Going on vacation to Turkey, any traveler seeks to get to a resort with warm weather conditions. Heavy rains and cold seas can be a real problem that can overshadow any trip. As a rule, the Mediterranean Sea in Turkey opens its bathing season in May, when the water warms up to warm temperatures. However, each city has its own average thermometer values, so we decided to prepare for you a detailed description of the weather in the most popular resorts of the country.
Here we will look at such famous places as Antalya, Alanya, Kemer, Marmaris and Bodrum and at the end of the article we will summarize the results of our small research. Where is the warmest sea in Turkey in May?
Antalya
If you are not sure whether it is possible to swim in Turkey in May, in particular in Antalya, then we hasten to dispel all your doubts: during this period, the temperature values at the resort, although not ideal, are quite comfortable for organizing a beach holiday. But keep in mind that the weather at the beginning of the month is not as warm as at the end. So, in the first days of May, Antalya will welcome you with a temperature of 23 °C, and will often please you with a thermometer mark of 26°C. At night, it becomes much cooler: the air cools down to 17°C. The difference between the day and night norm varies in the range of 5-6°C. The sea in early May in Antalya is still not quite warm, and its average temperature is 20°C.
But closer to summer, the water is actively warmed up by the sun’s rays to 23 °C, and you can swim with pleasure. At this time, the air becomes favorable for rest, and the average values of the thermometer column are kept at around 27 °C during the day (max. 30 °C) and 19 °C after sunset. In general, May is quite a sunny, dry month: after all, the number of cloudy days in this period is only three, and the remaining 28 days you can enjoy pleasant weather. Precipitation in May is 21.0 mm.
If you are looking for a resort in Turkey with a warm sea in May, then Antalya can be quite a worthy city for your holiday.
| Period | Day | Night | Water | Number of sunny days | Number of rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May | 25,2 °C | 16,2°C | 21,4°C | 28 | 2 (21.0 mm) |
On a note! which Antalya beach to choose for your holiday, see here.
Alanya
If you are looking for a resort in Turkey where you can swim in May, then we recommend that you consider such an option as Alanya. Already in the early days it is quite warm, the thermometer stays within 23 °C during the day and 18 °C at night. The maximum daily values during this period can reach 25.8°C. On average, the difference between the temperature during the day and at night is 5°C. The sea water in Alanya is quite cool in the first days of the month, and its temperature values range from 19-20°C. At this time, you can swim here, but this water is not quite suitable for children. However, from the middle of the month, weather conditions begin to change for the better.
So, at the end of May in Alanya, the sun warms up the air to about 25 °C during the day (max. 27.8 °C) and up to 21 °C at night. At the same time, sea waters show indicators up to 22.5 °C, which allows tourists to swim with great comfort in warm water. May in Alanya is characterized by a practical absence of showers: 29-30 days will please you with clear weather, and only 1-2 days can rain. The average precipitation here is 18 mm. Such data allow us to conclude that in May you can swim in Turkey, and the resort of Alanya is a vivid confirmation of this.
| Period | Day | Night | Water | Number of sunny days | Number of rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May | 24 °C | 20°C | 21,5°C | 29 | 1 (18.0 mm) |
The sights of the city Alanya are described here.
Kemer
If you are looking for information about where the sea is warmer in Turkey in May, then it will be useful to read the following information. Kemer is an equally popular Turkish city, but its temperature indicators have some differences from the coefficients of the cities described above. At the beginning of May, it is cool here, the average air temperature does not exceed 21.5 °C during the day and 13 °C at night. At this time, the sea warms up in Kemer only to 19 °C, so it’s still too early to swim here, although some tourists are quite happy with such conditions. For an overview of Kemer’s beaches, see this page.
At the end of May, the weather in Kemer improves significantly. The average daytime temperature is 25 °C, and the night temperature is 13 °C. The maximum daytime temperatures here reach 28 °C. The water can warm up to 22 °C, so swimming here becomes more comfortable. May at the resort pleases tourists with an abundance of sunny days, but cloudy and rainy weather is not uncommon. So, heavy rains can go here for about 4 days, and the amount of precipitation sometimes reaches 42.3 mm.
Thus, we can not say that Kemer has the warmest sea in May, so we suggest that you consider other resorts in Turkey.
| Period | Day | Night | Water | Number of sunny days | Number of rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May | 23,7 °C | 13,6°C | 21,3°C | 28 | 4 (42.3 mm) |
Marmaris
If you are already planning to go on vacation to Turkey in May, then such a factor as the weather will be key to the success of your vacation. One of the most frequently visited Turkish resorts in Marmaris is characterized by fairly warm temperatures in late spring. However, there is a big difference between the weather indicators at the beginning and at the end of the month. So, the first half of May is not uniform here: the daytime temperature averages 22 °C, and at night the air cools down to 16 °C. At the beginning of the month, swimming in Marmaris is not as pleasant as at the end, as the sea warms up to only 18.5-19 °C. But the situation changes significantly in the second half of May.
So, the average air temperature during the day rises to 25 °C, and sometimes it can reach 32 °C. Nights turn warm (17-18°C), and the sea warms up to 21 °C. And although swimming at this water temperature is still not quite comfortable, many tourists are quite satisfied with their rest on the beach. May in Marmaris is quite sunny, although cloudy and cloudy days also occur here.
On average, the resort has 3-5 rainy days per month, during which up to 29.8 mm of precipitation falls. If you are going to visit Marmaris in Turkey in May, we recommend that you plan your vacation at the end of the month, when the sea temperature rises significantly, and you can enjoy swimming.
| Period | Day | Night | Water | Number of sunny days | Number of rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May | 24,9 °C | 15,6°C | 20,4 °C | 28 | 3 (29.8 mm) |
Bodrum
When going on vacation to Turkey in May, it is important to find out in advance what kind of weather and sea temperature will be waiting for you at a particular resort. If your choice fell on Bodrum, then you can count on favorable weather conditions. Even in early May, there is a very comfortable air temperature, which averages 21°C during the day and 17.5 °C at night. However, the sea is still cool (19°C), so if you expect to swim in warm water, then the beginning of the month will not suit you for a trip. But in the second half of May, the weather in Bodrum improves significantly and the rest on the beaches becomes more comfortable.
So, the average values of the thermometer during the day fluctuate within 26 °C, and the maximum temperature reaches 28°C. At night, the air is cooled to 18 °C. By the very end of spring, the water in the sea warms up to 21 °C, and swimming in it becomes more pleasant. 90% of May in Bodrum is sunny, while the remaining 10% is overcast and cloudy. On average, only 1-2 days out of 31 can be rainy, and the amount of precipitation will not exceed 14.3 mm.
If you are looking for a Turkish resort where the sea is warmest at the end of May and you can swim comfortably, then Bodrum will not suit you. At the same time, for sightseeing in the city, this weather can be said to be ideal.
| Period | Day | Night | Water | Number of sunny days | Number of rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May | 23,4 °C | 18,8°C | 20,2 °C | 27 | 1 (14.3 mm) |
Where is the warmest weather?
Now, based on the results of our small study, we can accurately answer the question of where it is best to go to Turkey in May. So, Antalya and Alanya became the cities with more favorable weather conditions. It is in these resorts that the warmest sea and air, in which it is quite comfortable to swim. It also gets the least precipitation during the month. Although Kemer is almost equal to Antalya and Alanya in terms of temperature, the number of rainy days pushes this resort only to third place. Well, Bodrum and Marmaris, located on the shores of the Aegean Sea, show the lowest water temperature indicators, so they occupy a place only at the end of our list.
In general, we can’t say that May is the perfect month to visit Turkey. The season is just opening, the weather is not as hot as we would like, and you can catch bad weather. And if the warm sea is above all else for you, then it is more logical to come to the country in mid-June or early September, when the water is already well warmed up, and the air is not as hot as in July and August.
But this month has not only disadvantages, but also advantages.
- First, during this period, hotels set pleasant prices, and you have the opportunity to relax in a fairly high-quality hotel for a favorable price.
- Secondly, May is a sunny month when you can get a beautiful tan without languishing on a stuffy beach under the scorching rays. And swimming is also acceptable at encouraging temperatures of 20-22 °C.
- Third, at this time, the best weather is observed for visiting attractions: the sun is not scorching, and rain is rare.
If you are the type of tourist who does not overestimate their expectations, but is ready to enjoy the warm weather and cool salt waters, then the sea in Turkey in May will really please you.
