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Fine beaches on both Pacific side such as Cabo San Lucas and Caribbean coasts such as Cancun, should be getting highs of around 82F (28C) and lows of 66F (19C) in May, with occasional showers. However, Mexican beaches will experience the joys of Spring Break US college vacation madness during this month, particularly Cabos, Cancun and maybe Acapulco so steer clear of these destinations if fit, drunk, semi-naked teenagers are of no interest.

Red Sea beach resorts around Egypt‘s east coasts and Israel‘s dilapidated Eilat are great-value holiday destinations with endless sun, brilliant coral growth, warm seas and day trips to Luxor for a spot of ancient site-seeing.
The air temperature in this region is about 30°C in May (26°C at night) and water temperature is 24°C with close to zero humidity and no chance of rain.

– Datai Beach, Langkawi Island. One of the world’s most secluded and picture-perfect hideaways.

– Pantai Teluk Belanga (Emerald Bay), Pangkor Laut. A luxury resort on the brilliant crescent bay of a tiny private island.
– Berjaya Tioman Beach Resort, a secluded, palm-fringed beach, or Kampung Juarafor total serenity. Both on Tioman Island.

– Long Beach, Kecil Island, Perhentian Islands. A popular destination for budget travelers.

– Puraran Beach, Catanduanes Island, one of the Philippines’ major surf venues with with white sand that demands a hug.

– Redang Island, Redang archipelago, with a superb marine park, is excellent for scuba/snorkel addicts.

– Turtle Beach and Golden Beach, Similajau National Park, Sarawak. Well worth the hassle to get there for some of Malaysia’s finest beaches.

Embraces dozens of picturesque beaches and superb, though pricey beach resorts. May is the best low-cost month as mid-December to April is the high season but the weather should remain fine if a little cloudy through May.

Our pick would be Dominican Republic for low cost, massive white powder beaches and abundant things to do.

Alternatively, down in the southern Caribe there’s heavily forested and low-key Tobago encircled by lovely sandy bays, and the Dutch islands of Aruba, Bonaire (mainly for diving and windsurfing) and Curaçao are outside the hurricane belt anyway and deals should be sensational!
Budget Caribbean islands

– It’s autumn and water is chilly in southern Australia, go north-east or north-west but don’t expect much surf. Beyond Brisbane on the east coast, due to toxic jellies and the odd shark tourists tend to be either dressed in wetsuits or swim in free, attractive, salt-water lagoons. The north-west shores above Perth are home to the amazing Ningaloo Reef and massive stretches of dazzling, people-free sand.

– USA: Florida’s beaches, especially around Miami and the Keys are getting into gear now, tho’ the water is still chilly.

– Many excellent beaches in Portugal, see Portugal Beach Pictures.

– Some great stretches of soft sand in the west coast of France, such as La Rochelle, Arcachon, Biarritz and St Jean de Luz.

– Brazil is blessed with many massive, fine beaches, such as Rio’s magnificent Copacabana – perhaps the world’s best city beach, and life is lively and low cost though the seas are usually rough and cold.

– Spain’sCanary Islands, enjoy endless sunshine and beaches of all types – activities, nudist, family, surfing, wild town sand, back-to-nature coves. The southern sections of islands tend to be the warmest and Fuerteventura and Lanzarote the sunniest. La Palma is the wettest island.

– Muelle Bay, Puerto Galera, Mindoro Island. An ideal place to do island-hopping on to pristine beaches.
– Puraran Beach, Catanduanes Island, one of the Philippines’ major surf venues with appealing white sand.

– China Beach between Da Nang and Hoi An is an endless white strand, Mui Ne is breezy and quite undeveloped while Nha Trang on the ‘Vietnamese Riviera’ offers a splendid white sandy beach. Also Hon Chong Beach, Ha Tien, a seductive beach near the Cambodian border and Bai Tam, Phu Quoc Island is a secret jewel of Southeast Asia.

see also Pacific Beach Pictures

– Many great beaches in Hawaii, see Hawaii beaches.

– Anakena beach, Easter Island Pictures. Not a huge beach but soft sand, clear sea, palm trees and six huge moai.

– Matira Beach, Bora Bora beaches pictures, French Polynesia. One of South Pacific’s best beaches, beginning at the famous resort Hotel Bora Bora.

– Yasawa Islands beaches pictures, Fiji, a group of islands with small sandy beaches and low cost backpacker resorts.

– One Foot Island Beach, islet of Aitutaki Island, the Cook Islands.

– South coast of Ofu Island, American Samoa. A wonderful landscape with very few tourists.

– Lefaga Beaches and Aleipata Beach, Upolu island, Western Samoa. Little known but one of the cutest beaches in the South Pacific.

– Ha’apai Beach, Foa island, Ha’apai islands, Tonga. Low cost with the friendliest locals.

See Thailand beach pictures, beaches map
May – October is probably the worst time to go, especially on the Andaman (west) Coast (heavy rains).

Diani or Serena beaches are good for families and great value for money, but not from April to June, a long rainy season.

– Tanzania

A perfect holiday end after doing a Tanzania wildlife safari on Zanzibar’s best beaches, though April and May are not a perfect time due to the wet season.

– Hawaii

Weatherwise May is a great time to go, but it is better to avoid ‘Golden Week’ between the last week of April and the first week of May as Japanese spring holiday makers invade Hawaii, especially Waikiki, so it is likely to be packed and pricy.