Season guide · Siem Reap · Cambodia
Siem Reap in the cool dry season
November–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Sunny days around 30–32°C with cooler mornings — ideal for touring the temples, but also peak season with the biggest crowds and highest room rates. Expect highs up to 34°C (93°F) and lows around 21°C (70°F), with about 10 rainy days across November–February. November–February are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- November–February
- Temperatures
- 21°C (70°F) to 34°C (93°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 10
- Crowds
- Very busy
- Hotel prices
- Highest
Weather in the cool dry season
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32°C (90°F) | 21°C (70°F) | 1 | 11.4 h | 5/5 |
| February | 34°C (93°F) | 22°C (72°F) | 1 | 11.7 h | 4/5 |
| November | 31°C (88°F) | 23°C (73°F) | 6 | 11.5 h | 4/5 |
| December | 30°C (86°F) | 21°C (70°F) | 2 | 11.3 h | 5/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 32°C (90°F) against a yearly 33°C (91°F), and 10 of the year's roughly 118 rainy days fall in these 4 months. Crowds rate 5/5 and hotel prices 5/5 on average.
What's on in the cool dry season
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Chinese New Year — busy period with many regional visitors (late January or February)
- February: Chinese New Year holidays (some years fall in February)
- November: Water Festival (Bon Om Touk) — boat races on the Siem Reap River (usually October or November)
- December: Angkor Wat International Half Marathon — run through the temple park (usually early December)
Make the most of the weather
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Religious site · Angkor Archaeological Park
Ta Prohm
Founded by Jayavarman VII in 1186 as a Buddhist monastery, Ta Prohm was deliberately left partly to the jungle when the temples were cleared, so silk-cotton and strangler fig roots pour over its galleries and doorways.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Kids
- Nature
- Photo spot
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Religious site · Angkor Thom
Baphuon
Walk round to the western side to make out the reclining Buddha, which is easy to miss from the front.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Architecture
- Views
Religious site · Grand circuit
Preah Khan
Jayavarman VII built Preah Khan in 1191 to honour his father, and it was a vast monastic city as well as a temple.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Nature
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Religious site · Grand circuit
Neak Pean
Combine it with Preah Khan, a few minutes away, and visit in the late afternoon for soft light over the water.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Nature
- Photo spot
- Off the beaten path
Religious site · Grand circuit
Pre Rup
Built in 961 under King Rajendravarman II, this tall temple mountain of brick and laterite glows orange in the evening and is one of the best sunset spots at Angkor.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- Couples
- Photo spot
- History
Day trips in the cool dry season
- Kbal Spean (About 1 hour 15 minutes by car) — The 'River of a Thousand Lingas' is a riverbed in the Kulen hills carved with lingas, Vishnu reclining and other Hindu figures, reached by a forest hike of about 1.5 km uphill.
- Phnom Kulen (About 1.5 hours by car) — The sacred plateau where Jayavarman II proclaimed the Khmer Empire in 802 has a large reclining Buddha carved into a boulder at Preah Ang Thom, riverbed carvings and a waterfall with a swimming pool beneath.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is the cool dry season a good time to visit Siem Reap?
Yes: November–February are among the best months. Sunny days around 30–32°C with cooler mornings — ideal for touring the temples, but also peak season with the biggest crowds and highest room rates.
+What is the weather like in Siem Reap in the cool dry season?
Highs of up to 34°C (93°F) and lows around 21°C (70°F), with about 10 rainy days over the season.