Things to Do in Guatemala in May
May weather, activities, events & insider tips
May Weather in Guatemala
Is May Right for You?
Advantages
- May sits right at the start of the rainy season, which means the highlands are brilliantly green and the dust that chokes Antigua and Guatemala City from February through April has finally cleared. The landscape actually looks alive again, and photographers get those dramatic cloud formations over the volcanoes without dealing with the heavier rains that come in June and July.
- Tourist crowds drop significantly after Easter week ends in April. You'll have Tikal and Semuc Champey largely to yourselves on weekdays, and accommodation prices in Antigua and Lake Atitlan fall by 20-30% compared to the March-April peak. Hotels that were fully booked in high season suddenly have availability, often with walk-in discounts.
- The rainy season pattern is predictable and manageable in May - showers typically hit between 2pm and 5pm, last 30-60 minutes, then clear up. You can plan your entire day around this: hike or explore in the mornings, have a long lunch during the downpour, then enjoy clear evenings. It's not the all-day soaking you might imagine.
- May marks mango season across Guatemala, and you'll find street vendors selling fresh-cut mangos with lime and chili on every corner for Q5-10 (about $0.65-1.30 USD). Markets are also overflowing with rambutans, lychees, and other tropical fruits that aren't available during the dry season. The food scene is genuinely better this month.
Considerations
- Some remote roads, particularly in Peten and Alta Verapaz, start getting muddy and occasionally impassable after heavy afternoon rains. The drive from Coban to Semuc Champey can add an extra hour to your journey, and a few jungle lodges near Tikal become harder to reach. If your itinerary depends on tight connections in rural areas, build in buffer time.
- The afternoon rain pattern means you're racing against the clock for outdoor activities. That volcano hike needs to start by 5am or 6am to summit and descend before clouds roll in around noon. It's doable but requires early wake-ups, which doesn't suit everyone's travel style. Sunset viewpoints are often socked in by clouds.
- Humidity sits around 70% most days, and it feels noticeably muggy, especially in the lowlands around Tikal and Rio Dulce. Your clothes take forever to dry, cameras fog up when moving between air-conditioned spaces and outdoors, and you'll be changing shirts twice a day. It's the kind of sticky heat that wears on you after a week or two.
Best Activities in May
Tikal Archaeological Site Sunrise Tours
May is actually ideal for Tikal because the morning fog burns off to reveal those iconic temple views, but you're there before the heat becomes oppressive and before afternoon rains arrive. The jungle is lush and green, wildlife is active in the early morning coolness, and you'll share the site with maybe 30-40 other people instead of the 200+ who show up during high season. The humidity makes the jungle feel properly atmospheric rather than dusty. Start your tour by 5:30am to catch sunrise from Temple IV around 6:15am, explore the Great Plaza and other complexes until noon, then head back before the 2pm rains.
Lake Atitlan Kayaking and Village Visits
The lake is calm most mornings in May, with afternoon winds and rain not picking up until 1pm or 2pm. This gives you a solid 4-5 hour window for kayaking between villages, which is plenty of time to paddle from Panajachel to San Marcos or Santa Cruz (about 5-7 km or 3-4.3 miles each way). The water level is perfect - not too high from heavy rains yet, and the surrounding volcanoes have that fresh green look. Locals are less busy with tourists, so village visits feel more authentic. You'll actually get to chat with weavers and coffee farmers rather than being rushed through.
Antigua Colonial Architecture Walking Tours
May weather is perfect for exploring Antigua on foot - mornings are warm but not scorching (around 22-24°C or 72-75°F), and you can duck into churches, museums, and cafes when the afternoon rain hits. The city looks stunning after rain showers wash the streets clean, and the volcanoes surrounding the city are visible on clear mornings before clouds roll in. This is also when jacaranda trees bloom purple throughout the city, creating incredible photo opportunities. Plan your walking for 8am-1pm, take a 2-hour lunch break during the rain, then explore indoor sites like museums and chocolate workshops from 3pm-6pm.
Acatenango Volcano Overnight Camping Treks
This is actually one of the best months for Acatenango if you're willing to gamble on weather. The rainy season means fewer trekkers (groups of 8-10 instead of 30+), and when you do get clear views of erupting Fuego volcano at night, you have the spectacle largely to yourself. The challenge is that summit views are only clear about 40-50% of nights in May, but operators know this and price accordingly. The hike itself is more pleasant in cooler, cloudy conditions - the exposed upper section at 3,500-3,976 m (11,483-13,045 ft) is brutal in hot sun. If clouds block your view, the experience of camping at high altitude with periodic Fuego eruptions echoing through the mist is still memorable.
Semuc Champey Natural Pools Swimming
May is the sweet spot for Semuc Champey - there's enough water flow to make the turquoise pools dramatic and swimmable, but not so much rainfall yet that the water turns muddy (that happens more in July-August). The jungle surrounding the pools is incredibly lush and green, and the cooler, overcast weather actually makes the 45-minute uphill hike to the viewpoint more bearable than the scorching dry season heat. Afternoon rains usually hold off until 3pm-4pm, giving you a solid morning for swimming and exploring. The water temperature sits around 22-24°C (72-75°F), which feels refreshing in the humid air.
Rio Dulce Jungle River Boat Tours
The Rio Dulce region is humid and rainy in May, but that's exactly when the jungle looks its best - thick, green, and teeming with birds and wildlife. Boat tours up the river from Livingston to Rio Dulce town are stunning in the morning when mist hangs over the water and howler monkeys are most active. The afternoon rain pattern works in your favor here since you're already on the water and can shelter under the boat canopy. Water levels are good for accessing side channels and hot springs. The Caribbean vibe in Livingston is more relaxed with fewer cruise ship tourists crowding the town.
May Events & Festivals
Corpus Christi Celebrations in Patzun
This elaborate Catholic festival typically falls in late May or early June (60 days after Easter, so in 2026 it lands on June 4, just missing May). However, many towns including Patzun start preparations and smaller celebrations in the final week of May with traditional dances, elaborate sawdust carpets on streets, and processions. If you're in Guatemala in late May, worth checking if preliminary celebrations have started in highland towns.