Month guide · Cairns · Australia
Cairns in May
What May is really like in Cairns: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: user riftreef, [1], CC BY 2.5
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Quick answer
May is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 27°C (81°F), lows of 20°C (68°F), about 10 rainy days and roughly 11.3 hours of daylight. The start of the dry season, with fresher air, green landscapes and lower prices before the peak.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 27°C (81°F) / 20°C (68°F)
- Rainy days
- About 10
- Daylight
- About 11.3 hours
- Sea temperature
- 26°C (79°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in May
May is the 9th-warmest month in Cairns: days average 27°C (81°F) against a yearly average high of 29°C (84°F), and nights fall to about 20°C (68°F). Rain falls on roughly 10 of its 31 days. Compared with April (29°C (84°F)), May is cooler; by June highs stay near 26°C (79°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 06:33
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 17:53
- Daylight
- About 11.3 hours
- Sea
- 26°C (79°F)
Dry season (May–August). Sunny, mild and comfortable, with cooler nights; peak season in July with southern school holidays.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 3 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in July). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in May
May has no major recurring festival in Cairns, which usually means easier bookings.
What to do in May
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Waterfront · Cairns City
Cairns Esplanade Lagoon and Boardwalk
Bring binoculars at low tide; the Esplanade is one of Australia's well-known shorebird-watching spots.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Iconic
Experience · Smithfield
Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
A 7.5-km gondola glides just above the rainforest canopy of Barron Gorge National Park from Smithfield to Kuranda, with stops at Red Peak for a boardwalk among giant kauri pines and at Barron Falls for lookouts over the gorge.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours one way
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Views
- Nature
- Kids
Experience · Kuranda
Kuranda Scenic Railway
The train pauses at the Barron Falls station for the lookout platform; be ready to step off quickly, as the stop is short.
- Time needed
- About 2 hours one way
- Cost
- Expensive
- History
- Views
- Kids
- Iconic
Island · Great Barrier Reef
Green Island
A coral cay about 45 minutes by fast boat from Cairns, covered in rainforest and fringed by sand and reef.
- Time needed
- Half to full day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Couples
The sea averages 26°C (79°F) — warm enough to swim. Best beaches near Cairns.
What to pack
For highs near 27°C, lows near 20°C and 10 wet days: light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Cairns?
A shoulder-season month. If your dates are flexible, June–October are better overall. Compare every month.
Cairns in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Cairns?
It is a shoulder-season month. The start of the dry season, with fresher air, green landscapes and lower prices before the peak.
+How warm is Cairns in May?
Average highs are around 27°C (81°F) and lows around 20°C (68°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Cairns in May?
Expect rain on about 10 days of the month.