Month guide · Tenerife · Spain
Tenerife in May
What May is really like in Tenerife: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Berthold Werner, Public domain
Quick answer
May is one of the best months to visit Tenerife. Expect average highs of 24°C (75°F), lows of 17°C (63°F), about 1 rainy days and roughly 13.5 hours of daylight. One of the best-value months: dry weather, thin crowds and red tajinaste flower spikes in Teide National Park.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 24°C (75°F) / 17°C (63°F)
- Rainy days
- About 1
- Daylight
- About 13.5 hours
- Sea temperature
- 20°C (68°F)
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in May
May is the 6th-warmest month in Tenerife: days average 24°C (75°F) against a yearly average high of 25°C (77°F), and nights fall to about 17°C (63°F). Rain falls on roughly 1 of its 31 days. Compared with April (23°C (73°F)), May is about as warm; by June highs climb to around 26°C (79°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 07:16
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 20:49
- Daylight
- About 13.5 hours
- Sea
- 20°C (68°F)
Winter (December–February). Mild, often sunny coast around 21 °C with the sea near 19–20 °C; peak prices at Christmas and Carnival, and snow or ice can affect the roads up to Teide.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 2 for crowds (the peak is August at 5) and 2 for hotel prices (highest in August). That makes May one of the better-value months to book.
Events in May
- Fiestas de Mayo — Santa Cruz's founding festivities (early May)
- Día de Canarias — Canary Islands Day (30 May)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in May
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Experience · Las Cañadas del Teide
Teide cable car and summit
The altitude can cause dizziness and breathlessness; move slowly at the top, and skip the ride if you have heart or breathing problems or are pregnant.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- Active
- Nature
Nature · Los Gigantes
Los Gigantes cliffs
The Acantilados de Los Gigantes are sheer basalt walls several hundred metres high that drop straight into the Atlantic on the island's west coast.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours by boat
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- Nature
- Photo spot
- Couples
- Outdoors
Experience · South and west coasts
Whale and dolphin watching
Choose a boat with the regional government's 'Barco Azul' whale-watching licence, which sets rules on distance and speed around the animals.
- Time needed
- 2–5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Couples
Theme park · Costa Adeje
Siam Park
This Thai-themed water park in Costa Adeje has slides ranging from gentle family rides to the Tower of Power, a near-vertical drop that sends riders through a clear tube inside a shark aquarium.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Active
- Outdoors
What to pack
For highs near 24°C, lows near 17°C and 1 wet days: light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Tenerife?
One of the best months to visit Tenerife, with 2 notable events on the calendar. The other best months are June and September–October. Compare every month.
Tenerife in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Tenerife?
It is one of the best months to visit Tenerife. One of the best-value months: dry weather, thin crowds and red tajinaste flower spikes in Teide National Park.
+How warm is Tenerife in May?
Average highs are around 24°C (75°F) and lows around 17°C (63°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Tenerife in May?
Expect rain on about 1 days of the month, so it is usually dry.