Things to Do in Colombia in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
December Weather in Colombia
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
Is December Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
- + The dry season starts dry: Caribbean beaches like San Andrés sit at 29°C (84°F), water clarity stretches for diving, and postcard sunsets blaze, gone from November through May.
- + Coffee harvest is go: December lands between picking and processing in the Zona Cafetera. You wander between wet mills reeking of fermenting cherries and dry patios where beans pop under the sun like popcorn.
- + Medellín's Christmas lights: From December 1st through January 7th, the Alumbrado turns the Medellín River into 30 million LED pinpricks. Food stalls sell buñuelos and natilla that taste like Christmas even at 27°C (81°F).
- + Amazon lodges empty out: While Europe shivers, the Colombian Amazon nails perfect weather, 30°C (86°F) days, 70 % humidity instead of the usual 90 %, and lodges slash rates when Brazilian tourists fly home for the holidays.
- − Peak pricing lands December 15th: Cartagena's walled-city hotels that echoed in October now demand 90-day advance bookings and hike rates 40-60 % through January 15th.
- − Afternoon thunder rolls: The price of Caribbean sun is 3 PM cloudbursts that unload 20 mm (0.8 inches) in 30 minutes and turn Cartagena's stone lanes into ankle-deep rivers of warm rain and diesel.
- − Holiday gridlock hits: Bogotá's TransMilenio is useless from December 20th as the city bolts for the coast; a 45-minute bus ride balloons into three hours of stand-only chaos.
Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
December harvest puts you on a bike between fincas where straw-hatted pickers lug 60 kg (132 lb) sacks of red cherries to washing stations. The air carries fermenting fruit and wood smoke from drying patios, and the 1,800 m (5,905 ft) afternoon sun settles at a perfect 22°C (72°F).
December serves the Caribbean at its clearest, visibility hits 25 m (82 ft) past coral heads where parrotfish graze and the water stays at 27°C (81°F). Morning boats beat the 2 PM storms, and you can reach Johnny Cay before the cruise hordes.
The Alumbrado follows the Medellín River from San Juan to Guayaquil. But the real show is in Barrio Triste where whole streets duel with DIY light strings and vendors ladle aguardiente-spiked canelazo that steams in the 19°C (66°F) night air.
December straddles wet and dry, water is falling but hasn't reached the muddy lows of February. Pink river dolphins surface where the Loretoyaco meets the Amazon, and 30°C (86°F) days feel doable with the breeze off moving boats.
December's 6 PM sunsets fire the walled city's terracotta roofs gold while the Caribbean breeze slices the humidity. Best shots come from Getsemaní hostel rooftops where you can frame the Cathedral above fishing boats before thunder growls at 7 PM.
December Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Medellín's Christmas lights run 2 km (1.2 miles) along the river, themes shifting yearly. Locals claim spots at 5 PM for the 7 PM switch-on, pack a thermos of aguapanela and expect to stand for hours.
Cali's salsa festival pounds the city from December 25th through 30th. The December 28th parade packs 1,000 feathered dancers, and every bar in Juanchito stays open until the 8 AM salsa breakfast.
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Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
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Top-rated things to do in Colombia this December
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