Bimini in December: Weather, Sea Temperature, Junkanoo Season and What to Do

In December the pastel houses along the King’s Highway in Alice Town pick up strings of Christmas lights, and the sound of goombay and rake-and-scrape drifts out of the bars as the light turns gold over the water. Fishing boats come in with their catch, conch salad is chopped to order at the roadside, and talk turns to the holiday weeks ahead. This is Bimini in the quieter, cooler half of the winter, a small island town for slow days on the water and long evenings on the dock.

The water off Bimini in winter · Illustration

What is the weather like in Bimini in December?

Bimini in December brings gentle warmth and sunshine, with the sea hovering in the mid-70s and days shorter than they are at any other point in the year.

Month	Sea at Bimini (°F)	Daylight on the 15th (hours and minutes)
November	79.1	10 h 55 min
December	75.4	10 h 35 min
January	76.3	10 h 45 min

December in Nassau brings daytime peaks near 81°F on average, while nighttime readings sit in the upper 60s and rain shows up on just a few days. That gives you a picture of the Bahamas air this month: shirt-sleeve afternoons, evenings that call for a light layer, and showers that are brief when they come. Rain in these islands tends to arrive as a passing squall that clears fast and leaves the flats bright and steaming.

On a long, narrow island like North Bimini, the sea is never far from you, and the sea sets the mood. The water has cooled since the autumn but stays pleasant, and over the shallow banks it takes on that glassy turquoise Bimini is known for.

Mornings are soft and often breezy, a good time for a walk along the King’s Highway before the sun climbs. Afternoons suit a hat and sunglasses, and by late afternoon the light slants low across the harbor.

Daylight is short, so plan your boat trips and snorkeling for the middle of the day, and keep the evenings for dinner on the water. A light sweater or windbreaker is plenty after dark, especially on a boat or on the open stretch of road.

Can you swim in Bimini in December?

The sea in December is on the refreshing side, comfortable for a swim of a good length if you like cooler water and better for a quick dip if you do not, since it has cooled from its autumn warmth.

On North Bimini’s western side lies the open Atlantic, while the shallow, sheltered banks sit on the other, and with the wind, the character of the water shifts from one day to the next and from one stretch of shore to another. Winter fronts can stir the sea, while calmer spells follow. Take a look at the water before you commit, and let the conditions of the morning decide where you go.

The top draw here is snorkeling, with reefs to explore and the wreck of the SS Sapona to swim around, its upper half breaking the surface. If you have a mask, pack it, along with a rash guard or thin shorty for the chillier morning water and a towel large enough to bundle up in on the return boat ride. Families and nervous swimmers will find the island’s quiet beaches pleasant for wading and shell-hunting, but the sea there is not something to promise in advance.

What to do in Bimini in December

December in the Bahamas is the season of Junkanoo, the street parade of cowbells, whistles, horns and goatskin drums, with costumes of crepe paper and cardboard that take months to build. The biggest celebrations happen on Bay Street in Nassau, starting after midnight on Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, and again on New Year’s Day. Bahamians across the islands keep the tradition too, so on Bimini you may hear drums and rushing rhythms in the air around the holidays, though the large formal parade belongs to Nassau.

Christmas on a small island is an informal affair: lights on the docks, carols in the churches, and families gathering at long tables. Spiny lobster, known here as crawfish, is in season, since the Bahamian crawfish season runs from August to the end of March, and the word lobster on a menu often means the same thing. Look for crawfish salad of onions, sweet pepper, lime and diced lobster, or stewed in a rich brown gravy with peas and rice.

Alice Town and the King’s Highway

Alice Town is the heart of North Bimini, a string of shops, restaurants and bars along the road everyone calls the King’s Highway. The island is long and extremely narrow, so you can feel the sea on both sides, and nothing is far from anything else. Walk it in the cooler hours, stop for conch salad made to order, and look for a loaf of Bimini bread, a soft sweet bread that is a local specialty.

Bimini has been a fishing island for generations, and its big-game and bonefishing reputation shows in the dockside talk, the photographs on bar walls and the stories about Hemingway’s years here. In December the pace is gentle, and the docks and bars at the end of the afternoon are where news and tall tales are traded. Sit down, order a cold drink, and watch the boats come in.

On the water: the SS Sapona and the flats

The wreck of the SS Sapona, which ran aground in 1926 during a hurricane, is a popular scuba diving and snorkeling site near Bimini. Above the surface rises the ship’s top, while its lower half rests underwater, and even from a boat the rusting concrete hull is a striking sight. Marine life gathers around the wreck, and snorkelers float above it in clear water.

Beyond the wreck, the shallow banks around the islands are the place for a boat day: fishing, drifting over the flats, or simply looking down at the sand and seagrass. December light is soft, so midday is the best time on the water, when the sun is high and the colors are strongest. Bring a hat, sunscreen and a windproof layer for the ride back.

The Fountain of Youth legend

Bimini is tied to one of the oldest stories of the Americas. Word reached Juan Ponce de León in the 1500s, so the legend goes, that Bimini was home to the Fountain of Youth, a spring believed to give elders their youth back if they bathed in it or drank from it. In 1513 he left Puerto Rico with three ships, never located it, yet the tale clung to Bimini.

Locals still joke about it, and you will find the name on signs, drinks and souvenirs. It makes a fine reason to wander the quieter lanes of Alice Town and to talk to the people you meet at the docks, where the island’s own stories are told in the evening.

Resorts World Bimini

Resorts World Bimini sits on North Bimini and covers a 750-acre beachfront stretch. It opened in 2013 and lies 42 miles east of Miami. In December its beach and grounds give the island a different, more polished rhythm from the dock bars of Alice Town, and the lights of the holiday season show up at night across the property.

Pairing a morning at the resort with an afternoon in Alice Town shows the two sides of the island, the resort and the fishing village, in a single day. The two are close because the island is so narrow.

A two-day itinerary for Bimini in December

Day 1. Arrive at South Bimini Airport and take the ferry across to North Bimini, then settle in and walk into Alice Town for a late lunch of crawfish salad or conch at a roadside stand.

Spend the afternoon strolling the King’s Highway, dropping into the small shops and watching boats at the docks. Daylight is short in December, so keep the walk for the sunny hours and save the harbor for the golden light before dusk.

In the evening, find a dockside restaurant or bar, order the day’s catch, and listen for the local music. If rain moves through, it is usually a short squall, and you can wait it out with a drink and a plate of fritters at a bar with a roof.

Day 2. Start with a slow breakfast and then head out on the water in the middle of the day, when the light is highest, for snorkeling at the SS Sapona or a boat trip over the shallow banks. The sea is cooler in December, so a thin wetsuit or rash guard helps in the morning. Return for a late afternoon on a beach, walking and shell-hunting along the shore.

If the weather turns gray, spend the day on land: visit Resorts World Bimini, sit in a restaurant with a view of the water, or follow the Fountain of Youth story through the lanes of Alice Town. Finish with dinner at a casual spot where fishermen and visitors share the same tables.

Is Bimini busy in December?

Bimini is quiet for most of December and livelier around Christmas and New Year, when families and boaters arrive for the holidays.

The early weeks of the month are the calmest, with a small-island rhythm of fishing, local errands and dock conversations. The week of Christmas and the days around New Year bring a different crowd, mostly visitors on holiday and boat owners making a winter stop, and that is when rooms, restaurant tables and boat seats become harder to find. Nassau’s big Junkanoo parades draw many travelers toward the capital on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, so some visitors split their holiday between the two.

As a habit, book early for the holiday weeks, since a small island has a limited number of rooms and boats, and later for the quiet start of the month. Dinner tables are usually easier than rooms. There is no park, trail or boat reservation that the month requires, but a boat day for the wreck or the flats is best arranged before you arrive, so you know the day is set.

Because Bimini is small, even the busy weeks feel gentle compared with larger islands. You can still find a quiet stretch of beach or an empty dock bench, and the early morning belongs to the fishermen and a few walkers.

What to pack for Bimini in December

Pack for sun by day, a cooler breeze at night and plenty of time on boats and docks.

A light sweater or windbreaker, for evenings on the dock and the boat ride back.
Pack swimsuits and a rash guard, since the water is chillier in December.
A snorkel mask and fins if you own them, for the wreck and the reefs.
Bring sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat, because sunlight glares across the sea.
Sandals and a light rain jacket for short squalls on the King’s Highway.
A quick-dry towel for boat days.

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 falls outside the official Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30. Flights, both commercial and charter, arrive at South Bimini Airport, where visitors catch a ferry over to North Bimini, so keep that crossing in mind when you plan your arrival. The holiday weeks are the time to sort out rooms and boats first.

The Bahamas Department of Immigration reports that every traveler must have a passport good for at least six months, and for arrival by air, passport cards cannot be used. U.S. citizens visiting as bona fide visitors do not need a Bahamian visa.

A return or onward ticket is required, and you might need to show that you have enough money. The maximum stay is eight months, though the officer at the port of entry sets the period written in your passport.

Bimini in December vs November and January

Moving the trip to November means a warmer sea, longer days and a calmer island before the holiday arrivals. The water is most inviting for swimming and snorkeling, and the pace is slow, but Christmas lights, carols and the build-up to Junkanoo have not started yet. It is the better choice for travelers who put swimming first.

January brings a sea a little cooler than November’s, days that lengthen again and a quiet island once the holiday travelers leave. The festive feeling fades, but the fishing remains, and crawfish stay in season until the end of March. It suits travelers who want the island at its calmest and do not mind cooler mornings on the boat.

December is the month for people who want holiday atmosphere in a small fishing town, with lights on the docks, the Boxing Day drums and the shortest days of the year. Choose November for water, January for peace, and December for the season itself.

Is December a good time to visit Bimini?

Yes, December is a good time to visit Bimini for travelers who want a mild, sunny island with a festive streak, a gentle sea and a small-town pace.

Anglers, snorkelers, boaters and anyone who likes slow dock evenings will enjoy it most. Travelers who want warm water for hours of swimming, or the full roar of a Junkanoo parade on their doorstep, may prefer another month or a side trip to Nassau. On arrival, cross on the ferry to North Bimini, settle in Alice Town, and walk the King’s Highway in the first light before deciding where the boat takes you.

What is special about December here is the mix of working fishing island and holiday glow: lights strung over the docks, drums practicing somewhere after dark, crawfish on the plate and the SS Sapona rising out of a quiet winter sea.

Sources

Open-Meteo Marine API, average 2015-2024, checked October 10, 2026
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