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May · 15 top picks

Where to go in May

May sits between spring and summer in the north, and between wet and dry seasons south of the equator. Southern Africa shines this month: Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe have highs around 23-27°C with barely any rain, good for safaris as the bush dries out. Cape Verde stays dependable too, 23°C with no rain days at all. Around the Mediterranean, Spain, Gibraltar and Cyprus warm up nicely, with Cyprus reaching almost 30°C. Peru's Andes offer clear, dry days near 21°C. Conditions get tougher in parts of Asia: India hits 39.7°C and Saudi Arabia 37.5°C, while Thailand sees rain on over 18 days. At the other extreme, Svalbard stays near -2°C and the Faroe Islands get rain on more than half the month's days.

Top picks

Best places to go in May

Ranked by our month score: temperature, rain, sunshine and sea.

  1. Cape Verde 23°C

    1.Cape Verde

    10.0/10

    Africa

    Score of 10, 0 rain days, 23°C high and 11.7 hours of sun, the sunniest of these months.

    High / low
    23°C / 22°C
    Rain days
    0
    Sun daily
    11.7 hrs
    Cape Verde guide →
  2. Zambia 26°C

    2.Zambia

    9.7/10

    Africa

    Score 9.7: rain almost stops (4mm, 1 rain day) and days reach 26°C with 10.9 sun hours.

    High / low
    26°C / 16°C
    Rain days
    1
    Sun daily
    10.9 hrs
    Zambia guide →
  3. Madagascar 21°C

    3.Madagascar

    9.5/10

    Africa

    Score of 9.5, rain drops sharply to 2.6 days and 12mm as the dry season begins, with mild highs of 20.6°C.

    High / low
    21°C / 10°C
    Rain days
    3
    Sun daily
    10.2 hrs
    Madagascar guide →
  4. Gibraltar 21°C

    4.Gibraltar

    9.2/10

    Europe

    Score 9.2, highs of 21°C, only 4.2 rain days and 12.3 sun hours make for warm, dry days.

    High / low
    21°C / 15°C
    Rain days
    4
    Sun daily
    12.3 hrs
    Gibraltar guide →
  5. Spain 24°C

    5.Spain

    8.8/10

    Europe

    Top score of 8.8, with highs of 24.4°C and only 6.3 rain days, giving warm, mostly dry weather.

    High / low
    24°C / 12°C
    Rain days
    6
    Sun daily
    12.6 hrs
    Spain guide →
  6. Israel 28°C

    6.Israel

    8.4/10

    Asia

    Highs around 28°C, rain on about 2 days.

    High / low
    28°C / 16°C
    Rain days
    2
    Sun daily
    12.6 hrs
    Israel guide →
  7. Jordan 28°C

    7.Jordan

    8.2/10

    Asia

    Highs around 28°C, rain on about 1 days.

    High / low
    28°C / 16°C
    Rain days
    1
    Sun daily
    12.7 hrs
    Jordan guide →
  8. Portugal 20°C

    8.Portugal

    8.2/10

    Europe

    Highs around 20°C, rain on about 9 days, sea 16°C.

    High / low
    20°C / 13°C
    Rain days
    9
    Sun daily
    11.8 hrs
    Portugal guide →
  9. Japan 20°C

    9.Japan

    8.1/10

    Asia

    Top score of 8.1, with mild highs of 20.3°C, lows near 9.3°C and 9.8 hours of sunshine daily.

    High / low
    20°C / 9°C
    Rain days
    10
    Sun daily
    9.8 hrs
    Japan guide →
  10. Peru 21°C

    10.Peru

    8.1/10

    Americas

    Rain almost stops in Lima, just 0.1 rain days, and the score jumps to 8.1.

    High / low
    21°C / 17°C
    Rain days
    0
    Sun daily
    10.5 hrs
    Peru guide →
  11. Bahamas 28°C

    11.Bahamas

    8.0/10

    Americas

    Highs around 28°C, rain on about 16 days, sea 28°C.

    High / low
    28°C / 24°C
    Rain days
    16
    Sun daily
    11.2 hrs
    Bahamas guide →
  12. Australia 20°C

    12.Australia

    7.9/10

    Oceania

    Score of 7.9, cooler highs near 19.5°C, just 8.1 rain days and 62mm rain, drier autumn air.

    High / low
    20°C / 11°C
    Rain days
    8
    Sun daily
    8.7 hrs
    Australia guide →
  13. Bermuda 22°C

    13.Bermuda

    7.9/10

    Americas

    Highs around 22°C, rain on about 11 days, sea 22°C.

    High / low
    22°C / 21°C
    Rain days
    11
    Sun daily
    11.5 hrs
    Bermuda guide →
  14. Fiji 29°C

    14.Fiji

    7.6/10

    Oceania

    Highs around 29°C, rain on about 8 days, sea 29°C.

    High / low
    29°C / 22°C
    Rain days
    8
    Sun daily
    9.8 hrs
    Fiji guide →
  15. Tonga 26°C

    15.Tonga

    7.6/10

    Oceania

    Highs around 26°C, rain on about 12 days.

    High / low
    26°C / 25°C
    Rain days
    12
    Sun daily
    9.4 hrs
    Tonga guide →

May

Warm & sunny

Highs of 24 °C or more and few rainy days.

May

Short-haul from Europe

Within about 3,500 km of central Europe.

Honest advice

Toughest weather in May

Places where the weather is usually at its worst this month.

Side by side

May weather comparison: top 10 destinations

Average weather of each destination's main city this month, and our month score out of 10.

May weather for the top 10 destinations
Destination Avg high Avg low Rainfall Sun hrs/day Sea temp May score
Cape Verde 23°C 22°C 0 mm 11.7 hrs – 10.0
Zambia 26°C 16°C 4 mm 10.9 hrs Inland 9.7
Madagascar 21°C 10°C 12 mm 10.2 hrs – 9.5
Gibraltar 21°C 15°C 25 mm 12.3 hrs Inland 9.2
Spain 24°C 12°C 31 mm 12.6 hrs Inland 8.8
Israel 28°C 16°C 8 mm 12.6 hrs – 8.4
Jordan 28°C 16°C 6 mm 12.7 hrs – 8.2
Portugal 20°C 13°C 85 mm 11.8 hrs 16°C 8.2
Japan 20°C 9°C 137 mm 9.8 hrs – 8.1
Peru 21°C 17°C 1 mm 10.5 hrs 20°C 8.1

FAQ

Travelling in May

Where is warm and dry in May?

Cape Verde is the top pick, with a high of 23°C and 0 rain days all month. Zambia (26.2°C), Namibia (26.6°C) and Angola (29.9°C) also stay dry, with under 3 rain days each. If you want heat without rain, these African destinations score best in the data.

Is Thailand good in May?

No. Thailand scores only 0.6 out of 10 in May, the lowest in the data. Highs reach 35.7°C and there are 18.4 rain days in the month, so it's both very hot and very wet at the same time.

Where is the toughest weather in May?

India and Svalbard and Jan Mayen sit at opposite extremes. India hits a 39.7°C high with little rain, making it harshly hot. Svalbard and Jan Mayen is the reverse, with a high of just -2.1°C and 8.1 rain days, so cold and damp conditions dominate there.

Is Spain good in May?

Yes. Spain scores 8.8 out of 10 in May, with a high of 24.4°C and 6.3 rain days. That's warm enough for sightseeing and the coast, though it's not yet the driest month on record compared with places like Cape Verde or Namibia.

Is the sea warm enough for swimming in May?

It depends where. Angola's sea reaches 28°C, warm enough for swimming without hesitation. Peru's sea sits at 19.9°C, cooler but workable for a wetsuit swim. Portugal's sea is the coolest of the three listed, at 16.1°C, better for a quick dip than a long swim.