Galápagos Islands · Month comparison

December vs May

May ranks #1 overall vs December at #11. Shoulder season at its best: low prices, few visitors, and the last warmth before the Humboldt Current brings the cool season.

Galápagos December — dramatic volcanic lava coastline at the island shore

December

#11 of 12 months

Strong option

Christmas-holiday peak pricing alongside warming waters and the start of sea turtle nesting — the year's most vivid weather window.

  • ↑Warmest, clearest water of the year approaching by month-end (24–28°C): the snorkelling conditions that bring liveaboard operators back to the western islands after the cool season
  • ↑Sea turtle nesting beginning at key sites: Bartolomé and the beaches of Isabela seeing female turtles come ashore, with guided night tours commencing from mid-December
Galápagos May — marine iguana on volcanic rock at the shoreline

May

#1 of 12 months

Best match

Shoulder season at its best: low prices, few visitors, and the last warmth before the Humboldt Current brings the cool season.

  • ↑The lowest visitor numbers of the year (outside June–July which ironically sees more): last-minute liveaboard availability and day-cruise prices at their annual minimum
  • ↑Rain essentially over (30mm — lightest of any month) with increasingly clear skies as the Humboldt Current begins its approach: good conditions for both snorkelling and island hikes
FactorDecemberMay
Weather score
7
7
Value score
4
8
Crowd score
4
8
Events score
7
7
Atmosphere
8
7
Avg high temp27°C27°C
Monthly rain40mm30mm
Daily sunshine6.5hrs5hrs

December trade-offs

  • ↓Christmas and New Year school holidays: liveaboard departures at full capacity, Santa Cruz and Puerto Ayora accommodation booked months ahead at peak pricing
  • ↓Rainfall returning with the warm season (40mm): afternoon showers daily though typically brief, and Christmas week can see sustained rain in some years

May trade-offs

  • ↓Not peak season for any single dramatic wildlife spectacle: a transitional month where warm-season highlights are fading and cool-season highlights haven't peaked yet
  • ↓Cool-season winds beginning to build: inter-island crossings in the open ocean between the main island groups becoming choppier than during January–March
See all 12 months for Galápagos Islands →December in detail →May in detail →
Scores compare months within Galápagos Islands. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →