In December the water around the Exumas turns a clear, pale green in the morning light, and boats slip out from Elizabeth Harbour toward the white sand of Stocking Island. Ashore, Christmas lights go up on small settlements, and the cays settle into a slower, quieter rhythm. It is a month for island hopping, beach walks and long lunches of crawfish, with the sea still warm enough to make you linger.
What is the weather like in the Exumas in December?
December is pleasant and mild in the Exumas, with sunny days made for boats and beaches, evenings that call for a light layer, and a sea that has cooled a little since fall but is still welcoming.
| Month | Sea at the Exumas (°F) | Daylight on the 15th (hours and minutes) |
|---|---|---|
| November | 81.4 | 11 h 02 min |
| December | 78.9 | 10 h 44 min |
| January | 78.3 | 10 h 53 min |
December in Nassau brings highs of roughly 81°F on average, and that offers a decent sense of what the air feels like around the islands this time of year: mild in the middle of the day, lovely after the sun goes down. Mornings start soft and bright, and the afternoon is the time for the beach or a boat ride. When showers come, they are usually brief interruptions rather than whole gray days.
Daylight is shorter than in fall, so the day has a clear shape. The sun sets early in the evening, and dinner on a terrace happens in the glow of lanterns rather than in daylight. A light sweater or a thin wrap is welcome after dark, especially out on the water or on a breezy dock.
The sea is the real draw. At roughly 79°F it is a touch cooler than in November, though still gentle on the skin, and the light on the shallow flats is clean and bright. The Atlantic hurricane season ends on November 30, so December comes just after it closes.
Can you swim in the Exumas in December?
In December the water stays warm enough for a real swim, near 79°F, but it feels chillier than in fall, so aim for the sunniest stretch of the afternoon.
Because the weather shifts daily and varies across each patch of coastline, the beach you encounter on one particular morning may not look the same as the following one. The Exumas have a long list of beaches to try.
You can only get to Stocking Island, home to some of the Bahamas’ finest white sand beaches, by boat from Elizabeth Harbour. Tropic of Cancer Beach, which people also call Pelican Beach, stretches farther than any other beach on Little Exuma.
For something more playful, Pig Beach on Big Major Cay is where visitors swim with the famous pigs in shallow water. Thunderball Grotto is a snorkeling spot reached while island hopping. A swimsuit, a rash guard for cooler mornings and a towel you can wrap around yourself on the boat ride back make the day more comfortable. Around wildlife, keep a respectful distance and follow what your guide tells you.
What to do in the Exumas in December
December in the Exumas is about boats, beaches and the holiday mood that runs through the Bahamas. The islands are a chain of 365 islands and cays, which visitors explore by boat, either chartering their own or hiring a local guide. That is the heart of a December trip: a day on the water, with a beach for lunch and another for a swim.
The season has its own flavor. Junkanoo is the great Bahamian street parade, with colorful costumes, dance routines and music from whistles, cowbells, horns and goatskin drums.
The largest celebrations take place in Nassau on Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, and on New Year’s Day, with the parade starting after midnight on Boxing Day. Junkanoo is celebrated across the 16 islands, and many Out Islands hold their own versions, so ask where you are staying whether anything is planned.
Food leans on the sea. Crawfish season runs from August 1 to March 31, so December is squarely inside it. On menus, crawfish and lobster are often used interchangeably. Seek out crawfish salad, which combines onions, sweet peppers, lime juice and diced lobster, plated over greens or tucked into a sandwich, along with stew lobster, generous chunks braised in a thick brown gravy.
Stocking Island and Elizabeth Harbour
Stocking Island sits just across Elizabeth Harbour from George Town, and it is reached by boat. December finds that long, pale shore a fine spot for a walk, a swim and a picnic, and its white sand beaches rank among the finest in the Bahamas.
Go in the middle of the day, when the light on the water is at its brightest and the beach is at its warmest. The mood is easygoing, with sailboats anchored in the harbor and a view back toward George Town. Bring water, sun protection and a light layer for the boat ride back as the afternoon cools.
Pig Beach, Staniel Cay and Thunderball Grotto
In the Exuma Cays, Staniel Cay is a tiny island where fewer than 118 people live full-time, and it makes a handy base for several of the chain’s best-known stops. At Big Major Cay, Pig Beach draws families and anyone who enjoys meeting animals, since that is where visitors wade into shallow water to swim with the swimming pigs.
Thunderball Grotto is a snorkeling spot visited while island hopping. Boat days like these suit the cooler, quieter December mood, with time to stop at several places in one outing. Stay with your guide or boat captain for anything involving wildlife or the water, and bring a mask if you have your own.
Tropic of Cancer Beach and Little Exuma
Tropic of Cancer Beach, also known as Pelican Beach, lies on the coast of Little Exuma and is the longest beach on the island. It is the kind of place for a long walk along the sand, with space to spread out, and for a quiet afternoon with a book.
It suits travelers who want a break from boat days and prefer to stay on land. Bring shoes for the walk, a hat for the sun and a picnic, since a beach like this is best enjoyed without hurrying.
Highbourne Cay
Highbourne Cay is described as a must-stop on journeys through the Exumas and points south, and cruising guides describe it as excellent and a favorite outpost of seasoned yachtsmen. Its marina is a gathering point for boats moving through the chain.
If you travel by boat, the cay makes a natural stop on the way, with docks for large yachts and slips for smaller boats. For visitors on land, it is a reminder that the Exumas are above all a cruising destination, and that December is when many boats are on the move.
A two-day itinerary for the Exumas in December
Day 1 starts around George Town on Great Exuma, with a slow breakfast and then a boat across Elizabeth Harbour to Stocking Island. Spend the middle of the day on its white sand, swimming when the sun is high and the water is at its warmest. Lunch can be crawfish salad or a sandwich, simple and fresh, eaten on the beach or back in town.
In the afternoon, head back and take a walk through George Town, stopping where the harbor views open up. Sunset comes early in December, with daylight lasting a little under eleven hours, so plan dinner on a terrace as the light fades. If the weather turns, a long lunch indoors with stew lobster or a lazy afternoon at a café suits the day.
Day 2 is for the cays. In the morning, head for Staniel Cay by boat, with a local guide or on a charter. Pig Beach on Big Major Cay comes first, while the light is soft and the water shallow, then Thunderball Grotto for snorkeling around midday.
Finish the afternoon with a quiet stretch on a beach near Staniel Cay, then an early dinner as the daylight fades. For a rainy day, linger over a long meal and a drink, and leave the boat time for a clearer morning. Because both days depend on the sea, keep the order flexible and swap them if one morning looks brighter than the other.
Is the Exumas busy in December?
December brings a steady flow of visitors, especially around the holiday weeks, when families and boaters arrive to spend Christmas and New Year’s on the water.
The islands are small, so even a modest rise in visitors is felt, particularly at marinas, in small guesthouses and at the popular boat stops. The early part of the month is typically quieter than the days around Christmas and New Year’s, and that is when a slower pace is easier to find.
As a habit, book rooms and boat outings early for the holiday weeks, and later for the quieter stretches at the start of the month. Restaurant tables on a small island can fill when a few boats come in, so a dinner plan made a day ahead keeps the evening relaxed.
Outside the holiday weeks, the cays keep their calm. Beaches such as Tropic of Cancer Beach have room to spread out, and a walk along the shore is often a quiet affair. The biggest crowds of the season gather in Nassau for Junkanoo, not in the Exumas.
What to pack for the Exumas in December
Pack for boat days and warm beaches, with a layer for the evening.
- Swimsuits and a rash guard, since the sea is warm but a little cooler than in fall.
- A light sweater or wrap for evenings on the water and on terraces.
- A hat and sunscreen for long days on the boat and the beach.
- A mask and snorkel if you have your own, for Thunderball Grotto.
- For docks and sandy landings, bring sandals or water shoes.
- A light rain jacket for the occasional passing shower.
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 comes just after the end of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30. Daylight is short, so plan boat outings for the middle of the day and keep evenings for dinner ashore. A boat is how you reach the Exumas, a chain of islands and cays, while Great Exuma, close to Moss Town and northwest of George Town, is served by Exuma International Airport.
The Exumas in December vs November and January
If you shift the trip to November, you get a warmer sea and slightly longer days, while the fall feeling remains and the holidays have not yet begun. Swimming is most inviting, though the hurricane season runs through the end of that month.
January brings a sea about the same as December, and daylight starts to lengthen again. The holiday crowds thin out after New Year’s, and the islands return to a quieter rhythm, with Junkanoo’s New Year’s Day parade just behind.
Choose November if a warmer sea matters most to you. Choose December for the holiday atmosphere and the start of the dry season, and January for a calmer stretch once the festivities pass. Crawfish season runs through all three months, so the food stays the same either way.
Is December a good time to visit the Exumas?
Sure, December suits travelers who enjoy boats, beaches and a festive feel minus urban throngs, and who do not mind water that stays warm yet has cooled from its fall peak.
It suits anyone planning a day on the water, a visit to Pig Beach or a snorkel at Thunderball Grotto. Travelers who want the warmest possible sea, or who prefer a long evening of daylight, may find November a better fit.
On arrival, start with the water: a boat to Stocking Island or a morning at a nearby beach sets the tone for the whole trip. Then let the cays fill the days, one stop at a time, and finish with crawfish at dinner, in season and straight from the sea.
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), Highbourne Cay (https://www.bahamas.com/natural-wonders/highbourne-cay), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (bahamas.com), Stocking Island (https://www.bahamas.com/natural-wonders/stocking-island), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (bahamas.com), Tropic Of Cancer Beach (https://www.bahamas.com/natural-wonders/tropic-of-cancer-beach), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (bahamas.com), travel blog, reasons to visit the Exumas (https://www.bahamas.com/blog/top-5-reasons-to-visit-the-exumas), checked October 10, 2026
- Wikipedia, Staniel Cay (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staniel_Cay), checked October 10, 2026
- Wikipedia, Exuma International Airport (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exuma_International_Airport), 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 the Exumas: Swimming Pigs, Thunderball Grotto, Beaches and Fresh Lobster
- Where to Stay in the Exumas: George Town, Little Exuma, Staniel Cay and How to Choose
- The Exumas from Miami: Flights, Connections, Boats and Making a Day of It
- Know Before You Go to the Exumas: Entry Rules, Money, Getting Around and Sun