Zanzibar weather in December
Temperature, sea and sunshine in December: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in December
Good
Best time to visit: January – February, June – October
What is the weather like in Zanzibar in December?
In December, Zanzibar is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 26 °C. The sea averages 28.7 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. The sun shines for around 9 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 21 days, totalling 97 mm. On about 12 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, December is a good month for a holiday in Zanzibar.
December compared
How the weather changes from November to January. Tap a month to open it.
| NovemberNov | DecemberDec | JanuaryJan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 78 | 79 | 86 |
| Day | 29° | 30° | 30° |
| Night | 25° | 26° | 26° |
| Sea | 28° | 29° | 28° |
| Sun | 8 h | 9 h | 9 h |
| Rain days | 19 | 21 | 12 |
More details for December
- Daylight
- 12 h 29 min06:04 – 18:33
- UV index
- 12 · extremeclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 31 daysdew point 18 °C or more
- Wind
- 16 km/haverage daily peak
- Cloud cover
- 52 %on average
- Hot days
- 12 days30 °C or more
- Time zone
- UTC+3Africa/Dar_es_Salaam
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %100 %
- Seaweight 25 %100 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %97 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %0 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in December
- Swimwear
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
- Water bottle – drink plenty
- Insect repellent
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Zanzibar in December: quick answers
Is Zanzibar hot in December?
Yes. In December, Zanzibar is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C and nights stay around 26 °C. On about 12 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more.
Can you swim in Zanzibar in December?
Yes. In December the sea averages 28.7 °C – lovely and warm for swimming.
Does it rain much in Zanzibar in December?
It rains often – on about 21 days, adding up to 97 mm.
Zanzibar month by month
The whole year in ZanzibarAll destinations: TanzaniaWhere to go in December
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)