What's the weather like in Port El Kantaoui in May
Temperature
May is the first month to enjoy average temperatures of 20 °C, making it one of the warmer months directly after the winter to visit Port el Kantaoui. Unfortunately the cut-price travel deals tend to dry up around this time and the crowds start to build up slowly around the Port. However, May is a great time to visit if you're not a fan of scorching temperatures and truly bustling crowds and just want reasonably hot and dry weather.
To dig further into the details, May starts off with a comfortable daily average temperature of 18.5°C, gently easing to 20.5°C midway through the month, before climbing again to 22.8°C. This demonstrates a gentle ascent into the hotter summer months, making the latter part of May more desirable.
May's daytimes highs are a comfortably warm 22°C, with night-time averages bringing minimum temperatures down to around 15°C. Highs of 22°C mean that you can make the most of the local beaches but we'd still advise packing some warmer evening wear.
Winding back the clocks for a moment, the highest recent temperature in May reached 39°C on 31 May 1994, with a lowest recorded temperature of 9°C on 6 May 1987. Naturally, these figures are far from your 'ever day' temperatures in May, so don't panic too much.
Rain
May fairs very respectfully in terms of rain, with just 5 days of rain fall to be expected over the month. Throughout May, Port el Kantaoui is subject to an average of 17 mm (0.7 inches) of rainfall.
Average Sunshine Hours
As things gently warm up after the winter, May reaps the rewards in terms of sunshine, with twelve hours of sun, making a day trip to nearby Hammamet or Sousse and back a real possibility.
Humidity
May's average daily relative humidity stand at 69%, easing off after January, which is the most humid month of the year at 74%. A humidity level of 69% means things can still feel fairly close but the Port el Kantaoui's love affair with air-conditioning offers welcome respite.
Wind
Taking a look at windspeeds, May comes in at 17 km/h, equivalent to about 10 mph, or 9 knots (classed as a 'gentle breeze' on the Beaufort wind force scale). Overall, the maximum sustained wind speed in recent years has reached 74 km/h, that's equivalent to roughly 46 mph, or 40 knots (classed as a storm or a 'gale' on the Beaufort wind force scale).
Average Sea Temperature
With an average sea temperature of around 20°C there's little room for excuses when it comes to taking a plunge into the Ports seas. Be sure to pack your swimming gear!
Port El Kantaoui Hotels in May
The Daphne Club Miramar in Port el Kantaoui is located 900m from the beach. To make your stay more comfortable a mini market, air conditioning, a lobby, a reception, a kiosk, a lounge, shops, a conference room and a hairdresser are available. A playground and an entertainment program for children are also on offer. Notably, the staff in this hotel speak German, English, French and Arabic.
It's one of the newer hotels in the region, but Scheherazade Hotel in Sousse is certainly one of the most well appointed. It holds many of the amenities you'd expect from a Tunisian hotel, from a picturesque pool, versatile restaurant to comfortable bedrooms. This is an establishment which has been recently renovated and it shows, with all of the facilities completely top of the range.
Port El Kantaoui Beach in May
May is the first genuine month to offer cast-iron beach weather, with a consistent average temperature of 20°C and matching sea temperature, it really is time to dig out the swimming gear.
Why not look beyond the Ports beach and head to nearby Hammamet' beach. Hammamet is well known for its range of water sports facilities, with catamarans, pedaloes, water-skiing, windsurfing and snorkelling. All of these services are available for booking on the beach itself, so be prepared to haggle yourself a good deal.
You can take part in shore-based diving off the Tunisian coast. Highlights include the World War II wreck lying off the coast of Hammamet, the vibrantly colourful sea life in Hergla, the underwater archaeological sites in Mahdia, the hidden caves around Djerba, and the grouper fish near Port El Kantaoui. There is also a small diving centre at the Port, called Sdanek Club, it's situated by the dry dock at the entrance to the Marina.
Bars and Restaurants
Caracas is one of the better places to dine out in Sousse. It attracts trendy young Tunisians and was built to resemble traits of Latin America. It's a modern restaurant with Arab language music videos played through the wall mounted televisions. The menu is far ranging, offering deli sandwiches, pizza and other western favourites mixed in with some more traditional Tunisian flavours.
Planet Food offers the archetypal American experience, this Planet Hollywood imitator is far from your traditional Tunisian affair. Movie posters to the press-shots of famous actors line the walls, however surprisingly it's Tunisians that flock to it. Expect pizzas, hamburgers, fish, chicken, salads etc.
Café Seles in Sousse is located about 50 meters from the West Gate in the Medina. The restaurant is owned and run by the charismatic, friendly, kind and helpful Sami. However, we're told that the secret behind the popular food is his wife Fuzia.
Things to do in Port El Kantaoui in May
With all those hours of sunshine it'd be a crime not to take 15 minute trip down to Sousse, Tunisia's third largest city. It's only a mere 15 minutes away, so it's definitely worth the trip. Experience some history by visiting The Sousse Ribat, which is one of the few buildings constructed adjacent the coast to fend off Christians. It was built towards the end of the 7th century, construction began AD787 before being completed in AD281.
Its architectural style is reminiscent of the Byzantines who preceded the Arab conquerors on African soil. Features including a watch tower were added by Emir Ziyadet Allah I of the Aghlabid dynasty in 821. Ribat is 30 metres square and was constructed to accommodate 50 men. It was restored in 1722 and turned into a koranic school, before further restoration in the 1950's.
Whilst in Sousse we recommend escaping the heat by exploring the Catacombs. These underground passages contain 240 galleries with 15,000 graves spread over 3 miles. However just 40 metres of the tombs are open to the public. They were active during the 2nd and 4th centuries AD.
If you're intent on making the most of your holiday and seeing everything why not embark on a two day mini safari. This trip consists of a trip to El Jem Matmata Tozeur and an optional camel ride.
