Cambodia
Best time to visit Cambodia: weather and seasons by month
Go November to February: dry, cooler mornings and the easiest temple days, with December the busiest and priciest. March to May is hot, peaking above 38 °C (100 °F) in April. June to October is the green season — fewer crowds, lower rates, afternoon storms and flooded rural roads. Pick the coast or the northeast only in the dry months.Go November to February: dry, cooler mornings and the easiest temple days, with December the busiest and priciest. March to May is hot, peaking above 100 °F (38 °C) in April. June to October is the green season — fewer crowds, lower rates, afternoon storms and flooded rural roads. Pick the coast or the northeast only in the dry months.
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GuideCambodia
Key facts
- Best overall window
- November to February: dry, cooler mornings, all regions workable
- Peak crowds and prices
- December to early January, and the Angkor sunrise slots
- Hottest months
- March to May; April tops 38 °C on the plains
- Green season
- June to October: afternoon rain, low prices, quiet temples
- Wettest month
- September: floods on rural roads and around Tonle Sap
- Coast and islands
- Best December to March; rough crossings and closures July to September
- Northeast highlands
- Plan November to March; red-dirt roads turn to mud in the rains
- Biggest holiday disruption
- Khmer New Year, 14–16 April: buses sell out, many restaurants close
- Shoulder value
- May and late October: medium heat or easing rain, low-season rates
Month by month: verdict, crowds and prices
Cambodia has three practical seasons rather than four. The dry, cooler months from November to February are the easy window almost everywhere. March to May is the hot build-up, when temple days need a dawn start and a long midday break. June to October is the green season: lush fields, reflections in the Angkor moats, low-season rates and rain that usually arrives in the afternoon rather than all day.
Use the table as a planning filter, not a forecast. Weather shifts year to year, and the lunar holidays below move with the calendar.
| Month | Verdict | Crowds | Prices | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Go | High | High | Dry and warm with cool mornings; the best Angkor month, so book Siem Reap beds early |
| February | Go | High | High | Still dry; Chinese New Year can fill hotels for a week (lunar, check) |
| March | Caution | Medium | Medium | Heat builds to 35 °C; dawn temple starts and a long midday break |
| April | Caution | Medium | Medium | Hottest month; Khmer New Year (14–16 Apr) closes shops and fills Angkor with domestic visitors |
| May | Caution | Low | Low | Heat plus the first storms; low prices and quiet temples |
| June | Caution | Low | Low | Green season begins: afternoon rain, lush fields, moat reflections |
| July | Caution | Low | Low | Showers most afternoons; the coast and islands are rough |
| August | Caution | Low | Low | Wet but workable at Angkor; skip the islands |
| September | Avoid | Low | Low | Wettest month: floods on rural roads and around Tonle Sap; Pchum Ben may fall here or in October |
| October | Caution | Low | Low | Rain eases late in the month; Pchum Ben (lunar, check) closes offices for three days |
| November | Go | Medium | Medium | Dry season begins; the Water Festival fills Phnom Penh (lunar, check) |
| December | Go | High | High | Peak season: dry, cooler, crowded at sunrise spots; late-December rates are the year's highest |
Verdicts, crowd and price bands follow the site's Cambodia country data; exact rates move with demand.
Regions and seasons: where to be when
Cambodia is small but not uniform. The plains around Angkor, Phnom Penh, Battambang and Kampong Cham follow the pattern above: dry and cooler from November to February, very hot in April, wet from roughly June to October with flooded rural roads at the peak.
The south coast — Kampot, Kep, Sihanoukville and Koh Rong — takes the southwest monsoon hardest from July to September, when crossings to the islands get rough and some resorts close. December to March is the coast's clean window, and March is already hot.
The northeast highlands around Senmonorom and Banlung are cooler, with cold nights in the dry season. Red-dirt roads turn to mud in the rains, so plan November to March if you want to ride or trek there.
| Region | Best months | Avoid | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angkor and the plains (Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Battambang, Kampong Cham) | Nov–Feb | Apr for heat; Sep for floods | Dry and cooler Nov–Feb; April tops 38 °C; green season floods rural roads |
| South coast (Kampot, Kep, Sihanoukville, Koh Rong) | Dec–Mar | Jul–Sep | Monsoon makes island crossings rough and closes some resorts |
| Northeast highlands (Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri) | Nov–Mar | Jun–Oct | Cooler nights; red-dirt roads become mud in the rains |
Holidays and events that change your trip
Cambodia's calendar mixes fixed public holidays with lunar ones that move each year, so check dates before you book transport or a hotel.
Khmer New Year, 14–16 April, is the biggest disruption: a three-day national holiday when Phnom Penh empties, Angkor fills with Cambodian families, buses sell out and many restaurants close. Pchum Ben, a three-day lunar holiday that usually falls in September or October, sends families back to home villages — pagodas are crowded at dawn and buses are full. The Water Festival in Phnom Penh, on a lunar date in November, packs the riverside. Chinese New Year in January or February can fill Siem Reap for a week with regional visitors.
- Khmer New Year, 14–16 April: book buses and beds weeks ahead, expect closures
- Pchum Ben, three days in September or October (lunar, check): full buses, dawn pagoda crowds
- Water Festival, November (lunar, check): Phnom Penh riverside is packed
- Chinese New Year, January or February (lunar, check): Siem Reap hotel peak
- International New Year, 1 January: Angkor sunrise is at its busiest
How to pick your dates
If temples are the point, aim for late November to early February and accept higher rates and sunrise crowds. If you want lower prices and green landscapes, take June to early August at Angkor and keep the coast off the plan. If you want the islands, go December to March.
Book Siem Reap accommodation early for December and January, and again around Khmer New Year. For the green season, low-season rates are common but some coastal resorts shut, so confirm before you commit. Whatever month you choose, start temple days at dawn and rest through the hottest hours.
- Temples first: late Nov–early Feb, book early
- Cheapest workable: May and late October
- Islands and beaches: Dec–Mar
- Highlands: Nov–Mar
- Avoid September for rural road travel
Practical notes
Rain in the green season usually means a heavy afternoon burst rather than a lost day, but rural roads and the Tonle Sap area can flood in September. Heat from March to May is the bigger constraint: plan one temple block in the morning, then shade, water and a pool.
Check your own government's travel advice and the land-border status before planning an overland leg, and confirm lunar holiday dates for the year you travel — they shift.
- Carry rain cover and dry bags in the green season
- Dawn starts and midday breaks from March to May
- Confirm coastal resort opening before booking July–September
- Check lunar holiday dates each year
Questions people ask
What is the best time of year to visit Cambodia?
November to February. It is dry, mornings are cooler and every region works: Angkor, Phnom Penh, the coast and the highlands. December is the busiest and priciest; late November and January are a good balance.
When is the cheapest time to visit Cambodia?
May to October, the green season, when crowds and hotel rates drop. May is hot with the first storms; September is the wettest and can flood rural roads. Late October is a value shoulder month as the rain eases.
What is the weather like in Cambodia each month?
Nov–Feb: dry, cooler, best. Mar–May: hot, April tops 38 °C. Jun–Oct: green season with afternoon rain, wettest in September. The south coast is roughest Jul–Sep; the northeast is coolest Nov–Mar.
Is April too hot to visit Cambodia?
It is the hottest month, often above 38 °C on the plains, and Khmer New Year (14–16 April) closes many businesses. It is workable if you start temples at dawn and rest at midday, but it is not the comfortable choice.
Can I visit Cambodia in the rainy season?
Yes. Rain usually falls in heavy afternoon bursts, temples stay open and prices are low. Avoid September for rural road travel, and check whether coastal resorts are open if you plan the islands.
When should I visit the Cambodian islands?
December to March. The southwest monsoon makes crossings to Koh Rong and nearby islands rough from July to September, and some resorts close then. March is already hot but still dry.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialMinistry of Tourism, Cambodia
- officialAngkor Enterprise (official Angkor ticket office)
- secondaryWikivoyage – Cambodia