When to go · Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic in May
Mixed month. First rainy season; showers, mostly short.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Mixed
- Crowds
- Low
- Dominican Republic
- Prices
- Low
- Dominican Republic
Verdict
First rainy season; showers, mostly short.
Is another month better than May?
May is rated mixed. These months rate higher:
Weather in May
- South and east coasts · Santo Domingo, Punta Cana, Bayahibe, La Romanarainy
Hot all year (29–32 °C (84–90 °F)); rainy spells May–June and September–November; hurricane risk peaks August–October. Sargassum seaweed can foul east-coast beaches in summer (check).Hot all year (84–90 °F (29–32 °C)); rainy spells May–June and September–November; hurricane risk peaks August–October. Sargassum seaweed can foul east-coast beaches in summer (check).
- North coast and Samaná · Puerto Plata, Cabarete, Las Terrenas, Samanárainy
Trade-wind showers make November–January the wettest months here, unlike the south. Whales in Samaná Bay mid-January to March.
- Cordillera Central · Jarabacoa, Constanza, Pico Duarterainy
Mountain air, 15–25 °C (59–77 °F) by day; Constanza can reach near freezing on winter nights.Mountain air, 59–77 °F (15–25 °C) by day; Constanza can reach near freezing on winter nights.
- Eastern Cibao: Samaná Peninsula and north coast · Las Terrenas, Las Galeras, Samaná town, Río San Juanrainy
December to April is drier and cooler; May to August is hot and humid with afternoon rain; September and October carry the highest hurricane risk. Whale season mid-January to mid-March is also the busiest stretch.
- Eastern Dominican Republic: Punta Cana / Bávaro · east coast resort stripfine
Driest December–April; hottest and wettest June–October, with hurricanes possible August–October.
- Eastern Dominican Republic: Bayahibe / La Romana · southeast coastfine
Similar pattern; sea stays warm year-round, and dive boats run most days.
- Greater Santo Domingo: Santo Domingo and the coast · Capital and the Boca Chica–Juan Dolio striprainy
Hot and humid year-round; the rainy season runs roughly May to November, with the heaviest rain and storm risk August–October. Coastal breezes make the beach towns a few degrees cooler than the city.
- Southern Dominican Republic: Barahona coast · south coast from Palmar de Ocoa to Pedernalesrainy
Driest corner of the country; the wet season (May–Jun and Aug–Oct) brings short heavy showers, and Aug–Oct is hurricane season.
- Southern Dominican Republic: Lago Enriquillo and the border lowlands · Independencia and Bahoruco provinceshot
Below sea level and consistently hotter than the coast; start early and carry more water than you think you need.
- Western Cibao: Cibao Valley (Santiago) · Interior lowlandsrainy
Hot year-round; May–Nov is the wetter half, with September–October the peak of the hurricane season.
- Western Cibao: Cordillera Central (Jarabacoa, Constanza) · Mountain townsrainy
Cooler than the coast; Constanza can drop to single digits at night in winter. Afternoon rain most of the year.
- Western Cibao: North coast (Puerto Plata, Cabarete, Monte Cristi) · Atlantic shorerainy
Trade winds keep it cooler than the south; kitesurf season runs roughly June–August and December–April.
- Santo Domingo31 °C (88 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 12 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 73 °F (23 °C), 12 rain days
- Barahona32 °C (90 °F) / 24 °C (75 °F), 9 rain days90 °F (32 °C) / 75 °F (24 °C), 9 rain days
- Bavaro31 °C (88 °F) / 24 °C (75 °F), 11 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 75 °F (24 °C), 11 rain days
- Bayahibe32 °C (90 °F) / 24 °C (75 °F), 10 rain days90 °F (32 °C) / 75 °F (24 °C), 10 rain days
- Bonao31 °C (88 °F) / 22 °C (72 °F), 13 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 72 °F (22 °C), 13 rain days
- Cabarete31 °C (88 °F) / 22 °C (72 °F), 11 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 72 °F (22 °C), 11 rain days
- Constanza26 °C (79 °F) / 16 °C (61 °F), 14 rain days79 °F (26 °C) / 61 °F (16 °C), 14 rain days
- Higüey32 °C (90 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 10 rain days90 °F (32 °C) / 73 °F (23 °C), 10 rain days
- Jarabacoa31 °C (88 °F) / 19 °C (66 °F), 13 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 66 °F (19 °C), 13 rain days
- Juan Dolio32 °C (90 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 10 rain days90 °F (32 °C) / 73 °F (23 °C), 10 rain days
- La Romana33 °C (91 °F) / 25 °C (77 °F), 9 rain days91 °F (33 °C) / 77 °F (25 °C), 9 rain days
- Las Galeras31 °C (88 °F) / 24 °C (75 °F), 7 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 75 °F (24 °C), 7 rain days
- Las Terrenas31 °C (88 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 12 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 73 °F (23 °C), 12 rain days
- Miches32 °C (90 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 12 rain days90 °F (32 °C) / 73 °F (23 °C), 12 rain days
- Monte Cristi31 °C (88 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 9 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 73 °F (23 °C), 9 rain days
- Pedernales32 °C (90 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 10 rain days90 °F (32 °C) / 73 °F (23 °C), 10 rain days
- Pedro Sánchez32 °C (90 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 11 rain days90 °F (32 °C) / 73 °F (23 °C), 11 rain days
- Polo31 °C (88 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 5 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 73 °F (23 °C), 5 rain days
- Puerto Plata31 °C (88 °F) / 22 °C (72 °F), 11 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 72 °F (22 °C), 11 rain days
- Punta Cana31 °C (88 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 11 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 73 °F (23 °C), 11 rain days
- Rio San Juan31 °C (88 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 12 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 73 °F (23 °C), 12 rain days
- San Pedro de Macoris31 °C (88 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 8 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 73 °F (23 °C), 8 rain days
- Santa Barbara de Samana31 °C (88 °F) / 24 °C (75 °F), 9 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 75 °F (24 °C), 9 rain days
- Santiago de los Caballeros31.9 °C (89 °F) / 21.8 °C (71 °F), 11 rain days89 °F (31.9 °C) / 71 °F (21.8 °C), 11 rain days
- Sosúa31 °C (88 °F) / 22 °C (72 °F), 11 rain days88 °F (31 °C) / 72 °F (22 °C), 11 rain days
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Labour Day
1 May
Holiday; may move.
Corpus Christi
May–Jun (varies)
Holiday.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Dominican Republic
- Low
- Prices · Dominican Republic
- Low
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Dominican Republic, side by side.
Verdict
May: Mixed
Mar: Great (better)
Crowds
May: Low
Mar: High
Prices
May: Low
Mar: High
Festivals listed
May: 2
Mar: 1
May: First rainy season; showers, mostly short.
March: Dry and warm; Semana Santa can fall late March — busy.
Dominican Republic: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast