucatán state, which runs one hour behind Tulum, so check the time on your tickets. Foreign visitors have paid 697 MXN on a single ticket there since 27 March 2026, according to Diario de Yucatán. Cobá is closer, about an hour away, and INAH lists last entry at 16:00, so leave Tulum by mid-morning.
December and January have the coolest weather. February is just as dry and quieter once the holidays end. March is the driest month of all, but Easter falls inside it in 2027. Our best time to visit Tulum guide has the full month-by-month table.
6 hours
A ten-person van tour that reaches Casa Cenote before the crowds, moves on to Taak Bi Ha, and finishes with lamplit snorkeling in a private underground cenote after a vegetarian jungle lunch.
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A morning run from central Tulum to Gran Cenote, the jump platforms at Cenote Zemway and the mangrove edge of Casa Cenote, with snorkel gear, towels and transport between stops.
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Entry to the Casa Tortuga cenote park with a 90-minute guided swim through three open and two semi-open cenotes, then free time until closing; higher passes add a zip line and lunch.
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Warm and mostly dry. The official 1991 to 2020 normals give an average high of 29°C, a low of 19°C and 42 mm of rain for the whole month, and the sea is about 27°C. Evenings are the coolest of the year apart from January, so pack a light layer. Days are short, at about 11 hours of daylight.
Yes, it is one of the best. The rain has eased, hurricane season ended on 30 November, and the sea is still warm. The trade-off is crowds and prices in the second half: Mexican school holidays start on 21 December 2026, and Tulum hotels were 83.5% full over New Year 2026. Early December gives you the same weather with more room.
Usually less than in summer, since the season normally runs from April to October. But 2026 was a heavy, long year: a tracker still rated Tulum Moderate on 19 October, and the University of South Florida expected amounts to keep falling only until about November. Check a live sargassum report a week before you travel and keep cenote days up your sleeve.
The holiday season is the main event. Mexico celebrates the Virgin of Guadalupe on 12 December, school holidays begin on 21 December, and Christmas and New Year follow. Zamna Tulum's electronic music season starts on 31 December 2026 and runs to 10 January 2027, with individual events still to be announced in autumn 2026. Expect queues at the best-known cenotes.
Yes. Cenote water stays at about 24 to 25°C all year, a few degrees cooler than the sea, and the cenotes are unaffected by weather on the coast. Short December days matter more: most cenotes close at 17:00 or 18:00, so plan two or three cenotes a day at most and start at the 8:00 opening, especially at Gran Cenote.
The best time to visit Tulum is December to April, the dry season, with daily highs of 29 to 31°C and the least rain; March is the driest month.
January is Tulum's coolest month: average highs of 29°C, lows of 18°C and about 60 mm of rain, with the sea at 27°C.
February is one of Tulum's driest, most settled months: average highs of 30°C, lows of 19°C and about 42 mm of rain.
March is Tulum's driest month, with only about 33 mm of rain, average highs of 30°C, lows of 21°C and the sea at about 27°C.