Vitamin D in Colombia in December: sun, UV and what to expect
Good Good. A full dose takes about 8 minutes at midday, and the usable window is about 7.1 hours a day.
7.1 hsun window (UV 2.5+)
6.6peak UV Index
8 minto a full dose
31°Cafternoon high
11/30rainy days
30/30sunny days
Best places in Colombia in December: Rosario Islands (excellent), Cartagena (excellent), Barranquilla (excellent), Santa Marta (good), Tayrona National Natural Park (good).
Open Colombia for December on the map Find stays in Colombia
How long in the sun in December?
- Plan your sun session around midday (roughly 11:00 to 15:00), when the UV Index peaks at about 6.6. With about a quarter of your skin bare, a full dose takes around 8 minutes for skin type III at age 30, and about 15 minutes at age 65.
- Stop well before your skin turns pink. At this UV level skin type III can start to burn after about 30 minutes of midday sun, so cover up, find shade and use SPF 30+ on skin that stays out.
- Water, sand and light surfaces reflect UV, so at the beach you get a little more sun than the number suggests, for the good and the bad.
| Skin type | Full dose, age 30 | Full dose, age 65 | Time to burn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type I | 5 min | 10 min | 20 min |
| Type II | 7 min | 13 min | 25 min |
| Type III | 8 min | 15 min | 30 min |
| Type IV | 12 min | 23 min | 45 min |
| Type V | 16 min | 30 min | 61 min |
| Type VI | 27 min | 51 min | 1.7 h |
Minutes at midday for about 1,000 IU of vitamin D with a quarter of the body bare, at Tayrona National Natural Park, the median coastal place. Time to burn is the time to reach one minimal erythemal dose and does not depend on age. A rough planning guide, not medical advice.
Places in Colombia in December
| Place | Rating | Sun window | Full dose | Afternoon high | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rosario Islands | Excellent | 7.5 h | 8 min | 29°C | 13/30 |
| Cartagena | Excellent | 7.4 h | 8 min | 31°C | 12/30 |
| Barranquilla | Excellent | 7.2 h | 8 min | 31°C | 11/30 |
| Santa Marta | Good | 7.2 h | 8 min | 31°C | 11/30 |
| Tayrona National Natural Park | Good | 7.1 h | 8 min | 31°C | 11/30 |
| Palomino | Good | 7.1 h | 8 min | 30°C | 13/30 |
| Bogotá | Too cold | 7.2 h | 7 min | 21°C | 20/30 |
| Medellín | Bad weather | 7.1 h | 7 min | 26°C | 21/30 |
| Providencia Island | Bad weather | 6.6 h | 8 min | 28°C | 26/30 |
| San Andrés | Bad weather | 6.5 h | 9 min | 28°C | 26/30 |
Other months in Colombia
- Jan Excellent
- Feb Excellent
- Mar Excellent
- Apr Excellent
- May Bad weather
- Jun Bad weather
- Jul Bad weather
- Aug Bad weather
- Sep Bad weather
- Oct Bad weather
- Nov Bad weather
- Dec Good
Best months: December to April. Full Colombia guide