the greek goddess maia was a nurturer, a caring mother figure, and associated with bona dea, the roman goddess of fertility, thus giving her name to may, the month of blooming and new beginnings. in the southern hemisphere, the temperature continues dropping as people ready themselves for the arrival of wintry weather. there’s no lack of occasions for one to travel to, so here are the must-do international events in may. 

camel trekking & safari in jordan

with the temperature just right, and plenty of rainfall making wildflowers bloom even in the desert, may is the perfect month to visit jordan. soak in the vast landscapes of the country from the back of a camel, the ‘ships of the desert’. the english word camel comes from the arabic jamal, meaning ‘beauty’, which precisely summarises the charm of such an animal’s elegance. they have been part of how the bedouin people have navigated these lands for centuries. the primary destination for camel riding is the unesco world heritage-listed wadi rum, or the valley of the moon, the largest valley in Jordan surrounded by sandstone, granite and other gorgeous natural rock formations. there are options to spend overnight in the valley so you can sleep to a bright sky of stars overhead. camel tours of petra, an archaeological city crafted from red sandstones and another unesco world heritage site, are also available, and can make for a fantastic day trip from the capital amman. 

where: jordan

when: may 2022

more info here & here

vesak poya celebrations in sri lanka

vesak poya, the full moon day, is an important day for buddhists that commemorates siddhartha gautama’s birth, enlightenment, and passing (parinirvana). the celebration of the buddha’s life reminds followers to live nobly according to his teachings, and to preach love, kindness, and peace for all living things. for sri lankans, the day is especially significant as the buddha is recorded to have visited the religious area of kelaniya in the capital colombo on a vesak poya day. decorations in the form of oil lamps and illuminated multi-layer lanterns known as kudu can be spotted all over the streets and neighbourhoods, and families will visit the local temple to pay their respects. people will help others in need and perform acts of kindness, and some will even set up dansal stalls will hand out free meals, snacks and drinks to passers-by. mingle with the locals, visit temples, admire the decorations and remember the positive message of the buddha. 

where: sri lanka

when: may 15 2022

more info here

fiesta de la cruz in bolivia

celebrated throughout spain and latin america, the fiesta de la cruz celebrates the crucifixion. processions large and small travel through the winding alleyways of towns and cities, with flowers tied to giant crosses and costumed dancers. musical bands accompany the dances and corsos. believers visit the church for mass, and families share food with one another. the village of copacabana, near the capital la paz, is known for elaborate celebrations, and the city of santa cruz de la sierra and town of vallegrande are also notable destinations to visit for fiesta de la cruz. each location has slightly different activities, from mask nights, water fights and children’s parades. 

where: bolivia

when: may 3 2022

more info here

various festivals, china

macau is a beguiling, diverse and spellbinding city. its cultural diversity and heritage can be discovered in the month of may through small-scale festivals with origins from different nations and religious beliefs. the first week of may is a-ma festival, which is held at the a-ma temple built in 1488 and commemorates the chinese sea goddess a-ma who protects sailors, fisherman and seafarers. the goddess is known by numerous different names in chinese and english and is one of the most revered deities in fujian province, taiwan, and amongst older diaspora communities. the famous tin hau temple in hong kong, kuala lumpur’s thean hou temple and melbourne’s heavenly queen temple are all dedicated to her, but the one in macau is one of the oldest surviving in the world. 

in mid-may, mass and the procession of our lady of fátima is held at the st. dominic’s church, which commemorates the miracle of the sun in portugal in 1917. the month then ends with the feast of the drunken dragon, celebrated by fishermen who parade from kuan tai temple to the harbour, to honour a man who defeated an evil dragon through drinking alcohol, and the tam kong festival, which celebrates the taoist child god tam kong with cantonese opera and dragon dances. 

where: macau

when: various dates throughout may

more info here

hamamatsu festival in japan

each year in early may, the residents of hamamatsu hold kite-flying battles and parade with ‘palace’ floats to celebrate the births of newborns. the festival dates back to over four centuries ago when kites were flown for the birth of yoshihiro, the first son of the prince of hamamatsu castle. during these three days, the usually quiet city of 700,000 people can balloon to 1.5 million as visitors around the country gather for the quirky festival. during the day, kites with the names of newborn baby boys are flown, with teams from different districts of the city competing against one another. To win, you must cut the opponent’s kite string with friction. visitors can watch battles between up to 100 kites and can fly your own in the skies nearby. at nighttime, the modern downtown streets come alive with floats with carved roofs called ‘palaces’ moving along to the beating of bells and drums.