Best Time to Visit Phnom Penh
Recommended: Nov-Feb, dry and cooler
When to go
November to February is dry and noticeably cooler, the best window for walking the riverside and the palace grounds without wilting. March to May turns hot and can hit the high 30s. June to October brings the wet season, heavy but usually short afternoon downpours, and low-lying streets near the river can flood in September and October.
Month by month in Cambodia
Phnom Penh sits in Cambodia, so the country's broader seasonal pattern applies. November to February is dry, cooler, and the most comfortable stretch, also the busiest and most expensive at Angkor. March to May is dry but brutally hot, April is the peak of it. June to October is the wet season, humid with heavy afternoon downpours, but greener temples and far fewer people.
Nov-DecDry season begins, cooler mornings, low humidity. Peak season at Angkor and on the coast, book ahead.
Jan-FebThe most comfortable months overall, dry and relatively cool. Also the most crowded and highest-priced at temples and beach resorts.
Mar-AprDry but hot, April regularly hits 38-40C. Hard on midday temple walking, start early and rest through the afternoon.
May-JunWet season starts, humidity climbs before the rain does. Afternoon storms build daily by June, mornings still usually clear.
Jul-AugFull wet season, heavy predictable afternoon rain, mornings often fine. Angkor turns green and the moats fill, fewer tour groups.
Sep-OctWettest months, flooding possible in low-lying parts of Phnom Penh and around Tonle Sap. Cheapest hotel rates of the year.