For many surfing destinations, the month of May marks the beginning of their peak surfing season. The South Pacific and the Indian Ocean, for example, are both entering their most active period of the year with consistent swells forming in both oceans. Therefore, the month of May is a great time of the year to go on a surf trip as the big summer crowds that can be experienced in June, July and August are not established just yet.
Here are 10 of our favorite surfing destinations with the best surfing conditions during the month of May!
To find the best surfing destination for you, try our WaveFinder search engine!
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
Surfing conditions for the month of May in Costa Rica
Suitable skill level: Any
Average wave size: 5 feet
Swell consistency: 95%
Water temperature: 29°C 84°F
Air temperature: 29°C 84°F
Crowd: Reasonable
Costa Rica is a very safe bet when it comes to chosing a surfing destination. Furthermore, during the month of May, Costa Rica’s surf is getting more consistent while crowds remain at a decent level.
Santa Teresa, in the Mal Pais region, is a great place to settle on a surf trip to Costa Rica for its laidback vibe, great waves and pure Costa Rican culture.
Read our complete surfing guide to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua
Surfing conditions for the month of May in Nicaragua
Suitable skill level: Any
Average wave size: 5 feet
Swell consistency: 95%
Water temperature: 29°C 84°F
Air temperature: 29°C 84°F
Crowd: Fairly crowded
Nicaragua is Costa Rica’s direct northern neighbor and receives the same spectacular waves during the month of May, with half the crowd you will find in Costa Rica. Therefore, Nicaragua is slowly becoming a very popular surfing destination in Central America due to lack of major touristy infrastructure and cheap traveling costs.
San Juan Del Sur is an amazing place to settle on a surf trip to Nicaragua due to its liveliness, great restaurants, bars and accommodation. There are also several decent surf spots to be found in the area, most of them requiring a shuttle or motorbike to get there.
Read our complete surfing guide to San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua
Lombok, Indonesia
Surfing conditions for the month of May in Indonesia
Suitable skill level: Any
Average wave size: 7 feet
Swell consistency: 100%
Water temperature: 28°C 82°F
Air temperature: 28°C 82°F
Crowd: Reasonable
Indonesia is already established as one of the best and most consistent surfing destinations in the world. During the month of May, that statement is even more accurate as the country is experiencing some of its best surfing conditions of the year.
Lombok, direct neighbor to Bali, is a very nice place to go on a surf trip as it doesn’t the same thick crowds as Bali, but still has the same decent waves.
Read our complete surfing guide to Lombok, Indonesia
Andaman Islands, India
Surfing conditions for the month of May in India
Suitable skill level: Intermediate and Expert
Average wave size: 5 feet
Swell consistency: 70%
Water temperature: 29°C 84°F
Air temperature: 28°C 82°F
Crowd: Empty
India is not primarily known for its surfing conditions. However, the Andaman Islands, a small archipelago located in the Bay of Bengal has some incredible surf from March to May. The whole year, winds are onshore or swells are just inexistent, but during that small 3 months period, conditions really align and you can have a perfect surf trip without anyone else in the water. The Andaman Islands are also one of the few places in the world with unexplored waves and surf spots!
Read our complete surfing guide to the Andaman Islands
Maldives
Surfing conditions for the month of May in Maldives
Suitable skill level: Intermediate and Expert
Average wave size: 5 feet
Swell consistency: 85%
Water temperature: 29°C 84°F
Air temperature: 28°C 82°F
Crowd: Fairly crowded
The month of May really marks the beginning of the surfing season in the Maldives and most reef breaks turn to life. The archipelago is huge but the easier and cheaper option is to stick to the North Male Atoll which will give you great access to many world-class surf spots. While beginners can still have a lot of fun in the Maldives, this surfing destination is better for experienced surfers as they will make the most of those amazing reef breaks!
Read our complete surfing guide to the Maldives
Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka
Surfing conditions for the month of May in Sri Lanka
Suitable skill level: Any
Average wave size: 6 feet
Swell consistency: 85%
Water temperature: 29°C 84°F
Air temperature: 28°C 82°F
Crowd: Reasonable
The month of May is also one of the best time to surf Arugam Bay, on Sri Lanka’s east coast. At this time of the year, winds are slowly shifting offshore and swells pick up in size and consistency.
This part of Sri Lanka is simply stunning being surrounded with amazing wildlife and epic point breaks. Waves in Arugam Bay are usually in the mid-size range and are perfectly enjoyable for surfers of all levels.
Find a surf camp in Sri Lanka starting at US$300
Baja California, Mexico
Surfing conditions for the month of May in Mexico
Suitable skill level: Any
Average wave size: 5 feet
Swell consistency: 90%
Water temperature: 25°C 78°F
Air temperature: 27°C 81°F
Crowd: Fairly crowded
Baja California, in Mexico, is one of the world’s best surfing destination at any given time throughout the year. With amazing point breaks and unexplored territories, Baja California is very rewarding in many ways for anyone going on a surf trip down here. During the month of May, you can expect consistent surfing conditions in the peninsula and possibilities to surf almost every day!
Read our complete surfing guides to North Baja California and Baja California Sur
Piha, New Zealand
Surfing conditions for the month of May in New Zealand
Suitable skill level: Any
Average wave size: 8 feet
Swell consistency: 85%
Water temperature: 17°C 63°F
Air temperature: 14°C 57°F
Crowd: Reasonable
Located just about an hour drive away from Auckland, Piha is one of the most popular surfing destination on New Zealand’s North Island. In May, the surf here is truly wonderful with swells picking up after a slower summer season and weather still being warm and pleasant. Piha is mostly a vast beach break which will suit most types of surfers.
Read our complete surfing guide to Piha, New Zealand
Gold Coast, Australia
Surfing conditions for the month of May in Australia
Suitable skill level: Any
Average wave size: 6 feet
Swell consistency: 80%
Water temperature: 21°C 70°F
Air temperature: 18°C 64°F
Crowd: Very crowded
In May, Australia is slowly transitioning into its winter season which usually means bigger and better waves. Weather is still quite warm and the summer crowds are behind us. On the Gold Coast, spring surfing also means cyclone season! With a bit of luck you could catch a late cyclone swell and ride a perfect wave from Snapper Rocks all the way to Kirra!
Read our complete surfing guide to the East Coast of Australia
Muizenberg, South Africa
Surfing conditions for the month of May in South Africa
Suitable skill level: Any
Average wave size: 8 feet
Swell consistency: 100%
Water temperature: 17°C 63°F
Air temperature: 15°C 59°F
Crowd: Fairly crowded
During the month of May, Muizenberg is a perfect surf town to settle and enjoy great waves on a daily basis. Located just outside of Cape Town, Muizenberg has become a little surfing haven for surfers of all levels. At this time of the year, swells are starting to hit the bay pretty consistently and offer amazing waves at several different surf spots.