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Best Countries to Visit in May 2024

  • Different sources and individuals may place different degrees of importance upon the various individual qualities of a given destination, resulting in different lists. Multiple lists are displayed here for comparison and contrast.

40 countries

Country
Conde Nast
Holidify
Wanderlust
Specific Attractions
Australia1717Avg 34°C high, 20°C low; Mild weather and smaller crowds, Kakadu National Park, Phillip Island (fairy penguins, humpback whales), Tasmania, diving and snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, Viva Sydney music festival.
Austria14Vienna - Museums, coffeehouses, Genussfestival Food Fair, Hofburg Palace, rooftop bars, Palmenhaus greenhouse, wine, St. Stephens Cathedral, Schönbrunn Palace.
Bahamas15195Avg 29°C high, 22°C low; Beaches and sea with minimal crowds, Cabbage Beach, Pig Beach (Big Major Cay), reef diving in Abacos, flamingos in Inagua National Park, beach-fucused islands including Long Island, Blue Lagoon Island, Eleuthera and Harbour Island, Bimini Island.
Botswana1718Avg 27°C high, 10°C low; Wildlife viewing (elephants, crocodiles, hippos, etc.) at Chobe National Park or Okavango Delta (Morami Game Reserve), safaris, national parks and reserves.
Canada19 - Vancouver Island15Mountain hiking in Whistler, architecture of Quebec, Niagara Falls, Banff National Park. | Vancouver Island - Avg 17°C high, 10°C low; Forest hiking, bear-watching, whale-watching, outdoor activities (whitewater rafting, paragliding, snorkeling, scuba diving), food and glamping, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
Cape Verde20Avg 27°C high, 20°C low; Sun and beaches, volcanic hot springs, desert treks.
Costa Rica11Arenal Volcano region - Smaller crowds, lush greenery, scenic volcano views and national park.
Croatia13Beaches and sea, architecture (including Dubrovnik's walled city), wine, seafood, scenic islands.
CyprusAvg 17°C high, 7°C low; Nicosia
Czech Republic1415Avg 18°C high, 3°C low; Prague - Architecture and scenery, scenic hiking, the padlocked bridge, Czech Beer Festival, shopping and sightseeing in Wenceslas Square, Prague Castle, cathedrals and museums, Rudolfinum gallery, Wallenstein Garden and Vrtba Garden, Speculum Alchemiae | Vyšehrad - Scenic hillsides, parks and statues, beer gardens, gothic architecture.
Egypt13Avg 34°C high; 24°C low, beaches and sea, beach hotels, Grand Egyptian Museum, pyramids, Nile cruises.
France3Avg 12°C high, 3°C low; Paris (cafes, art and museums, fashion, Eiffel Tower, cuisine, Notre Dame cathedral, Luxembourg Gardens, architecture), Marseille (ruins, Calanques National Park, cathedrals, ), Lyon (architecture, Parc de la Tete d'Or, Museum of Fine Arts), Loire Valley (châteaus and cathedrals, Musee des Blindes, scenery and architecture).
Germany05 - MunichMunich - Avg 19°C high, 8°C low; Fruhlingfest (essentially a Springtime version of Oktoberfest), wave surfing in the Englischen Garten.
Greece11 - Dodecanese Islands2Greek Islands (Dodecanese chain, Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, Corfu, Crete - Avg 23°C high, 17°C low; whitewashed houses and blue sea, ancient ruins, island beaches, Byzantine architecture.
Hungary6Quaint rural villages, nightlife in Budapest, architecture, largest synagogue in Europe, third-largest church in Europe, World Heritage sites, UNESCO Biosphere reserves, second-largest thermal lake in the world.
IcelandAvg 9°C high, -2°C low; Reykjavik
Indonesia16Avg 31°C high, 24°C low; Jakarta, Komodo Island (Komodo dragons in mating season).
Ireland08 - DublinDublin - Avg 15°C high, 6°C low; International Literature Festival, pub crawls (literary or otherwise), Grand Canal, Abbey Theatre.
Israel16 - Tel AvivTel Aviv - Avg 24°C high, 17°C low; Beaches and sea, restaurants and cuisine, art, boutiques and nightlife.
Italy02 - Sicily | 09 - Tuscany and Florence1Sicily - Avg 22°C high, 12°C low; Beaches and sea, wine, wildflowers, temples and ruins. scenic countryside. | Tuscany - Avg 23°C high, 12°C low; UNESCO world heritage sites, medieval country houses, ancient cities, scenic hills, wine country, Cinque Terra seaside villages, gardens and nature preserves, art and museums, Florence (gelato, Uffizi gallery, Accademia museum, Santa Croce and Santa Maria Novella basilicas, art and sculptures).
Japan82Avg 3°C high, -6°C low; Lush National Parks, Hokkaido, cherry blossoms, Ashikaga Flower Park, wisteria tunnel at Kawachi Fuji Gardens, beaches and ocean, Japanese architecture, cuisine.
JordanAvg 12°C high, 6°C low; Amman
Malta422Avg temps 24°C high, 15°C low; Beaches and sea, cliffs and coves, scuba diving and snorkeling, temples, ancient ruins, fishing villages, wine and cuisine in Valletta, nightlife and parties, Upper Barrakka Gardens, HMS Maori.
Mauritius21Natural beauty, island beaches and ocean, scuba diving and snorkeling, surfing and kite surfing, seaplane rides, Black River Gorges National Park, Seven Colored Earth at Chamarel.
Morocco123Avg 25°C high, 12°C low; Marrakech, Rabat, Casablanca, Essaouira, hiking the Atlas Mountains, greenery, El Kelaat M'Gouna in the Dades Valley, art and culture in Rabat, teh beach at Kennitra, Rhythms of the World Concert music festival.
Nepal18Avg 24°C high, 10°C low; Kathmandu, mountain trekking through scenic greenery and flowering rhododendrons, Rato Machhindanath Jatra festival, Pokhara, Bodhnath, Bhaktapur.
Norway10 - Norwegian Fjords19Norwegian Fjords - Avg 16°C high, 6°C low; Scenic cliffs and ocean views, wildflowers and hiking trails, cocktails in Bergen, Pulpit Rock. | Svalbard - Wildlife cruises focused on polar bear sightings.
Peru79Avg 23°C high, 15°C low; Lima, Inca Trail and Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and the Amazon rainforest, Fiesta de Florecer ("Bloom Party") in Cajamarca,
PhilippinesAvg 31°C high, 25°C low; Siargao
Portugal01 - Algarve11Algarve (Avg 23°C high, 18°C low; beaches and ocean, tourist resorts and quiet towns, olive groves, quaint country retreats), scenery from green mountains and rocky cliffs to desert landscapes in Alentejo, surfing and beaches, golfing, cuisine.
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesAvg 30°C high, 22°C low;
Seychelles5Island beaches and ocean, snorkeling and scuba diving, luxury resorts, wildlife spotting and ecotourism, Vallee de Mal in Praslin, Anse Lazio.
South Korea1Avg 23°C high, 13°C low; Damyang Bamboo Festival, Boseong Green Tea Festival, Seoul nightlife
Spain03 - Catalonia1013Festivals including Barcelona's Primavera Sound music festival, Cordoba's Cruces de Mayo and Cordoba Festivals, and Madrid's San Isidro Festival. | Catalonia region - Avg 20°C high, 12°C low; Barcelona (Gaudi architecture, cuisine, nightlife), Girona (medieval architecture, cuisine), Costa Brava (resorts, beach hotels, or charming coastal towns), Aiguablava
Sri Lanka7East coast - Lesser crowds, beaches and sea, wildlife sightings (leopards, sloth bears), Yala National Park, Vesak (Buddhist holiday).
Turkey12 - Istanbul20Scenic hiking with rugged coastlines and lush mountains, quaint villages, Istanbul (Avg 13°C high, 7°C low; art and bazaars, food, mosques and culture, boat nightclubs and other nightlife).
United Kingdom07 - Brighton404, 12, 14Scenic countryside, castles and ruins, beaches and surfing, nature walks. | Brighton - Avg 14°C high, 10°C low; Hip beach towns, Great Escape music festival, Brighton Fringe arts festival. | South of England - Wild bluebells and flower shows in Kent, Wiltshire, and Chelsea (among others), London and its many attractions.
United States14 - Memphis, Tennessee | 18 - California6California - Avg 22°C high, 12°C low; Yosemite National Park (waterfalls and mountains); road trips through Big Sur; surfing San Diego; food and outdoor activities in San Francisco; star-spotting, Disneyland, and beaches in Los Angeles; exploring Malibu and Palms Springs. | Memphis, Tennessee - Avg 27°C high, 17°C low; Memphis in May festival (blues music and BBQ), Graceland, Beale Street blues clubs. | Washington, DC - Avg 23°C high, 12°C low; National Monument Parade, Passport DC, free jazz at the National Gallery of Art
Uzbekistan8Explore Silk Road, especially Samarkand (mosques, mausoleums, blue mosaics).
Vietnam1610Most comfortable weather of the year (32°C high and dry season), Buddha's birthday celebrations, hiking rice fields and other outdoor activities, scenic views (Mu Cang Chai, Ninh Binh, Pu Luong, and Cat Ba), Sa Pa, Ha Giang, Bac Ha.

What is the best country to visit in May?

Some of the best countries to visit in May include England, Hungary, Peru, and Japan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources