Conventional wisdom is to visit Cambodia during the dry months of November – March (the high season) but particularly November – January before it gets too hot. While it’s true that rain is unlikely to interrupt your holiday during this time, the crowds will be at their peak and hotel prices at their highest. Our handy chart provides a month by month snapshot of temperature, crowds and value for money and is a must-read while planning your trip to Cambodia.
The rainy season generally runs from June through October. It’s often called the “green season”, due to the vibrant foliage in the forests of Mondolkiri, Ratanakiri and the Cardamoms as well as the vast rice fields covering much of Cambodia. But it certainly doesn’t rain every day and it does so mostly in the late afternoon. As long as you sightsee in the mornings (which is also the best way to avoid the crowds) the rain should not interfere. By late afternoon if the rains do arrive, there are plenty of activities to keep you dry and entertained, whether visiting a craft workshop, the National Museum or enjoying a massage at one of Siem Reap’s many spas.
So: Less crowds, lower prices, GREEN and lush, and Tonle Sap lake accessibility (during the dry season the progressive drop in the water levels makes trips on the lake difficult or impossible). But the best way to appreciate what traveling during the green season is like is to flip through our album