Macau Macau Weather in December — Climate Guide
December in Macau is Excellent
December is Excellent for Macau.
December is Macau's #2 weather month after November — 19°C / 66°F daily highs in 70% humidity (same low humidity as November), 35mm rainfall (year's joint-lowest), and outdoor heritage walking comfortable all day except the cool 13°C / 55°F evenings + early mornings. Christmas markets + 22m Christmas tree at Senado Square run mid-November to January 2. Macau Light Festival (early-to-mid December, free 1-month projection mapping festival covering 16 heritage buildings across Macau Peninsula + Cotai + Taipa) is the canonical December cultural event — new theme each year, free public viewing 19:00-22:00, 4-night walking route (Senado Square → Ruins of St. Paul's → Lou Lim Ieoc Garden → Camões Garden). Macau Handover Day December 20 (Macau public holiday) drives mini-surge Cotai weekend. Christmas Eve / Day + NYE drive moderate hotel demand surge (50-100% premium for those 3-4 days), with Cotai casino NYE events + Macau Tower midnight fireworks display the signature New Year's Eve experience. The canonical December Macau visit: target Dec 5-20 (pre-Christmas premium + Light Festival peak), enjoy outdoor heritage walking + Cotai casinos + Macau Light Festival evenings + Christmas markets, then leave before NYE premium kicks in Dec 28.
Travel score
Year's #2 weather + Macau Light Festival projection mapping — canonical December cultural visit
December Weather at a Glance
December averages 19°C / 66°F highs and 13°C / 55°F lows with 35mm rainfall across just 4 expected rain days (year's joint-lowest rainfall). Humidity 70% (year's joint-lowest with November). Sunshine 6 hours. UV index 4 (moderate). Sea temperature 21°C / 70°F (cool borderline swimmable). Sunrise 7:00 AM, sunset 5:45 PM — 10h 45m daylight (year's shortest). The defining December pattern is the dry-cool clarity that makes the Macau Light Festival projection mapping spectacular — building facades catch the projection-mapped light against the clear night sky without summer haze, the 22m Senado Square Christmas tree photographs cleanly, Cotai Strip night photography crystal-clear.
December Travel Advice
Plan a December visit around the Macau Light Festival (typically December 1 to early January, check macao.com for current year theme + dates) — the 1-month projection mapping festival is free public viewing 19:00-22:00, with the 4-night walking route (Senado Square → Ruins of St. Paul's → Lou Lim Ieoc Garden → Camões Garden) the canonical itinerary. Saturday + Sunday evenings crowded — go Tuesday-Thursday for the photographer's slot. Macau Handover Day December 20 (Macau public holiday) brings Cotai casino mini-surge — hotels 50-80% premium for that 3-day weekend. Christmas Eve / Christmas Day / NYE drive moderate hotel demand surge (50-100% premium for those 3-4 days). NYE Cotai casino events + Macau Tower midnight fireworks display the signature New Year's Eve experience — book 2-3 months ahead for hotels, Macau Tower observation deck NYE ticket MOP 800-1,500 ($100-185) sells out. Target Dec 5-20 for the value sweet spot — Light Festival peak, pre-Christmas hotel premium, accessible mid-tier pricing, outdoor heritage walking comfortable all day except cool evenings.
Flying In from Overseas
Western Christmas + NYE travel peak — US + EU + UK + AU travelers heavier demand via HKG-MFM ferry. Korean / Japanese / Taiwanese demand moderate. Korean ICN-MFM direct stable. Macau Light Festival draws international cultural tourist spike. Macau Handover Day December 20 drives mainland Chinese mini-surge weekend (Macau public holiday). Visa-free 30 days for Korean / Japanese / EU / US / UK / Australian / NZ. NYE Cotai casino events + Macau Tower midnight fireworks the signature international cultural experience.
December Pricing Trends
December standard pricing: The Venetian Macao $230-480/night, Wynn Palace $380-750, MGM Cotai $280-580, Galaxy Macau $200-420, Grand Lisboa $260-520, Sofitel at Ponte 16 $180-340, Pousada de São Tiago $260-520. Macau Handover weekend (Dec 19-22): 50-80% premium. Christmas Eve / Day (Dec 23-26): 50-100% premium. NYE (Dec 30-Jan 2): 100-200% premium for hot Cotai casino properties (Wynn Palace + Venetian + MGM Cotai NYE events). Michelin: standard pricing, NYE menus 1.5-2x normal. Casual: A Lorcha $20-50, Tai Lei Loi Kei $5.50, Lord Stow's $1.50. Cotai Jet ferry $30 RT. MFM free hotel shuttle. Macau Tower NYE observation deck MOP 800-1,500.
Macau December Weather Stats
Avg High
19°C
Avg Low
13°C
Rainy Days
4
35mm total
Sunshine
6h
Daily avg
Humidity
70%
Dry comfortable
UV Index
4
Moderate
Wind
18 km/h
Gusts 35
Sea Temp
21°C
Cool 21°C / 70°F borderline
Crowds
Moderate
At attractions
December Sunrise & Sunset
Air Quality
PM2.5
22 μg/m³
PM10
45 μg/m³
Status
Moderate
Feels-Like Temperature & Wind
Feels like
Daytime
18°C
Nighttime
12°C
Humidity and wind affect how the actual temperature feels.
Wind
18 km/h
Max gust 35 km/h
Activities Recommended for December
December Travel Pros & Cons
Pros
- Year's #2 weather month (19/13°C cool dry 70% humidity)
- Year's joint-lowest rainfall 35mm
- **Macau Light Festival free projection mapping cultural canonical**
- Christmas markets + Senado Square 22m Christmas tree
- Outdoor heritage walking comfortable all day except evenings
Cons
- Christmas Eve / Day + NYE hotel surge 50-100%
- Cool 13°C / 55°F evenings require layers
- Sea cool 21°C / 70°F borderline swimmable
- Short daylight 10h 45m (year's shortest)
December Events & Festivals
- **Macau Light Festival early-to-mid December (1-month projection mapping festival across 16 heritage buildings)**
- **Macau Handover Day December 20 (Macau public holiday — Cotai casino mini-surge weekend)**
- **Christmas markets at Senado Square (mid-Nov to Jan 2) — 22m Christmas tree + lantern installations**
- **New Year's Eve at Cotai Strip + Macau Tower fireworks (NYE casino events + Macau Tower midnight fireworks display)**
Macau in December — Full Picture
December is Macau's #2 weather month after November — 19°C / 66°F daily highs in 70% humidity (same low humidity as November), 35mm rainfall (year's joint-lowest), and outdoor heritage walking comfortable all day except the cool 13°C / 55°F evenings + early mornings. Christmas markets + 22m Christmas tree at Senado Square run mid-November to January 2. Macau Light Festival (early-to-mid December, free 1-month projection mapping festival covering 16 heritage buildings across Macau Peninsula + Cotai + Taipa) is the canonical December cultural event — new theme each year, free public viewing 19:00-22:00, 4-night walking route (Senado Square → Ruins of St. Paul's → Lou Lim Ieoc Garden → Camões Garden). Macau Handover Day December 20 (Macau public holiday) drives mini-surge Cotai weekend. Christmas Eve / Day + NYE drive moderate hotel demand surge (50-100% premium for those 3-4 days), with Cotai casino NYE events + Macau Tower midnight fireworks display the signature New Year's Eve experience. The canonical December Macau visit: target Dec 5-20 (pre-Christmas premium + Light Festival peak), enjoy outdoor heritage walking + Cotai casinos + Macau Light Festival evenings + Christmas markets, then leave before NYE premium kicks in Dec 28.
What to Wear & What to Pack
Cool dry — long-sleeve shirts + light sweater + light jacket for evenings. The 19°C / 66°F daily highs in 70% humidity feel comfortably cool but the 13°C / 55°F nightly lows require warm layers for late-night Cotai Strip walking + early-morning Ruins of St. Paul's sunrise photos. Closed walking shoes for Senado Square cobblestones. Sunscreen SPF 30 even in winter — Macau's subtropical UV stays moderate year-round. Smart-casual for casinos + ★★★ Michelin (jacket for Robuchon au Dôme dinner).
Packing Checklist
Seasonal Weather Overview
Spring (Mar·Apr·May)
24°C
19°C
12.3/mo
Summer (Jun·Jul·Aug)
31.3°C
25.7°C
16/mo
Autumn (Sep·Oct·Nov)
27.7°C
21.7°C
7.7/mo
Winter (Dec·Jan·Feb)
Current17.7°C
12°C
6.3/mo
Macau Monthly Weather Comparison
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun | Humid | UV | Crowd | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January (Best) | 17° | 11° | 6d·35mm | 5h | 73% | 4 | Moderate | Shoulder |
| 17° | 12° | 9d·50mm | 4h | 78% | 5 | Busy | Peak | |
| 20° | 15° | 11d·80mm | 4h | 82% | 6 | Moderate | Shoulder | |
| 24° | 19° | 12d·165mm | 4h | 85% | 8 | Moderate | Shoulder | |
| 28° | 23° | 14d·280mm | 5h | 87% | 9 | Moderate | Shoulder | |
| 30° | 25° | 15d·330mm | 5h | 87% | 10 | Moderate | Shoulder | |
| 32° | 26° | 16d·290mm | 8h | 84% | 11 | Moderate | Shoulder | |
| 32° | 26° | 17d·350mm | 7h | 84% | 11 | Busy | Peak | |
| 31° | 25° | 13d·230mm | 7h | 80% | 10 | Moderate | Shoulder | |
| October (Best) | 28° | 22° | 6d·90mm | 7h | 73% | 9 | Very busy | Peak |
| November (Best) | 24° | 18° | 4d·40mm | 7h | 70% | 6 | Busy | Shoulder |
| December (Best) | 19° | 13° | 4d·35mm | 6h | 70% | 4 | Moderate | Shoulder |
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Macau December Hotel Picks
Frequently Asked Questions
Is December a good time to visit Macau?
Macau in December is Excellent. Tourist crowds are moderate and flight/hotel prices are shoulder.
What's the average temperature in Macau in December?
Macau December averages a high of 19°C and a low of 13°C.
Does it rain much in Macau in December?
Macau December averages 35mm of rainfall over about 4 rainy days.
What should I wear in Macau in December?
Cool dry — long-sleeve shirts + light sweater + light jacket for evenings. The 19°C / 66°F daily highs in 70% humidity feel comfortably cool but the 13°C / 55°F nightly lows require warm layers for late-night Cotai Strip walking + early-morning Ruins of St. Paul's sunrise photos. Closed walking shoes for Senado Square cobblestones. Sunscreen SPF 30 even in winter — Macau's subtropical UV stays moderate year-round. Smart-casual for casinos + ★★★ Michelin (jacket for Robuchon au Dôme dinner).
What time are sunrise and sunset in Macau in December?
Macau December sunrise is 07:00 and sunset is 17:45, with 10h 45m of daylight.
What's the air quality like in Macau in December?
Macau December air quality (AQI) averages 55, rated Moderate. PM2.5 averages 22μg/m³.
What activities are recommended in Macau in December?
In December, Macau is great for **Macau Light Festival evenings (projection mapping canonical free cultural event)**, Cotai Strip casino walking + free shuttle network, Senado Square Christmas markets + 22m tree.
Is December peak season in Macau?
Macau December crowds are moderate and prices are shoulder. You can travel relatively comfortably without long queues.
Best Months to Visit Macau
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Why you can trust weather guide
Based in Chiang Mai for 8+ years, with 30+ countries visited across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Europe. Every detail in this guide is primary-source verified as of April 2026, with prices auto-refreshed via live exchange rate APIs. This isn't AI-generated boilerplate — it's written from the perspective of someone who has actually been there.