Vitamin D in Mexico in December: sun, UV and what to expect
Good Good. A full dose takes about 10 minutes at midday, and the usable window is about 6.2 hours a day.
6.2 hsun window (UV 2.5+)
5.3peak UV Index
10 minto a full dose
26°Cafternoon high
0/30rainy days
30/30sunny days
Best places in Mexico in December: Huatulco (good), Puerto Escondido (good), Acapulco (good), Zihuatanejo (good), Sayulita (good).
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 5.3. With about a quarter of your skin bare, a full dose takes around 10 minutes for skin type III at age 30, and about 19 minutes at age 65.
- Stop well before your skin turns pink. At this UV level skin type III can start to burn after about 38 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 | 7 min | 13 min | 25 min |
| Type II | 8 min | 16 min | 31 min |
| Type III | 10 min | 19 min | 38 min |
| Type IV | 15 min | 28 min | 57 min |
| Type V | 20 min | 38 min | 75 min |
| Type VI | 34 min | 63 min | 2.1 h |
Minutes at midday for about 1,000 IU of vitamin D with a quarter of the body bare, at La Paz, 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 Mexico in December
| Place | Rating | Sun window | Full dose | Afternoon high | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oaxaca City | Good | 6.9 h | 8 min | 25°C | 1/30 |
| Mexico City | Good | 6.8 h | 8 min | 23°C | 2/30 |
| Huatulco | Good | 6.8 h | 8 min | 32°C | 1/30 |
| Puerto Escondido | Good | 6.8 h | 8 min | 31°C | 2/30 |
| Acapulco | Good | 6.8 h | 9 min | 31°C | 4/30 |
| Zihuatanejo | Good | 6.7 h | 9 min | 30°C | 3/30 |
| Sayulita | Good | 6.5 h | 9 min | 26°C | 1/30 |
| Puerto Vallarta | Good | 6.3 h | 9 min | 29°C | 0/30 |
| Cabo San Lucas | Good | 6.2 h | 10 min | 28°C | 1/30 |
| Bacalar | Good | 6.1 h | 9 min | 29°C | 12/30 |
| La Paz | Good | 6.2 h | 10 min | 26°C | 0/30 |
| Mérida | Good | 5.9 h | 10 min | 29°C | 6/30 |
| Mazatlán | Good | 6.0 h | 10 min | 26°C | 1/30 |
| Chichén Itzá | Good | 5.7 h | 10 min | 30°C | 7/30 |
| Holbox | Good | 5.8 h | 10 min | 26°C | 9/30 |
| Tulum | Good | 5.8 h | 10 min | 27°C | 13/30 |
| Playa del Carmen | Good | 5.9 h | 10 min | 28°C | 13/30 |
| Cozumel | Good | 5.7 h | 10 min | 27°C | 17/30 |
| Cancún | Good | 5.7 h | 10 min | 27°C | 13/30 |
| Isla Mujeres | Good | 5.7 h | 10 min | 26°C | 16/30 |
Other months in Mexico
- Jan Good
- Feb Excellent
- Mar Excellent
- Apr Excellent
- May Excellent
- Jun Bad weather
- Jul Bad weather
- Aug Bad weather
- Sep Bad weather
- Oct Bad weather
- Nov Good
- Dec Good
Best months: November to May. Full Mexico guide