The 9 best places to go in May 2025

May offers travelers a great combination of shoulder-season prices and pleasant weather in many parts of the world. Whether you're looking for wildlife encounters, cultural events, adventurous trips, or budget-friendly destinations, this month's selections are sure to ignite your wanderlust.

These are the best places to go in May, catering to every travel style.

1. Barbados

Ideal for Surfing

Barbados is a top-notch tropical paradise, ideal for lounging on the beach, soaking up the sun, and enjoying the sea breeze. It's also one of the premier islands in the Caribbean for surfing, particularly on its Atlantic-facing south and east coasts. Surfing conditions are generally favorable and consistent from November to June. This is one of the best places to go in May, while there may be slightly more rain than in previous months, the weather remains very sunny, and prices are more affordable.

Top surfing spots include Freights Bay, which is suitable for beginners, South Point, and Soup Bowl, a world-class wave near the laid-back town of Bathsheba that has hosted international competitions. Brandons, a beautiful beach near the capital Bridgetown, is also well-liked. Additionally, Rihanna hails from Barbados, and you can visit her childhood home along with other great places to visit in Barbados.

Planning tip: To reach various surf beaches, consider renting a car. The small east coast fishing community of Bathsheba offers more rum bars and local guesthouses than flashy resorts, providing a laid-back base.

2. Thessaloniki, Greece

Ideal for a European city getaway 

Ancient Thessaloniki, established in 315 BCE, exudes a youthful spirit. Greece’s second-largest city has a vibrant energy, and in May, this energy spills outdoors as residents – including a large student community – gather in Navarinou Square, enjoying strong coffee and tsipouro (grape brandy) at sidewalk cafés, and flocking to rooftop bars as they open for the season. With average temperatures reaching 24°C (75°F), it's warm enough for a beach visit: Blue Flag Epanomi is just 25km (15 miles) south, and the renowned turquoise waters of the Halkidiki Peninsula are a 2–3 hour bus ride away.

After the beach, explore Thessaloniki’s neighborhoods. Egnatia, built along a Roman road, serves as the main artery; surrounding it are Roman relics (including the remnants of Galerius's palace and arch), intriguing churches, and stalls offering koulouri (pretzel-like sesame rings). The waterfront, home to the city’s famous White Tower, is perfect for a leisurely walk or bike ride. It concludes at the port – location of the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art – and Ladadika, the former market district, bustling with restaurants and nightlife. Ano Poli, the Upper Town, is a charming maze of old Ottoman streets.

3. Uzbekistan

Ideal for a train journey

Caravansaries, the Silk Road, spices—traveling here holds an undeniable romance, as this region has been the cultural hub of Central Asia for thousands of years. This is particularly true for Uzbekistan’s trio of historic cities: Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva. These cities sparkle with mosaic-tiled mausoleums, mosques, and medressas (religious schools) that echo with history. Traveling between these cities in Uzbekistan is now more convenient than ever, thanks to high-speed trains that make getting around effortless. In fact, May is the ideal month to visit. With temperatures in the mid-20s°C (mid-70s°F), sightseeing is comfortable, and the landscapes are brightened by tulips and apricot blossoms.

4. Norway

Best for exploring on the water

Hurtigruten ferries travel along Norway’s 2400 km (1491 miles) western coastline, starting from Bergen in the south and reaching up to Arctic Kirkenes throughout the year. These ferries are essential for the residents along this rugged, fjord-indented coast, so they operate regardless of the weather. Nevertheless, May to June is an excellent time to visit. The weather is usually mild, and the days are incredibly long. By mid-May, the sun remains up all day in the far-north Tromsø, allowing you to admire the stunning scenery throughout the night.

Improved weather and extended daylight make participating in activities easier as well. There are 34 ports of call; you can disembark to fish in the Lofoten Islands, interact with the Sami people at North Cape, or hike near Geirangerfjord. Keep in mind that May is a festive month in picturesque Bergen, so plan for extra time here before you set sail. You can even explore on a budget with our top tips.

5. Belize

Best for ancient ruins 

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Small Belize delivers a big impact. At just about 180 miles (290km) in length, with English as the official language, it's easy to travel between its ancient Maya ruins, wildlife-rich tropical forests, living Maya communities, and the cays and atolls of the world's second-longest barrier reef, which offers stunning beaches and excellent snorkeling. You can easily explore much of the country on a road trip without any trouble.

May is an ideal time for weather and wildlife, with sunny days, whale sharks near Gladden Spit, and nesting green, hawksbill, and loggerhead turtles making their way onto beaches on Glover’s Reef and Ambergris Caye. In the north, visit lesser-known temples at jungle-enclosed sites like Xunantunich and Lamanai. Today, the descendants of the ancient Maya who constructed these monuments reside in villages around Toledo, where they invite visitors for immersive homestays.

Planning tip: From Belize City, travel west to explore Maya sites like Lamanai and Xunantunich, head south to observe wildlife in Cockscomb Basin Forest Reserve and engage with the modern Maya in Toledo, then enjoy snorkeling, diving, and relaxation on Glover’s Reef and Ambergris Caye.

6. Murcia, Spain

Why now? To enjoy exceptional cuisine.

There’s never a bad time to visit Spain’s Costa Cálida (the “Warm Coast”). However, the mild, sunny weather in May, with average temperatures around 25°C (77°F), is ideal for experiencing the area before the summer crowds arrive. The region is famous for its outstanding flavors, surrounded by hills, vineyards, olive groves, fertile gardens, and rich seas, offering high-quality meats, fruits, vegetables, and fish. Local specialties to try include caldero del mar menor, a rice stew traditionally cooked by fishermen with small catch, and paparajotes, lemon leaves battered and fried. You can explore tapas trails in both the regional capital Murcia and the historic port city of Cartagena.

Planning tip: Spend a week sampling the cuisine in Murcia and Cartagena, hiking and biking the forest trails in Sierra Espuña Regional Park, and unwinding on the long, sandy beaches of the Costa Cálida.

7. Bali, Indonesia

Best for food and island life 

Bali in May? Delightful. The days are dry, hot, and sunny, with the peak season crowds yet to arrive, all while maintaining a relaxed atmosphere. This is especially true in Ubud, the artistic and bohemian highland town known for its galleries, museums, ancient temples, and vibrant food scene. Surrounded by lush forests, rice paddies, and leafy plantations, Ubud boasts several world-class restaurants and elegant cocktail lounges, alongside casual food stalls and cafes offering Balinese specialties like gado gado salad, satay, injin porridge, babi guling (suckling pig), and more. It's an excellent place to take a cooking class.

8. Chobe and the Okavango, Botswana

Best for wildlife 

May means all change in northern Botswana. It’s the start of the dry, cool season when the landscape is still verdant from the previous months’ rains but the skies are increasingly cloud-free. Also, the wildlife – looking fit and healthy, thanks to all the water – gradually becomes more active as temperatures drop. Prices and numbers of tourists are lower than the coming peak months too, adding extra attraction to mokoro (traditional canoe) trips along the fingery tributaries of the Okavango Delta and game drives in Chobe National Park, where wildlife, including huge herds of elephants, is starting to gather at the riverbanks. 

Planning tip: Chobe and the Okavango make a good combination. Allow at least ten days to make the most of both, taking boat, canoe and 4WD safaris, learning to fish and visiting local villages. Consider staying on a private concession in the Okavango, where more activities (including night drives and walking safaris) will be permitted.

9. May’s dream trip: Embrace the spirituality of Uluru in Australia

There’s nowhere else on Earth quite like Uluru. It’s almost impossible to look away from the vast, sandstone monolith, rising as it does from the red sands of the desert like an apparition, riven with crevices and animated by ancient stories from its Traditional Custodians, the Anangu. At sunrise and sunset Uluru appears almost luminous. After a rare desert rainstorm, rivulets seemingly of molten silver stream down its many faces. And in the long daylight hours, it glowers out across the desert over which it presides, moody and magnificent.

Uluru is part of a national park, which it shares with Kata Tjuta, a series of nearly 40 granite domes in weirdly wonderful forms that dominate the horizon for miles in every direction. Together, Uluru and Kata Tjuta carry deep spiritual significance; learn more on walks led by Anangu guides or at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre. And together these two geological marvels form the compelling centerpiece of Australia’s storied Red Centre.