The Canary Islands in May are dry, sunny and not yet hot: highs of 24–24.6 °C on Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, 23.9 °C in south Tenerife, nights of 17 °C and barely a millimetre of rain in the whole month in the south. The sea rises to 19.8–20.9 °C.
It is also the month with the fewest people: 1.29–1.31 million arrivals, against 1.73 million in March. Days of 13 and a half hours, peaks almost free of snow, the red tajinaste in flower on Teide and the start of the best season for seeing a wider range of whales and dolphins. For walking, no month beats it.
- High °C
- 23–25 °C
- Low °C
- 17–18 °C
- Sea °C
- 20–21 °C
- Rainy days
- 0–1
- Hours of sun a day
- 6–10 h
- Daylight hours
- 13 h 33 min
- Lanzarote25 °C
- Fuerteventura24 °C
- Tenerife24 °C
- Gran Canaria24 °C
- La Palma23 °C
- El Hierro23 °C
| High °C | Low °C | Sea °C | Rainy days | Hours of sun a day | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenerife, south coast | 24 °C | 17 °C | 20 °C | 0 | 8 h |
| Tenerife, north (La Laguna, 632 m) | 20 °C | 12 °C | 20 °C | 4 | 8 h |
| Gran Canaria, east coast | 24 °C | 17 °C | 20 °C | 0 | 9 h |
| Lanzarote | 25 °C | 17 °C | 20 °C | 0 | 10 h |
| Fuerteventura | 24 °C | 17 °C | 20 °C | 0 | 9 h |
| La Palma, east coast | 23 °C | 17 °C | 21 °C | 1 | 6 h |
| La Gomera | — | — | 21 °C | — | — |
| El Hierro | 23 °C | 18 °C | 21 °C | 1 | 8 h |
| Teide, high zone (Izaña, 2,369 m) | 15 °C | 6 °C | — | 1 | 12 h |
Sunrise and sunset in mid-month: 07:14 – 20:47 · Source: AEMET, climate normals (1981–2010) · sea temperature: seatemperature.info, ten-year average
Canary Islands weather in May: south, north, east and peaks
Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. The warmest by day (24.6 °C on Lanzarote, 24.1 °C on Fuerteventura) and the sunniest: 9.6 hours of sunshine a day on Lanzarote. Rain: 1–2 mm in the whole month.
South Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Tenerife South, a high of 23.9 °C and a low of 17 °C, with 1 mm of rain. Gran Canaria airport, 23.6 °C and 8.8 hours of sunshine.
North. Santa Cruz de Tenerife rises to 24.1 °C with 9.1 hours of sunshine. The Tenerife North plateau, at 632 m, stays at 20.1 °C and still has almost 4 days of rain; La Palma airport, 22.6 °C with 6.2 hours of sunshine, the cloudiest coast in the archipelago.
El Hierro and La Gomera. El Hierro, 22.6 °C and the mildest nights (17.9 °C). AEMET does not publish climate normals for La Gomera; its sea is at 20.6 °C.
Teide. Izaña reaches 14.5 °C by day and 5.8 °C at night, with 11.5 hours of sunshine a day. Ideal for walking, but properly cold at dusk.
Sea temperature in May: can you swim?
Yes, and without quite so much of a gasp: 19.8 °C around Lanzarote, 19.9 °C around Fuerteventura, 20.3 °C at Maspalomas, 20.4 °C at Los Cristianos and 20.9 °C off El Hierro, almost a degree more than in April. It is still fresh water: the peak comes in September and October.
What to pack: summer clothes, high-factor sun cream, a light layer for the evening and a good warm coat if you are going up Teide or stargazing.
Where to go in the Canary Islands in May
The best bets in May
La Palma
The hiking island, with Transvulcania in May and settled skies.
Tenerife
Tajinastes on Teide, whales in season and a south with almost no rain.
Lanzarote
The warmest and sunniest island of the month (24.6 °C, 9.6 h of sunshine).
Fuerteventura
Beaches with 1 mm of rain in the whole month and Lobos a short boat ride away.
Gran Canaria
Peaks for walking without the cold, and Maspalomas Pride in May.
To weigh up every factor, see which Canary Island to choose.
Things to do in the Canary Islands in May: festivals and holidays
- Canary Islands Day (Día de Canarias), 30 May: a public holiday on every island, with traditional dress, food and folk music. It marks the first sitting of the Canary Islands Parliament, in 1983.
- Transvulcania, on La Palma: a 73 km ultramarathon from the Fuencaliente lighthouse to Los Llanos de Aridane, plus shorter races.
- IRONMAN Lanzarote, in Puerto del Carmen, traditionally in May. The organiser changes, so confirm the date and the road closures on the bike course with the organisers.
- Maspalomas Pride, a week of parties in Maspalomas; check the dates each year.
- Corpus Christi: salt carpets in Arrecife and flower-and-salt carpets in Arucas, on Corpus Thursday (late May or June, depending on the year).
- The Eta Aquariids, the early-May meteor shower; it really shines in years when it coincides with a new moon.
What's in season: tajinastes, whales, hiking and stars
Red tajinaste. It flowers on Teide from around 10 May, peaks a week later and lasts until early June; it comes a few days earlier or later depending on the winter (Teide).
Whales and dolphins. Tenerife's tourist board names May and June as the months with the most species on top of the residents (whale and dolphin watching).
Hiking. The best month of the year: dry, long days and no heat. To climb to the summit of Teide you need the PNT 10 permit from Tenerife ON (€15 for non-residents), which opens 56 days ahead. More routes in hiking in the Canary Islands.
Stars. The best months for seeing the core of the Milky Way begin, from May to August (stargazing).
Water parks. All open, although until 31 May Acua closes on Wednesdays and Thursdays and Aquapark Costa Teguise on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Trips that suit May
Our pick
1
Whale watching in south Tenerife
1.5 hours for €28, in the months with the most species.
GetYourGuide1.5 hours
Tenerife: Eco No-Chase Respectful Whale & Dolphin Encounter
4.6 (15,400 reviews)
from €28Check availability
2
Teide in a day with pick-up
The national park in red-tajinaste season, without driving.
GetYourGuide8 hours
Tenerife: Teide National Park Full-Day Tour with Pick-up
4.5 (1,922 reviews)
from €59Check availability
3
Hike above Masca
A guided route with pick-up, in the best month for walking.
GetYourGuide5 hours
Tenerife: Hike Above Masca in Enchanted Forest with Pick-up
4.9 (464 reviews)
from €89Check availability
4
La Graciosa by boat
A day on the water with lunch and water activities, with the sea close to 20 °C.
GetYourGuide6 hours
La Graciosa: Island Cruise with Lunch and Water Activities
4.5 (2,102 reviews)
from €66Check availability
GetYourGuide9 hours
Tenerife: Teide National Park, Masca, Icod & Garachico Tour
4.6 (3,035 reviews)
from €58Check availability
GetYourGuide5 hours
Tenerife: Hike Above Masca in Enchanted Forest with Pick-up
4.9 (464 reviews)
from €89Check availability
GetYourGuide1.5 hours
Tenerife: Eco No-Chase Respectful Whale & Dolphin Encounter
4.6 (15,400 reviews)
from €28Check availability
GetYourGuide2 - 3 hours
Lanzarote: Guided Off-Road Volcano Buggy Tour
4.6 (5,566 reviews)
from €150Check availability
GetYourGuide8 hours
Tenerife: Teide National Park Full-Day Tour with Pick-up
4.5 (1,922 reviews)
from €59Check availability
GetYourGuide6 hours
La Graciosa: Island Cruise with Lunch and Water Activities
4.5 (2,102 reviews)
from €66Check availability
See all options on GetYourGuide →Prices checked on 2 October 2026
May compared with April and June
April is a degree cooler, with some rain in the north and more people. June brings even longer days and a warmer sea, but also summer cloud on the northern coasts and wind on the eastern islands. The whole year is in Canary Islands weather by month.
Canary Islands in May: FAQs
What is the temperature in the Canary Islands in May?
Highs of 22.6 to 24.6 °C on the coast and 17–18 °C at night. The warmest are Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.
Can you swim in the Canary Islands in May?
Yes: the sea is at 19.8–20.9 °C depending on the island, almost a degree more than in April. It is fresh water, not warm.
Does it rain in the Canary Islands in May?
Hardly at all: 1–2 mm in the south and east, less than half a day of rain on average. Only the northern plateau of Tenerife gets about 4 days.
Is it busy in the Canary Islands in May?
It is the quietest month of the year, with 1.3 million arrivals, against 1.73 million in March.
Is 30 May a public holiday in the Canary Islands?
Yes, it is Canary Islands Day, a regional holiday on every island.
