Month by month
| Month | Afternoon | Sea | Rain | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27.3 °C | 21.6 °C | 0 day | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| February | 26.3 °C | 19.8 °C | 0 day | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| March | 25.2 °C | 19.1 °C | 0 day | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| April | 25.2 °C | 19.8 °C | 0 day | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| May | 25.6 °C | 21.9 °C | 0 day | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| June | 27.5 °C | 25.1 °C | 1 day | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| July | 28.7 °C | 27.4 °C | 7 days | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| August | 28.8 °C | 28.2 °C | 15 days | Possible, with trade-offs |
| September | 29.3 °C | 28.5 °C | 12 days | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| October | 30.5 °C | 28.5 °C | 3 days | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| November | 30.4 °C | 27 °C | 0 day | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| December | 28.9 °C | 24.2 °C | 0 day | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
Nearby in May
Before you go
Three things to check once you have picked your dates.
Entry
No visa needed for stays of up to 90 days. Passport valid for at least 6 months. Visa-free up to 3 months; show evidence of return travel and arranged accommodation; yellow fever certificate if arriving from a risk country.
For a British passport, per the UK Foreign Office on 13 May 2026. Rules change: check before booking.
Safety
No specific restrictions
Usual precautions apply.
Official advice updated 13 May 2026
Health
CDC level 2 notice: Polio (global)
Vaccines · typhoid recommended for most travellers; hepatitis A and hepatitis B if you are not already vaccinated; rabies, polio and meningococcal disease depending on activities and areas visited. Routine vaccines up to date (measles in particular).
Yellow fever · Vaccine recommended for the whole country. Certificate required only if you arrive from a country with yellow fever risk.
Malaria · Present. Areas: All. Preventive medication recommended: Atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, tafenoquine — prescribed before departure.
Mosquitoes · dengue and Zika reported: protect yourself from bites.
Per the CDC (page reviewed 25 August 2026); see a travel clinic a few weeks before departure.
Beau Fixe is not a safety or health authority. These notes summarise dated public texts and link to their source: France Diplomatie (Licence Ouverte 2.0), Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (gov.uk, Open Government Licence v3.0), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Source: CDC). Only the competent authorities are authoritative.
FAQ
Can you swim in Dakar in May?
The sea averages 21.9°C in May — swimming is possible but brisk.
How hot is Dakar in May?
Expect 25.6°C in the afternoon and 20.8°C at night, averaged over the last 10 years.
Does it rain a lot in Dakar in May?
Around 0 days with rain (≥ 1 mm) in the month — 1% of days.