What to learn in May
96 things are at their best in May, across 48 countries: Nepal, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Egypt and others. They cover still, wild, taste, make, move, speak and play, typically 1 to 730 days. Prices run free to $11,000, with most starting nearer $700. Cheapest of the set: ten-day vipassana in Kathmandu, Nepal, from free.
- Options
- 96
- From
- free
- Typical length
- 10 days
- Certified
- 32 of 96
88 cities
median $700
1–730 day range
end with a named qualification
All 96, cheapest first
Wellness & Spiritual
Ten-day Vipassana
Kathmandu, Nepal
10 days · $0 – $120
Best Sep-May
Traditional & Survival
Tea ceremony and ikebana
Kyoto, Japan
1–5 days · $250 – $600
Best Year-round
Culinary
Nyonya and hawker cooking
Penang, Malaysia
1–14 days · $250 – $600
Best Year-round
Craft & Artisan
Tailoring and pattern-making
Hoi An, Vietnam
2–30 days · $250 – $700
Best Feb-May
Water & Sailing
Advanced diver and Nitrox
Dahab, Egypt
3–10 days · $300 – $600
Best Oct-May
Craft & Artisan
Batik and gamelan
Yogyakarta, Indonesia
3–30 days · $300 – $800
Best May-Sep
Art, Design & Media
Azulejo tile painting
Lisbon, Portugal
1–21 days · $300 – $800
Best Year-round
Water & Sailing
PADI Open Water certification
Utila, Honduras
3–7 days · $300 – $480
Best Mar-Sep
Water & Sailing
Freediving fundamentals
Gili Trawangan, Indonesia
2–8 days · $320 – $560
Best Apr-Oct
Water & Sailing
PADI Open Water certification
Koh Tao, Thailand
3–7 days · $320 – $450
Best Feb-Sep
Culinary
Georgian cooking and the supra
Tbilisi, Georgia
2–10 days · $350 – $800
Best Apr-Oct
Wellness & Spiritual
Traditional Thai massage certification
Chiang Mai, Thailand
5–60 days · $350 – $900
Best Year-round
Wellness & Spiritual
Seven-day silent retreat
Koh Phangan, Thailand
5–14 days · $350 – $900
Best Year-round
Art, Design & Media
Ebru marbling and Islamic calligraphy
Istanbul, Turkey
2–90 days · $350 – $900
Best Apr-Jun, Sep-Nov
Language
Spanish survival week
Oaxaca, Mexico
5–21 days · $350 – $750
Best Year-round
Water & Sailing
Freediving to 30m
Panglao, Philippines
3–14 days · $380 – $750
Best Nov-May
Wellness & Spiritual
Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and meditation
Dharamshala, India
10–120 days · $400 – $1,000
Best Mar-Jun, Sep-Nov
Craft & Artisan
Kintsugi and ceramic repair
Kyoto, Japan
2–21 days · $400 – $1,200
Best Year-round
Art, Design & Media
Mokuhanga woodblock printing
Kyoto, Japan
2–10 days · $400 – $900
Best Mar-Nov
Art, Design & Media
Thangka painting
Kathmandu, Nepal
7–180 days · $400 – $1,000
Best Mar-May, Sep-Nov
Culinary
Korean temple cuisine
Baekyangsa, South Korea
2–14 days · $400 – $900
Best Mar-Nov
Culinary
Baklava and Anatolian cooking
Gaziantep, Turkey
2–10 days · $400 – $900
Best Mar-Jun, Sep-Nov
Craft & Artisan
Silversmithing
Taxco, Mexico
3–21 days · $400 – $900
Best Oct-May
Adventure & Outdoor
Andean mountaineering
Huayna Potosi, Bolivia
3–21 days · $400 – $900
Best May-Sep
Craft & Artisan
Andean weaving and natural dyes
Chinchero, Peru
2–30 days · $400 – $1,000
Best Apr-Oct
Water & Sailing
Kitesurfing from scratch
Essaouira, Morocco
4–14 days · $450 – $900
Best Apr-Sep
Craft & Artisan
Blacksmithing weekend
Hereford, United Kingdom
2–5 days · $450 – $900
Best Year-round
Water & Sailing
Freediving at the Blue Hole
Dahab, Egypt
4–60 days · $500 – $1,100
Best Oct-May
Craft & Artisan
Porcelain
Jingdezhen, China
4–30 days · $500 – $1,200
Best Mar-Jun, Sep-Nov
Wellness & Spiritual
Zen practice and temple stay
Koyasan, Japan
2–30 days · $500 – $1,400
Best Apr-Nov
Music & Dance
K-pop dance intensive
Seoul, South Korea
3–60 days · $500 – $1,500
Best Year-round
Craft & Artisan
Silk ikat weaving and suzani embroidery
Bukhara, Uzbekistan
3–30 days · $500 – $1,100
Best Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct
Art, Design & Media
Delftware ceramic painting
Delft, Netherlands
1–14 days · $500 – $1,100
Best Year-round
Craft & Artisan
Wheel-throwing pottery
Caldas da Rainha, Portugal
3–14 days · $500 – $1,000
Best Year-round
Culinary
Sourdough and bread baking
San Francisco, United States
1–7 days · $500 – $1,100
Best Year-round
Farm, Food & Drink
Coffee growing and cupping
Salento, Colombia
3–30 days · $500 – $1,300
Best Sep-Dec, Apr-Jun
Art, Design & Media
Analogue photography and darkroom
Amsterdam, Netherlands
3–10 days · $550 – $1,100
Best Year-round
Craft & Artisan
Zellige tilework and leather tanning
Fez, Morocco
3–45 days · $600 – $1,500
Best Mar-May, Sep-Nov
Water & Sailing
Surfing from scratch
Canggu, Bali, Indonesia
5–60 days · $600 – $1,400
Best Apr-Oct
Craft & Artisan
Bladesmithing and knife finishing
Seki, Japan
2–7 days · $600 – $1,300
Best Mar-Nov
Water & Sailing
Wreck diving specialty
Coron, Philippines
4–30 days · $600 – $1,300
Best Nov-May
Water & Sailing
Windsurfing and kitesurfing
Tarifa, Spain
3–14 days · $600 – $1,200
Best Apr-Oct
Farm, Food & Drink
Mezcal production
Santiago Matatlan, Mexico
2–21 days · $600 – $1,400
Best Oct-May
Music & Dance
Salsa caleña and social dancing
Medellin, Colombia
7–90 days · $600 – $1,500
Best Year-round
Water & Sailing
Freediving to 30m
Labuan Bajo, Indonesia
4–30 days · $700 – $1,500
Best Apr-Nov
Farm, Food & Drink
Chinese tea ceremony and tea sourcing
Taipei, Taiwan
3–21 days · $700 – $1,600
Best Year-round
Adventure & Outdoor
Paragliding: first solo flights
Oludeniz, Turkey
3–14 days · $700 – $1,400
Best Apr-Oct
Art, Design & Media
Life drawing and the sketchbook habit
Paris, France
3–14 days · $700 – $1,500
Best Year-round
Adventure & Outdoor
Sport climbing
Kalymnos, Greece
4–21 days · $700 – $1,400
Best Apr-Jun, Sep-Nov
Water & Sailing
Surfing
Ericeira, Portugal
5–30 days · $700 – $1,500
Best Apr-Oct
Traditional & Survival
Traditional building and blacksmithing
Viscri, Romania
5–60 days · $700 – $1,600
Best Apr-Oct
Farm, Food & Drink
Brewing and Czech lager technique
Prague, Czechia
2–60 days · $800 – $1,800
Best Year-round
Language
Spanish one-to-one immersion
Antigua, Guatemala
7–180 days · $800 – $1,200
Best Year-round
Art, Design & Media
Improv comedy
New York, United States
14–180 days · $800 – $2,000
Best Year-round
Culinary
Chocolate making
Bruges, Belgium
1–21 days · $900 – $2,000
Best Sep-May
Water & Sailing
RYA Competent Crew
Split, Croatia
5–10 days · $900 – $1,500
Best Apr-Oct
Craft & Artisan
Perfumery
Grasse, France
1–60 days · $900 – $2,500
Best Apr-Oct
Farm, Food & Drink
Olive oil and Cretan cooking
Chania, Crete, Greece
3–21 days · $900 – $1,900
Best Oct-Nov, Apr-Jun
Music & Dance
Flamenco
Seville, Spain
7–180 days · $900 – $2,000
Best Feb-Jun, Sep-Nov
Art, Design & Media
Aboriginal art and desert culture
Alice Springs, Australia
2–21 days · $900 – $2,000
Best Apr-Sep
Culinary
Specialty coffee and barista craft
Melbourne, Australia
3–30 days · $900 – $2,000
Best Year-round
Music & Dance
Argentine tango
Buenos Aires, Argentina
14–180 days · $900 – $2,000
Best Mar-Jun, Sep-Nov
Language
Spanish plus Quechua
Cusco, Peru
14–120 days · $900 – $1,800
Best Apr-Oct
Farm, Food & Drink
Fermentation lab techniques
Copenhagen, Denmark
2–14 days · $1,000 – $2,200
Best Year-round
Farm, Food & Drink
Wine tasting and WSET certification
Bordeaux, France
3–30 days · $1,200 – $2,600
Best Apr-Oct
Culinary
Fresh pasta and Emilian cooking
Bologna, Italy
1–30 days · $1,200 – $2,600
Best Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct
Language
Spanish language immersion
Salamanca, Spain
14–180 days · $1,200 – $2,400
Best Year-round
Nature & Wildlife
Astronomy and astrophotography
San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
3–21 days · $1,200 – $2,600
Best Mar-May, Sep-Nov
Water & Sailing
PADI Divemaster internship
Koh Tao, Thailand
28–90 days · $1,400 – $2,600
Best Feb-Sep
Language
Italian language immersion
Siena, Italy
14–180 days · $1,400 – $2,800
Best Mar-Oct
Culinary
Basque cooking and pintxos
San Sebastian, Spain
1–30 days · $1,400 – $3,000
Best May-Oct
Martial Arts & Movement
Shaolin kung fu
Dengfeng, China
30–365 days · $1,500 – $3,500
Best Mar-Nov
Music & Dance
Electronic music production and DJing
Berlin, Germany
7–180 days · $1,500 – $3,500
Best Year-round
Craft & Artisan
Leather craft and bookbinding
Florence, Italy
5–180 days · $1,500 – $3,500
Best Sep-Jun
Craft & Artisan
Glassblowing
Murano, Venice, Italy
3–60 days · $1,500 – $3,200
Best Mar-Jun, Sep-Nov
Farm, Food & Drink
Whisky distilling and blending
Islay, Scotland, United Kingdom
2–30 days · $1,500 – $3,200
Best Apr-Oct
Music & Dance
Jazz improvisation
New Orleans, United States
5–60 days · $1,500 – $3,200
Best Feb-May, Oct-Nov
Language
Korean language immersion
Seoul, South Korea
21–365 days · $1,600 – $3,200
Best Year-round
Water & Sailing
RYA sailing: Competent Crew to Day Skipper
Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom
5–21 days · $1,600 – $3,000
Best Apr-Oct
Traditional & Survival
Maori carving and te reo
Rotorua, New Zealand
5–90 days · $1,600 – $3,200
Best Year-round
Traditional & Survival
San tracking and desert bushcraft
Damaraland, Namibia
5–30 days · $1,800 – $3,400
Best Apr-Oct
Language
Mandarin intensive
Chengdu, China
28–365 days · $1,800 – $3,600
Best Year-round
Wellness & Spiritual
200-hour yoga teacher training
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
21–40 days · $1,800 – $3,500
Best Apr-Oct
Adventure & Outdoor
Mountaineering and high-altitude skills
Pokhara, Nepal
14–45 days · $1,800 – $3,500
Best Mar-May, Sep-Nov
Water & Sailing
Bareboat skipper licence
Athens, Greece
7–21 days · $1,800 – $3,200
Best Apr-Oct
Nature & Wildlife
Galapagos naturalist fundamentals
Puerto Ayora, Ecuador
5–14 days · $1,800 – $3,200
Best Year-round
Language
French immersion
Quebec City, Canada
21–180 days · $2,000 – $3,800
Best May-Sep
Language
Arabic language immersion
Amman, Jordan
28–300 days · $2,200 – $4,200
Best Sep-Jun
Nature & Wildlife
Marine conservation diving
Caye Caulker, Belize
14–90 days · $2,200 – $4,000
Best Feb-May
Water & Sailing
Surf instructor certification
Byron Bay, Australia
10–45 days · $2,200 – $4,000
Best Sep-May
Language
Japanese language intensive
Tokyo, Japan
30–730 days · $2,400 – $4,200
Best Year-round
Art, Design & Media
Zorig Chusum traditional arts
Thimphu, Bhutan
7–60 days · $2,500 – $5,000
Best Mar-May, Sep-Nov
Adventure & Outdoor
Paragliding pilot licence
Interlaken, Switzerland
10–30 days · $2,500 – $4,500
Best May-Sep
Culinary
Sushi chef fundamentals
Tokyo, Japan
7–60 days · $3,000 – $6,500
Best Year-round
Culinary
French patisserie intensive
Paris, France
5–180 days · $4,000 – $9,000
Best Year-round
Nature & Wildlife
Safari field guide (FGASA)
Hoedspruit, South Africa
28–365 days · $6k – $11k
Best Feb-Nov
Other months
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