Information

The Cool Season
November to February in Cambodia means clear blue skies by day and cool evenings with a nip in the air.  Perfect weather for exploring the temples.  Expect chilly nights however in December so be prepared to bring a jacket/sweater.

The Wet Season
With cooling monsoon winds, runs from June to October and is also very pleasant.  The rain usually comes in brief afternoon squalls.  When the sun comes back out, the world smells and looks freshly born. A glorious time!

The Hot Season
Runs from March to May.  Some dry and dusty visitors get short-tempered when temperatures are running over 35 degrees.  Overland journeys experience choking dust even within the confines of air conditioned vehicles. The Khmer New Year starts in this period around April 15 and to celebrate the beginning of the rains everyone in sight is doused with water by excited celebrations.  Good for people but bad for passports and documents so make sure they are secured in waterproof pouches.

March 2004 Update:  Just like clockwork, the start of March saw the rise in temperatures.  Phnom Penh has started to become a bit too difficult to walk anywhere and even though I love to walk, I am finding myself more and more taking motos.  Nights are still reasonable and with a simple fan, very comfortable.  Make sure you have screens on your windows or a net over your bed at night however as the mosquitoes can at times be quite annoying (and dangerous as Dengue Fever can be a problem.)

May 2004 Update:
Although the month started with some intense rains around the country, for the most part it is extremely hot and dry with temperatures on many days soaring to over 40 degrees.  All rivers are at their lowest in years with barge traffic along the Mekong having come to a halt and passenger boats between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap having great difficulty making the run, often going aground on shoals.  It is presently better to stick with buses for the moment between the destinations.

July/August 2004 Update
Although the weather in the north around Siem Reap remains quite pleasant with short rain showers in the late afternoon or early afternoon (with an occasional day when it rains all day), further south in Phnom Penh the rains can become much harder and longer with street flooding very common.  During the last two weeks of July and through most of August in Sihanoukville, the rains have been constant almost day and night with frequent flooding and road destruction.

The 'Tourist Season'
Due to harsh weather conditions in their native countries (Korea, Japan, Germany, England, etc.), large numbers of visitors to Siem Reap for the beauty of the temples and to escape the weather from their homes.  Due to this, for some periods, there is a demand for space...all space including looking around the temples.  Prices increase as would be expected as well.

Peak tourist season is generally from November to February.  Outside these times, Angkor is relatively peaceful, although July and August also sees some lesser action. April, May, June and September are the quietest.