When to go to Cambodia: dry season, heat and rain

Unlike the long, stretched-out Vietnam or India, Cambodia has one season for the whole country. The difference between months is not about where it is dry, but about how many degrees it is and how many people are at the temples.

November to March: dry and cool by local standards

The best time. Daytime +27…32, nights can drop to +21, humidity is moderate and there is almost no rain. This is when most visitors come.

• November — the weather is already good and the crowds have not arrived
• December to February — the peak: queues at Angkor for sunrise, higher prices
• March — the heat starts building, but the temples are emptier again

April and May: the hottest time

Temperatures rise to +38…40 and humidity grows. Walking around Angkor in the middle of the day is hard, so sightseeing splits into early morning and evening. On the other hand prices are lower and the coast is still dry.

June to October: the rainy season

The rain is usually short and predictable: an hour or two in the afternoon, dry the rest of the time. The heat eases, everything around the temples is green, there are far fewer people and accommodation is cheaper.

• September and October are the wettest months; rural roads get washed out
• Tonle Sap lake is at its fullest — the floating villages look the way they are meant to
• Bring shoes you do not mind soaking

The coast: Sihanoukville and the islands

The south follows the same rhythm, but the sea adds its own: calm water from November to April, and waves and murky water after downpours from June to October. Ferries to the islands are cancelled in a storm.

The short version

• Angkor without exhausting heat — November to February
• Cheaper and without crowds — June to September, if you accept the rain
• April and May — only if you are ready for +40

All Russian citizens need a visa for Cambodia. The e-visa is arranged online within a couple of days, before departure.