If you can travel in May rather than July or August, do. Across Bali, the Mediterranean, Istanbul, Kyoto, Petra and the Andes, May brings settled weather and long days, while the school-holiday rush that pushes up room rates and fills the queues is still weeks away. Each place below makes the case on its own terms, and the article ends with the places where May works against you, then the practical detail for booking.
The case for going before summer
The high-summer problem is the same almost everywhere in the northern hemisphere. Families travel when schools close, airlines and hotels price for that demand, and the most famous sights become crowded from mid-morning. In southern Europe the heat adds another layer: Seville's long-term July average high is about 36°C, which turns a day of sightseeing into a hunt for shade.
May avoids most of that. Afternoons around the Mediterranean sit in the low to mid 20s, which is ideal walking weather. Hotels that have just opened for the season are not yet full. In Bali and Peru, May marks the start of the dry season rather than its peak, so you get the weather before the July and August crowds arrive.
The one compromise is the sea in Europe, which has not yet warmed up; anyone who wants to spend all day in the water should look at Bali first.
| Place (weather station) | Average high | Average low | Rainy days | Sea | Sun per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bali (Denpasar) | 30.5°C / 87°F | 25°C / 77°F | 6 to 7 | 28°C / 82°F | 8.5 hours |
| Crete (Heraklion) | 24°C / 76°F | 16°C / 61°F | about 2 | 19.6°C / 67°F | not available |
| Dubrovnik | 21.5°C / 71°F | 15°C / 60°F | about 9, mostly light | 19°C / 66°F | 8.6 hours |
| Lisbon | 22°C / 72°F | 14°C / 57°F | about 9, mostly light | 16°C / 62°F (Cascais) | 9.4 hours |
| Istanbul | 21 to 22°C / 70 to 72°F | 13°C / 55°F | 7 to 9 | not listed | 8 hours |
| Kyoto | 25°C / 77°F | 14.5°C / 58°F | about 11 | inland | 5.9 hours |
| Cusco | 21°C / 70°F | 4°C / 38°F | about 2 | inland | not available |
| Amman (for Petra) | 28°C / 83°F | 15°C / 59°F | 1 to 2 | inland | 10.6 hours |
Rainy-day counts use different thresholds at different stations, so treat them as a guide to how often it rains rather than an exact comparison.
Bali, before the dry season peaks
Bali's dry season runs from about April to October, and the island is at its busiest in July and August, when European and Australian school holidays overlap. In May the rains have faded, the sea sits around 28°C and the rice terraces are still green from the wet months. Villas and boutique hotels have more availability than they will in eight weeks' time, and the queues for the Nusa Penida boats are shorter.
The best way to use that space is to split your stay. The south coast, from Uluwatu to Canggu, has surf, beach clubs and the sunset temple at Tanah Lot. Ubud, in the hills, has the rice terraces, craft villages and the Ubud Art Market. The roads between them are slow, so two bases work better than long day trips from one hotel.
If you plan the Mount Batur sunrise trek, pick-ups are in the small hours, so leave the following afternoon free.
Bali also suits travellers combining it with Java. Borobudur, a short flight away, holds Indonesia's largest Waisak ceremony, which falls on 20 May 2027 under Indonesia's official holiday decree (see Waisak at Borobudur).
Crete and Dubrovnik, while the paths are still quiet
Greece's largest island has a long season, and May shows it at its greenest. Wildflowers cover the hills, the Minoan palace at Knossos outside Heraklion can be toured without the July heat, and the gorges reopen after winter. The Samaria Gorge usually opens in May, though the exact date depends on the river level after the winter rain, so check before building a trip around it.
Crete is about 260 kilometres long, and two bases, Heraklion for the east and Chania for the west, save hours of driving. The sea, at just under 20°C, is fresh but swimmable on calm afternoons.
For Dubrovnik, the argument for May is simpler still: space. The walled old town is small, and in midsummer cruise passengers and flight arrivals pack it from mid-morning. In May you can walk the city walls at opening time with room to stop, take the cable car up Mount Srđ for the view over the roofs, and catch ferries to Lokrum, Korčula or Mljet without fighting for seats.
Cruise days remain busy, so check the port schedule and plan the walls for early morning or late afternoon. Split and Hvar are a few hours up the coast of Croatia by catamaran if you have more time.
Lisbon and Istanbul, for walking days
Both cities are built on hills, and both reward a full day on foot, which is exactly what summer heat makes hard. Lisbon in May reaches about 22°C, the jacaranda trees begin to flower late in the month, and the Lisbon Book Fair opens in Parque Eduardo VII on 26 May 2027, running until 13 June.
Ride tram 28 early from Martim Moniz, before it fills, or walk its route through Graça and Alfama. Sintra, with its palaces spread over a forested hill, is about 40 minutes by train from Rossio. The Atlantic stays cold, so this is a city break rather than a beach one; more on the country is on the Portugal page.
Istanbul is busy in every season, but in May you can sit on a ferry deck in the sun without wilting, and the walk from Hagia Sophia to Topkapı Palace and down to the Grand Bazaar is pleasant rather than exhausting. 29 May marks the anniversary of the Ottoman conquest of the city in 1453.
Stay in Karaköy or Galata if you want evening life; Sultanahmet is closest to the sights but quiet after dark. Mosques close to visitors during prayer times, longest at Friday noon. The Bosphorus ferries from Eminönü are the best-value sightseeing in the city, and a trip across to Kadıköy on the Asian side shows a different, more local Turkey.
Kyoto, between the blossom and the rains
The case for Kyoto in May has a condition attached: avoid the first few days. Golden Week, a run of national holidays from late April into early May, is the busiest domestic travel period in Japan. Once it ends, the city calms down. The maples and moss gardens are in fresh green leaf, the temperature reaches the mid 20s, and the rainy season normally holds off until June.
On 15 May the city holds the Aoi Matsuri, one of its three great festivals, in which a procession in Heian-period court dress walks from the Imperial Palace to the Shimogamo and Kamigamo shrines; it moves to the 16th if it rains. Arrive at Fushimi Inari soon after dawn, before the tour groups, and take the train out to Arashiyama early for the bamboo grove.
Nara is an easy half-day trip by train. If you are flying into the capital, compare with the Tokyo page.
Cusco and Machu Picchu, as the dry season begins
The Andes have their dry season from about May to September, and June to August is when Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail are busiest. May gets clear skies and green valleys before that peak. Cusco's afternoons reach about 21°C, but the city sits at around 3,400 metres and nights fall close to freezing, so this is a trip for layers.
Corpus Christi on 27 May 2027 brings one of Cusco's largest processions to the Plaza de Armas, and in the week before it thousands of pilgrims climb to the Qoyllur Rit'i festival in the Sinakara valley; one Cusco operator gives 18 to 26 May 2027, but the dates had not been confirmed officially at the time of writing.
The classic Inca Trail has a daily permit cap, and the May dates sell out months ahead. If they have gone, the Salkantay and Lares treks are good alternatives, or take the train from Ollantaytambo. Entry to Machu Picchu uses timed tickets and set circuits that are revised from time to time, so read the current rules on the official ticket site before booking. More on the country is on the Peru page.
Petra and Jordan, in the first half of the month
Jordan's best season is spring, and May is its last month. Amman averages about 28°C, with little rain and long hours of sun, and the heat builds through the month, so aim for the first half.
Petra needs two days to do properly: one for the Siq, the Treasury and the royal tombs, and another for the long climb to the Monastery, best started early while the paths are in shade. Wadi Rum, about two hours south, is usually seen by jeep with a night in a Bedouin camp.
The Dead Sea lies far below sea level and gets hot well before the rest of the country. Eid al-Adha is expected around 16 May 2027, depending on the moon sighting; expect busier roads and some closures over the Eid holiday.
Where May works against you
May is a changeover month in the tropics, and some winter favourites turn wet or hot. Thailand's rainy season is usually declared by its meteorological department in mid-May, and the southwest monsoon brings heavier showers and rougher seas to Phuket and Krabi on the Andaman coast. If Thailand is fixed, Koh Samui on the Gulf side stays drier at this time of year.
The same monsoon reaches Sri Lanka's south and west coasts, usually fully established by late May. Galle and Mirissa get rain and heavy surf, and the south-coast whale-watching boats stop for the season. Trincomalee and Arugam Bay on the east coast are moving into their dry season and make better beach bases.
In the Maldives, the southwest monsoon season begins in May, starting in the southern atolls; resort prices fall, but expect more cloud and choppier crossings.
In the desert, the heat arrives. Dubai averages about 38°C in May and Luxor passes 39°C, which makes desert trips and the tombs of the west bank hard work. Jordan and Crete are the milder alternatives for history and sunshine this month.
How to plan the route
Peru is the trip that most needs a plan, because altitude shapes the order. This nine-day version sleeps low first.
Peru in nine days
- Day 1. Fly into Cusco (most international routes connect through Lima, a flight of about an hour and a quarter) and drive straight down to Urubamba or Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley, about 1 to 1.5 hours away and several hundred metres lower. Book the transfer before you land.
- Days 2 and 3. The valley: the Pisac ruins and market one day, the Maras salt pans and the terraces of Moray the next. Sleep in Ollantaytambo, a short walk from the station.
- Day 4. Take the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, about 1.5 to 2 hours along the Urubamba river, and stay the night.
- Day 5. Catch an early bus to Machu Picchu. Book the entry ticket first, because the train and bus can be fitted around its time slot. Return by train and road to Cusco, about two hours from Ollantaytambo.
- Days 6 to 8. Sacsayhuamán, Qorikancha, the cathedral and the San Pedro market, adding a day hike to Humantay Lake if you feel strong. Stay in San Blas or near the Plaza de Armas.
- Day 9. Fly back to Lima for an evening in Miraflores or Barranco.
Lisbon in five days
A shorter alternative works for Lisbon. Stay in Baixa or Chiado for the metro links.
- Three days in the city, one each for Alfama and the castle, Belém, and Baixa with Chiado.
- Day four is Sintra; book Pena Palace for the first entry slot.
- On day five, take the coastal train from Cais do Sodré to Cascais, about 40 minutes, for the seafront and the cliffs at Boca do Inferno.
Three slow days in Kyoto
Kyoto rewards a slower plan than most visitors give it. Most travellers arrive from Tokyo on the shinkansen, which takes a little over two hours. Stay near Kyoto Station for rail connections or around Shijo and Gion for evenings out.
- On the first morning, reach Fushimi Inari soon after sunrise and walk up through the torii gates as far as the Yotsutsuji viewpoint, then spend the afternoon in Higashiyama, walking from Kiyomizu-dera down the old lanes of Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka to Gion.
- On the second day, take the early train to Arashiyama for the bamboo grove before the crowds, then cross the city to Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion.
- The third day can go to Nara, a train ride of under an hour, for Todai-ji and the deer park. If your dates include 15 May, give the third morning to the Aoi Matsuri instead and move Nara to another day.
A week in Dubrovnik or Crete
For Dubrovnik and Crete, a week on either works without a car in Croatia and with one in Crete.
In Dubrovnik, stay in or just outside the old town, walk the walls on your first morning and spend an afternoon on Lokrum, a short boat ride from the old harbour. Ferries and catamarans run to Korčula and Mljet; timetables change each season, so check the operators before planning. Kotor in Montenegro is about two hours away by road, longer when the border is busy.
In Crete, fly into Heraklion, spend two nights there for Knossos and the archaeological museum, then drive west to Rethymno and Chania, about two hours or so along the north-coast highway, for the old Venetian harbour and day trips to Balos and Elafonissi.
Nine or ten days in Bali
Bali needs less planning but rewards a clear split.
- Spend the first four nights on the Bukit peninsula or in Sanur, depending on whether you want cliff-top surf beaches or calm, shallow water for children.
- Give one day to a fast boat from Sanur to Nusa Penida or Nusa Lembongan, booked for an early departure, and one evening to the sunset at Tanah Lot or the Uluwatu temple.
- Then move up to Ubud for the rest of the stay. The drive from the south coast can take well over an hour, and much longer at peak times, so use a driver rather than hiring a scooter if you are not experienced on busy roads.
- From Ubud, the Tegallalang and Jatiluwih rice terraces, the water temple at Tirta Empul and the Mount Batur sunrise trek are all within reach, and ride-hailing apps or a day driver cover the distances.
- Leave the last night near the airport if your flight leaves early.
Jordan from north to south
Jordan works best as a north-to-south line. Spend a night in Amman, with a half-day at the Roman ruins of Jerash to the north, then drive the Desert Highway or the slower King's Highway south to Wadi Musa, the town beside Petra, which takes about three hours on the faster road.
Stay two nights in Wadi Musa so you can enter Petra at opening time on both days. Wadi Rum is about two hours further south, and Aqaba, on the Red Sea, has an airport for the return or a beach day at the end.
To build any of these routes around your own dates and budget, use the AI Trip Planner.
Packing for the temperatures you will meet
The range this month is wide, so pack by destination:
- Bali: loose cotton and linen for 30°C days, a sarong and sash for temples, and one warm fleece for the cold summit of Mount Batur before dawn.
- Mediterranean and Istanbul: afternoons in the low 20s and evenings in the low to mid teens make a light jacket worthwhile, and Lisbon's polished stone pavements need shoes with grip.
- Istanbul's mosques: women need a headscarf, and everyone needs covered shoulders and knees.
- Kyoto: rain falls on about a third of May's days, so carry a compact umbrella.
Cusco is the place where packing matters most. Afternoon sun at 3,400 metres burns quickly, but nights fall to about 4°C, so bring a warm fleece, a hat and gloves alongside a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen. In Jordan, long sleeves and a scarf protect better from the desert sun than sunscreen alone.
Entry rules by country
Requirements depend on your passport, so confirm them with each government before you book.
- Indonesia offers an electronic visa on arrival through its official immigration portal, and Bali charges foreign visitors a separate tourist levy of 150,000 rupiah, best paid in advance through the provincial Love Bali site.
- Turkey issues e-visas through its official site for nationalities that need one.
- Jordan gives visas on arrival to many nationalities, and the Jordan Pass covers the visa fee for visitors who stay at least three nights, as well as entry to Petra.
- Japan and Peru are visa-free for many passport holders, and Japan asks arrivals to submit customs and immigration details through Visit Japan Web.
Croatia, Greece and Portugal are in the Schengen area. The EU's Entry/Exit System now records non-EU visitors' fingerprints and photos at the border, and the status of the separate ETIAS authorisation for visa-exempt travellers should be checked on the EU's official travel site. The site's visa guides cover the countries listed there.
How far ahead to book
Peru needs the longest lead time. Inca Trail permits are capped daily and sell out months ahead for May, so book with a licensed operator five or six months out if you can, then secure Machu Picchu tickets and trains. Kyoto rooms during Golden Week go early, so book three to four months ahead for that week or travel after it.
Bali in May is shoulder season, and two to three months is usually enough. For Crete and Lisbon about two months works, though Dubrovnik's old-town rooms are few and go sooner. Jordan is the most flexible, at around a month.
Staying healthy and safe
Altitude sickness is the main risk in Cusco. Headaches, nausea and poor sleep are common on arrival, and sleeping lower in the Sacred Valley first, resting and avoiding alcohol for the first days all help. Anyone with heart or lung conditions should see a doctor before going.
Rabies is present in Bali, in dogs and in the temple monkeys, so keep your distance and get medical care immediately after any bite or scratch. Scooter accidents injure many visitors, and rip currents run off the south coast, so swim between lifeguard flags. In Jordan, carry plenty of water at Petra and in Wadi Rum, and keep Dead Sea water out of your eyes and mouth. In Istanbul and Lisbon, watch for pickpockets on crowded trams.
Where the savings are
In Cusco, the Boleto Turístico del Cusco covers many sites in and around the city, including Sacsayhuamán, Pisac and Moray, and costs less than paying at each gate. In Istanbul, the Istanbulkart works on ferries, trams and the metro and is cheaper per ride than single tickets. In Jordan, the Jordan Pass usually costs less than a visa and Petra ticket bought separately.
In Bali, eat at warungs and use ride-hailing apps instead of unmetered taxis. Many of Kyoto's temple grounds are free to walk, with fees only for the inner halls and gardens.
How we checked this
The climate figures are long-term averages from each country's national weather service, mostly for 1991 to 2020; Dubrovnik's come from 1971 to 2000, Amman's from 1989 to 2018 and Lisbon's sunshine hours from 1961 to 1990. Festival and holiday dates come from the organisers or the government notices that set them, and sea temperatures are monthly averages from published records. Everything here was checked in November 2026; read more about how we research our guides.
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