Early-summer heat before the crowds and before the worst of it. 1,069 seaside holiday towns and cities around the world were scored in May, and 96 rate Good or better. The 20 below lead, spread so no single region takes over.
Where to go
- 178 · GoodMontego BayJamaica
Midday in May feels like 31°C under partly cloudy skies, which rates 78, Good, for sunbathing. Good weather here runs from October to mid August, so there is room either side. See mid May on the map.
- 277 · GoodRoad TownBritish Virgin Islands
A typical midday in May feels like 31°C, and the Sunbathing rating averages 77 over the stretch. The good spell lasts about nine months, from November to July. Open it on the map at mid May.
- 376 · GoodSarasotaFlorida, United States
A typical midday in May feels like 29°C, and the Sunbathing rating averages 76 over the stretch. Good weather here runs from mid April to mid June, so there is room either side. See mid May on the map.
- 476 · GoodSaint John’sAntigua and Barbuda
Rated 76 (Good) for sunbathing in May: midday feels like 30°C, with partly cloudy skies. The good spell lasts about eleven and a half months, from October to early September. Open it on the map at mid May.
- 574 · GoodPôrto SeguroBrazil
A typical midday in May feels like 29°C, and the Sunbathing rating averages 74 over the stretch. This is not a short window: it rates Good or better all year. See mid May on the map.
- 673 · GoodPuerto Baquerizo MorenoEcuador
Rated 73 (Good) for sunbathing in May: midday feels like 29°C, with partly cloudy skies. The good spell lasts about three months, from late March to mid June. Open it on the map at mid May.
- 773 · GoodBroomeAustralia
Rated 73 (Good) for sunbathing in May: midday feels like 28°C, with mostly clear skies. Good weather here runs from late April to mid June, so there is room either side. See mid May on the map.
- 873 · GoodSalvadorBrazil
Midday in May feels like 31°C under often cloudy skies, which rates 73, Good, for sunbathing. The good spell lasts about seven and a half months, from mid April to November. Open it on the map at mid May.
- 973 · GoodKapaaHawaii, United States
A typical midday in May feels like 27°C, and the Sunbathing rating averages 73 over the stretch. Good weather here runs from late March to early December, so there is room either side. Rain is rare at this time of year. See mid May on the map.
- 1072 · GoodMazatlánMexico
Rated 72 (Good) for sunbathing in May: midday feels like 31°C, with mostly clear skies. The good spell lasts about two and a half months, from mid March to May. Open it on the map at mid May.
- 1171 · GoodDarwinAustralia
Midday in May feels like 31°C under partly cloudy skies, which rates 71, Good, for sunbathing. The good spell lasts about four and a half months, from May to mid September. Rain is rare at this time of year. Open it on the map at mid May.
- 1270 · GoodScarboroughTrinidad and Tobago
Rated 70 (Good) for sunbathing in May: midday feels like 31°C, with partly cloudy skies. Good weather here runs from November to July, so there is room either side. See mid May on the map.
- 1367 · GoodBakauThe Gambia
Rated 67 (Good) for sunbathing in May: midday feels like 30°C, with partly cloudy skies. The good spell lasts about six and a half months, from mid December to mid June. Rain is rare at this time of year. Open it on the map at mid May.
- 1465 · GoodSalinasEcuador
A typical midday in May feels like 30°C, and the Sunbathing rating averages 65 over the stretch. Good weather here runs from December to June, so there is room either side. Rain is rare at this time of year. See mid May on the map.
- 1565 · GoodAvaruaCook Islands
A typical midday in May feels like 28°C, and the Sunbathing rating averages 65 over the stretch. The good spell lasts about seven and a half months, from November to mid June. Open it on the map at mid May.
- 1664 · GoodAlanyaTurkey
Midday in May feels like 26°C under mostly clear skies, which rates 64, Good, for sunbathing. Rain is rare at this time of year. See mid May on the map.
- 1762 · GoodAl ‘AqabahJordan
Midday in May feels like 30°C under mostly clear skies, which rates 62, Good, for sunbathing. Rain is rare at this time of year. Open it on the map at mid May.
- 1859 · GoodMacauMacau
Rated 59 (Good) for sunbathing in May: midday feels like 31°C, with partly cloudy skies. See mid May on the map.
- 1958 · GoodBel AirMauritius
Rated 58 (Good) for sunbathing in May: midday feels like 26°C, with often cloudy skies. The good spell lasts about seven months, from late October to mid May. Open it on the map at mid May.
- 2057 · GoodIshigakiJapan
A typical midday in May feels like 30°C, and the Sunbathing rating averages 57 over the stretch. See mid May on the map.
By region
How this list is worked out
The data
Every figure comes from a decade of weather-station observations, blended into one typical year and read at midday, local solar time. Scores here are averaged in May; a city missing a reading for any part of that stretch is left out rather than scored on part of it.
The rating
Sunbathing: Warm feels-like gates the score — best 26–32 °C. Dry air, light wind and clear skies each lift it; none alone rules it out. A place is also left out when its typical readings contradict its own rating, for example a high score alongside frequent rain.
The spread
To keep the list from being one coastline, entries are at least 300 km apart, no more than five come from any one region of the world, and no more than two from one country unless the list would otherwise run short. A higher-scoring place can be left out for that reason.
Only seaside places
Towns and cities within 12 km of the coast, with beaches and plenty of hotels, resorts and holiday lets within 10 km for their size. That keeps out hot inland towns and busy ports that nobody visits for the beach. Places to stay are counted from Overture Maps Places, an open dataset, so a resort missing there is missing here.
The dotted links open the map at that place and time of year, on the same layer. The map remembers the time of day you last chose there; set it to midday to see these exact numbers.