Our pick · 126 beaches

Where is hot in May

Where is hot in May? The sea averages at least 18 °C / 64 °F at 126 popular beaches in our selection, warmest at Krabi (30.8 °C / 87 °F). In the Mediterranean the warmest is Ayia Napa (Nissi Beach), at 21.2 °C / 70 °F.

May opens up Mediterranean holiday plans without giving every coast summer-warm water. Southern Turkey and Rhodes are worth comparing with Mallorca or the northern Adriatic, especially if swimming matters more than sightseeing.Read more

May average Sao Beach Sea 30.8°C / 87.5°FAir 29°C / 83°F

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Bathtub ≥ 28°C / 82°F 41

Beach day 23° / 73°–28°C / 82°F 39

Refreshing 18° / 64°–23°C / 73°F 46

Where to go for a beach holiday in May

Choose your balance of swimming and exploring

Antalya offers a base on Turkey's Mediterranean coast; Palma, Majorca combines a city with time by the sea. For an early beach holiday, check a hotel's pool facilities and leave room for outings. A warm sea further afield does not automatically mean a dry holiday: the Maldives' wetter southwest monsoon usually begins around mid-May. Decide whether you would rather accept cooler water nearby or more changeable tropical weather, then compare the particular destination.

World coasts

°C

2021–2025 sea temperature averages for the named places, not entire regions. Not a forecast.

The tiles compare monthly sea and air averages for 2021–2025. The selection includes beaches with an average sea temperature of at least 18 °C; it is not a forecast for a particular week or a guarantee of comfortable swimming.

Where is hot in May · May average

2021–2025 sea temperature averages for the named places, not entire regions. Not a forecast.

Where is hot in May · May average
All beaches	Sea (°C)	Air (°C)
Railay Beach, Thailand · Krabi	30.8 °C	29 °C
Sao Beach, Vietnam · Phú Quốc	30.8 °C	29 °C
Ko Phi Phi Don, Thailand · Phi Phi	30.8 °C	29 °C
Koh Samui, Thailand	30.8 °C	29 °C
Haad Than Sadet, Thailand · Koh Phangan	30.8 °C	29 °C
Pulau Lang Tengah, Malaysia · South China Sea	30.7 °C	29 °C
James Bond Island, Thailand · Phang Nga	30.4 °C	29 °C
El Nido, Philippines · Palawan	30.0 °C	29 °C
Maldives, Maldives · Indian Ocean	30.0 °C	28 °C
Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica	29.8 °C	26 °C
Barr Al Jissah, Oman · Gulf of Oman	29.8 °C	31 °C
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates · Persian Gulf	29.6 °C	30 °C
White Beach, Philippines · Boracay	29.6 °C	28 °C
Anse Source d'Argent, Seychelles · La Digue	29.6 °C	28 °C
Mirissa, Sri Lanka · Indian Ocean	29.5 °C	28 °C
Nosy Iranja, Madagascar · Indian Ocean	29.4 °C	27 °C
Ofu Beach, American Samoa · South Pacific	29.3 °C	27 °C
Bocas del Toro, Panama	29.3 °C	27 °C
Dubai, United Arab Emirates · Persian Gulf	29.2 °C	29 °C
Upolu, Samoa · South Pacific	29.2 °C	26 °C
Ocean Flower Island, China · Hainan	29.0 °C	28 °C
Cartagena, Colombia · Caribbean	29.0 °C	28 °C
Cayo Largo, Cuba	28.9 °C	28 °C
Corniche, Saudi Arabia · Jeddah	28.9 °C	29 °C
Baía do Sancho, Brazil · Fernando de Noronha	28.9 °C	27 °C
Diamond Beach, Indonesia · Nusa Penida	28.9 °C	27 °C
Sanya Bay, China · Hainan	28.8 °C	28 °C
Pink Beach, Indonesia · Komodo	28.8 °C	28 °C
Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands · Grand Cayman	28.8 °C	28 °C
Bora Bora, French Polynesia · South Pacific	28.7 °C	27 °C
Ocho Rios, Jamaica	28.6 °C	27 °C
Doha, Qatar · Persian Gulf	28.6 °C	32 °C
Al Mughsayl, Oman · Arabian Sea	28.6 °C	28 °C
Malolo Lailai, Fiji · Mamanuca Islands	28.5 °C	26 °C
Playa del Carmen, Mexico	28.4 °C	28 °C
Devil's Island, French Guiana · Salvation Islands	28.2 °C	26 °C
Key West, United States · Florida Keys	28.2 °C	27 °C
Cancún, Mexico	28.1 °C	27 °C
Kendwa, Tanzania · Zanzibar	28.1 °C	27 °C
Moorea, French Polynesia · South Pacific	28.1 °C	26 °C
Varadero, Cuba	28.0 °C	27 °C
Soufrière, Saint Lucia · The Pitons	27.9 °C	27 °C
Crane Beach, Barbados	27.9 °C	27 °C
Flamenco Beach, Puerto Rico · Culebra	27.9 °C	27 °C
Grace Bay, Turks & Caicos · Providenciales	27.9 °C	26 °C
Trunk Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands · St John	27.9 °C	27 °C
Dickenson Bay, Antigua and Barbuda · Antigua	27.9 °C	27 °C
Freeman's Bay, Antigua and Barbuda · Antigua	27.9 °C	27 °C
Pigeon Point, Trinidad and Tobago · Tobago	27.9 °C	27 °C
Miami Beach, United States · Florida	27.8 °C	27 °C
Meads Bay, Anguilla	27.8 °C	27 °C
Maho Beach, Sint Maarten	27.8 °C	27 °C
The Baths, British Virgin Islands · Virgin Gorda	27.8 °C	27 °C
Gustavia, Saint Barthélemy	27.8 °C	27 °C
Playa Bávaro, Dominican Republic · Punta Cana	27.7 °C	27 °C
Cayo de Agua, Venezuela · Los Roques	27.6 °C	27 °C
Flamingo Beach, Aruba	27.5 °C	27 °C
Da Nang, Vietnam · South China Sea	27.4 °C	29 °C
Cayo Levantado, Dominican Republic · Samaná	27.4 °C	26 °C
Clearwater Beach, United States · Florida	27.4 °C	26 °C
Paradise Island, Bahamas · Nassau	27.3 °C	26 °C
Cabo San Juan, Colombia · Tayrona	27.3 °C	25 °C
Le Morne, Mauritius · Indian Ocean	26.9 °C	25 °C
Rarotonga, Cook Islands · South Pacific	26.9 °C	25 °C
Hong Kong, Hong Kong · South China Sea	26.6 °C	26 °C
Cable Beach, Australia · Broome	26.5 °C	26 °C
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico	26.1 °C	24 °C
Port Ghalib, Egypt · Marsa Alam	25.6 °C	27 °C
Whitehaven Beach, Australia · Whitsundays	25.3 °C	23 °C
Waikiki, Hawaii · Oahu	25.2 °C	24 °C
Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt · Red Sea	25.0 °C	28 °C
Tokashiki Island, Japan · Okinawa	24.9 °C	24 °C
Na Pali Coast, Hawaii · Kauai	24.9 °C	23 °C
Gardner Bay, Ecuador · Galápagos	24.7 °C	24 °C
Tawila Island, Egypt · Hurghada	24.6 °C	27 °C
Mancora, Peru · Pacific	23.9 °C	25 °C
Pontal do Atalaia, Brazil · Atlantic	23.8 °C	23 °C
Praia, Cape Verde · Santiago	23.5 °C	23 °C
Gold Coast, Australia · Queensland	23.4 °C	20 °C
Ipanema, Brazil · Rio de Janeiro	23.4 °C	23 °C
Tel Aviv, Israel · Mediterranean	22.6 °C	22 °C
Ely's Harbor, Bermuda · Atlantic	22.2 °C	22 °C
Coral Beach, Israel · Eilat	22.0 °C	26 °C
Nissi Beach, Cyprus · Ayia Napa	21.2 °C	21 °C
Sydney, Australia · Pacific	21.1 °C	17 °C
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico	20.7 °C	22 °C
Oludeniz, Turkey	20.5 °C	21 °C
Morro Jable, Spain · Canary Islands	20.4 °C	20 °C
Amadores Beach, Spain · Canary Islands	20.4 °C	19 °C
Lindos, Greece · Rhodes	20.3 °C	20 °C
Antalya, Turkey	20.2 °C	22 °C
Madeira, Portugal	19.9 °C	17 °C
Tenerife, Spain · Canary Islands	19.8 °C	19 °C
Bodrum, Turkey	19.5 °C	20 °C
Cala d'Hort, Spain · Ibiza	19.4 °C	20 °C
Calpe, Spain	19.4 °C	19 °C
Benidorm, Spain	19.4 °C	18 °C
Ses Illetes, Spain · Formentera	19.4 °C	20 °C
Santorini, Greece	19.2 °C	19 °C
Porto Timoni, Greece · Corfu	19.2 °C	19 °C
Ksamil, Albania	19.2 °C	19 °C
Carthage, Tunisia · Tunis	19.1 °C	20 °C
Palma, Spain · Mallorca	19.1 °C	19 °C
Alcúdia, Spain · Mallorca	19.1 °C	19 °C
Cádiz, Spain	19.1 °C	20 °C
Malta, Malta	19.0 °C	19 °C
Valencia, Spain	19.0 °C	20 °C
Navagio, Greece · Zakynthos	19.0 °C	19 °C
Porto Katsiki, Greece · Lefkada	19.0 °C	19 °C
Capri, Italy	18.9 °C	19 °C
Mondello, Italy · Palermo	18.9 °C	19 °C
Sveti Stefan, Montenegro	18.9 °C	19 °C
Alicante, Spain	18.8 °C	20 °C
Elafonissi, Greece · Crete	18.8 °C	20 °C
Balos Lagoon, Greece · Crete	18.8 °C	19 °C
San Vito Lo Capo, Italy · Sicily	18.7 °C	19 °C
Cefalù, Italy · Sicily	18.7 °C	18 °C
Tarragona, Spain	18.6 °C	19 °C
Athens, Greece · Attica	18.6 °C	21 °C
Cinque Terre, Italy	18.6 °C	16 °C
Menorca, Spain	18.5 °C	18 °C
Villasimius, Italy · Sardinia	18.5 °C	19 °C
La Pelosa, Italy · Sardinia	18.2 °C	18 °C
Tropea, Italy	18.2 °C	18 °C
Mykonos, Greece	18.2 °C	18 °C
Dubrovnik, Croatia	18.1 °C	18 °C

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