When to go · Douala
Douala in May
Mixed month. Wet; May 20 National Day parades and closures.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Mixed
- Temperature
- 30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C) / 24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 20
- Crowds
- Low
- Cameroon overall
- Prices
- Low
- Cameroon overall
Verdict
Wet; May 20 National Day parades and closures.
All twelve months in one grid — weather, crowds and prices, with gaps left as unknown.
Is another month better than May?
May is rated mixed. These months rate higher:
Weather in May
- DoualaHighs around 30 °C (86 °F), lows around 24 °C (75 °F), rain on about 20 daysHighs around 86 °F (30 °C), lows around 75 °F (24 °C), rain on about 20 days
- Coast, Cameroon · Douala, Kribi, Limberainy
Hot and humid all year; Douala takes about 4 m of rain, mostly July–September. December–February is beach season at Kribi.
Rains begin season
Afternoon storms build; green and warm.
Watch: Flooded streets after storms.
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 · Nationwide
Public holiday; most shops close.
National Day
20 May · Nationwide, with parades in the centre
Public holiday; parades and road closures in the centre.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Cameroon overall
- Low
- Prices · Cameroon overall
- Low
Cameroon overall: National Day (20 May) in Yaoundé; Tabaski around 27 May 2026 (check).
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Douala, side by side.
Verdict
May: Mixed
Jan: Great (better)
Daytime high
May: 30 °C (86 °F)86 °F (30 °C)
Jan: 31 °C (88 °F)88 °F (31 °C)
Night low
May: 24 °C (75 °F)75 °F (24 °C)
Jan: 23 °C (73 °F)73 °F (23 °C)
Rain days
May: 20
Jan: 4 (better)
Crowds
May: Low
Jan: Medium
Prices
May: Low
Jan: Medium
Festivals listed
May: 2
Jan: 1
May: Wet; May 20 National Day parades and closures.
January: Dry season; hot, hazy from Harmattan dust.
Douala: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and sunscreen
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast