Where to make the most of May

Affordable prices, perfect weather and a bank holiday bonanza make it the perfect month for travel. Emma Thomson helps you find your holiday

2024-04-20 -

Spring should herald the arrival of better weather, but it is not until May that temperatures really whisper of summer, and sunshine starts to become reliable enough to relax our winter-scrunched shoulders. It is traditional to go on holiday during July and August, but with prices at their highest and airport queues set to return to pre-pandemic levels, there is a strong case to be made for May being the prime time to escape instead.

It is the only month of the year with two bank holidays from which to craft long weekends. What’s more, parents with school-age children have a half term which, happily, doesn’t clash with other European school holidays. So, while flights from the UK may be more expensive, the cost of the holiday on arrival at your destination is likely to be cheaper. Meanwhile, travellers tied to neither half term nor bank holiday dates will benefit from lower shoulder-season prices. Tour operators bank on making their profits in July and August, so will slash prices to fill beds and plane seats during less busy periods. Such savings open up the possibility of exploring places further afield that might be beyond your budget in high season.

In May, much of the northern hemisphere emerges from hibernation – with an explosion of festivals, markets and other events – as well as a period when service is fresh and enthusiastic, months ahead of the inevitable end-of-season fatigue. Best of all, the summer crowds haven’t descended yet, meaning beaches and sites of interest are quieter (so say goodbye to that familiar early-morning rush to bag your sun lounger).

Weather-wise, temperatures across the Mediterranean are warm without threatening the mercury-melting heatwaves that swept southern Europe last summer, producing a “just right” climate that is ideal for kids (and adults who aren’t fond of sticky heat). It also means hikers and nature lovers can explore landscapes still lush from spring and not yet blanched by August heat.

In a cost-of-living crisis, many may have abandoned the idea of a May holiday, assuming there is no way around paying higher prices – but we have done the legwork for you and found the best-value May getaways for both families tied to half-term dates, and those who can take holidays when others can’t. We all need a chance to exhale after a long winter, so pick your perfect destination and grab some great-value sunshine this May.

Okavango Delta Botswana

Renowned for documentary-worthy wildlife sightings, Botswana’s Okavango Delta is deservedly billed as the gold star of safari destinations. However, it can be notoriously expensive – often costing up to £4,000 per person for a week. May is the last month before peak-season rates kick in, but it also marks the start of the dry season when the tall grasses won’t obscure wildlife sightings, meaning you can have a first-rate safari experience while making big savings.

Intrepid (0808 274 5111; intrepidtravel. com) offers the 10-day Okavango Experience trip from £1,179 per person (including all meals and activities), with prices reduced by 10 per cent for a May 10-19 departure.

New York United States

A character from the TV show Mad Men described August in New York as “a great, big, melting wax museum”. But in May, the city shines. Coats are being shed; Central Park is in bloom and offering free Shakespeare performances; Broadway reanimates in time for the Tony Awards season; uniformed sailors fill the bars for Fleet Week; and celebrity sightings are guaranteed at the fashionable Met Gala fundraiser.

First Choice (020 3451 2690; firstchoice.co.uk) can arrange seven nights at the Hilton Garden Inn in Midtown from £1,078 per person, based on two adults sharing a double room. Departing from London Heathrow.

Devon England

From mid-March to the end of May, lambs are a-leaping. Families with preschool-aged little ones can bottle-feed orphaned individuals and take them for a walk around North Hayne Farm, in addition to riding on one of the resident donkeys, and helping to feed the farm’s chickens, rabbits, goats, ducks, alpaca and pig. Set in 11 acres on the outskirts of Exmoor National Park in North Devon, North Hayne Farm won a Visit England Excellence Gold Award in 2020 for its eight self-catering childsafe cottages, each with its own hot tub.

North Hayne Farm Cottages (01769 550 807; northhaynefarmcottages.co.uk) offers a three-night self-catering weekend in May from £633, including accommodation in the two-bedroom Katie’s Corner cottage (sleeps up to four).

Malta

Once the wildcard of the Mediterranean Sea, Malta is now the place to head for historic architecture and family-friendly hotels. Midsummer is a fine time to visit, but in May you will find clement weather, fewer crowds, a gently warming sea and, most importantly, the final weeks of the inaugural Art Biennale (until May 31) with its plethora of performances and workshops.

Broadway Travel (020 3368 6221; broadwaytravel.com) offers a threenight B&B stay at the four-star Hotel Santana from £268 per person, based on two people sharing. The price includes a return flight from London Stansted. Departs May 9.

Amalfi Italy

Come summer, Italy’s glitzy Amalfi coast is awash with oiled bodies, but travel in May and you will beat the crowds, avoid inferno-hot days, and find sites like Pompeii and the postcard town of Positano quieter. Best of all, it is peak lemon-harvesting season, so you can cool off after following the ancient mule four-mile route between Bomerano and Nocelle called the “Path of the Gods”, with tart iced granitas, or perhaps a moist slice of lemon cake.

Mountain Kingdoms (01453 844400; mountainkingdoms.com) offers a seven-day Trails of Capri and the Amalfi Coast holiday, from £1,980 per person, including flights and full board accommodation.

British Columbia Canada

With the region’s orchards and vineyards in full blossom and farm-to-table family restaurants beginning to offer alfresco dining, May is a top-notch time to wheel around British Columbia’s lesser-known Okanagan Valley – one of the world’s leading producers of organic wines. In Kelowna, combine a walk up an extinct volcano with an après-hike tipple or two.

Trailfinders (020 7084 6500; trailfinders.com) offers a brand-new 14-night fly-drive Rainforest to Rockies tour from

£2,015 per person (based on two adults sharing). The tour weaves around the wineries of the Okanagan Valley and includes a wine-tasting experience. Excludes international flights.

Sardinia Italy

May heralds the start of Sardinia’s festival season and a chance for travellers to gain authentic insights into the island’s culture. Our pick is the Cavalcata Sarda, celebrated in Sassari on May 12 this year. This centuries-old pageant features a 300-horse procession during which participants hand out cakes and local treats to onlookers, followed by the pariglie, where riders perform daring acrobatic stunts on the backs of galloping horses. Citalia (01293 765055; citalia.com) has a four-night B&B stay at the four-star Su Gologone Experience Hotel from £1,418 per person (based on two adults sharing a junior suite), including return flights from London Gatwick. Departs May 10.

Alentejo Portugal

Just an hour and a half north of the Algarve – but a world away – is the rugged Alentejo coastline, one of Portugal’s least visited regions. Follow the Trilho dos Pescadores (Fishermen’s Trail), a tourist-free path that stretches 69 miles from Porto Côvo to Odeceixe and provides access to harbour hamlets, remote sandy bays and lighthouse-guarded peninsulas populated with birdlife. In May, there is a good chance of spotting migrating fin, blue and sei whales, too. Walks Worldwide (01962 302085; walksworldwide.com) offers six nights’ B&B from £1,345 per person, including return flights, lunches, luggage transfers and transfers to the trail head, walking notes and GPS.

Yorkshire England

Unplug at the award-winning Broughton Sanctuary, which sits amid 3,000 acres of Yorkshire woodland, moors and, come May, meadows ablaze with wildflowers, sprightly lambs and good spring birdwatching opportunities. The UK’s leading retreat centre, Avalon Wellbeing, sits on site, and its “Wellbeing Bundle” add-on includes wild swimming with views across the Dales, a forest sauna, yoga classes and a range of treatments, from meditation pods to crystal light therapy to “encourage the reconnection of your inner and outer natures”. Broughton Sanctuary (01756 799608; broughtonsanctuary.co.uk) offers a three-night stay for £630, with accommodation for two at Ivy Cottage during the early May bank holiday.

Barcelona Spain

May 18 marks International Museum Day, and vibrant, bohemian Barcelona is one of 120 European cities taking part. All of its museums – including the much-esteemed Museu Picasso – grant free entry for the day and host a hoopla of shows, guided visits and live music. This all culminates in Museum Night: a unique chance to explore the city’s museums after dark. British Airways (0344 493 0787; ba.com) offers a three-night stay at the swish Nobu Barcelona from £782 per person, based on two people sharing a premium double room on a room-only basis. Includes return flights from London Heathrow. Departs May 16.

St Lucia Caribbean

May coincides with the St Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival, a week-long celebration of jazz, R&B and calypso featuring local and international musicians – ideal for those seeking sun along with some sensual beats. The most iconic place to stay is Sugar Beach, a former 18th-century sugar cane plantation on the south-west coast, overlooking an arc of white sand and backed by tropical forested hills. It is quintessential Caribbean perfection. Red Savannah (01242 787800; redsavannah.com) offers a week in a Grand Luxury Villa at Sugar Beach from £5,750 per person, based on two people sharing, including international flights and airport transfers.