In December the goatskin drums and cowbells of Junkanoo begin to sound across the islands, as groups finish their costumes for Boxing Day. On Andros the same season arrives in a softer key: low gold light on the mangrove creeks, a mild sea, and crawfish on the plate after dark. It is a month for reef days, quiet roads and a Christmas that feels very far from the cruise crowds.
What is the weather like in Andros in December?
| Month | Sea at Andros (°F) | Daylight on the 15th (hours and minutes) |
|---|---|---|
| November | 81.7 | 10 h 59 min |
| December | 79.1 | 10 h 39 min |
| January | 78.0 | 10 h 49 min |
December weather in Andros is mild and pleasant, with a sea that has cooled a little since autumn and short, soft days. Around Nassau, daytime temperatures usually reach roughly 81°F, which offers a good sense of what the air feels like over on Andros: afternoons warm enough for short sleeves, while nights call for something light to put on.
Rain is modest. Nassau sees only a handful of rainy days in an average December, so a shower is more likely to be a passing interruption than a ruined day. If one comes, it tends to be brief, and the light afterward over the flats and creeks is worth waiting for.
The days are the shortest part of the picture. You get just shy of eleven hours of light, which means it is smart to head out on boat trips and long drives in the morning, and nightfall comes soon enough that you can sit down to dinner while the stars are still appearing. The month falls just after the official hurricane season, which ends on November 30.
Can you swim in Andros in December?
Yes, the sea is mild enough for a swim, though at about 79°F it is cooler than in November and it takes a moment to get used to. A midday dip is more pleasant once the sun has heated both the surface and the air.
What the water does varies with the wind and with the shore you choose. The east side faces the open Atlantic and the reef, the west side is a vast world of shallow flats and mangroves, and the two feel nothing alike. Treat a swim as something to judge on the day, not a promise.
The reef is famous for snorkeling and scuba diving, and since the sea has cooled off from its summer warmth, a thin shorty or rash guard is a smart call. Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a mask you trust and a towel big enough to wrap up in on a boat ride back.
What to do in Andros in December
December on Andros is about slow outdoor days: a boat on the reef in the morning, a creek or a coastal road in the afternoon, and a long dinner. The island is enormous and thinly settled, so the month rewards anyone who picks one or two things per day and does them without hurry.
Junkanoo season and Christmas
The big Junkanoo parades belong to Nassau. They begin after midnight on Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, and return on New Year’s Day, with whistles, horns, cowbells, goatskin drums and enormous costumes made in secret over weeks. Bahamians across the islands share the tradition, and Out Island settlements hold their own versions of it.
For a traveler on Andros, December means hearing the drums in rehearsal, seeing church decorations and sitting down to a holiday meal in a small settlement. Nassau lies about 31 miles to the east across the Tongue of the Ocean, and its Christmas events, such as the caroling in Pompey Square, belong to that city rather than to Andros.
A day on the reef
Many people come here because of the long barrier reef off the island’s east coast. Snorkelers and divers drift above coral gardens while, just beyond, the seafloor drops into deep blue water. The December sea is cooler than in autumn, but visibility and the soft winter light make the reef a fine place to spend a morning.
Go early, take a wet layer for the boat ride back and plan the rest of the day around a long lunch ashore. The reef suits people who already enjoy the water, and nothing about a trip there needs to be rushed.
Blue holes, creeks and the wild west side
Inland, the island is a maze of tidal creeks, pine woods and sinkholes filled with startlingly dark water. These blue holes are among the island’s signature sights, and they look best on a bright winter day when the surface reflects the sky. The mangrove edges are good for birds, and December’s low sun is kind to photographers.
West Side National Park, a large protected wilderness, covers the island’s western reach. It is a place for quiet looking, not for a checklist. Think herons on the flats, stillness in the creeks and a sense of distance that is hard to find on smaller islands.
Crawfish, conch and Christmas tables
Crawfish season is open from August through March, so December is a fine moment for it. Order it grilled, in a stew with a rich brown gravy, or as a cool salad dressed with lime, onion and sweet pepper. Cracked conch, fried fish and peas and rice are the staples of small roadside restaurants.
At Christmas, tables fill with baked ham, macaroni and cheese, rum cake and fruitcake in many Bahamian homes. If a settlement invites you to a church supper or a bake sale, say yes. It is how the month tastes on an island this size.
A two-day itinerary for Andros in December
Day 1 belongs to the water. Start early, since the daylight is short, with a boat out to the reef for snorkeling or diving, taking a layer for the ride back. Return to Andros Town around midday for a long lunch at a simple local restaurant, ideally crawfish or conch.
In the afternoon, walk the waterfront at Fresh Creek, where fishing boats rest in the creek mouth. Stay for the sunset, which comes early, and finish with dinner at a settlement restaurant. If rain arrives, move the reef trip to the following morning and spend the afternoon over a slow meal.
Day 2 turns inland. Begin with a drive or guided outing to the pine woods and blue holes, where the bright morning light shows the color of the water best. Go on to a mangrove creek or the edge of the west side wilderness around midday.
Afternoon is for a settlement stop, a church or a craft table, and a snack of fresh fruit or a bake sale cake. Evening should be quiet, with a late dinner and perhaps the sound of a distant drum. If the weather turns gray, shift to a long lunch and some time at a local craft stand.
Is Andros busy in December?
In December, Andros remains peaceful, since the island is big and so sparsely developed that visitors spread out without trouble. The holiday weeks bring family visits and a few more guests, but nothing resembles the lines you may find in Nassau during the biggest Junkanoo days.
Nassau draws the crowds for its Christmas events, from caroling in Pompey Square to Boxing Day and New Year’s Junkanoo. Andros receives those visitors only in passing, if at all, and its small lodges, restaurants and dive operators keep a quiet rhythm.
Think of the holiday weeks as the time to be more deliberate about reserving rooms, boat days and dinner tables, and the rest of the month as easier. If you are building the trip around a boat outing or a lodge stay, settle those first and let the rest follow the weather.
What to pack for Andros in December
Bring clothes for afternoons that are warm, evenings that turn cool, and a day that could begin on a boat. A few well chosen layers will cover nearly everything.
- A light sweater or windbreaker for boat rides and evenings, when the air cools.
- A thin wetsuit or rash guard, because the sea is milder than in autumn.
- Mask and snorkel you already know, for the reef.
- Reef-safe sunscreen and a hat for bright midday light.
- Insect repellent for the mangrove creeks and dusk.
- Sturdy sandals or water shoes for creek edges.
Good to know before you go
The U.S. State Department rates the Bahamas Level 2, “Exercise increased caution”, and says most crime occurs in Nassau on New Providence and in Freeport on Grand Bahama.
December arrives right on the heels of the Atlantic hurricane season, which wraps up on November 30. Holiday closures around Christmas and Boxing Day are common on small islands, so plan meals and boat days around them. If you fly in, U.S. citizens must carry a passport good for six months or more, and passport cards will not work. U.S. citizens visiting do not need a Bahamian visa, but a return or onward ticket is required.
Andros in December vs November and January
Moving the trip to November gives you a warmer sea and longer days, which suits snorkelers who dislike a chill. The Christmas atmosphere has not yet started, and the island feels even more empty. The hurricane season is still officially open until the end of that month.
January brings a slightly cooler sea and a bit more daylight than December, but the holiday cheer is over. Junkanoo has passed in Nassau, and the island returns to its working rhythm. Crawfish are still in season, as they are through March.
Choose December if you want the festive background and mild water. Shift to November for the warmest swim, or to January for a quiet return after the holidays.
Is December a good time to visit Andros?
Yes, December suits travelers who love the outdoors and a quiet holiday, and who are comfortable with a milder sea and early dusk. It is a good choice for divers and snorkelers, for people who like to walk creeks and coasts, and for anyone who wants the Bahamas without the Christmas bustle of Nassau.
Those who want a hot, bath-warm sea, or a big Junkanoo parade at their doorstep, may prefer another month or another island. Andros offers neither in December, and it does not pretend to.
On arrival, the first thing to arrange is a reef day, because that is the heart of the island. After that, let the weather decide the rest. December on Andros is gold light on still creeks, drums far away, and crawfish with lime on a table by the water.
Sources
- Open-Meteo Marine API, average 2015-2024, checked October 10, 2026
- sunrise-sunset.org, sunrise and sunset calculated for the 15th of the month, checked October 10, 2026
- NOAA NCEI, GHCN-Daily station BF000078073 (Nassau Airport), normals 1991-2020 computed from the daily record (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=daily-summaries&stations=BF000078073), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Junkanoo (https://www.bahamas.com/events/junkanoo), checked October 10, 2026
- Wikipedia, Junkanoo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junkanoo), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Christmas season (https://www.bahamas.com/blog/christmas-season-officially-launched-in-the-bahamas), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (bahamas.com), Junkanoo (https://www.bahamas.com/events/junkanoo), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, crawfish season (https://www.bahamas.com/blog/its-crawfish-season), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (bahamas.com), Andros (https://www.bahamas.com/islands/andros), checked October 10, 2026
- Wikipedia, Andros, Bahamas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andros,_Bahamas), checked October 10, 2026
- Wikipedia, Fresh Creek (Andros Town) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresh_Creek), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (bahamas.com), travel blog, Andros nature (https://www.bahamas.com/blog/the-wild-side-of-andros), checked October 10, 2026
- Wikipedia, Geography of the Bahamas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_the_Bahamas), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (bahamas.com), Island FAQ (https://www.bahamas.com/plan-your-trip/island-faq), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Department of Immigration, Entry requirements (https://www.immigration.gov.bs/entry-requirements/), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Department of Immigration, Before your arrival (https://www.immigration.gov.bs/entry-requirements/before-your-arrival/), checked October 10, 2026
- U.S. Department of State, The Bahamas Travel Advisory, Level 2 (https://travel.state.gov/), checked October 10, 2026
- NOAA National Hurricane Center, Climatology (https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/), checked October 10, 2026
To plan your stay
- Things to Do in Andros: Blue Holes, Barrier Reef Diving, Bonefish Flats and Island Food
- Where to Stay in Andros: North Andros, Mangrove Cay, South Andros and How to Choose
- Andros from Nassau: Flights, Mailboats and the Fresh Creek Side of the Island
- Know Before You Go to Andros: Entry Rules, Money, Getting Around and Island Etiquette