Port Vila weather in May

May in Port Vila: hot, rainy, with clean air — a great time to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Port Vila🇻🇺 Vanuatu · South Pacific · Island78
  1. 74Jan
  2. 70Feb
  3. 65Mar
  4. 69Apr
  5. 78May
  6. 80Jun
  7. 86Jul
  8. 84Aug
  9. 88Sep
  10. 81Oct
  11. 84Nov
  12. 78Dec

#7 of 12 months in Port Vila · #823 of 1413 destinations to visit in May · comfort 78/100 (tier B)

Days
29°C
Nights
21°C
Wet days
12
Sun
9.2 h
Humidity
76%
Daylight
11 h
Port Vila, Vanuatu
Photo: Phillip Capper from Wellington, New Zealand · CC BY 2.0

Traveller notes on Port Vila in May

Other months in Port Vila

Forum posters describe March as Vanuatu's rainiest month, hot, humid and steamy, though conditions are generally less severe than that label might suggest - rain most often arrives at night or during a stretch of the afternoon before clearing to a genuinely beautiful day, rather than washing out the whole visit. Posters are direct that March sits within cyclone season (October-April), though cyclones don't hit every island every year, and it's been several years since one directly struck Port Vila specifically. Posters describe a real upside to visiting during this less-touristed stretch: noticeably fewer visitors than the peak season. Posters generally rate March as hot, humid and genuinely rain-prone but rarely a washout for Port Vila, with real (if statistically modest) cyclone risk and lighter crowds as the trade-off.
Tripadvisor community · March · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Forum posters consistently describe September weather in Port Vila as just about perfect, particularly later in the month, with warm days, plenty of sunshine and noticeably cooler evenings around 20C - posters recommend packing a long-sleeved layer for after dark since the wind can turn chilly. Posters generally rate the water as warm enough for swimming and snorkeling by late September. Posters do flag real year-to-year variability, though: some visitors report spectacular weather throughout while others hit torrential downpours in the same month. Posters generally name the August-through-October stretch, September included, as one of the best overall windows to visit.
Tripadvisor community · September · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

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Port Vila climate normals — May

Daytime high29°C / 84°F🥵 hot
Nighttime low21°C / 70°F
Feels like (high)30°C / 86°F
Sea temperature29°C / 83°F♨️ bath-warm
Rainfall134 mm / 5.3 in🌧 rainy
Rainy days12 days
Humidity76%💦 very humid
Dew point22°C / 71°F
Sunshine9.2 h/day
Daylight11.3 h
Wind32 km/h / 20 mph
Air quality (US AQI)42🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Port Vila in May

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

BusyCool, dry half of the year(estimated)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Port Vila's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Fair weatherPort Vila's weather peaks July–September.

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Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Port Vila in May

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Festival

    Nagol land diving season

    1 Apr – 15 Jun · usuallyMajor festivalBook early

    Men jump from timber towers with vines tied to their ankles on southern Pentecost, tied to the yam harvest and held on Saturdays in April, May and June. It is a flight and a long drive from Vila, arranged in advance. Source ↗

  • Season

    Cool, dry half of the year

    1 May – 31 OctDry seasonCrowded

    May to October is when the south-east trades keep it dry, the yachts come through and the Australian flights fill. It is also when the roads on Efate and Tanna are reliably passable.

What's on around the world in May →

Where is Port Vila?

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Port Vila in May — FAQ

Is May a good time to visit Port Vila?
May in Port Vila: hot, rainy, with clean air — a great time to visit. It ranks #7 of 12 months for Port Vila on SeasonMap's comfort score (78/100).
What is the weather like in Port Vila in May?
In May, Port Vila averages a daily high of 28.9°C and a low of 21.1°C, with about 134.3 mm of rain over roughly 12.4 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Port Vila in May?
Port Vila has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 42 in May.