Happy Layover

Where to go in May

28 of the 57 places we track are at their best in May. Busy times to fly out of India that month: Indian summer holidays and Eid al-Adha.

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At their best in May

Places with their best weather in May, cheapest first where our scanner has a fare from India that month.

BaliIndonesia 29° / 26° some rainShoulder Dry season: sunny, less humid and calm seas on the south coast. The best time for beaches, diving and Mount Batur... See the month-by-month guide IstanbulTürkiye 20° / 13° some rainPeak Spring and autumn: 17-25°C, ideal for walking the old city and Bosphorus cruises. See the month-by-month guide TokyoJapan 23° / 14° wetShoulder Golden Week (29 April to 5 May): Japan's biggest holiday. Trains, hotels and sights are packed. See the month-by-month guide OsakaJapan 22° / 15° wetShoulder Golden Week (29 April to 5 May): Japan's biggest holiday. Trains, hotels and sights are packed. See the month-by-month guide SeoulSouth Korea 17° / 13° rainy spellsPeak Spring and autumn: mild and dry, the most comfortable months. See the month-by-month guide Da NangVietnam 31° / 24° some rainShoulder Dry, sunny and warm: the best time for the beaches, Hoi An and the Hai Van Pass. See the month-by-month guide AlmatyKazakhstan 26° / 12° some rainPeak Spring: apple and apricot blossoms, and the mountains are still capped with snow. See the month-by-month guide BakuAzerbaijan 20° / 15° dryPeak Late spring and early autumn: 20-27°C, the best time for the old city, the boulevard and day trips to Gobustan. See the month-by-month guide TbilisiGeorgia 24° / 11° some rainPeak Late spring and autumn: 20-27°C, the best time for the old town and trips to Kazbegi and Kakheti. See the month-by-month guide LondonUnited Kingdom 18° / 9° some rainShoulder Spring: parks in bloom; mild but changeable, so bring layers. See the month-by-month guide ParisFrance 19° / 9° some rainPeak Spring and early autumn: mild (18-25°C) with the prettiest light. The best time to visit. See the month-by-month guide AmsterdamNetherlands 18° / 9° some rainPeak Tulip season: bulb fields bloom from late March to early May, peaking in mid-April. See the month-by-month guide FrankfurtGermany 20° / 10° some rainShoulder Late spring to early autumn: 20-26°C, Rhine valley day trips and apple-wine gardens. See the month-by-month guide MunichGermany 18° / 9° rainy spellsShoulder See the month-by-month guide RomeItaly 21° / 14° some rainPeak Spring and autumn: 20-27°C, the best weather for walking the city. See the month-by-month guide BarcelonaSpain 20° / 14° some rainPeak Late spring and early autumn: warm (22-27°C), and the sea is warm enough to swim from June. See the month-by-month guide MadridSpain 24° / 11° mostly dryPeak Spring and autumn: 18-25°C and sunny, the best months. See the month-by-month guide ViennaAustria 20° / 11° some rainPeak Late spring and early autumn: 20-25°C, café terraces and Danube trips. See the month-by-month guide PragueCzechia 19° / 9° some rainPeak Prague Spring music festival, from 12 May into early June. See the month-by-month guide AthensGreece 25° / 15° mostly dryPeak Spring and autumn: 20-28°C, the best time for the Acropolis and the islands (the sea is warm from June to October). See the month-by-month guide New YorkUnited States 19° / 12° rainy spellsPeak Spring and autumn: 15-24°C, the most pleasant months for walking the city. See the month-by-month guide Los AngelesUnited States 20° / 14° dryShoulder May Gray and June Gloom: overcast mornings near the coast that usually clear by afternoon. See the month-by-month guide ChicagoUnited States 20° / 10° rainy spellsShoulder Late spring and early autumn: mild and comfortable. See the month-by-month guide Washington, D.C.United States 24° / 13° rainy spellsPeak See the month-by-month guide BostonUnited States 19° / 10° rainy spellsShoulder See the month-by-month guide DallasUnited States 28° / 18° wetShoulder See the month-by-month guide MauritiusMauritius 25° / 22° rainy spellsShoulder Dry winter: 24-27°C and less humid. The east coast is windy; the west coast (Flic en Flac) is sheltered. See the month-by-month guide SeychellesSeychelles 28° / 26° wetShoulder Between the trade winds: calm, clear seas and the best months for snorkelling, diving and island-hopping. See the month-by-month guide

Think twice in May

Rain, storms, heat or closures that month. Often cheaper, but pack for it.

  • Bangkok 33° / 26°, wetHot season: highs of 33-35°C with heavy humidity; April is the hottest month.
  • Phuket 30° / 26°, very wetSouthwest monsoon: rough seas, red-flag days on west-coast beaches (rip currents are dangerous) and some boat trips cancelled. Hotels are much cheaper.
  • Ho Chi Minh City 33° / 26°, wetRainy season: short, heavy afternoon storms that can flood streets for an hour. Fine for travel with an umbrella, and the Mekong Delta is lush.
  • Hanoi 31° / 24°, wetHot, humid rainy season with heavy downpours; June and July often top 35°C.
  • Colombo 30° / 26°, very wetSouthwest monsoon: rain and rough seas on the west and south coasts. The east coast (Trincomalee, Arugam Bay) is at its best instead.
  • Maldives 29° / 27°, very wetSouthwest monsoon: more rain, wind and choppy seas, but still warm with sunny spells. Resort prices drop sharply.
  • Dubai 36° / 25°, drySummer: 40-45°C with sticky humidity on the coast. Hotels are at their cheapest and life moves indoors.
  • Abu Dhabi 39° / 26°, drySummer: 40°C and above. Hotel prices drop and Yas Island's indoor theme parks are the draw.
  • Doha 38° / 27°, drySummer: up to 45°C with humidity; most life moves to malls and museums.
  • Muscat 39° / 30°, drySummer: 40°C and above in Muscat. Salalah, in the south, has its cool, misty khareef season from late June to September instead.
  • Hong Kong 28° / 24°, wetHot, humid, very wet summer with heavy rainstorms.
  • Taipei 28° / 22°, very wetPlum rain season (May and June): long spells of rain.
  • Chiang Mai 31° / 21°, wetHot season: highs of 35-37°C.
  • Krabi 29° / 27°, wetSouthwest monsoon: rough seas, some boat trips and island tours cancelled, and red-flag days on the beaches. Hotels are much cheaper.
  • Phu Quoc 30° / 29°, wetSouthwest monsoon: rain showers and rough seas on the west coast; some island boat trips stop running. Resort prices drop.
  • Nairobi 24° / 15°, rainy spellsLong rains (April is wettest): muddy park roads, some lodges close, and the lowest prices.

Busy times to fly out of India in May

  • 15 Apr – 15 Jun · expectedIndian summer holidaysSchool holidays (roughly mid-April to mid-June, varying by state): outbound family travel peaks and fares climb, especially to the Gulf, Southeast Asia and Europe.
  • 17 May · expectedEid al-AdhaFamilies travel between India and the Gulf around Eid al-Adha (expected 17 May), on top of the summer-holiday rush.

Festivals and holidays abroad

  • 18 Mar – 9 MayKeukenhof tulipsThe Keukenhof gardens are open from 18 Mar to 9 May; the tulips usually peak in mid-April.
  • 29 Apr – 5 MayGolden WeekJapan's biggest holiday run (1-5 May is five days off in a row): trains, flights and hotels are packed and prices peak.
  • 15–19 May · expectedEid al-AdhaExpected 16 or 17 May: several days of public holidays; hotels and flights are busier.
  • 19–20 MayVesakLanterns, lit pandals and free food stalls (dansal) across the island; alcohol sales are banned on the full-moon day.
  • 20 MayVesak DayBuddhist temples fill with processions and candlelit ceremonies; a public holiday.