Bahamas in May: Your guide to weather, events & travel

Royal Poinciana trees burst into flamboyant bloom across the Bahamas in May — their bright red-orange flowers spilling over village roads and beach paths. Mangoes, pineapples, and red dragon fruit start to ripen, goats nap in the shade, and locals spend time outdoors on their porches, with music playing low in the background. Everything feels like it’s stretching into summer — slowly and steadily, without rushing to get there.

Wherever you look, May in the Bahamas is shoulder season, so it’s soft-edged and full of promise. It’s the kind of month where you can kayak through the mangroves, spot baby rays flitting beneath the water’s surface, or drop in for a casual dinner that turns into dancing and drinks under the stars. An advisor on TravelJoy can help you set aside the time to visit the quieter islands, blooming trails, and small-town events that tend to fly under the radar.

Yes, May is one of the best times to visit the Bahamas if you want to travel at a leisurely pace. The days are not too hot, with the highs hovering in the mid-80s, the water is warm enough for swimming all day, and the winds are calmer than in earlier spring. It’s late enough to feel like summer without the extremes of the high season heat. The Bahamas also experiences light showers during this time, but they’re short, and the skies usually clear fast.

The crowds are lighter, and prices at hotels are still in that sweet spot between spring break spikes and summer peak. You’ll have more flexibility to book your choice of hotels and choose the ferry routes that you fancy the most. What’s more, many excursions are also easier to book at the last minute in May. From Nassau to the Out Islands, there’s still a relaxed pace to daily life that makes it fun to just walk around.

Sure, you may not get the cool breezes of winter or the packed festival calendar of summer, but what you do get is an opportunity to experience the carefree island life authentically. If you're planning a trip to the Bahamas in May, an advisor on TravelJoy can help you attend the best seasonal events, time your inter-island hops smoothly, and lean into the quiet before summer’s full rush begins.