Where to go for a beach holiday in May?
The 9 best destinations for a beach holiday in May, ranked on the weather actually recorded.
For a beach holiday in May, we kept seaside or island destinations with at least 24 °C in the afternoon, a sea at 22 °C or more where we measure it, and no more than eight days of rain. Temperatures and rainfall are real records, averaged from 2015 to 2024 at each destination's reference point, and the sea is measured at the nearest coastal point. 9 destinations pass this filter, in Europe, Africa, Asia and Americas. Top of the ranking: Oman (38 °C in the afternoon, 0 days of rain, sea at 30 °C).
The ranking at a glance
| # | Destination | Afternoon | Rainy days | Sea (°C) | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇴🇲 Oman | 38 °C | 0 | 30 °C | €110-180 a day |
| 2 | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | 31 °C | 1 | 27 °C | €50-100 a day |
| 3 | 🇪🇬 The Egyptian Red Sea | 31 °C | 0 | 25 °C | €50-110 a day |
| 4 | 🇸🇳 Senegal | 26 °C | 0 | 23 °C | €40-80 a day |
| 5 | 🇲🇽 Baja California | 32 °C | 0 | 24 °C | €70-130 a day |
| 6 | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | 28 °C | 7 | 28 °C | €80-160 a day |
| 7 | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 26 °C | 8 | 24 °C | €80-150 a day |
| 8 | 🇪🇸 The Canary Islands | 25 °C | 3 | 22 °C | €70-120 a day |
| 9 | 🇹🇷 Antalya | 27 °C | 8 | 22 °C | €60-110 a day |
The 9 destinations in detail
Countries1 🇴🇲 Oman
🌡️ 38 °C in the afternoon, 0 days of rain, sea at 30 °C · 💶 €110-180 a day · at the edge of its season
Oman means the turquoise pools of Wadi Shab, the ochre dunes of the Wahiba Sands where you sleep in a desert camp, and the mud-brick forts of Nizwa. An authentic Gulf, far from the bustle, all the way to the fjords of Musandam.
Countries2 🇲🇬 Madagascar
🌡️ 31 °C in the afternoon, 1 day of rain, sea at 27 °C · 💶 €50-100 a day
Madagascar means the Avenue of the Baobabs at dusk, lemurs you won't see anywhere else and the canyons of Isalo. An island-continent with unique biodiversity, far off the beaten track.
Region3 🇪🇬 The Egyptian Red Sea
🌡️ 31 °C in the afternoon, 0 days of rain, sea at 25 °C · 💶 €50-110 a day
Egypt's Red Sea means 1,000 km of coast down to the Sudanese border, with Sinai opposite, reefs that begin five metres from the shore and water at 22°C in January. Around five hours' direct flight from much of Europe, resorts under €100 and dives such as the Thistlegorm or Ras Mohammed.
Countries4 🇸🇳 Senegal
🌡️ 26 °C in the afternoon, 0 days of rain, sea at 23 °C · 💶 €40-80 a day
Senegal means the memory of Gorée Island, the waters of the Pink Lake and the pirogues of the Sine-Saloum Delta. A land of teranga, warm and French-speaking, on the threshold of West Africa.
Region5 🇲🇽 Baja California
🌡️ 32 °C in the afternoon, 0 days of rain, sea at 24 °C · 💶 €70-130 a day · at the edge of its season
A 1,250 km desert peninsula between the Pacific and the Sea of Cortez, where grey whales come to calve in the lagoons from January to March and you swim with whale sharks off La Paz. Cardón cacti, Jesuit missions, the empty beaches of Bahía Concepción and the vineyards of the Valle de Guadalupe.
Countries6 🇹🇿 Tanzania
🌡️ 28 °C in the afternoon, 7 days of rain, sea at 28 °C · 💶 €80-160 a day · at the edge of its season
Tanzania means the big cats of the Serengeti, the teeming caldera of Ngorongoro, and the white sand of Zanzibar to round things off. Africa's most legendary safari-and-beach combination, at the foot of Kilimanjaro.
Countries7 🇧🇷 Brazil
🌡️ 26 °C in the afternoon, 8 days of rain, sea at 24 °C · 💶 €80-150 a day
Brazil means Rio between sea and mountains, the dizzying Iguazu Falls and the endless beaches of the Nordeste. A vast country that moves to the beat of samba, from the Amazon to Salvador da Bahia.
Region8 🇪🇸 The Canary Islands
🌡️ 25 °C in the afternoon, 3 days of rain, sea at 22 °C · 💶 €70-120 a day · at the edge of its season
In the Canaries, you climb Teide above the clouds, walk the black sand of volcanic beaches and soak up the sun while the rest of Europe shivers. Four islands, four moods.
City9 🇹🇷 Antalya
🌡️ 27 °C in the afternoon, 8 days of rain, sea at 22 °C · 💶 €60-110 a day
Antalya stacks up an Ottoman old town within its ramparts, a triple-arched marble gate raised for Hadrian around 130, and a travertine cliff that drops straight into the sea. Behind it, the Beydağları keep their snow until May, and Perge and Aspendos are both less than an hour's drive away.
Frequently asked questions
Where to go for a beach holiday in May?
Oman, Madagascar, The Egyptian Red Sea, Senegal and Baja California top our ranking for a beach holiday in May. In first place, Oman: 38 °C in the afternoon, 0 days of rain, sea at 30 °C on average over 2015-2024.
Which is the closest beach destination in May?
Antalya, about 3h40 by air from Paris, with 27 °C in the afternoon, 8 days of rain, sea at 22 °C in May.
Where does it rain least in May among these destinations?
Oman: 0 days of rain on average in May, with 38 °C in the afternoon.
Where is it hottest in May?
Among these destinations, Oman, with 38 °C in the afternoon on average in May: plan your sightseeing for early morning and late afternoon.
Other ideas in May
Beach in another month
Off to the beach in May?
We'll send you the destinations worth the trip at this time of year, backed by real weather data and budgets.