When to visit Cambodia

The established best time to visit Cambodia is in the ‘winter’ months from December through to March, with warm-but-not-hot temperatures and very little rainfall. This is a perfect time to travel countrywide, particularly into rural areas where any post-rain patching up of roads and hiking routes will have been completed (before they are decimated once more by the heat and then downpours of the summer). The best weather brings with it the largest crowds, with Angkor Wat very busy throughout the entire high season period, but a carefully managed itinerary will ensure you avoid the worst of the crowds.

At some point around late May or early June the heat will finally be broken as the southwest monsoon arrives and dumps buckets of rain across the country, seeing temperatures tumble down to much more manageable levels in the process. Although rainfall figures can be daunting – September typically sees 9 inches in Phnom Penh, and 20 rainy days out of 30 – it’s important to remember that when the rain comes it is in short, sharp downpours which generally clear up after an hour so. Cambodia remains a popular destination for school summer holidays, and if travelling in June and early July – within the green season but avoiding school holidays – you’re likely to find tourist spots delightfully empty.