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Best destinations for photography in May
Countries rated good or better for May where the desk marks the light, the colour or the weather as the reason to go then.
72 countries rated good or better
Chapter 01
Best destinations for photography in May
Bulgaria95
about €55 / $59 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.90
Czech Republic95
about €75 / $81 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.90
Italy95
about €110 / $119 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.90
Montenegro95
about €70 / $76 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.90
Namibia95
about €120 / $130 a day
Netherlands95
about €120 / $130 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.90
95PolandWarm, green and long-dayed - the best month.about €70 / $76 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9095PortugalThe best month - warm, dry and ahead of the crowds.about €85 / $92 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9095RomaniaThe best month - wildflowers in the Saxon villages, warm and green.about €60 / $65 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9095SloveniaGreen, warm and long-dayed - the best month.about €90 / $97 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9095SpainThe best month - warm, flowering and ahead of the heat.about €95 / $103 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9093Western Saharaabout €70 / $76 a day92Bosnia and HerzegovinaThe best month - warm, green and rafting season starting.about €55 / $59 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9092Cocos (Keeling) Islandsabout €145 / $157 a day92Guernseyabout €140 / $151 a day92HungaryWarm, green and long-dayed - the best month.about €70 / $76 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9092Jerseyabout €140 / $151 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9092MoldovaThe best month - warm, green and the countryside at its best.about €45 / $49 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.4092North MacedoniaThe best month - warm, green and Ohrid still quiet.about €50 / $54 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9092San MarinoThe best month - warm, clear and ahead of the coach season.about €90 / $97 a day92SerbiaThe best month - warm, green and long-dayed.about €55 / $59 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9092South AfricaSafari season opens as the bush dries; cool and clear.about €90 / $97 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9092Svalbard and Jan Mayenabout €250 / $270 a day92Tunisiaabout €45 / $49 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9091Eswatiniabout €70 / $76 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6090ArmeniaWarm, green and clear - an excellent month throughout.about €45 / $49 a day · eSIM from €4.40 / $4.8090AzerbaijanWarm and clear as the mountain roads open.about €55 / $59 a day · eSIM from €4.40 / $4.8090BelgiumWarm, green and long-dayed as the season opens.about €110 / $119 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9090ChinaExcellent everywhere, apart from the Labour Day travel surge.about €65 / $70 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9090Christmas Islandabout €150 / $162 a day90DenmarkLong days and mild weather as the season opens.about €135 / $146 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9090Fijiabout €120 / $130 a day · eSIM from €6.60 / $7.2090FranceWarm, green and pre-season - one of the two best months.about €120 / $130 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9090French Polynesiaabout €210 / $227 a day90GermanyGreen, mild and long-dayed as the season opens.about €105 / $113 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9090IcelandLong days, puffins arriving, and ahead of the summer crowds.about €175 / $189 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9090IrelandThe best month - long days, wildflowers, and ahead of the crowds.about €135 / $146 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9090Réunionabout €120 / $130 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9090South KoreaWarm, green and dry; the best spring hiking.about €85 / $92 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9090United KingdomThe best month - long days, bluebell woods and no midges yet.about €140 / $151 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9090UzbekistanExcellent, with the desert heat only beginning to build.about €45 / $49 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9088EstoniaGreen, mild and long-dayed as the season opens.about €85 / $92 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9088LatviaGreen, mild and long-dayed - an excellent month.about €75 / $81 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9088LithuaniaGreen, mild and long-dayed - an excellent month.about €70 / $76 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9088Mozambiqueabout €70 / $76 a day · eSIM from €6.20 / $6.7088Papua New Guineaabout €180 / $194 a day · eSIM from €6.20 / $6.7088Solomon Islandsabout €130 / $140 a day88Vanuatuabout €120 / $130 a day · eSIM from €6.20 / $6.7086Faroe Islandsabout €150 / $162 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9086Isle of Manabout €130 / $140 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.4086Zimbabweabout €90 / $97 a day · eSIM from €10.10 / $11.0085GeorgiaGreen, mild and lovely at low and middle altitude.about €50 / $54 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.4085IndonesiaDry season opens on Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara.about €42 / $45 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.4085JapanDry, green and comfortable once Golden Week clears. Superb hiking.about €105 / $113 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9085KazakhstanGreen steppe, mild days and the mountain trails opening.about €55 / $59 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9085PeruDry season opens; landscapes still green from the rains.about €55 / $59 a day · eSIM from €4.00 / $4.4085TurkmenistanWarm and dry before the summer extremes.about €150 / $162 a day85Vatican CityWarm and pleasant, though busy - book everything ahead.about €120 / $130 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9084Nauruabout €170 / $184 a day · eSIM from €8.40 / $9.1084Zambiaabout €95 / $103 a day · eSIM from €6.60 / $7.2080BoliviaDry season opens: crisp light, firm salt polygons, cold nights begin.about €45 / $49 a day · eSIM from €6.60 / $7.2080United StatesThe sweet spot opens: parks accessible, crowds below peak.about €180 / $194 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9072Gabonabout €160 / $173 a day · eSIM from €5.30 / $5.8070AustriaGreen valleys and mild cities while the high routes stay closed.about €110 / $119 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9070Republic of the Congoabout €140 / $151 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6070SwedenSpring arriving fast in the south as the light lengthens.about €130 / $140 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9068SlovakiaGreen and mild in the valleys; alpine trails still shut.about €70 / $76 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9065DominicaShowers return; the island turns impossibly green.about €105 / $113 a day · eSIM from €7.00 / $7.6065KyrgyzstanGreen and lovely at low altitude; passes still under snow.about €40 / $43 a day · eSIM from €5.30 / $5.8065NorwaySpring in the south with waterfalls at full melt; high passes shut.about €165 / $178 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9065SwitzerlandValleys green and lovely while the high routes stay closed.about €190 / $205 a day · eSIM from €3.60 / $3.9060Saint Pierre and MiquelonSeabirds return; services reopening.about €145 / $157 a day
Chapter 02
Why these and not others
The tag is editorial: our desk writes it on a month it has written up, never derived from the score. A country scored from climate normals alone carries no tags, so it is not here - and nothing rated below good is, however well it would fit otherwise. A country under an active travel advisory is left out of the recommendation; the advisory itself is on its guide.
Chapter 03