The best destinations to book in May

May is shoulder season for many European destinations, a time when temperatures begin to climb but the prices haven’t caught up. Now’s the time to catch some early sun in southern Europe or the Indian Ocean, or stay closer to home to see spring in all its glory in the UK. Here are some ideas if you’re planning a holiday in May.

France

If you’ve fancied a boating holiday in France but couldn’t face the thought of navigating the locks, try this week-long self-drive break with Nicols. You start in Bellegarde in the Languedoc side of the Camargue and lazily make your way along the lock-free Canal du Rhône à Sète as far west as you can go before you head back. Stop in the pretty walled town of Aigues-Mortes before carrying on to one of France’s loveliest and buzziest ports, Sète. A week’s boat hire costs from €1,520, down from €1,900, aboard a six-person Nicols 1010 boat. Tuition is included, but fuel is extra. The nearest airport is Nîmes.

Mauritius

Balmy without being blazingly hot, Mauritius is particularly appealing in May. At Veranda Tamarin Hotel & Spa, you’ll have the soft sands of Tamarin Beach just outside your door and a lush backdrop of thickly forested mountains, along with surfing and diving schools. Watch spectacular sunsets from the pool and cocktail bar after a session in the spa. Mercury Holidays has a six-night all-inclusive break from £1,174pp, including flights.

Chamarel Waterfalls, Mauritius

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Sicily

You’ll have all of the beautiful baroque towns of south-east Sicily within driving distance – Modica, Ragusa, Noto, Siracusa, Scicli – when you stay at Agriturismo Il Granaio. When you’re not exploring the Val di Noto or swimming in the pool, you can feast on the farm’s homegrown produce. If you’re there from 13-15 May, you can watch the colourful spectacle of Noto’s Flower Festival. Sunvil has a week’s stay from £849pp, including flights, breakfast and car hire, departing 13 May.

Isle of Wight

Surround yourself with acres of gardens and lawns, yet have the coastal footpath and the sea within a short distance when you book The Wing at Puckaster House. This two-bedroom wing of a historic house is a mile from Castlehaven Beach on the Isle of Wight’s south coast and 15 minutes’ drive from Ventnor. Available through Island Cottage Holidays, it costs £510 for a week from 13 May, and is easily reached from Portsmouth with Wightlink ferries.

Shanklin, Isle of Wight

(Getty Images)

Croatia

Things are already warming up in Dubrovnik, but the tourist season hasn’t quite hit its stride yet. In May you can enjoy the more relaxed atmosphere of the walled Old Town and day trips to the nearby Elaphiti islands. Completely Croatia has a week’s stay at the Hotel More, which sits in an enviable position on Lapad Bay, only a short bus ride away from the Old Town. Catch the sunset from its outdoor pool before having a drink in its cool underground Cave Bar. A week in a sea-view balcony room costs from £920pp and includes flights, transfers and breakfast. The price applies to departures from 8 to 24 May.

Wales

The gently rolling hills of mid-Wales will be in full May bloom, which you can savour from the cosy comfort of Ty Canalog. This three-bedroom 19th-century stone cottage near Builth Wells overlooks the River Edw, giving you a front-row seat on riverside life from the sheltered garden. Five nights’ rental with Sugar & Loaf costs £554 from 14 May, and dogs are welcome at an extra £20 each per week.

Mary Novakovich is editor at large at 101holidays.co.uk.