Long before dawn on Boxing Day, Bay Street fills with the clang of cowbells, the shrill of whistles and the thump of goatskin drums as the Junkanoo rushes begin. Earlier in the month, carols drift across Pompey Square, and conch is still frying at Arawak Cay. December in Nassau is a warm, easygoing month for travelers who like their holidays with music, street food and gentle weather.
What is the weather like in Nassau in December?
December in Nassau is mild and mostly dry, with warm afternoons, comfortable evenings and only a few short showers. It is a little cooler than November and a touch warmer than January, and the sea has slipped a notch from its autumn warmth.
| Month | Average high (°F) | Average low (°F) | Rain days | Sea (°F) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November | 83.1 | 70.1 | 6.7 | 80.9 |
| December | 80.6 | 67.0 | 5.1 | 78.1 |
| January | 79.4 | 65.1 | 4.3 | 77.0 |
Early hours come in mild and easy, then around noon the sunshine packs enough punch that strolling down Bay Street seems more like a summertime walk than a wintertime one. Afternoons are warm enough for shorts and sandals, and the heat never turns heavy the way it can in the middle of the year. The light is gold and low in the late afternoon, and days are noticeably shorter than in summer, so sunset arrives while you are still thinking about lunch.
When it does rain, it typically shows up as a quick shower that moves through and leaves the streets steaming. It rarely wrecks a whole day, though the odd gray, breezy spell can follow a cold front moving through the region. Evenings cool down enough that a light layer is welcome at an outdoor table or on a walk after dinner, especially near the water at Arawak Cay.
December falls outside the official hurricane season, which ends at the close of November. That makes it a calmer month on the water than the early autumn, though the weather can still change from one day to the next.
Can you swim in Nassau in December?
The sea in December is mild, cooler than in autumn, but still comfortable enough for a dip once the sun is high.
Think of it as swimming in the middle of the day rather than at breakfast or after sunset. The water holds some of the warmth of the summer, though a cold front can leave it feeling fresher for a few days, and the air after you step out can feel cool if the wind is up. The ocean can be calm at one beach and rough at the next, and what was mild on Tuesday might not be on Thursday.
Many travelers in December treat the beach as a place to lie in the sun and read, with a quick swim to cool off in between. Bring a towel and a cover-up for the breeze, and plan beach time for the warmest hours. If a day turns gray and blustery, the town gives you plenty to do on dry land.
What to do in Nassau in December
December is the month when Nassau looks and sounds its most festive. Bay Street is the heart of it, known for shopping, dining and nightlife, and it is also where the biggest Junkanoo celebration in the Bahamas takes place. Downtown is a port of call for cruise ships, so the sidewalks carry a steady mix of Bahamians, day visitors and holiday shoppers.
Beyond the parade, the month has a gentle rhythm of Christmas decorations, carols, church bells and market stalls, and weather that suits long walks. Mornings and late afternoons are the best times to be out on foot, with the middle of the day left for lunch and the beach.
Junkanoo on Bay Street
Junkanoo brings a street parade filled with vibrant costumes, lively dance routines, and music made by whistles, cowbells, horns, and goatskin drums. In Nassau it starts after midnight on Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, and the largest celebrations take place on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. In December, you meet it on the 26th, when the first of the two big parades moves down Bay Street in the dark hours of the morning.
Junkanoo has developed over the years into an organized parade featuring intricate costumes, themed music, and official prizes across various categories. For months, groups work on their costumes, which turn into a flowing river of color, feathers and sequins that moves to the beat.
The tradition is celebrated across all 16 of the main islands, but the Bay Street parade is the one that draws the biggest crowds. Junkanoo is also celebrated in other months, so a December visit is one of several chances to catch it.
Plan the night around the parade, since it begins after midnight and runs on into the early hours. A nap in the afternoon and a late dinner make the timing easier, and a light layer helps while you stand and wait for the groups to arrive.
Christmas lights, carols and Arawak Cay
Pompey Square, downtown, is the spot for Christmas atmosphere. Visitors and locals can enjoy carols and decorations there for the whole month of December, and the square has hosted a tree lighting with hundreds of people gathered around the tree. It is a pleasant place to sit in the evening, when the air has cooled and the lights are on.
On Arawak Cay, the Christmas On Da Cay event has brought seasonal stalls to the waterfront on weekday evenings. Bahamians also call Arawak Cay the Fish Fry, where the stands dish up conch cracked (battered and fried), steamed, stewed, as fritters, in chowder or as tropical conch salad. Diced raw conch, onions, sweet pepper, tomatoes and lime go into the salad, while pineapple and mango come in the tropical version.
| Event | Open |
|---|---|
| Christmas On Da Cay, Arawak Cay (during its seasonal run) | Weekdays, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. |
What is on the table this month
Crawfish season runs from August 1 to March 31, so December is squarely in it. Many menus use the words crawfish and lobster interchangeably, and any other variety will be named. You can enjoy crawfish salad on greens, plain, or in a sandwich, and it combines onions, sweet peppers, lime juice, and diced lobster.
If you want a filling morning meal, the breakfast menu at Gone Fishing in Arawak Cay includes stew lobster, featuring large pieces of crawfish cooked in a thick brown gravy. Serving vegan options alongside food and drinks for all, the Doongalik Farmers Market is in season and continues through mid-May. Seasonal Sunshine at the Doongalik Art Gallery operates every Saturday.
Fort Charlotte, murals and a Bay Street evening
Fort Charlotte stands on a hill west of downtown, overlooking the entrance to Nassau Harbour, and is the largest of the three remaining forts. It is a complex of three parts: Fort Charlotte itself, the middle bastion of Fort Stanley and the western auxiliary of Fort D’Arcy.
You see a drawbridge, souterrains, casemates dug into the rock, magazines, a guard room and a ditch usually called the moat. December’s mild air makes the hilltop pleasant in the morning.
Back downtown, a mural crawl is a relaxed way to spend an afternoon. You can spot Avenii Johnson’s White Crown Pigeon mural before stepping inside the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas, while Angelika Wallace-Whitfield’s Once Upon a Time mural sits on your left at the street’s end, outside John Watlings Distillery. Some people start with a Kalik, the Bahamian beer favorite.
After dark, downtown offers a walkable bunch of bars, restaurants and clubs, including spots such as Senor Frogs, Pirates of Nassau and Hooters. Right across from the cruise port you will find Bambu, a spot that cruise staff and passengers both love.
A two-day itinerary for Nassau in December
Day 1 begins at Fort Charlotte, where the morning air is still soft and the hilltop looks out over the harbor entrance. Wander through the three parts of the complex, across the drawbridge and along the moat, and leave before the sun is high. The days are short in December, with a little over ten hours of daylight, so it pays to do the outdoor sights first.
At midday, head to Arawak Cay for the Fish Fry. Order cracked conch or a conch salad, or try crawfish in season, and eat at a table by the water.
In the late afternoon, stay on the cay for the Christmas stalls when they are running, then finish with an early dinner and a drink as the lights come on. If it rains, shelter under the awnings of the stands and wait for the shower to pass.
Day 2 is downtown on foot. Start with the murals around the National Art Gallery and the street by John Watlings Distillery, then browse the shops along Bay Street while the morning is cool. If it happens to be a Saturday, the Doongalik Art Gallery and its Seasonal Sunshine are worth the detour.
After lunch, sit in Pompey Square, where decorations and carols fill the month, and stay until the lights are on. For the evening, choose among the bars and restaurants clustered downtown, all within walking distance. On a rainy afternoon, the art gallery and the Bay Street shops give you plenty to do under a roof.
Is Nassau busy in December?
Nassau is lively in December, with the busiest stretch around Christmas, Boxing Day and the days that follow.
Downtown is a port of call for cruise ships that bring millions of visitors to the Bahamas each year, so Bay Street can feel full on days when ships are in. Those days bring more shoppers to the sidewalks and more tables taken at lunch around the harbor. On Boxing Day, the parade draws Bahamians and visitors in large numbers, and the streets around Bay Street change character as the night goes on.
Away from the parade, the month has quieter corners. Arawak Cay in the middle of a weekday afternoon is more relaxed than on a weekend evening, and the hilltop at Fort Charlotte tends to feel calm in the morning. Holiday weeks are the time to sort out your plans for rooms and tables early, while the weeks before Christmas leave more room to decide as you go.
Police officers are highly visible in downtown Nassau and other tourist areas, which is part of the scene on a busy parade night. The mix of cruise visitors, locals out for the holidays and travelers staying for the week gives December a festive, social feeling.
What to pack for Nassau in December
Pack for warm days, cooler evenings and a lot of walking, with a swimsuit for the beach hours and a layer for the night.
- Light, breathable clothes for afternoons that stay warm in the sun.
- A sweater or light jacket for evenings by the water and the Junkanoo wait.
- Comfortable walking shoes for Bay Street and the hill at Fort Charlotte.
- A swimsuit and a towel for midday dips, since the sea is mild.
- A small rain jacket for brief showers.
- Sunscreen and a hat, since the midday sun is strong.
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 hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30. The big night to plan around is Boxing Day, when Junkanoo begins after midnight on Bay Street, and New Year’s Day brings the second large parade. Downtown is compact enough to cover on foot, and the bars, restaurants and clubs are within walking distance of each other.
Everyone entering the Bahamas must have a passport, though as a bona fide visitor, U.S. citizens can stay up to eight months without a Bahamian visa. A return or onward ticket is required by the Bahamas Department of Immigration, and proof of sufficient funds for your own support may be requested of visitors. If you fly in, your passport needs to be good for a minimum of six months, and passport cards will not work.
Nassau in December vs November and January
Moving the trip to November gets you warmer air and a warmer sea, with a few more rainy days. The month is still inside the hurricane season until its last day, and the Christmas decorations and Junkanoo have not arrived yet, so the town feels more like early autumn than the holidays.
January is a little cooler, with the coolest evenings of the three and a sea that has lost another notch of warmth. It is also the driest of the three, and it opens with the New Year’s Day Junkanoo parade on Bay Street. The holiday crowds thin as the month goes on.
Choose November for warmer swimming and fewer holiday crowds, December for Christmas lights and the Boxing Day parade, and January for the New Year’s parade and the driest weather. If Junkanoo is the reason you are coming, December and early January each give you one of the two big parades.
Is December a good time to visit Nassau?
If you’re dreaming of a lively, friendly getaway with gentle weather, great meals and a parade you won’t forget, December is a fine month to see Nassau.
It suits people who like to spend their days walking, eating and listening to music, and who are happy with a swim in a mild sea rather than a hot one. It is less ideal for those who want the warmest water or a quiet, empty Bay Street over the holiday weeks. On arrival, start with the conch and crawfish at Arawak Cay, then plan the Boxing Day night.
What stays with you from a December in Nassau is the Junkanoo parade in the small hours of Boxing Day, when drums and cowbells fill Bay Street and the whole town seems to be out in costume.
Sources
- 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
- 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
- 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
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- 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), travel blog, safety downtown Nassau (https://www.bahamas.com/blog/downtown-nassau-safe-for-tourists), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (bahamas.com), travel blog, Nassau forts (https://www.bahamas.com/blog/historic-forts-of-nassau), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (bahamas.com), travel blog, farmers markets (https://www.bahamas.com/blog/four-farmers-markets-in-nassau-you-should-check-out), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (bahamas.com), travel blog, Arawak Cay fish fry (https://www.bahamas.com/blog/fish-fry), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (bahamas.com), travel blog, free things to do in Nassau (https://www.bahamas.com/blog/five-free-things-to-do-in-nassau), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (bahamas.com), travel blog, Nassau murals (https://www.bahamas.com/blog/nassaus-most-insta-worthy-street-art-murals), checked October 10, 2026
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (bahamas.com), travel blog, nightlife by island (https://www.bahamas.com/blog/bahamian-nightlife-and-where-to-go), 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
- U.S. Department of State, The Bahamas Travel Information, Safety and security (https://travel.state.gov/), 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 Nassau: Forts, the Fish Fry, Beaches and Blue Lagoon Island
- Where to Stay in Nassau: Cable Beach, Paradise Island, Downtown and How to Choose
- Nassau from the United States: Flights, Cruises, Airport Transfers and Getting Around
- Know Before You Go to Nassau: Entry Rules, Money, Getting Around and Local Customs