Zanzibar weather in May
Zanzibar in May averages 26°C (80°F), 161 mm of rain and 6.7 hours of sun a day. It is one of the wetter months of the year here.
Of the twelve months in Zanzibar, May is the fifth coldest, the third wettest and the second dullest.
- Average temp
- 26°C (80°F)
22–31°C · 72–87°F
- Rainfall
- 161 mm
A wet month
- Sunshine
- 6.7 h
hours per day
What is Zanzibar like in May?
Daytime
Days are warm, typically in the mid-20s°C or above.
Rain
Expect frequent rain — this is a wet month.
Evening
Evenings stay warm.
What should I pack for Zanzibar in May?
High-factor sun cream
With daytime highs around 31°C, burn time is short even in shade.
Sunglasses and a brimmed hat
Midday glare is the part people underpack for, not the heat itself.
Loose cotton or linen
Synthetics stop working once you are sweating through them all day.
A refillable water bottle
Daily highs this warm need roughly double the water a temperate day does.
A proper waterproof, not a folding umbrella
161 mm in the month usually arrives as heavy bursts that an umbrella will not cover.
A dry bag for phone and documents
Worth it for one downpour caught between the taxi and the door.
May compared with April and June
May in Zanzibar is 1°C cooler than April and 104 mm drier than it, which averages 27°C (81°F).
May in Zanzibar is 1.2°C warmer than June and 125 mm wetter than it, which averages 25°C (77°F).
Daylight in Zanzibar in May
On 15 May the sun is up for 11 hours 50 minutes in Zanzibar, rising about 06:24 and setting about 18:14 local time.
That is 39 minutes short of December, the longest-lit month here.
Where to stay in Zanzibar
Dates are a starting point for May.
Travel guides for Zanzibar
What to read before you book.
Zanzibar weather by month
TemperatureRainfall
How May compares with the rest of the year
May is highlighted. Every other month links to its own page.
| Month | Average | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|
| January | 29°C / 84°F | 43 mm |
| February | 29°C / 84°F | 76 mm |
| March | 28°C / 83°F | 176 mm |
| April | 27°C / 81°F | 266 mm |
| May | 26°C / 80°F | 161 mm |
| June | 25°C / 77°F | 36 mm |
| July | 25°C / 76°F | 18 mm |
| August | 25°C / 77°F | 21 mm |
| September | 26°C / 78°F | 21 mm |
| October | 27°C / 80°F | 74 mm |
| November | 28°C / 82°F | 127 mm |
| December | 29°C / 83°F | 124 mm |
Check another month
This is the month you are reading. Change either side to look at another.
FAQs about Zanzibar in May
May climate averages for Zanzibar, 1991–2020.
Zanzibar averages 26°C (80°F) in May, ranging from about 22°C (72°F) at night to 31°C (87°F) in the afternoon. That is a 1991–2020 average, so an individual week can run either side of it.
Yes, a lot. May brings about 161 mm, which makes it one of the wetter months here — expect heavy bursts rather than all-day drizzle.
Yes. May averages 26°C (80°F) against 25°C (77°F) in June — 1.2°C warmer.
May is 1°C cooler than April, and 104 mm drier.
It is outside the easiest window. The most comfortable stretch here is June to October; May sits outside it, which usually means more heat, more rain, or both — worth it if you would rather have the place to yourself.
About 6.7 hours of sun a day on the 1991–2020 average.
This page does not show today's weather. It is a 1991–2020 climate normal from Meteostat — a long-run average of what May is usually like, which is what you want when booking months ahead. For today or the coming week, check a live forecast.
About 11 hours 50 minutes of daylight in mid-May, against 12 hours 29 minutes in December and 11 hours 46 minutes in June.
On 15 May, sunrise is about 06:24 and sunset about 18:14 local time. Both shift across the month.
