Best places to visit in Asia in May
Where Asia is at its best in May — ranked from each destination's real seasonal weather, crowds and festivals. Pick a destination, then build a free day-by-day plan.
Great time to visit
Warm, sunny and less humid, ~26–31°C — the prime window, especially for the south and islands. Peak — July/August and around holidays are busy and pr….
Warm and mostly dry, roughly 24–33°C — the prime window. Popular.
Hot and humid, 26–33°C, with calmer seas and the best beach weather. Weekends busy with Singapore visitors.
Hot and drier, ~22–32°C, with the clearest skies — ideal for Borobudur sunrises, the Merapi jeep tour and the Jomblang cave light beam. Peak around J….
Good — shoulder season
Hot and humid, 26–33°C, with shorter afternoon storms and calmer seas. Weekends busy with Singapore visitors.
Hot and humid, roughly 24–33°C, with somewhat less rain. Weekends and Singapore school holidays are always busy.
Mild and pleasant, ~10–20°C, with cherry blossom in late March–early April and clear coastal days. Busy in blossom season, especially Gyeongju and th….
Mild, roughly 10–22°C. Very high during cherry blossom (late March–early April) at Osaka Castle, the Philosopher's Path and temple gardens.
Very hot, ~28–38°C+, with April the hottest, before the first pre-monsoon storms in May. Quieter and cheaper.
Mild and pleasant, roughly 8–22°C. High around cherry blossom (early April) — palaces and the Han River are packed.
Mild, roughly 10–22°C. High during cherry blossom (late March–early April) and Golden Week (late Apr–early May).
Off-peak — fewer crowds, lower prices
Hot, 25–33°C, with building afternoon humidity and showers. Steady.
Hot and very humid, often 30–38°C. Lower.
Hot and humid, 26–33°C, with shorter, sharper afternoon storms. Busy around Chinese New Year (Jan/Feb) and the June school holidays.
Warm and humid (24–33°C) with lush landscapes. Quieter and greener.
Warm and humid, roughly 25–33°C. Lower.
Hot and very humid, 27–33°C, with heavy showers, thunderstorms and the typhoon season (roughly June–October). Busy in the summer holidays.
Hot and humid, 23–33°C, with frequent afternoon and evening thunderstorms. Year-round steady.
Hot and humid, 23–33°C, with frequent afternoon and evening thunderstorms. Steady.
Warm and humid, 26–32°C, with the southwest monsoon — rougher seas and surf. Lowest prices and crowds.
Warming and humid, 20–28°C, with the 'plum rain' bringing long damp spells, especially in May. Moderate.
Very hot — often 35–40°C and humid. Songkran (Thai New Year, ~13–15 April) is a city-wide water festival — fun but chaotic.
Very hot, ~28–38°C+, with April the hottest. Quieter and cheaper than peak.
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