Where is warm enough to swim in May?

Of 19,259 coastal locations on this site, 8,088 sit above 20°C in a typical May. That's 42% of the world's tracked coastline. The list below shows where they are, with the warmest regions surfaced first.

Comfortable swim (≥ 20°C)

8,088

42% of coastal locations worldwide

Very warm (≥ 25°C)

6,176

32% of coastal locations worldwide

Warmest spot in May

Jizan

31.7°C in Saudi Arabia

Browse May by region

Each region is ranked by how many of its coastal locations clear the 20°C comfort threshold in May. Use this to narrow down a part of the world before picking a country.

#	Region	Locations ≥ 20°C	Top spot
1	Asia	2,659	Mae Klong 31.2°C
2	North America	1,789	Puerto Arista 30.5°C
3	Australia and Oceania	1,164	Kimbe Bay 30.5°C
4	Caribbean and Central America	710	Puerto Quetzal-B 30.5°C
5	Africa	563	Ghoubbet El Kharâb 31.0°C
6	South America	485	Costa de Oro 30.1°C
7	Middle East	403	Jizan 31.7°C
8	Europe	315	lies Wallis (Mata-Utu) 29.7°C

Live world sea temperature map

Pins coloured by today's reading at every location we track. Use the map for current conditions, the list below for typical May.

Zoom in to see individual locations. Click a pin for water temperatures. View list →

°C -2 0 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 24 27 30 35

Warmest asia beaches in May

2,659 locations ≥ 20°C

Top eight asia locations by typical May sea temperature. Use the linked full Asia ranking in May for the complete list.

#	Location	Country	May mean
1	Mae Klong Chang Wat Samut Songkhram	Thailand	31.2°C
2	Ha Tien tỉnh Kiên Giang	Vietnam	31.1°C
3	Bangkok Bar Central Thailand	Thailand	31.1°C
4	Sukadana Kalimantan Barat	Indonesia	31.1°C
5	Bangkok	Thailand	31.1°C
6	Phra Pradaeng	Thailand	31.1°C
7	Nambutalai	India	31.1°C
8	Tondi	India	31.1°C

Warmest north america beaches in May

1,789 locations ≥ 20°C

Top eight north america locations by typical May sea temperature. Use the linked full North America ranking in May for the complete list.

#	Location	Country	May mean
1	Puerto Arista Chiapas	Mexico	30.5°C
2	Puerto Chiapas Chiapas	Mexico	30.5°C
3	Mazunte Oaxaca	Mexico	29.9°C
4	San Agustinillo Oaxaca	Mexico	29.9°C
5	Zipolite beach Oaxaca	Mexico	29.9°C
6	Pochutla Oaxaca	Mexico	29.9°C
7	Puerto Angel Oaxaca	Mexico	29.9°C
8	Puerto Salina Cruz Oaxaca	Mexico	29.8°C

Warmest australia and oceania beaches in May

1,164 locations ≥ 20°C

Top eight australia and oceania locations by typical May sea temperature. Use the linked full Australia and Oceania ranking in May for the complete list.

#	Location	Country	May mean
1	Kimbe Bay West New Britain Province	Papua New Guinea	30.5°C
2	Talasea West New Britain Province	Papua New Guinea	30.5°C
3	Eleonora Bay West New Britain Province	Papua New Guinea	30.4°C
4	Tavanatangir Harbour East New Britain Province	Papua New Guinea	30.4°C
5	Kimbe	Papua New Guinea	30.4°C
6	Soroken Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	30.3°C
7	Torokina Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	30.3°C
8	Helen Reef Hatohobei	Palau	30.2°C

Warmest caribbean and central america beaches in May

710 locations ≥ 20°C

Top eight caribbean and central america locations by typical May sea temperature. Use the linked full Caribbean and Central America ranking in May for the complete list.

#	Location	Country	May mean
1	Puerto Quetzal-B Escuintla	Guatemala	30.5°C
2	San Jose Escuintla	Guatemala	30.5°C
3	Champerico	Guatemala	30.4°C
4	Puerto Quetzal	Guatemala	30.4°C
5	Puerto San Jose	Guatemala	30.4°C
6	Acajutla-C Sonsonate	El Salvador	30.3°C
7	La Union-B La Unión	El Salvador	30.3°C
8	Amapala	Honduras	30.3°C

Warmest africa beaches in May

563 locations ≥ 20°C

Top eight africa locations by typical May sea temperature. Use the linked full Africa ranking in May for the complete list.

#	Location	Country	May mean
1	Ghoubbet El Kharâb Devil's Islands	Djibouti	31.0°C
2	Djibouti	Djibouti	31.0°C
3	Tadjoura	Djibouti	31.0°C
4	Abaya Lake	Ethiopia	31.0°C
5	Arba Minch	Ethiopia	31.0°C
6	Djibouti Djibouti	Djibouti	31.0°C
7	Loyada	Djibouti	30.9°C
8	Saylac Awdal	Somalia	30.8°C

Warmest south america beaches in May

485 locations ≥ 20°C

Top eight south america locations by typical May sea temperature. Use the linked full South America ranking in May for the complete list.

#	Location	Country	May mean
1	Costa de Oro	Uruguay	30.1°C
2	Covenas	Colombia	29.9°C
3	Tolu	Colombia	29.9°C
4	Porto de Mosqueiro Pará	Brazil	29.5°C
5	Tintipan Island	Colombia	29.5°C
6	Barcarena Para	Brazil	29.4°C
7	Cameta Para	Brazil	29.4°C
8	Limoeiro do Ajuru Para	Brazil	29.4°C

Warmest middle east beaches in May

403 locations ≥ 20°C

Top eight middle east locations by typical May sea temperature. Use the linked full Middle East ranking in May for the complete list.

#	Location	Country	May mean
1	Jizan	Saudi Arabia	31.7°C
2	Al Qunfudhah Makkah Province	Saudi Arabia	31.4°C
3	Al Luhayyah	Yemen	31.3°C
4	Al Birk	Saudi Arabia	31.2°C
5	Aş Şalīf Al Hudaydah Governorate	Yemen	31.0°C
6	Kamaran Al Hudaydah Governorate	Yemen	31.0°C
7	Saham Al Batinah North Governorate	Oman	30.9°C
8	Al Hudaydah Al Hudaydah Governorate	Yemen	30.9°C

Warmest europe beaches in May

315 locations ≥ 20°C

Top eight europe locations by typical May sea temperature. Use the linked full Europe ranking in May for the complete list.

#	Location	Country	May mean
1	lies Wallis (Mata-Utu) Hahake	France	29.7°C
2	Clipperton-D Overseas France	France	29.5°C
3	Karpaz	Northern Cyprus	21.8°C
4	Rizokarpaso	Northern Cyprus	21.8°C
5	Neta	Northern Cyprus	21.8°C
6	Vokolida	Northern Cyprus	21.8°C
7	Fig Tree Bay	Cyprus	21.7°C
8	Kapparis	Cyprus	21.7°C

Top 50 hottest coastal locations on Earth in May

Across every region, sorted by typical May mean. The very top of the list rarely shifts. Persian Gulf and Red Sea coasts hold the warmest position most months of the year.

#	Location	Country	May mean
1	Jizan	Saudi Arabia	31.7°C
2	Al Qunfudhah Makkah Province	Saudi Arabia	31.4°C
3	Al Luhayyah	Yemen	31.3°C
4	Mae Klong Chang Wat Samut Songkhram	Thailand	31.2°C
5	Al Birk	Saudi Arabia	31.2°C
6	Ha Tien tỉnh Kiên Giang	Vietnam	31.1°C
7	Bangkok Bar Central Thailand	Thailand	31.1°C
8	Sukadana Kalimantan Barat	Indonesia	31.1°C
9	Bangkok	Thailand	31.1°C
10	Phra Pradaeng	Thailand	31.1°C
11	Nambutalai	India	31.1°C
12	Tondi	India	31.1°C
13	Ko Si Chang	Thailand	31.1°C
14	Si Racha	Thailand	31.1°C
15	Krong Kep	Cambodia	31.1°C
16	Ao Muang Trat Chang Wat Trat	Thailand	31.1°C
17	Bang Lamung	Thailand	31.1°C
18	Jomtien Beach	Thailand	31.1°C
19	Ko Lan	Thailand	31.1°C
20	Pattaya	Thailand	31.1°C
21	Sihanoukville	Cambodia	31.1°C
22	Ghoubbet El Kharâb Devil's Islands	Djibouti	31.0°C
23	Siem Reap	Cambodia	31.0°C
24	Djibouti	Djibouti	31.0°C
25	Tadjoura	Djibouti	31.0°C

Show 25 more ▸

26	Abaya Lake	Ethiopia	31.0°C
27	Arba Minch	Ethiopia	31.0°C
28	Ream Sihanoukville	Cambodia	31.0°C
29	Sattahip	Thailand	31.0°C
30	An Thoi	Vietnam	31.0°C
31	Ko Prap Surat Thani Province	Thailand	31.0°C
32	Phu Quoc	Vietnam	31.0°C
33	Pak Nam Trang Chang Wat Trang	Thailand	31.0°C
34	Aş Şalīf Al Hudaydah Governorate	Yemen	31.0°C
35	Kamaran Al Hudaydah Governorate	Yemen	31.0°C
36	Djibouti Djibouti	Djibouti	31.0°C
37	Chong Samet Chumphon	Thailand	31.0°C
38	Ko Kut	Thailand	31.0°C
39	Saham Al Batinah North Governorate	Oman	30.9°C
40	Pawei Kyun Tanintharyi Region	Myanmar	30.9°C
41	Ko Koi Noi Satun	Thailand	30.9°C
42	Langkawi Chang Wat Satun	Thailand	30.9°C
43	Rayong	Thailand	30.9°C
44	Samet	Thailand	30.9°C
45	Loyada	Djibouti	30.9°C
46	Sungai Kedah Kedah	Malaysia	30.9°C
47	Pelabuhan Kuah Kedah	Malaysia	30.9°C
48	Hua Hin	Thailand	30.9°C
49	Map Ta Phut	Thailand	30.9°C
50	Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville) Sihanoukville	Cambodia	30.9°C

Browse other months

Same list, different month:

A note on the 20°C threshold

Twenty Celsius is the rough line where most casual swimmers say the water "isn't cold". Below that, you feel the shock on entry and stay aware of it. Above, you can usually relax. It's not a hard rule. Experienced cold-water swimmers happily swim well below it, and some people find anything under 24°C unpleasant. As a single number for a global comparison, 20 is the most useful one.