Best Time to Visit Cambodia

Cambodia has pretty unbearable summers- hot, humid and most unappealing. What’s worse is that it rains even during the rest of the year- the north east monsoons drench most of the country around November.

The best time to visit Cambodia, therefore, is in December to February, when the temperature’s fairly comfortable, and it isn’t pouring cats and dogs. The main rainy season, between April and October, is very wet, but can be a good time if you’re keen on seeing Angkor Wat in all its glory- that’s the time when all the moats are full and the vegetation is at its greenest.

Climate

Cambodia’s climate is typically tropical- hot and humid almost all the year through. Two monsoons, the southwest and the northeast monsoons dominate the climate. The southwest monsoons bring heavy rains between May and October, while the northeast monsoons cause rain between November and March.

Broadly speaking, the northern 2/3 of the country has a longer dry season than the rest of Cambodia. Mean temperatures in much of the country- especially in the area around the Tonlé Sap basin- range between 22º C and 28º C; rainfall ranges between 100 and 190 cm annually and increases with altitude- the mountains are the wettest.