Where to go · 2026

Where to go in May

May is peak season for Spain, Greece and Mallorca, and 16 more of our 34 destinations are at their best. For better value, Cancun is in shoulder season (31°C highs). Skip Krabi and the Maldives: their guides call May a month to avoid.

Peak season

At their best in May

19 destinations are in their best season in May, ranked by the Atlas Ranger Score for the month. The warmest is Mexico at 33°C; the driest is Cabo San Lucas with 1mm of rain.

  • The Alhambra fortress overlooking Granada, surrounded by green trees and Andalusian hillsidePeak season

    Spain

    25°/12°C43 mm rainScore 93
    Peak weather everywhere — Feria de Abril, San Isidro
  • The Acropolis of Athens at golden hour, GreecePeak season

    Greece

    25°/16°C36 mm rainScore 93
    The sweet spot — warm, dry, islands fully open, pre-crowd
  • Holiday resort in Mallorca with palm trees and the Mediterranean sea under a summer skyPeak season

    Mallorca

    25°/14°C61 mm rainScore 89
    Peak season opens — warm, dry, full operation
  • Boats moored in turquoise Ibiza waters along the Balearic coastlinePeak season

    Ibiza

    23°/16°C38 mm rainScore 88
    Opening parties — peak season officially begins
  • Aerial view of a Hawaiian coastline with green mountains meeting clear turquoise waterPeak season

    Hawaii

    27°/22°C60 mm rainScore 84
    Dry, warm, and quiet before the summer families arrive
  • El Arco rock formation rising from the sea at Cabo San LucasPeak season

    Cabo San Lucas

    31°/21°C1 mm rainScore 80
    Hot, sunny, dry — quiet pre-summer value
  • Aerial view of the Palacio de Bellas Artes dome in Mexico CityPeak season

    Mexico City

    28°/14°C78 mm rainScore 78
    Warm and lively as first storms arrive
  • Aerial view of cruise ships docked at Nassau harbour, Bahamas, over turquoise waterPeak season

    Bahamas

    29°/24°C69 mm rainScore 74
    Last comfortable month before the rains
  • Surfboards resting on a sandy beach in Key West, FloridaPeak season

    Key West

    28°/26°C57 mm rainScore 74
    Sunniest month, humidity beginning to build
  • Tokyo Tower glowing red against the city skyline during the dayPeak season

    Tokyo

    23°/15°C140 mm rainScore 71
    Warm and pleasant — post-Golden Week is the sweet spot
  • Wooden dock stretching over calm water from a beach in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin IslandsPeak season

    St. Thomas

    28°/26°C78 mm rainScore 71
    Warm, mostly dry, and quiet — low-season value
  • Snow-capped Mount Fuji under a clear blue sky, framed by pink cherry blossom branchesPeak season

    Japan

    23°/14°C140 mm rainScore 69
    Lush green, warm days, post-Golden Week calm
  • Vibrant Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto clad in autumn colors with iconic red torii gates lining the pathwayPeak season

    Kyoto

    23°/13°C140 mm rainScore 69
    Shinryoku (fresh greenery) + Aoi Matsuri — second sweet spot
  • Stunning view of Osaka Castle framed by cherry blossoms in full bloom — the essence of spring in JapanPeak season

    Osaka

    23°/14°C130 mm rainScore 69
    Sweet spot — warm, dry, post-Golden Week lull
  • White-sand beach in Aruba with a resort hotel in the background under a clear skyPeak season

    Aruba

    31°/27°C32 mm rainScore 68
    Low-season pricing, dry and quiet
  • Lush terraced rice fields in Bali surrounded by palm trees and tropical greeneryPeak season

    Bali

    31°/25°C73 mm rainScore 66
    Dry season properly begins — warm, sunny, uncrowded
  • Aerial view of Da Nang's coastal skyline at daytime — city buildings stretching to the Vietnamese coastline under clear skiesPeak season

    Da Nang

    32°/26°C66 mm rainScore 61
    Hot but very dry — last month before the heat peaks
  • Colorful lantern-lit streets of Hội An, Vietnam, bustling with life and culture in the eveningPeak season

    Hoi An

    32°/26°C95 mm rainScore 60
    Hot but very dry — last comfortable beach month
  • Turquoise waters and beaches of Ishigaki, Okinawa with boats moored offshorePeak season

    Okinawa

    27°/22°C225 mm rainScore 59
    Peak month — warm, before tsuyu rainy season
Shoulder season

Good value in May

Cancun is the best-value pick for May: shoulder season, a score of 69 and 31°C highs, without the peak-season crowds. New Orleans, Tulum and Jamaica are also worth it this month.

  • Aerial view of the turquoise Caribbean beach and hotel zone at CancunBest value

    Cancun

    31°/25°C59 mm rainScore 69
    Heat builds, first showers, prices start easing
  • Historic French Quarter architecture in New Orleans with brown and white concrete facade under bright blue skyWorth it

    New Orleans

    29°/22°C167 mm rainScore 66
    Last comfortable month — humidity climbing fast
  • Maya ruins on a cliff above the turquoise Caribbean at TulumWorth it

    Tulum

    31°/25°C91 mm rainScore 66
    Heat builds and the first rains return
  • White and blue bus parked beside a palm tree under a blue sky in JamaicaWorth it

    Jamaica

    30°/23°C148 mm rainScore 65
    First rainy spell — short, heavy afternoon showers
  • Aerial view of a Punta Cana beach with a boat moored in turquoise waterWorth it

    Punta Cana

    29°/25°C141 mm rainScore 64
    Wet season starts; sargassum begins to arrive
  • El Castillo pyramid at Chichen Itza under a clear blue sky, MexicoWorth it

    Mexico

    33°/24°C84 mm rainScore 63
    Hot and building: first rains, prices easing
Skip

Where to avoid in May

2 guides warn against May. Krabi leads the list: SW monsoon arrives — heavy rain begins.

All destinations

May at a glance

DestinationMayHigh / lowRainScore
SpainPeak25° / 12°C43 mm93
GreecePeak25° / 16°C36 mm93
MallorcaPeak25° / 14°C61 mm89
IbizaPeak23° / 16°C38 mm88
HawaiiPeak27° / 22°C60 mm84
Cabo San LucasPeak31° / 21°C1 mm80
Mexico CityPeak28° / 14°C78 mm78
BahamasPeak29° / 24°C69 mm74
Key WestPeak28° / 26°C57 mm74
TokyoPeak23° / 15°C140 mm71
MiamiMixed30° / 23°C109 mm71
St. ThomasPeak28° / 26°C78 mm71
JapanPeak23° / 14°C140 mm69
KyotoPeak23° / 13°C140 mm69
OsakaPeak23° / 14°C130 mm69
CancunGood31° / 25°C59 mm69
ArubaPeak31° / 27°C32 mm68
BaliPeak31° / 25°C73 mm66
New OrleansGood29° / 22°C167 mm66
TulumGood31° / 25°C91 mm66
JamaicaGood30° / 23°C148 mm65
Punta CanaGood29° / 25°C141 mm64
MexicoGood33° / 24°C84 mm63
Da NangPeak32° / 26°C66 mm61
Hoi AnPeak32° / 26°C95 mm60
OkinawaPeak27° / 22°C225 mm59
Koh SamuiMixed33° / 26°C132 mm55
MaldivesSkip31° / 26°C200 mm55
VietnamMixed31° / 24°C226 mm52
PhilippinesMixed34° / 27°C144 mm48
ThailandMixed33° / 26°C199 mm46
KrabiSkip33° / 24°C257 mm44
Costa RicaMixed33° / 24°C271 mm38
IcelandMixed9° / 4°C133 mm36
Questions

May travel questions

Where is warm in May?

Mexico (33°C highs), Da Nang (32°C highs) and Hoi An (32°C highs) are the warmest of the destinations that are good to visit in May.

Where is good for a beach trip in May?

Spain, Greece, Mallorca and Hawaii are in a good season with beach weather (24°C or warmer) in May.

Where is cheapest to visit in May?

May is one of the cheapest months for Thailand, Mexico, Cancun and Cabo San Lucas, and none of their guides warns against it.

Where should I avoid in May?

Krabi and the Maldives. Their own guides flag May: Krabi, sw monsoon arrives — heavy rain begins; the Maldives, southwest monsoon breaks — rain and wind arrive.

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