Port Vila weather in May

In May, Port Vila sees average daytime highs of 26°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 146 mm of rain across 12.6 wet days and about 11.2 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time in May, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 24 min at the start of May to 11 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Port Vila's 7th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Port Vila's year-round climate.

Daytime high
26°
6th warmest
Overnight low
25°
7th coldest
Rainfall
146 mm
12.6 wet days
Daylight
11 h 12 min
6:08 AM – 5:18 PM
Cloud cover
61%
7th clearest
Wind
27 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
4.09 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.2
out of 10

Port Vila is capital and largest city of Vanuatu.

Density
1,521/km²
people per km²

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 26°C through the month.

A typical May day in Port Vila reaches about 26°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 1°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°C and 27°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 1°C cooler than April and about 1°C warmer than June.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12725
22625
32625
42625
52625
62625
72625
82625
92625
102625
112625
122625
132625
142625
152625
162625
172625
182625
192625
202625
212625
222625
232625
242625
252625
262625
272625
282625
292625
302625
312625

Port Vila weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 26°18617.912.95.3
Feb28° / 26°19219.112.64.8
Mar28° / 26°23721.812.14.7
Apr27° / 26°2091911.65.1
May26° / 25°14612.611.26.2
Jun25° / 24°10410.2116.7
Jul24° / 23°667.8117.3
Aug24° / 23°577.611.47.4
Sep24° / 23°73811.97.3
Oct25° / 24°858.612.47.2
Nov26° / 25°7910.412.86.7
Dec27° / 25°13214.6136.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 52%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15149
25050
35050
45050
54951
64951
74951
84852
94852
104852
114852
124852
134852
144852
154852
164852
174852
184951
194951
204852
214852
224852
234852
244852
254753
264753
274753
284654
294654
304654
314555

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Port Vila gets around 146 mm of rain over 12.6 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 41% and peaks near 52% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
152
252
351
450
549
648
747
846
946
1045
1144
1243
1341
1440
1539
1638
1737
1836
1936
2035
2135
2235
2335
2435
2535
2635
2736
2836
2936
3037
3137

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the oppressive band about 54% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 88% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
10522685
20622675
30623665
40724654
50725644
60826624
70827614
80928603
90929593
100930583
110931573
1201032553
1301034533
1411035522
1511135512
1611136502
1711236502
1811236492
1911337491
2011337481
2111437481
2211437471
2311537471
2411537471
2511537471
2611537471
2711636461
2811636461
2911636461
3011637461
3111637461

Wind in May

Winds average 27 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 26 km/h on the calmest days to 28 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
126breezy
226breezy
326breezy
426breezy
526breezy
626breezy
726breezy
826breezy
926breezy
1026breezy
1126breezy
1226breezy
1327breezy
1427breezy
1527breezy
1627breezy
1727breezy
1827breezy
1927breezy
2027breezy
2127breezy
2227breezy
2327breezy
2427breezy
2527breezy
2627breezy
2727breezy
2827breezy
2927breezy
3028breezy
3128breezy

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 24 min at the start of May to 11 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 24 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:03 AM to 6:13 AM, and sunset from 5:25 PM to 5:15 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.46:035:25
211.46:035:24
311.36:045:24
411.36:045:23
511.36:045:23
611.36:045:22
711.36:055:22
811.36:055:21
911.36:055:21
1011.26:065:20
1111.26:065:20
1211.26:065:20
1311.26:075:19
1411.26:075:19
1511.26:085:18
1611.26:085:18
1711.26:085:18
1811.16:095:17
1911.16:095:17
2011.16:095:17
2111.16:105:17
2211.16:105:16
2311.16:105:16
2411.16:115:16
2511.16:115:16
2611.16:125:16
2711.16:125:15
2811.06:125:15
2911.06:135:15
3011.06:135:15
3111.06:135:15

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 4.09 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.57 kWh/m² to a high of 6.72 kWh/m² in January across the year — May's 4.09 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.4Bright
24.3Bright
34.3Bright
44.3Bright
54.3Bright
64.2Bright
74.2Bright
84.2Bright
94.2Bright
104.2Bright
114.2Bright
124.2Bright
134.1Bright
144.1Bright
154.1Bright
164.1Bright
174.1Bright
184.1Bright
194.1Bright
204.0Bright
214.0Bright
224.0Bright
234.0Moderate
244.0Moderate
253.9Moderate
263.9Moderate
273.9Moderate
283.9Moderate
293.8Moderate
303.8Moderate
313.8Moderate
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Port Vila

In seasonPeak

In May, Port Vila sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Port Vila sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Port Vila's rainy season runs December–May, when most of the year's rain falls.

Cyclone
Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is May a good time to visit Port Vila?

Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.2
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
6.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Port Vila for sightseeing.

What to pack for Port Vila in May

From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In May, Port Vila sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 25°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and a windbreaker. About 13 days see rain.

light clothesrain geara windbreaker

Sea temperature near Port Vila in May

The nearest coast averages about 27°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 14 km away) is warmest in February at about 29°C and coldest in August near 26°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr28Tropical
May27Warm
Jun27Warm
Jul26Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct26Warm
Nov27Warm
Dec28Warm

UV index in Port Vila in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Port Vila peaks around February 15 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 7 (very high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeFeb 15UV 16Jun 20UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar15Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May8Very high
Jun7Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep13Extreme
Oct15Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Port Vila?

Port Vila sits at 17.7°S, 168.3°E, 10 m above sea level, in Vanuatu. The nearest listed city is Ouvéa, 374 km away.

Topography around Port Vila

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Port Vila.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Port Vila has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 132 m around an average of 25 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 646 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 631 m.

The land around Port Vila is covered by trees (42%) and water (33%) within 3 km, trees (51%) and water (40%) within 16 km, and water (90%) within 80 km.

3 km
132 m
16 km
646 m
80 km
631 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Ouvéa 374 km · Bourail 518 km · Dumbéa 528 km · Mont-Dore 535 km · Noumea 541 km · Nadi 964 km · Lautoka 968 km · Sigatoka 973 km

Vanuatu travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type I
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 90% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$4,039
2025
Safe drinking water
19%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.3
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
14.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 40%Roman Catholic 12%other 12%customary beliefs 3%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Port Vila (-17.7365°, 168.3137°, elevation 10 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).