Siem Reap Weather
Siem Reap is hot year round. The average temperature sits around 27 to 28 degrees across the year, dropping to around 22 degrees on cool January nights and peaking at 36 to 38 degrees in April and May. There are no four seasons. There are two: dry and wet. Understanding which one you are visiting in, and what that actually means on the ground, makes a significant difference to how you plan your days.
Dry Season: November to April
The dry season runs from November through to April. Skies are clear, rain is rare, humidity is lower, and temperatures from November through to February are as comfortable as Siem Reap gets. January is the coolest month with daytime highs around 31 to 32 degrees and nights that can drop to 20 degrees. By Cambodian standards that is cold enough that locals wear jackets. By most other standards it is warm and pleasant.
November to February is peak season. Crowds at the main temples are at their highest, hotel rates are at their peak, and Angkor Wat at sunrise is at its busiest between December and mid-February. Book accommodation and Phare circus tickets well in advance if you are travelling during this window.
March begins the transition to the hot season. By April, the hottest month, afternoon heat is serious. Temperatures regularly reach 35 to 38 degrees with recorded extremes above 40. Temple visits in April and May need to start by 6.30am and finish by 11am at the latest. The middle of the day is not manageable for extended outdoor activity. Crowds thin considerably and accommodation prices drop. If you can handle the heat, April and May offer a genuinely different and quieter Angkor.
Wet Season: May to October
The wet season begins in May and runs through to October. It does not mean all-day downpours. The typical pattern is a clear or partly cloudy morning, building cloud through the afternoon, and a heavy shower of one to two hours in the late afternoon or evening. Mornings are generally fine for temple visits throughout the wet season.
What the wet season brings is a transformed landscape. The countryside turns vivid green. Rice paddies fill. The Tonle Sap lake expands dramatically. The flooded forest at Kampong Phluk becomes navigable by boat in ways it is not during the dry season. The light is different, less harsh, more dramatic, and in some respects better for photography.
September and October are the wettest months, September averaging around 286mm of rainfall. October can bring flooding in low-lying parts of the city. Crowd levels are at their lowest and prices are most competitive. Plan temple visits for the morning, accept some afternoon flexibility, and the wet season is a genuinely good time to visit.
The Practical Summary
Whatever month you visit, wear light breathable fabric, carry water at all times, and take sun protection seriously even on overcast days. The UV index is high year round and dehydration is the most common complaint among temple visitors.
November to February: most comfortable, most crowded, highest prices. June to August: green season, fewer crowds, lower prices, afternoon rain. April and May: hottest, quietest, cheapest, requires early starts. September and October: wettest, emptiest, best value, some flood risk.
We live here. All of the above is what we actually observe, not what the averages suggest.
