Things to Do in Kuwait City in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
December Weather in Kuwait City
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
Is December Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
- + December hands Kuwait City back to pedestrians. Daytime highs of 70°F (21°C) let you stroll the Corniche without the summer blast furnace that turns the seafront into a shimmering heat mirage.
- + Hotel rates fall 25-40% from peak. The Al Hamra Tower's observation deck is half-empty at sunset, and you won't queue for 30 minutes to photograph the Kuwait Towers.
- + Outdoor cafés turn livable again. Locals reclaim the terraced tables at Souq Sharq where Nescafé ice blends arrive still frozen instead of instantly melted.
- + The Arabian Gulf drops to a swimmable 72°F (22°C). Al Khiran Resort's artificial islands feel like a private escape rather than a sweaty endurance test.
- − Evenings can ambush you. Temperatures drop to 48°F (9°C) after sunset, and most restaurants blast AC to arctic levels, so you'll need that sweater you didn't think to pack.
- − Winter shamal winds rise without warning. The sandstorms locals call 'black blizzards' can shut down visibility along Gulf Road for hours, turning your coastal drive into a crawl behind hazard lights.
- − Kuwait's dry air plus hotel AC creates static electricity that'll shock you every time you touch a door handle. Pack moisturizer unless you enjoy looking like you've stuck your finger in a socket.
Year-Round Climate
How December compares to the rest of the year
Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
December's calm seas make this the only month when these traditional wooden boats can sail without the summer's choppy swells. You'll drift past the Liberation Tower's lattice silhouette at golden hour, with the city's skyline lighting up section by section as the sun drops. The captain typically cuts engines near Green Island for sunset photos, and the December sky turns a dusty rose that reflects off the Gulf's flat surface like glass.
Cool December evenings turn this 200-year-old market from a sweaty maze into Kuwait's living room. The scent of cardamom coffee drifts from Mishref café where elderly men play dominoes under heat lamps, while the grilled meat smoke from kebab stalls forms clouds that hang in the crisp air. December is when locals linger - you'll find them debating politics over dates and Arabic coffee instead of rushing to escape the heat.
December's mild temperatures make the 1.5-hour ferry ride comfortable, and the island's Hellenistic ruins become walkable instead of a death march across sun-baked limestone. The abandoned fishing village of Al-Zour feels properly eerie in December's long shadows, and the 3,000-year-old Greek temple foundations are good for a picnic without the usual sweat-drenched desperation.
December's low humidity prevents the mirror mosaics from fogging up. This is when the kaleidoscopic interiors sparkle instead of looking like a steamy sauna. Artist Lidia Al-Qattan gives personal tours when visitor numbers drop, and the two-hour experience includes her homemade date cake served in the mirrored dining room where every surface reflects your movements a thousand times.
December's golden hour lasts 30 minutes longer than summer, giving you actual time to frame shots of the Seif Palace's blue tiled dome without racing against sunset. The morning light at 7am is crisp enough to capture the Kuwait Towers' needle-like precision without heat haze, and the evening sky turns sherbet colors that make the modern glass towers glow like lanterns.
December Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
February 25-26 spills into early December prep. The city starts stringing lights along Gulf Road and car dealerships wrap Land Cruisers in Kuwaiti flags. You'll see it building during December's last week as locals practice parade routes and the nightly sound of fireworks testing echoes across the bay.
Essential Tips
What to pack, insider knowledge and common pitfalls