Dominican Republic
Santo Domingo in December
☀️ Dry seasonWarm, humid and some showers.
🎒 Pack: light, breathable clothes & sunscreen · quick-dry fabrics · sunglasses & hat
Why December scores 8.4What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort7.9
- ✓Warm (31°C highs / 22°C lows)
- !Very humid/sticky (dew point 21.4°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~77 mm rain)
- Air quality9.2
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~10 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline6.5
- ·Increased caution
| Dec | Feb | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.4 Very good | 8.9 Excellent |
| Season | ☀️ Dry season | ☀️ Dry season |
| High / low | 31° / 22° | 30° / 21° |
| Rain | 77 mm | 59 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 21° | dew pt 20° |
| PM2.5 | 10 µg/m³ | 6 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Santo Domingo weather-station normals. Rainfall: Santo Domingo weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Christmas Day 25–27 Dec · 3 days off in a row
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore Santo DomingoEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallySanto Domingo is the capital of the Dominican Republic and the oldest European-founded city in the Americas. Travellers come for its UNESCO-listed colonial zone, waterfront and nightlife.
No major events on our calendar for December.
Coming up later
CarnivalDate variesDates vary; Sundays in February
Costumed groups, including the devilish diablos cojuelos, parade through the streets.
Why go: Colourful and loud; keep an eye on your belongings in the crowds.
Where: Across the city, with a big parade on the Malecón
Independence DayEvery year27 February every year
The national day, often marked with a parade.
Why go: Public holiday; expect road closures.
Where: Across the city, including the Malecón
Restoration DayEvery year16 August every year
A public holiday marking the restoration of independence in 1863.
Why go: Some businesses close.
Where: Across the country
Catedral Primada de América
The oldest cathedral in the Americas, in the heart of the colonial zone.
💡 Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees.
Alcázar de Colón
The 16th-century palace of Diego Columbus, now a museum.
Calle Las Damas
The oldest paved street in the Americas, lined with colonial buildings.
Fortaleza Ozama
An early 16th-century fortress overlooking the Ozama River.
Los Tres Ojos
A series of limestone caves with clear lagoons in the east of the city.
La bandera
The everyday lunch of rice, beans and stewed meat.
💡 Local eateries (comedores)
Mangú
Mashed green plantain, often served with fried cheese, salami and eggs.
💡 Breakfast spots
Sancocho
A hearty stew with several meats and root vegetables.
💡 Local restaurants, often on weekends
Habichuelas con dulce
A sweet cream of beans with spices, made during Lent.
💡 Homes and restaurants around Easter
Larimar
A blue stone found only in the Dominican Republic, made into jewellery.
💡 Jewellery shops in the colonial zone; buy from reputable shops
Dominican cigars
Cigars from one of the world's major cigar-producing countries.
💡 Cigar shops in the colonial zone
Rum and mamajuana
Dominican rum, and mamajuana, a drink of rum and wine steeped with bark and herbs.
💡 Supermarkets and gift shops
Airport transfer Kiwitaxi
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