Winter
Dec → Feb30 to 33°
nights 21 to 23°
- 4 rainy days · 30 mm
- 10.4 h of sun
- sea 29°
When is the best time to visit Cambodia?
In short: November to February, during the cool dry season: 30 to 33 °C in the afternoon at the temples of Angkor and only 2 to 5 rainy days a month from December to February. December and January are the safest for Angkor, while November adds the Water Festival and the Tonlé Sap at its highest, at the cost of a few showers (135 mm at Angkor).
- The temples of Angkor: From December to February, dry weather and nights of 21 to 23 °C let you explore the temples from dawn, before the heat of March and April (35 °C).
- Tonlé Sap and floating villages: From September to November, the lake, swollen by the monsoon, reaches its highest level; it then drops throughout the dry season.
- Water Festival (Bon Om Touk): In November, in Phnom Penh, when the waters of the Tonlé Sap are at their highest, just before the current reverses towards the Mekong.
- Beaches of Kep and Koh Rong: From December to April, before the monsoon from May to October; the sea stays between 29 and 32 °C all year round.
Best avoided: September and October, the wettest months (425 mm and 29 rainy days at Angkor in September), with violent storms, flash floods and muddy tracks to the remote temples.
Sources: diplomatie.gouv.fr, diplomatie.belgium.be, fr.wikipedia.org
The weather in Cambodia, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Sea | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32° | 21° | 10.4 h | 26 mm | 2 d | 29° | ✓ |
| February | 33° | 23° | 10.7 h | 35 mm | 5 d | 29° | ✓ |
| March | 35° | 25° | 11.1 h | 51 mm | 10 d | 30° | |
| April | 35° | 26° | 10.9 h | 119 mm | 16 d | 31° | |
| May | 34° | 26° | 10.1 h | 231 mm | 23 d | 32° | |
| June | 33° | 26° | 9.4 h | 180 mm | 24 d | 30° | |
| July | 32° | 25° | 8.2 h | 313 mm | 27 d | 30° | |
| August | 32° | 25° | 8.5 h | 254 mm | 27 d | 30° | |
| September | 31° | 24° | 7.8 h | 425 mm | 29 d | 29° | |
| October | 30° | 23° | 8.9 h | 325 mm | 24 d | 30° | |
| November | 31° | 23° | 9.8 h | 135 mm | 13 d | 30° | ✓ |
| December | 30° | 21° | 10 h | 29 mm | 4 d | 29° | ✓ |
The four seasons in Cambodia, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Angkor temples) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May34 to 35°
nights 25 to 26°
- 16 rainy days · 134 mm
- 10.7 h of sun
- sea 31°
Summer
Jun → Aug32 to 33°
nights 25 to 26°
- 26 rainy days · 249 mm
- 8.7 h of sun
- sea 30°
Autumn
Sep → Nov30 to 31°
nights 23 to 24°
- 22 rainy days · 295 mm
- 8.8 h of sun
- sea 30°
Book early for November to February
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. The selection does not depend on these links.
What to do in Cambodia, month by month
EventsKhmer New YearAprilPchum BenSeptember to OctoberWater Festival, Bon Om ToukOctober to NovemberDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
Beach & swimming: good conditions all twelve months.
Diving & snorkelling: good conditions all twelve months.
- Towns & culture: December
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall, sea), not from an opinion.
What's on in Cambodia, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. These events fill the hotels and push prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- AprilKhmer New Year big crowds
In mid-April, families head home to their villages, the pagodas fill up and water fights take over the streets for three days.
- September to OctoberPchum Ben
For around a fortnight, Cambodians bring offerings to the pagodas for their dead, and many shops close.
- October to NovemberWater Festival, Bon Om Touk big crowds
Hundreds of long boats race on the Tonlé Sap in front of Phnom Penh, when the river reverses its flow in November.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Recommended32°21° at night
- 26 mm · 2 d
- 10.4 h
- sea 29°
High season, book early
February
Recommended33°23° at night
- 35 mm · 5 d
- 10.7 h
- sea 29°
High season, book early
March
Fair35°25° at night
- 51 mm · 10 d
- 11.1 h
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
April
Not recommended35°26° at night
- 119 mm · 16 d
- 10.9 h
- sea 31°
Busy, without the crush
May
Not recommended34°26° at night
- 231 mm · 23 d
- 10.1 h
- sea 32°
Low season, lower prices
June
Not recommended33°26° at night
- 180 mm · 24 d
- 9.4 h
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
July
Not recommended32°25° at night
- 313 mm · 27 d
- 8.2 h
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
August
Not recommended32°25° at night
- 254 mm · 27 d
- 8.5 h
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
September
Not recommended31°24° at night
- 425 mm · 29 d
- 7.8 h
- sea 29°
Low season, lower prices
October
Not recommended30°23° at night
- 325 mm · 24 d
- 8.9 h
- sea 30°
Busy, without the crush
November
Recommended31°23° at night
- 135 mm · 13 d
- 9.8 h
- sea 30°
High season, book early
December
Recommended30°21° at night
- 29 mm · 4 d
- 10 h
- sea 29°
High season, book early
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Real heat: 32 °C at the warmest of the day, 21 °C at night. Hardly any rain (26 mm over 2 days). Plenty of sunshine: 10.4 h a day on average. The sea is at 29 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
February. Real heat: 33 °C at the warmest of the day, 23 °C at night. Rain stays light: 35 mm over 5 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.7 h a day on average. The sea is at 29 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
March. Real heat: 35 °C at the warmest of the day, 25 °C at night. Expect 10 days of rain in the month (51 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 11.1 h a day on average. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Real heat: 35 °C at the warmest of the day, 26 °C at night. A very wet month, 119 mm of rain over 16 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.9 h a day on average. The sea is at 31 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
May. Real heat: 34 °C at the warmest of the day, 26 °C at night. A very wet month, 231 mm of rain over 23 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.1 h a day on average. The sea is at 32 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
June. Real heat: 33 °C at the warmest of the day, 26 °C at night. A very wet month, 180 mm of rain over 24 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.4 h a day on average. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
July. Real heat: 32 °C at the warmest of the day, 25 °C at night. A very wet month, 313 mm of rain over 27 days. Expect 8.2 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
August. Real heat: 32 °C at the warmest of the day, 25 °C at night. A very wet month, 254 mm of rain over 27 days. Expect 8.5 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
September. 31 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. A very wet month, 425 mm of rain over 29 days. Expect 7.8 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 29 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
October. 30 °C in the afternoon and 23 °C at night. A very wet month, 325 mm of rain over 24 days. Expect 8.9 h of sunshine a day. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
November. 31 °C in the afternoon and 23 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (135 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 9.8 h a day on average. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
December. 30 °C in the afternoon and 21 °C at night. Rain stays light: 29 mm over 4 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10 h a day on average. The sea is at 29 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Cambodia?
November to February, during the cool dry season: 30 to 33 °C in the afternoon at the temples of Angkor and only 2 to 5 rainy days a month from December to February. December and January are the safest for Angkor, while November adds the Water Festival and the Tonlé Sap at its highest, at the cost of a few showers (135 mm at Angkor).
Which month should you avoid in Cambodia?
September and October, the wettest months (425 mm and 29 rainy days at Angkor in September), with violent storms, flash floods and muddy tracks to the remote temples.
What is the hottest month in Cambodia?
March, with 35 °C on average in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Angkor temples).
What is the coldest month in Cambodia?
October, with 30 °C at best during the day and 23 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Angkor temples).
What is the driest month in Cambodia?
January: 26 mm over 2 days of rain, against 425 mm in September, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in Cambodia?
March, with 11.1 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
When can you swim in Cambodia?
The water never drops below 22 °C: from 29 to 32 °C depending on the month (warmest in May), measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast (Koh Rong).
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Cambodia guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
Compare with other destinations
Photos: Khan ishaan / Pexels · Basile Morin / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Serg Alesenko / Pexels · Nara Tsitra / Pexels · SARET SAYON / Pexels