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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

MixedVoykit month rating for Dominican Republic

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).

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Driest December–April; hottest and wettest June–October, with hurricanes possible August–October.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Cooler than the coast; Constanza can drop to single digits at night in winter. Afternoon rain most of the year.

  • 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 days
  • Barahona32 °C (90 °F) / 24 °C (75 °F), 9 rain days
  • Bavaro31 °C (88 °F) / 24 °C (75 °F), 11 rain days
  • Bayahibe32 °C (90 °F) / 24 °C (75 °F), 10 rain days
  • Bonao31 °C (88 °F) / 22 °C (72 °F), 13 rain days
  • Cabarete31 °C (88 °F) / 22 °C (72 °F), 11 rain days
  • Constanza26 °C (79 °F) / 16 °C (61 °F), 14 rain days
  • Higüey32 °C (90 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 10 rain days
  • Jarabacoa31 °C (88 °F) / 19 °C (66 °F), 13 rain days
  • Juan Dolio32 °C (90 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 10 rain days
  • La Romana33 °C (91 °F) / 25 °C (77 °F), 9 rain days
  • Las Galeras31 °C (88 °F) / 24 °C (75 °F), 7 rain days
  • Las Terrenas31 °C (88 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 12 rain days
  • Miches32 °C (90 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 12 rain days
  • Monte Cristi31 °C (88 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 9 rain days
  • Pedernales32 °C (90 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 10 rain days
  • Pedro Sánchez32 °C (90 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 11 rain days
  • Polo31 °C (88 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 5 rain days
  • Puerto Plata31 °C (88 °F) / 22 °C (72 °F), 11 rain days
  • Punta Cana31 °C (88 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 11 rain days
  • Rio San Juan31 °C (88 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 12 rain days
  • San Pedro de Macoris31 °C (88 °F) / 23 °C (73 °F), 8 rain days
  • Santa Barbara de Samana31 °C (88 °F) / 24 °C (75 °F), 9 rain days
  • Santiago de los Caballeros31.9 °C (89 °F) / 21.8 °C (71 °F), 11 rain days
  • Sosúa31 °C (88 °F) / 22 °C (72 °F), 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

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