Where Is Hot in May 2027?
Where is hot in May 2027
May is the month before the prices go up. Southern Europe is warm and not yet full, the Caribbean is out of its dry season and cheap with it, and the school holidays are still six weeks away. The question is only where, and most lists answer it with adjectives.
75 of the 125 destinations we measured averaged 24°C (75°F) or more in May. The hottest and driest was Agadir, Morocco at 28°C (83°F) with 2 rainy days. The cheapest genuinely hot one was Kochi, at 14 on a cost index where New York is 100. And Tenerife, the one most British travellers name first, averaged 20°C (68°F) with rain on 7 days. It is mild, not hot.
The best places to travel in May: the top 20
The twenty hottest, counting only the places people actually go on holiday. Every figure is measured, and hovering any box says why it is the colour it is.
1Morocco
Agadir in May
Photo: Abdeaitali, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
In May
- 28°C83°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 11.0hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 2of 31Days with rainRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 10UV index, peakRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 10µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 15°C60°FAt nightRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 51%HumidityRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
On the ground
- 80%Safe waterRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 10MbpsInternetRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Agadir is a major city in Morocco, on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean near the foot of the Atlas Mountains, just north of the point where the Souss River flows into the ocean, and 509 kilometres south of Casablanca.
May is Agadir at its best, warm from breakfast and dry enough to book an outdoor day and get it.
The light lasts, so a day here holds a slow morning, a long lunch and still has an afternoon left in it.
Rain fell on two days in the whole month.
Practical
- CurrencyMAD
- PlugC, E at 220 V
- Time zoneUTC+1
In May
- 28°C83°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 20°C69°FIn the waterRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 9.6hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 1of 31Days with rainRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 11UV index, peakRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 10µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 16°C61°FAt nightRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 77%HumidityRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
On the ground
- 100%Safe waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 52MbpsInternetRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
May is Fuerteventura at its best, warm from breakfast and dry enough to book an outdoor day and get it.
The sea is too cold to swim comfortably this month, so the coast is for walking rather than for swimming.
Rain fell on one day in the whole month.
Practical
- CurrencyEUR
- PlugC, F at 230 V
- Time zoneUTC+1
In May
- 24°C75°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 17°C62°FIn the waterRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 9.9hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 4of 31Days with rainRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 10UV index, peakRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 6µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 16°C60°FAt nightRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 71%HumidityRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
On the ground
- 95%Safe waterRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 46MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Faro, officially the City of Faro, is a city and a municipality in southern Portugal.
Faro peaks in May.
The sea is too cold to swim comfortably this month, so the coast is for walking rather than for swimming.
May sits outside cyclone season: no North Atlantic tropical system has passed within 200 km in May in the 1985-2025 NOAA IBTrACS record.
Practical
- CurrencyEUR
- PlugC, E, F at 230 V
- Time zoneUTC-1
4Spain
Malaga in May
Photo: Kiban, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
In May
- 24°C75°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 18°C65°FIn the waterRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 10.4hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 4of 31Days with rainRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 9UV index, peakRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 8µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 16°C60°FAt nightRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 73%HumidityRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
On the ground
- 100%Safe waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 52MbpsInternetRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 36/100Cost indexRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Malaga Málaga is a municipality of Spain and the capital of the province of Málaga, in the autonomous community of Andalusia.
Malaga peaks in May.
The sea is too cold to swim comfortably this month, so the coast is for walking rather than for swimming.
May sits outside cyclone season: no North Atlantic tropical system has passed within 200 km in May in the 1985-2025 NOAA IBTrACS record.
Practical
- CurrencyEUR
- PlugC, F at 230 V
- Time zoneUTC+1
In May
- 27°C81°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 22°C71°FIn the waterRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 11.5hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 3of 31Days with rainRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 10UV index, peakRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 11µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 18°C65°FAt nightRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 62%HumidityRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
On the ground
- 100%Safe waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 20MbpsInternetRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 34/100Cost indexRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Larnaca, also spelled Larnaka, is a city on the southeast coast of Cyprus and the capital of the Larnaca District.
Larnaca peaks in May.
The sea is too cold to swim comfortably this month, so the coast is for walking rather than for swimming.
Rain fell on three days in the whole month.
Practical
- CurrencyEUR
- PlugG at 240 V
- Time zoneUTC+2
6Curacao
Willemstad in May
Photo: Coolcaesar, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
In May
- 31°C88°FIn the dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 28°C83°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 9.1hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 5of 31Days with rainRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 12UV index, peakRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 14µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 26°C80°FAt nightRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 84%HumidityRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
On the ground
- 37MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Willemstad is the capital and largest city of Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea that is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Willemstad peaks in May, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
The sea is warm enough to stay in rather than dip and get out, so the beach is somewhere you spend the day and not somewhere you visit.
Rain fell on five days but added up to only 18 mm all month, so think passing showers rather than lost days.
One thing to weigh: Curacao records 16.9 homicides per 100,000 people. That is a country figure and not a Willemstad figure, but it is why pre-booked transfers are the norm here rather than an upsell.
Practical
- CurrencyANG
- PlugA, B, F at 127 V
- Time zoneUTC-4
In May
- 30°C85°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 27°C80°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 10.5hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 2of 31Days with rainRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 13UV index, peakRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 2%Years with a cycloneRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 15µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 21°C69°FAt nightRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 75%HumidityRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
On the ground
- 43%Safe waterRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 25MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 23/100Cost indexRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 2/5UK travel adviceRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
Puerto Vallarta is a Mexican resort city on Bahía de Banderas of the Pacific coast of the Mexican state of Jalisco.
Puerto Vallarta peaks in May.
The sea is warm enough to stay in rather than dip and get out, so the beach is somewhere you spend the day and not somewhere you visit.
Rain fell on two days in the whole month.
One thing to weigh: Mexico records 24.9 homicides per 100,000 people. That is a country figure and not a Puerto Vallarta figure, but it is why pre-booked transfers are the norm here rather than an upsell.
Practical
- CurrencyMXN
- PlugA, B at 120 V
- Time zoneUTC-6
In May
- 24°C76°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 21°C69°FIn the waterRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 10.9hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 5of 31Days with rainRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 11UV index, peakRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 12µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 18°C65°FAt nightRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 62%HumidityRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
On the ground
- 100%Safe waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 52MbpsInternetRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Las Palmas, officially Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of the Canary Islands in Spain.
Las Palmas peaks in May, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
The sea is too cold to swim comfortably this month, so the coast is for walking rather than for swimming.
Rain fell on five days but added up to only 6 mm all month, so think passing showers rather than lost days.
Practical
- CurrencyEUR
- PlugC, F at 230 V
- Time zoneUTC+1
9Mexico
San Jose del Cabo in May
Photo: Thelmadatter, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
In May
- 32°C89°FIn the dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 25°C77°FIn the waterRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 11.2hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 0of 31Days with rainRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 13UV index, peakRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 7µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 21°C70°FAt nightRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 39%HumidityRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
On the ground
- 43%Safe waterRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 25MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 2/5UK travel adviceRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
San José del Cabo is a coastal city located on the Gulf of California coast, near the southern tip of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur.
May is the driest month of the year in San Jose del Cabo, which is why it is the month people plan around.
The sea is swimmable without a wetsuit, though it is bracing for the first minute, and it warms through the afternoon.
Rain fell on no days in the whole month.
One thing to weigh: Mexico records 24.9 homicides per 100,000 people. That is a country figure and not a San Jose del Cabo figure, but it is why pre-booked transfers are the norm here rather than an upsell.
Practical
- CurrencyMXN
- PlugA, B at 120 V
- Time zoneUTC-6
10Morocco
Marrakech in May
Photo: Acp, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
In May
- 31°C89°FIn the dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 10.5hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 3of 31Days with rainRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 11UV index, peakRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 9µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 16°C60°FAt nightRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 48%HumidityRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
On the ground
- 80%Safe waterRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 10MbpsInternetRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Marrakech Marrakesh is the fourth-largest city in Morocco.
Marrakech peaks in May.
The light lasts, so a day here holds a slow morning, a long lunch and still has an afternoon left in it.
Rain fell on three days in the whole month.
Practical
- CurrencyMAD
- PlugC, E at 220 V
- Time zoneUTC+1
11Spain
Lanzarote in May
Photo: MiljenkoSuljic, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
In May
- 28°C83°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 20°C69°FIn the waterRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 9.6hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 2of 31Days with rainRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 11UV index, peakRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 11µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 16°C60°FAt nightRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 78%HumidityRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
On the ground
- 100%Safe waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 52MbpsInternetRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Lanzarote peaks in May.
The sea is too cold to swim comfortably this month, so the coast is for walking rather than for swimming.
Rain fell on two days in the whole month.
Practical
- CurrencyEUR
- PlugC, F at 230 V
- Time zoneUTC+1
12Sint Maarten
Philipsburg in May
Photo: Dr. Thomas Liptak, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
In May
- 28°C82°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 28°C83°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 9.2hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 11of 31Days with rainRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 13UV index, peakRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 7µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 26°C79°FAt nightRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 79%HumidityRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
On the ground
- 12MbpsInternetRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
Philipsburg (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈfilɪpsˌbʏrx]) is the main town and capital of Sint Maarten, a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Philipsburg peaks in May, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
Rain fell on 11 days but added up to only 63 mm all month, so think passing showers rather than lost days.
Practical
- CurrencyANG
- PlugA, B at 120 V
- Time zoneUTC-4
In May
- 28°C83°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 28°C82°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 8.9hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 9of 31Days with rainRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 11UV index, peakRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 2%Years with a cycloneRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 7µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 24°C76°FAt nightRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 72%HumidityRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
On the ground
- 41MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Nassau is the capital and largest city of the Bahamas.
Nassau peaks in May, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
2 percent of years in the 1985-2025 NOAA IBTrACS record saw a North Atlantic tropical system pass within 200 km during May.
One thing to weigh: Bahamas records 32.2 homicides per 100,000 people. That is a country figure and not a Nassau figure, but it is why pre-booked transfers are the norm here rather than an upsell.
Practical
- CurrencyBSD
- PlugA, B at 120 V
- Time zoneUTC-5
In May
- 33°C91°FIn the dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 25°C78°FIn the waterRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 11.8hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 0of 31Days with rainRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 11UV index, peakRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 14µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 25°C77°FAt nightRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 37%HumidityRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
On the ground
- 79%Safe waterRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 10MbpsInternetRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 2/5UK travel adviceRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
Sharm El Sheikh, alternatively rendered Sharm el-Sheikh or Charm el Sheikh, is an Egyptian city located on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, in South Sinai Governorate, on the coastal strip alo
May is the driest month of the year in Sharm El Sheikh, which is why it is the month people plan around.
The sea is swimmable without a wetsuit, though it is bracing for the first minute, and it warms through the afternoon.
Rain fell on no days in the whole month.
Practical
- CurrencyEGP
- PlugC, F at 220 V
- Time zoneUTC+2
15French Polynesia
Papeete in May
Photo: Remi Jouan, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
In May
- 29°C84°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 28°C83°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 7.0hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 10of 31Days with rainRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 9UV index, peakRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 5µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 24°C74°FAt nightRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 87%HumidityRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
On the ground
- 90%Safe waterRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 7MbpsInternetRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Papeete is the capital city of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of the French Republic located in the Pacific Ocean.
Papeete peaks in May, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
May sits outside cyclone season: no South Pacific tropical system has passed within 200 km in May in the 1985-2025 NOAA IBTrACS record.
Practical
- CurrencyXPF
- PlugA, B, C, E, F at 110 V
- Time zoneUTC-9
In May
- 25°C77°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 27°C80°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 7.3hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 12of 31Days with rainRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 8UV index, peakRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 8µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 22°C71°FAt nightRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 81%HumidityRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
On the ground
- 18MbpsInternetRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Port Louis is the capital and most populous city of Mauritius, mainly located in the Port Louis District, with a small western part in the Black River District.
Port Louis peaks in May, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
Rain landed on 12 days of the month, 46 mm in total. It is light rain, but it is most days, so an outdoor plan needs a fallback.
Practical
- CurrencyMUR
- PlugC, E, G at 230 V
- Time zoneUTC+4
In May
- 31°C87°FIn the dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 28°C82°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 9.4hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 9of 31Days with rainRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 13UV index, peakRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 11µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 27°C80°FAt nightRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 77%HumidityRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
On the ground
- 46MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Oranjestad, the capital and most populous of Aruba's eight regions, is located on the southwestern coast of the island.
Oranjestad peaks in May, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
Rain fell on nine days but added up to only 21 mm all month, so think passing showers rather than lost days.
Practical
- CurrencyAWG
- PlugA, B, F at 127 V
- Time zoneUTC-4
In May
- 30°C85°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 29°C84°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 7.3hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 14of 31Days with rainRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 12UV index, peakRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 10µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 24°C76°FAt nightRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 83%HumidityRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
On the ground
- 27MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Montego Bay is the capital of the parish of St.
Montego Bay peaks in May, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
Rain landed on 14 days of the month, 150 mm in total. It is light rain, but it is most days, so an outdoor plan needs a fallback.
One thing to weigh: Jamaica records 49.4 homicides per 100,000 people. That is a country figure and not a Montego Bay figure, but it is why pre-booked transfers are the norm here rather than an upsell.
Practical
- CurrencyJMD
- PlugA, B at 110 V
- Time zoneUTC-5
In May
- 30°C85°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 29°C84°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 9.0hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 12of 31Days with rainRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 14UV index, peakRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 14µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 25°C78°FAt nightRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 73%HumidityRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
On the ground
- 64MbpsInternetRated 4 of 5 for a holiday, good
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
Bridgetown is the capital and largest city of Barbados.
Bridgetown peaks in May, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
Rain landed on 12 days of the month, 52 mm in total. It is light rain, but it is most days, so an outdoor plan needs a fallback.
Practical
- CurrencyBBD
- PlugA, B at 115 V
- Time zoneUTC-4
In May
- 30°C85°FIn the dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 29°C84°FIn the waterRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 9.1hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 13of 31Days with rainRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 13UV index, peakRated 1 of 5 for a holiday, bad
- 0%Years with a cycloneRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
- 10µg/m³Air, PM2.5Rated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 25°C78°FAt nightRated 2 of 5 for a holiday, poor
- 73%HumidityRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
On the ground
- 32MbpsInternetRated 3 of 5 for a holiday, workable
- 5/5UK travel adviceRated 5 of 5 for a holiday, ideal
St. John's is the largest city in Antigua and Barbuda.
St Johns peaks in May, warm enough to live outdoors from breakfast until well after dark.
Rain landed on 13 days of the month, 91 mm in total. It is light rain, but it is most days, so an outdoor plan needs a fallback.
Practical
- CurrencyXCD
- PlugA, B at 230 V
- Time zoneUTC-4
Warmest places in May you can reach non-stop from the US
Everything above is measured from the destination, not from an airport, so it works wherever you are flying from. This is the same list filtered to what leaves the United States without a connection, shortest flight first.
Nassau – Bahamas
- 1.0hNon-stop from
- 28°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 9Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 8.9hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
Havana – Cuba
- 1.3hNon-stop from
- 32°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 7Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 8.9hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
Montego Bay – Jamaica
- 1.8hNon-stop from
- 30°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 14Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 7.3hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
Cancun – Mexico
- 2.0hNon-stop from
- 31°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 9Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 9.6hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5
Belize City – Belize
- 2.3hNon-stop from
- 31°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 8Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 7.8hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
San Jose del Cabo – Mexico
- 2.5hNon-stop from
- 32°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 0Days with rainRated 5 of 5
- 11.2hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5
Warm places to visit in May: where the sea is swimmable
Air temperature sells the holiday and sea temperature decides whether you get in the water. Nobody publishes this next to the air figure, so here it is. Below about 22°C most people last a few minutes.
Krabi – Thailand
- 32°CIn the waterRated 5 of 5
- 34°CIn the dayRated 3 of 5
- 5.8hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
- 17Days with rainRated 1 of 5
Manila – Philippines
- 32°CIn the waterRated 5 of 5
- 34°CIn the dayRated 3 of 5
- 7.4hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
- 16Days with rainRated 1 of 5
Koh Samui – Thailand
- 32°CIn the waterRated 5 of 5
- 33°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 7.2hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
- 19Days with rainRated 1 of 5
Kochi – India
- 31°CIn the waterRated 5 of 5
- 31°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 7.3hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
- 13Days with rainRated 2 of 5
Phuket – Thailand
- 31°CIn the waterRated 5 of 5
- 31°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 5.8hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
- 18Days with rainRated 1 of 5
Muscat – Oman
- 31°CIn the waterRated 5 of 5
- 39°CIn the dayRated 2 of 5
- 11.8hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5
- 1Days with rainRated 5 of 5
Krabi had the warmest water of anywhere we measured at 32°C (90°F), with 5.8 hours of sunshine a day.
Which May sun destinations sit in cyclone season
May is cyclone season in the southern hemisphere, and the lists that recommend these places for winter sun almost never mention it. This is not a forecast. It is what happened, counted across 41 Mays.
Manila – Philippines
- 20%Years with a cycloneRated 1 of 5
- 5%At hurricane strength
- 34°CIn the dayRated 3 of 5
- 16Days with rainRated 1 of 5
Huatulco – Mexico
- 7%Years with a cycloneRated 2 of 5
- 2%At hurricane strength
- 33°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 7Days with rainRated 3 of 5
Goa – India
- 7%Years with a cycloneRated 2 of 5
- 2%At hurricane strength
- 32°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 8Days with rainRated 3 of 5
Chiang Mai – Thailand
- 7%Years with a cycloneRated 2 of 5
- 0%At hurricane strength
- 34°CIn the dayRated 3 of 5
- 14Days with rainRated 2 of 5
Cebu – Philippines
- 7%Years with a cycloneRated 2 of 5
- 0%At hurricane strength
- 31°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 13Days with rainRated 2 of 5
Port Vila – Vanuatu
- 7%Years with a cycloneRated 2 of 5
- 0%At hurricane strength
- 28°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 11Days with rainRated 2 of 5
Manila, Philippines is the one to think about: a tropical system came within 200 km in 20% of Mays since 1985, and 5% of those reached hurricane strength. It is still a fine holiday. It is just not a risk-free one, and travel insurance is worth reading before you book.
Where is hot and cheap in May
This is the question the rest of the internet answers with adjectives. Here it is with numbers. The index is relative to New York at 100, so 14 means roughly 14% of New York prices on the ground.
Kochi – India
- 14/100Cost indexRated 5 of 5
- 31°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 13Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 7.3hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
Goa – India
- 16/100Cost indexRated 5 of 5
- 32°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 8Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 10.0hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5
Merida – Mexico
- 18/100Cost indexRated 5 of 5
- 37°CIn the dayRated 2 of 5
- 7Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 8.8hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
Antalya – Turkey
- 21/100Cost indexRated 5 of 5
- 26°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 5Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 10.3hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5
Cancun – Mexico
- 21/100Cost indexRated 5 of 5
- 31°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 9Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 9.6hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5
Puerto Vallarta – Mexico
- 23/100Cost indexRated 5 of 5
- 30°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 2Days with rainRated 5 of 5
- 10.5hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5
Kochi is the answer on the numbers: 31°C, 13 rainy days, and an index of 14. The catch is the flight. India is not a short hop from anywhere in Europe.
Where is hot in May short haul from the UK
Seven hours or less and direct from a UK airport, warmest first. Only 21 of them clear 24°C, which is the honest answer to this question: short haul from the UK in May means mild, not hot.
Geneva – Switzerland
- 1.5hDirect from
- 19°CIn the dayRated 3 of 5
- 12Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 5.5hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
Strasbourg – France
- 1.7hDirect from
- 20°CIn the dayRated 3 of 5
- 11Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 6.6hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
Prague – Czech Republic
- 1.8hDirect from
- 19°CIn the dayRated 3 of 5
- 11Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 7.0hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
Berlin – Germany
- 1.9hDirect from
- 19°CIn the dayRated 3 of 5
- 9Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 7.2hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
Vienna – Austria
- 2.1hDirect from
- 20°CIn the dayRated 3 of 5
- 10Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 7.7hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
Innsbruck – Austria
- 2.1hDirect from
- 19°CIn the dayRated 3 of 5
- 14Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 5.2hSunshine a dayRated 3 of 5
Porto – Portugal
- 2.3hDirect from
- 20°CIn the dayRated 3 of 5
- 7Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 8.9hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
Budapest – Hungary
- 2.6hDirect from
- 21°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 10Days with rainRated 2 of 5
- 8.2hSunshine a dayRated 4 of 5
Lisbon – Portugal
- 2.7hDirect from
- 23°CIn the dayRated 4 of 5
- 6Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 10.2hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5
Where is warm in Europe in May
Warm, not hot. Nowhere in Europe averages 24°C in May, and the brochures that imply otherwise are rounding a long way up. The sunshine column is hours a day. The big travel sites publish a percentage instead and never say a percentage of what.
Seville – Spain
- 38°CIn the dayRated 2 of 5
- 4Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 10.0hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5
Fuerteventura – Spain
- 28°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 1Days with rainRated 5 of 5
- 9.6hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5
- 20°CIn the waterRated 3 of 5
Lanzarote – Spain
- 28°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 2Days with rainRated 5 of 5
- 9.6hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5
- 20°CIn the waterRated 3 of 5
Larnaca – Cyprus
- 27°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 3Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 11.5hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5
- 22°CIn the waterRated 3 of 5
Antalya – Turkey
- 26°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 5Days with rainRated 4 of 5
- 10.3hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5
- 22°CIn the waterRated 3 of 5
La Palma – Spain
- 25°CIn the dayRated 5 of 5
- 6Days with rainRated 3 of 5
- 9.4hSunshine a dayRated 5 of 5
- 22°CIn the waterRated 3 of 5
Madeira deserves a note, because it appears on every May list. It averages 21°C (69°F), which is genuinely pleasant, and it rains on 6 days out of 31. That is not a failure of Madeira. It is a subtropical island in the Atlantic in winter, and the greenery you go for is paid for in rain. Book it for walking, not for a fortnight by a pool.
Where is hot in May: your questions
Where is warm in May and cheap?
Kochi, India on the numbers: 31°C (87°F) and a cost index of 14 against New York at 100. In the Caribbean and Latin America the cheapest genuinely hot options were Merida, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Havana.
Which countries are hot in May?
75 destinations across 49 countries averaged 24°C or more. The reliable groups are the Gulf, the Indian Ocean and South Asia, West Africa, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean and the southern hemisphere, where May is in the southern summer half of the year.
Where is over 20 degrees in May in Europe?
Seville (38°C), Fuerteventura (28°C), Lanzarote (28°C), Larnaca (27°C), Antalya (26°C), La Palma (25°C), Las Palmas (24°C), Faro (24°C), Malaga (24°C), Lisbon (23°C), Valletta (23°C), Funchal (21°C), Santa Cruz de Tenerife (20°C), Porto (20°C). Everywhere else in southern Europe sat below 20°C across the last five Mays.
Where can I find sun in May?
The sunniest was Sharm El Sheikh at 11.8 hours a day. The driest destinations were Agadir (2 rainy days), Fuerteventura (1 rainy day), Faro (4 rainy days), Malaga (4 rainy days), Larnaca (3 rainy days). Rain days matter more than temperature for a sun holiday, and they vary far more.
How strong is the sun in May?
The highest midday UV index we measured was 14 at Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia. Anything from 8 upwards burns unprotected skin in under 20 minutes, and 11 or more is the top of the scale. Bridgetown (14), San Jose (13), Koh Samui (13), Puerto Vallarta (13) followed.
Is Tenerife hot in May?
No. Tenerife averaged 20°C (68°F) with rain on 7 days across the last five Mays. Gran Canaria is warmer at 24°C with 5 rainy days, but neither is hot.
Which hot May destination has the worst air quality?
Delhi averaged 85.2 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic metre in May. The World Health Organization treats 15 as the interim target and 5 as the guideline, so that is well above both. If anyone in the party has asthma it is worth knowing before you book.
Where is hot in other months
May is a month people book months ahead, so it is worth knowing what the other months do. We measured April the same way. The Christmas market and snow side of December is measured on a separate page.
Temperature is the mean of the five most recent Mays, 2021 to 2025, from Open-Meteo. Rain and sunshine come from the NASA POWER satellite record, 2001 to 2020. A rainy day is a day with 1 mm or more, the threshold the Met Office, Meteo-France and AEMET all publish. Grid squares are about 25 km wide and spread one shower across the whole square, so we correct for that and check the result against the published normals of ten national weather services: rain days land within two days of the official count, sunshine within twenty minutes.
Cyclones: NOAA IBTrACS, every ocean, not only the Atlantic. Air quality: CAMS model, a regional figure rather than a street reading. Flights and fares: live airline data, so treat a fare as a scale and not a quote. Cost of living: World Bank ICP, New York at 100.
Photos from Wikimedia Commons under CC0, CC BY and CC BY-SA. Each image names its photographer and licence on hover.