Penang · Malaysia
May
Wettest stretch begins — hawker culture is the main draw, beach plans need flexibility.
Worth considering
#12 of 12 months
There are better months for Penang — see the full ranking below.
See when to go instead →Climate
High
33.2°C
Low
25.2°C
Rain
186mm
Sun
7.2hrs/day
30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5
How May scores in Penang
Weather
Below average
Value
Excellent
Crowds
Very good
Events
Above average
Atmosphere
Very good
What you gain in May
- ↑Penang's hawker food is entirely weather-independent: the covered Gurney Drive Hawker Centre, the Lorong Selamat char kway teow stall, and the Air Itam asam laksa market (the original, under the Kek Lok Si temple road) are all fully operational regardless of rain. Food-focused trips are as good as any other month.
- ↑The Wesak Day celebration (May, date varies with Buddhist calendar) at the Dhammikarama Burmese Buddhist Temple and Mahindarama Theravada Temple brings processions with floats and lanterns through the streets — a peaceful and beautiful festival open to visitors.
- ↑Budget accommodation at its cheapest: May is the low season trough, and quality guesthouses along Love Lane and Muntri Street are available at prices that make Penang one of Southeast Asia's great value destinations.
What you sacrifice
- ↓May averages 186mm of rainfall — the wettest stretch of the year. Afternoon rain is almost guaranteed, and some days deliver sustained rain from midday onward. Batu Ferringhi beach loses its appeal significantly.
- ↓The combination of heat and humidity (80%) is oppressive midday: the shophouse streets with limited shade demand early starts and afternoon retreats.
How May compares to February (best month)
| Factor | May | February ★ |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | 3 | 9 |
| Value | 8 | 7 |
| Crowds | 7 | 6 |
May in other destinations
Lisbon (20.7°C)Barcelona (20.8°C)Tokyo (23.8°C)Bali (31.2°C)Santorini (19.8°C)Paris (18.1°C)New York (20.4°C)Marrakech (26.4°C)Amsterdam (16.4°C)Maldives (31.5°C)Rome (21.7°C)Bangkok (32.6°C)Istanbul (20.7°C)Vienna (19.7°C)Seoul (21.4°C)Dubrovnik (20.9°C)Rio de Janeiro (26.2°C)Kyoto (25.2°C)Phuket (32.6°C)Cape Town (18.9°C)Prague (21°C)Amalfi Coast (23°C)Mexico City (27°C)Medellín (27°C)Fiji (28°C)London (18°C)Sydney (19°C)Iceland (10°C)Tulum (32°C)Dubai (38°C)Singapore (33°C)Hoi An (33°C)Chiang Mai (33°C)Miami (30.6°C)Florence (23.1°C)Queenstown (11°C)Madrid (21.7°C)Porto (21°C)Edinburgh (15°C)Copenhagen (16°C)Budapest (22°C)Kraków (20°C)Tbilisi (23°C)Palawan (32°C)Hanoi (31°C)Osaka (25°C)Goa (33°C)Cusco (20°C)Buenos Aires (19°C)Mykonos (23°C)Zanzibar (28°C)Sri Lanka (31°C)Costa Rica (27°C)Cancun (32°C)Krabi (33°C)Athens (25°C)Seville (27°C)Cartagena (31°C)Siem Reap (34°C)Havana (30°C)Split (22°C)Taipei (30°C)Kuala Lumpur (33°C)Valletta (24°C)Ho Chi Minh City (34°C)Hawaii (29°C)Cappadocia (22°C)Dominican Republic (31°C)Jamaica (31°C)Tanzania (23°C)Seychelles (28°C)Nepal (28°C)Jordan (28°C)Azores (21°C)Bora Bora (28°C)Los Angeles (22.8°C)Cairo (34.8°C)Kenya (26.1°C)Jaipur (40.2°C)Las Vegas (33.8°C)San Francisco (17.5°C)Madeira (23°C)Vancouver (17.8°C)Muscat (40.1°C)Lima (20.5°C)Cinque Terre (21°C)Kotor (22°C)Tel Aviv (27°C)Santiago (17°C)Bogotá (18°C)Bruges (17.8°C)Lombok (31.5°C)Cape Verde (27.8°C)Fez (27.8°C)Kerala (33°C)Kigali (26°C)Hong Kong (28°C)Oslo (17°C)Auckland (17°C)
Climate data: 30-year normals (1991–2020) from Open Meteo ERA5 reanalysis. Scores compare months within Penang, not across destinations. Methodology →