Good deals for May travels. Where is the weather good, the crowds have not yet materialized and the prices are decent? The eternal questions asked by all the travelers. No one wants to be surrounded by throngs of tourists, which is why I always recommend travelling before or after the season.
I do most of my own travelling in the spring and fall, regardless of the destination, because it is not as crowded. In the summer and winter, the resorts in both hemispheres are filled with tourists as this is the time of school holidays.
May is the ideal month to travel. In Europe and the US it is when the real, warm spring kicks in full of colors and life awakening. At the same time, the southern hemisphere enjoys a fall replete with colors and fruits. The world offers many destinations. What follows is a selection of those that are most affordable and accessible. Below are my recommendations for May destinations.
Yucatan, Mexico
The infamous spring break, when hordes of drunken Americans tour Mexico, is over. The hurricane season does not start for another two months, which makes this peninsula ideal for a vacation. Yucatan has it all. From Cancun, which is one of the world’s best organized and most popular summer resorts, to the phenomenally interesting archeological sites of the mystical Mayan culture that we know so little about. Chichen Itza, Tulum, Uxmal, Ek Balam and Calakmul are places where one should try to understand with awe the culture which was at one point in human history perhaps the most powerful one in the world. Besides Cancun, the coast also offers Playa del Carmen, the heavenly island of Cozumel, and a series of smaller towns all connected by a white sand beach on the coast of the ever warm Caribbean sea.
Dominican Republic
Flat rate tourism in an all inclusive hotel? Dominican Republic is a paradise and the first choice for guests looking for precisely that. Gorgeous white beaches and hotels owned by European companies that at this time of year always offer special discounts, so it’s best to look at the offers by German travel agencies that have package deals with charters from Munich, Frankfurt or Vienna on a daily basis. The best choice is Punta Cana. The new airport and roads contribute to the efficiency of the infrastructure. So a quick trip there, a quick vacation and a quick trip back. As the island does not offer anything particularly interesting, you need not waste time on excursions, except maybe to the capital, Santo Domingo.
Greece
This is your last opportunity to look for good deals in May, before the summer crowds, from the agencies organizing charters from Ljubljana or Belgrade. Since Croats don’t travel much in the summer, there are no charters from Zagreb, except for those few attempts that have failed because these package deals are simply not in high demand. May offers lovely weather without rain, with rising temperatures, and the wind not yet as strong or unpleasant as it can be in the summer, so this month is ideal to visit Greece. A month from now, the prices will already hike up. May is also the best time to visit Athens and the many archeological sites and museums before the summer crowds and hours of queuing up in the sun.
Istanbul and Turkey
May in Istanbul is not as hot as the summer and is the best time to do some sightseeing. If you wish to go for a swim, the Turkish resorts around Bodrum or Antalya are south enough for swimming. It is also a good time for a few days’ excursion to Cappadocia, located in the central part of the peninsula. Istanbul also offers lower prices this time of year. Since the 2016 devaluation of the Turkish lira, food and beverages come at more affordable prices. Turkey is one of the top destinations when it comes to best value for money. What type of vacation you are going to opt for is entirely up to you. My recommendation for all would be a couple of days of Istanbul, then Cappadocia by bus or plane, and finally a few days’ rest on the Turkish Riviera.
Cairo and Egypt
Tourism is making a great comeback in Egypt. All of the major hotel companies are opening new hotels and resorts in Cairo, around Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh. This is indicative because money does not go where the problems are. Money seeks solutions, not problems, which means Egypt is well on its way to stabilization. Egypt is home to approximately 30% of all of the most important archeological sites in the world. So the pyramids, the Egyptian Museum and Karnak are all a must see. In addition to these shortlisted attractions, there are hundreds of smaller interesting localities. The terrorist threat may be present, but isn’t it the same in every major European city? Unfortunately, more people have been killed in London, Paris and Madrid than in Egypt.
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