Best time to visit Cambodia
Everyone has a different favourite season in Cambodia – it all depends what you want to get out of your trip.![]()
The dry months of November to February would seem like the best time to visit Cambodia - and they certainly are if you're heading to the beach, particularly blue-skied December and January. However, the monsoon season from June to October offers lush green paddy fields, dramatic skies and wonderful reflections in the pools around Angkor Wat, with the soggy stones revealing deeper colours. In between the late afternoon showers, you'll also find fewer crowds and cheaper prices. The air is also clearer at this time, as the rain washes away haze and smoke. Heat-fearers should head down during the second half of the rainy season, when temperatures are lower and sightseeing more pleasant.
Phnom Penh Weather Chart
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
21
31
6
FEB
22
32
8
MAR
23
34
29
APR
26
35
68
MAY
26
34
166
JUN
24
33
156
JUL
24
32
149
AUG
26
32
162
SEP
25
31
245
OCT
24
30
263
NOV
23
30
115
DEC
22
30
27
Our Cambodia Holidays
Vietnam and Cambodia 15 day tour, tailor made
See two wonders of the world in just two weeks
From
£1855
15 days
ex flights
Cambodia small group tour, a food adventure
Discover Cambodia's unique, ancient and exotic food culture
From
£970 to £1095
9 days
ex flights
Cambodia photography holiday
11-day Cambodia Tour with a Professional Travel Photographer
From
£2000 to £2100
11 days
ex flights
Cambodia holiday, beyond Angkor
World Heritage Sites plus off the beaten track Cambodia
From
£1375 to £1475
12 days
ex flights
Vietnam and Cambodia tailor made tours
A comprehensive journey through Vietnam & Cambodia
From
£2815
19 days
ex flights
Cambodia holiday, wildlife & culture
A wildlife and culture tailor-made holiday to Cambodia
From
£3395
15 days
inc UK flights
Cambodia holidays, Phnom Penh & Angkor
Combines Angkor's temples with lesser known Cambodian sites
From
£945 to £1045
10 days
ex flights
Cambodia cycling holidays
Cycle Cambodia & choose the difference you make
From
AU $2350
11 days
ex flights
Cambodia tailor made tour, nature & heritage
Cambodian Heritage: culture, nature and off-the-beaten track
From
US $1466
10 days
ex flights
Vietnam and Cambodia activity holiday
Adventure your way through Vietnam and Cambodia
From
US $3034
14 days
ex flights
Cambodia & Vietnam community cycling holiday
Explore Phnom Penh to Saigon and everything in between
From
AU $2550
12 days
ex flights
Mekong adventure holiday, Laos & Cambodia
From World Heritage Luang Prabang to the 4,000 Islands
From
£2275 to £2375
17 days
ex flights
Indochina tour, small group
Experience the diversity of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
From
£1580 to £1840
26 days
ex flights
Indochina tailor made holiday
Southeast Asia tour of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam
From
£4450
21 days
ex flights
Cambodia & Laos tailor made tour
A soft adventure holiday to discover Cambodia and Laos
From
£3395
14 days
inc UK flights
Cambodia and Vietnam holiday
A magnificent journey of discovery
From
£1520 to £1720
18 days
ex flights
Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City
Thailand to Southern Vietnam via Angkor Wat
From
£665 to £755
9 days
ex flights
Indochina tours
An awesome adventure Cambodia Laos Thailand & Vietnam
From
£3015 to £3415
30 days
ex flights
Highlights of Cambodia cultural tour
A private, tailor-made tour of Cambodia
From
£2565
11 days
inc UK flights
Cycling holiday to Indochina and Angkor Wat
Cross three countries with contrasting recent histories
From
£2849 to £3549
16 days
inc UK flights
Cambodia travel photography tour
14 day Cambodia photo tour with a pro travel photographer
From
£2850
14 days
ex flights
Photography tour in Vietnam and Cambodia
Cambodia and Vietnam tour with a professional photographer
From
£2900 to £3000
16 days
ex flights
Cambodia tailor made holiday
Visit Siem Reap, Angkor, Kratie, Phnom Penh & Sihanoukville
From
£1800
10 days
ex flights
Cambodia highlights tour, 7 days
Cambodia: Phnom Penh street-life and World Heritage Angkor
From
£795 to £895
7 days
ex flights
Indochina holiday adventure
Laos and Cambodia; Luang Prabang, the Plain of Jars & Angkor
From
£1850 to £1950
13 days
ex flights
Classic Cambodia 14 day holiday
-Visit the main highlights of Cambodia
From
£4075
14 days
inc UK flights
Vietnam and Angkor Wat holiday
Cruising in Halong Bay, cooking in Hoi An plus incredible Angkor
From
£2799 to £3279
16 days
inc UK flights
Cambodia tour, temples and culture
Tailor-Made Cambodia adventure holiday with temple camping
From
£3795
15 days
inc UK flights
Thai Indo China holiday
An unusual journey across southern Indochina
From
£2399 to £2899
16 days
inc UK flights
When to visit Cambodia
Our top Cambodia Holiday
Vietnam and Cambodia 15 day tour, tailor made
See two wonders of the world in just two weeks
From
£1855
15 days
ex flights
Tailor made:
Everything is tweak-able, giving you the freedom to build a unique and personal trip for your chosen date. Upgrade your accommodation for all - or just part - of your trip, slow down the pace with few extra nights here and there or add a few more active adventures along the way.
Everything is tweak-able, giving you the freedom to build a unique and personal trip for your chosen date. Upgrade your accommodation for all - or just part - of your trip, slow down the pace with few extra nights here and there or add a few more active adventures along the way.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Cambodia or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
Responsible Travel recommends
Nathan Horton, from our supplier Nathan Horton Photography, lives in Phnom Penh and runs photography tours in Southeast Asia. He shared with us his best time to visit Cambodia, especially for photographers:
“A lot of people are afraid to come in the rainy season, but it’s my favourite time of year. Typically we get very dry mornings with long, drawn-out cloudy afternoons and rain for around one hour. The dry season does have its advantages, certainly in terms of good sunrises and sunsets, but the paddy fields are dry. Towards the end of the rainy season you get the beautiful, lush paddy fields, green trees... everything looks a lot prettier. My favourite time to visit Cambodia is October, which is immediately after the rainy season, but before the dry season’s kicked in. So it’s still really beautifully green, but hopefully not raining a lot.”
Our sports pick:
Angkor Wat International Half Marathon
Angkor Wat International Half Marathon
A most unusual race is held each December. The annual half marathon traverses the immense sprawl of ruins around Angkor Wat, including Angkor Thom and Beng Melea. The marathon supports several Cambodian charities working with disabled athletes, underprivileged children and education.
Festivals & events in Cambodia
Bon Chaul Chhnam
Bon Chaul Chhnam marks the end of the harvest and the start of the New Year with three days of brightly decorated streets and cultural and sporting events. Cambodians clean and decorate their homes, make offerings at temples and throw water over each other as a blessing.
Royal Ploughing Day
The land and agriculture are highly significant for Cambodians, and the ox plays an important spiritual role in farming. Each May, next to the Royal Palace, an ox is given a choice of foods, and what he eats is interpreted as a prediction of the success – or otherwise – of the following harvest. Look out for people in colourful Khmer clothing.
Did you know...?
Tonle Sap River is the only river in the world whose flow reverses at certain times of year, depending on the level of the Mekong River. The change of direction in mid-November is celebrated with the Bon Om Touk Water Festival – three days of boat races, fireworks, parades, music and dance.
More about Cambodia
Our Angkor Wat guide has got the low down including: a brief history , how to get there, the best time to visit and even how to pronounce its name...
Food in Cambodia is a revelation. Fish, curry, pork, and some of the most divine spicey pastes you could hope for; welcome to the world of Khmer cuisine...
Our Cambodia map and highlights page features an interactive map, sample itineraries and driving times to help you choose where you'd like to head to first...
Our Cambodia travel advice includes tips on planning, Phnom Penh, health and safety and finding the world’s best coffee - all from Cambodia experts...
We've packed so much into our Cambodia travel guide that it’s bursting at the Siem Reaps. Read on to find out what we rate, and how to travel like a local...
Travelling in Cambodia with kids is a lot more straightforward than you might think with loads of activities for families and plenty of ideas for things to do...
Cambodia's Killing Fields is one such location. No trip to Cambodia, is complete without visiting the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, tough as this may be...
The contrasts between urban and rural life, ancient temples shrouded in jungle, and friendly residents, make photography holidays in Cambodia an enticing prospect...
Visiting Vietnam and Cambodia together provides plenty of opportunities to compare and contrast landscapes, the food and the cultural heritage...
Our responsible tourism in Cambodia page is a worthwhile read, with tips on supporting local initiatives, avoiding orphanage tourism and minimising water use...
There are plenty of things to do in Cambodia - it's not all about Angkor Wat. Discover hiking and biking trails, historical museums and Khmer homestays...
protection
