Things to Do in Honduras in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
December Weather in Honduras
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
Is December Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
- + December closes Honduras' rainy chapter, so you drive through a jungle still dripping but no longer drowning. Pico Bonito National Park keeps its soaked trails, which is exactly why the waterfalls roar, Chorro El Bejuco hurls itself 100 m (328 ft), the spray so thick it knocks five degrees off the humidity.
- + Months of rain have rinsed the sea; island water turns glassy. Visibility around the Bay Islands routinely reaches 30 m (98 ft) in December, turning the reef into a moving aquarium where whale sharks cruise south. The water stays at 27°C (81°F), warm enough to leave the wetsuit in the bag.
- + Coffee harvest kicks off in the Copán highlands. Above 1,200 m (3,937 ft) the switchbacks are jammed with trucks stacked red-cherry high, and the air smells like coffee pulp fermenting under the sun. Small farms open their gates now: visitors pick alongside workers and watch the wet-mill process most travelers miss the rest of the year.
- + Tourist traffic bottoms out since April. The ferry to Roatán sails half-empty, dive boats leave with four instead of sixteen, and you can stroll into Eden Beach on Utila at sunset without fighting for a hammock. You pay shoulder-season prices and still score peak-season skies.
- − Afternoon storms still punch through on 40 % of December days, usually between 2-5 PM. These aren't polite drizzles, sudden tropical cloudbursts drop 25 mm (1 inch) in 30 minutes, turn dirt roads to chocolate pudding, and flood low ground near La Ceiba. Schedule morning outings and pack a real rain jacket, not the airport souvenir poncho.
- − Some inland sights trim hours or shut for yearly tune-ups. The Maya site at Copán closes its tunnels in mid-December for preservation work, and workers drape the hieroglyphic stairway in protective roofing. Confirm exact dates before you pay, tourism sites don't always post these closures.
- − The wet season's exit gifts the country to mosquitoes, around Lake Yojoa and the Mosquito Coast. December evenings mean slathering on repellent before sunset, and even the breezy Bay Islands host more bugs than usual. Bring DEET; the natural oils tap out after ten minutes in this steam.
Year-Round Climate
How December compares to the rest of the year
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25°C | 20°C | 29.4 inches |
| Feb | 25°C | 20°C | 4.2 inches |
| Mar | 25°C | 20°C | 4.6 inches |
| Apr | 25°C | 20°C | 6.2 inches |
| May | 25°C | 20°C | 2.1 inches |
| Jun | 25°C | 20°C | 5.4 inches |
| Jul | 25°C | 20°C | 6.1 inches |
| Aug | 25°C | 20°C | 6.1 inches |
| Sep | 25°C | 20°C | 3.9 inches |
| Oct | 25°C | 20°C | 17.2 inches |
| Nov | 25°C | 20°C | 11.1 inches |
| Dec | 25°C | 20°C | 21.7 inches |
Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
December's clear water and flat seas create the prime window for going under. Whale sharks glide through the Bay Islands until February, with daily encounters likely off Utila. Water temps invite long dives, and the low season keeps boats from elbowing each other at Half Moon Bay Wall or Mary's Place.
Winter harvest adds another chapter to Maya site visits, local guides whose families have farmed these slopes for generations fold coffee lore into their archaeological stories. Tours start at 7 AM to dodge heat and possible rain, plus howler monkeys belt out their morning soundtrack from the canopy.
The post-rain cloud forest turns into a dripping greenhouse, orchids flare along the trail to 1,800 m (5,906 ft), and swollen streams carve temporary falls that vanish by February. Humidity sticks at 85 % on the forest floor, but the canopy acts like natural air-conditioning.
December welcomes North American migrants to Honduras' year-round crowd, giving the highest bird count of the year. Lake Yojoa logs 480 species, motmots, toucans, and the show-stopping resplendent quetzal. Boat tours shove off at 6 AM when the lake is flat and the volcanoes mirror themselves on the surface.
Harvest season is the only time you can pick, process, and cup in a single day. Farms above 1,400 m (4,593 ft) stay naturally cool, and the mix of morning mist and afternoon sun grows perfect beans. Most estates run hands-on programs that end with coffee you roasted yourself.
December nights bring punta rhythms to beach villages where drummers circle bonfires without warning. Garifuna Settlement Day on December 26th revives dances unchanged since 1797. Warm, humid evenings suit open-air gatherings, and the air carries a mix of salt and wood smoke after the rains.
December Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
December 26th marks the Garifuna's arrival in Honduras in 1797 with traditional dancing, drumming, and cassava bread-making in Tela and Trujillo. The celebrations begin at dawn with reenactments of the original landing and continue through the night with punta dancing on the beach.
Small towns across the Copán highlands celebrate the coffee harvest with weekend festivals featuring traditional food, live music, and tours of processing facilities. The scent of fresh-roasted beans mixes with wood smoke from family grills, and local farmers compete in coffee-picking contests.
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Essential Tips
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