Best destinations to visit in May in Oceania
Best destinations to visit in May in Oceania
May brings a real split across Oceania, with the south cooling toward winter while parts of the tropical north stay warm and inviting.
Southern Australia and New Zealand settle into cooler, quieter weather, with ski season still weeks away and the summer crowds long gone. Northern Australia, including the Great Barrier Reef region, stays warm and increasingly dry, making May a strong month for diving and snorkeling there. Across the Pacific islands, the wet season winds down around this time, giving way to a drier, more settled stretch that lasts for much of the rest of the year. Prices and crowds ease across most of the region compared to the busy months just before. Whale watching season also begins along parts of the coast as migrations get underway.
The destinations on our list for Oceania reflect that same split between a cooling south and a warm, drying north.
Lists by region
City in Australia
Cairns
Gateway to Reef and Rainforest Wonders
The Esplanade Lagoon opened in March 2003 and has been a local favourite since. May ends the wet season, so showers linger but fade. Highs average 82°F with about 3.2 inches of rain over roughly 10 days. Reef tours run daily from Cairns Seaport on catamarans carrying over 300 passengers.
City in Australia
Darwin
Tropical gateway to ancient wetlands and reefs
Low humidity and nearly daily sunshine mark the dry season that starts in May. Highs reach about 90°F with afternoon humidity near 30 to 40 percent. Mindil Beach Sunset Market runs Thursdays and Sundays in the dry season. Saltwater crocodiles live in local waterways, so heed warning signs.
Reef in Australia
Great Barrier Reef
World's largest living coral wonder
May falls in the dry season on the reef, with clear skies and less murky water. Water temperatures run 75 to 84°F all year. Box and Irukandji jellyfish occur year round, so a stinger suit is recommended. Manta rays appear year round with larger numbers in winter. Humpback whales arrive in June.
Landmark in Australia
Uluru
Majestic sandstone monolith under endless skies
The climbing ban took effect on 26 October 2019 at the request of the Anangu traditional owners. The rock rises 1,142 feet and has a 5.8 mile perimeter. It glows red at dawn and sunset. From May to September days generally reach 68 to 86°F. Frost can cover the ground by late May.
Country
Fiji
Tropical paradise with diverse landscapes
More than 330 islands make up this nation and about 110 are inhabited. Viti Levu holds nearly three quarters of the people. The cooler season runs from May to October. The warmer wet season runs from November to April and brings roughly one cyclone a year. Soft coral reefs make diving popular.
Town in New Zealand
Queenstown
Adventure capital with alpine beauty
Autumn colours around Arrowtown, Millbrook and Lake Hayes peak from late April to early May. Cottonwoods turn the hills red and gold. A five mile loop track circles Lake Hayes. May highs average 53°F with lows near 36°F. Four ski fields operate nearby for winter.
Town in Australia
Broome
Pearl Coast Sunsets and Red Earth
The Staircase to the Moon appears at Town Beach when a receding tide and a rising moon line up. A food and craft market runs on those nights. May falls in the April to November dry season, with highs averaging 89°F and nearly every day clear. Cable Beach runs 14 miles.
Overseas Territory in France
French Polynesia
Paradise of Crystal Clear Lagoons
The dry season starts in May and runs through September. Cyclone season runs from November to April. May temperatures range from about 75 to 82°F and about 27 percent of days bring rain. Five archipelagos spread across 121 islands and atolls, from Tahiti to the 80 atolls of the Tuamotus.
National Park in Australia
Kakadu National Park
Ancient Rock Art and Wild Wetlands
At 7,646 square miles this park is nearly the size of Wales. Traditional owners own about half the land and co-manage it. Over 5,000 rock art sites have been recorded and some paintings are up to 20,000 years old. The dry season runs roughly from April or May to September.
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