Best Time to Visit Cambodia from India: Month-by-Month Weather, Crowds & Prices Guide
✅ Last verified on-the-ground: 2026-07-22
The short answer for Indian travellers: November to February is the dry-season sweet spot, with November and December giving the best balance of weather and manageable flight prices. March and April are hotter but cheaper once Songkran crowds thin out, and June to September is the budget monsoon window where dorm beds in Siem Reap drop to ₹482 (~5 USD) a night and Angkor is half-empty. At current rates, 1 USD = ₹96.53, which is the number to keep in your head when comparing Cambodia prices to anything back home.
If you only have two weeks and want it to “just work,” book India to Phnom Penh for the second week of November. You’ll land into the start of the cool dry season, avoid the Christmas-New Year price spike, and still get the visa-on-arrival queue at the airport in under 20 minutes.
Quick Answers
| What | Answer | Price (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall month | November | Flights from ₹18,000 (~$186.84) |
| Cheapest month | July | Flights from ₹12,000 (~$124.56) |
| Worst weather month | September | Rain 18-22 days/month |
| Cambodia visa-on-arrival fee | ₹2,890 (~30 USD) | ~₹2,900 (~$30.10) |
| Cambodia e-Visa fee | $36 USD | ~₹3,500 |
Note: 1 USD = ₹96.53 at time of writing. All visa fees are paid in clean USD bills at the airport or online at the official portal.
Month-by-Month Breakdown
Cambodia has two real seasons: a dry season (November to April) and a wet season (May to October). The wet season is not the kind of monsoon that shuts down travel. It is afternoon downpours that last 1-3 hours, then clear skies. The Angkor temples in Siem Reap stay open year-round, and the rains make the jungle at Ta Prohm look more dramatic.
| Month | Weather | Crowds | Cost Level | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Cool & dry, 25-31°C | High (peak) | Peak (₹₹₹) | Best weather, book 2 months ahead |
| February | Hot & dry, 27-33°C | High (peak) | Peak (₹₹₹) | Great for the coast, Phnom Penh gets humid |
| March | Hot, 28-35°C | Medium | Mid (₹₹) | Prices start dropping after Chinese New Year |
| April | Hottest month, 30-38°C | Medium (Cambodian New Year 14-16 Apr) | Mid (₹₹) | Khmer New Year spike, expect closures |
| May | Wet starts, 28-34°C | Low | Budget (₹) | Cheapest beach weather in Sihanoukville |
| June | Wet, 27-32°C | Low | Budget (₹) | Rain mostly afternoon, Angkor half-empty |
| July | Heavy rain, 27-31°C | Low | Budget (₹) | Best month for backpackers on a tight budget |
| August | Heavy rain, 27-31°C | Low | Budget (₹) | Flooding in low-lying areas possible |
| September | Wettest month, 26-30°C | Lowest | Budget (₹) | Some rural roads close, book flexible tickets |
| October | Rain easing, 26-31°C | Low-medium | Budget (₹) | Sweet spot for budget travellers |
| November | Dry starts, 25-31°C | Medium-high | Mid (₹₹) | Best month overall, ideal for temple tours |
| December | Cool & dry, 23-30°C | Peak (Christmas/NY) | Peak (₹₹₹) | Beautiful weather, highest prices, book early |
Dry Season (November to March). Pros and Cons
This is the window most Indian tourists and tour groups pick. The weather is genuinely pleasant, Angkor at sunrise is not raining, and the beaches in Sihanoukville are open. For more detail on a specific month, see the January guide and the February guide.
Pros:
- Reliable weather, almost no rain across all three cities
- Cool mornings in Siem Reap (20-23°C in December and January)
- All transport routes run on schedule, no road closures
- Best time to combine Cambodia with Vietnam (Hoi An and Hanoi are also at their best)
Cons:
- Flight prices from India to Phnom Penh jump 40-60% over monsoon rates
- Hostel dorms in Phnom Penh can hit ₹1,156 (~12 USD) a night near Pub Street
- Angkor Wat at sunrise in December is genuinely crowded, expect 200+ people at the reflection pond
- December 20 to January 5 is the absolute price ceiling, flights from Delhi or Mumbai can push ₹35,000 round trip
The trade-off is real but worth it for first-time visitors. If you are combining Cambodia with Vietnam, the dry season works for both countries simultaneously, which is why most two-country itineraries are built around this window. For the broader question of when to add Cambodia to a regional loop, the SEA backpacking hub maps out the year across all four countries.
Wet Season (May to October). Pros and Cons
The monsoon is the most underrated window for Indian backpackers. The rain is not a dealbreaker, the prices are 30-50% lower, and the temples are uncrowded enough that you can photograph them without 30 heads in the frame.
Pros:
- Flight prices from India drop to ₹12,000-₹15,000 (~$124.56-$155.70) round trip on budget airlines
- Dorm beds in Siem Reap drop to ₹482 (~5 USD) a night, Phnom Penh to ₹482-₹963 (~5-10 USD)
- Angkor Wat at sunrise in July has maybe 30 people at the pond
- The rice paddies around Battambang are bright green and photogenic
- No queues at the Cambodia visa-on-arrival counters
Cons:
- Afternoon rain can last 3 hours and flood side streets in Phnom Penh
- Some rural roads in Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri are impassable August-September
- Koh Rong and Sihanoukville ferries cancel runs in heavy squalls
- Humidity sits at 80-90% from June to September, hard on electronics
- Mosquitoes carry dengue risk, especially in the wet months
For a deeper dive into monsoon travel tactics that apply across Southeast Asia, the monsoon guide covers the same patterns in Thailand and Vietnam.
Khmer New Year (April 13-16). Pros and Cons
Cambodian New Year (Chaul Chnam Thmey) falls on April 13-16 every year. It is the largest holiday in the country and worth planning around, not around. For the full breakdown, see the Khmer New Year guide.
Pros:
- Big street parties in Phnom Penh along the riverfront
- Water fights similar to Thai Songkran, locals drench you on purpose
- Most businesses close, which means you get an authentic (not tourist) experience
- Cheap flights the week before the holiday
Cons:
- Phnom Penh and Siem Reap shut down for 4 days
- Most shops, restaurants, and embassies are closed April 14-15
- Tour prices for Angkor spike 30-50% in the days leading up
- Transport out of the cities sells out 2-3 days ahead
What to Pack Specifically for This Time
For dry season (November-March):
- Light long-sleeve shirts for temple visits (shoulders covered at Angkor)
- A light jacket for Siem Reap evenings (December-January drops to 19°C)
- Sunscreen SPF 50+, the sun at Angkor is brutal from 10am to 2pm
- Comfortable walking sandals with a back strap, the temple paths are uneven
For wet season (May-October):
- A proper rain poncho, not an umbrella, the wind will flip an umbrella inside out
- Quick-dry clothing, you will get wet, there is no way around it
- Dry bags for phones and passports, even a ₹200 (~$2.08) plastic ziplock works
- Mosquito repellent with DEET 30%+, dengue is a real risk in Phnom Penh
- A small microfiber towel, dorm bathrooms in the wet months tend to be damp
For Khmer New Year (April):
- A waterproof phone pouch, you will get drenched
- Closed-toe shoes you do not mind getting ruined
- Earplugs, Phnom Penh street parties run until 3am
Season Costs Comparison
All prices in USD. At current rates, 1 USD = ₹96.53.
| Item | Peak Season (Nov-Feb) | Shoulder Season (Mar, Oct) | Low Season (May-Sep) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight (India to Phnom Penh, round trip) | ₹25,000 (~$259.50) | ₹18,000 (~$186.84) | ₹12,000 (~$124.56) |
| Dorm bed (Phnom Penh, per night) | ₹482-₹963 (~5-10 USD) | ₹482-₹771 (~5-8 USD) | ₹482 (~5 USD) |
| Dorm bed (Siem Reap, per night) | ₹482-₹1,156 (~5-12 USD) | ₹482-₹963 (~5-10 USD) | ₹482 (~5 USD) |
| Dorm bed (Sihanoukville, per night) | ₹578-₹1,060 (~6-11 USD) | ₹482-₹771 (~5-8 USD) | ₹482 (~5 USD) |
| Angkor 1-day pass | ₹3,565 (~37 USD) | ₹3,565 (~37 USD) | ₹3,565 (~37 USD) |
| Meal at a local restaurant | ₹289-₹482 (~3-5 USD) | ₹289-₹482 (~3-5 USD) | ₹193-₹385 (~2-4 USD) |
| Tuk-tuk in Siem Reap | ₹482-₹771 (~5-8 USD) | ₹385-₹578 (~4-6 USD) | ₹289-₹482 (~3-5 USD) |
The Angkor pass is the one fixed cost: ₹3,565 (~37 USD) for one day, ₹5,973 (~62 USD) for three days, ₹6,936 (~72 USD) for seven days. It does not change with season. If you are on a tight budget, the three-day pass spreads the cost and lets you see sunrise at Angkor Wat one morning and sunset at Banteay Srei another.
Getting Connected
Most Indian travellers pick up a local SIM at the airport on arrival. Smart, Cellcard, and Metfone all sell tourist SIMs at the Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airport counters for ₹482-₹963 (~5-10 USD) with 10-15 GB of data valid for 7-30 days. The airport price is higher than downtown by ₹193-₹289 (~2-3 USD), but the convenience is worth it if you arrive late. If you want data before you land, an eSIM from Nomad ships instantly and works for checking weather alerts during monsoon travel.
Real-time weather matters more in Cambodia than in Thailand or Vietnam. The monsoon shifts week-to-week, and a forecasted “scattered showers” can turn into a flood warning in the provinces. Keep a weather app open and check the Indian MEA travel advisory before departure for any regional updates.
Quick Note on Cambodia with Vietnam
The most common Indian backpacker route is Cambodia + Vietnam in one trip. The good news: the dry season overlaps. November to February is excellent in both countries simultaneously. If you want to do Cambodia in the wet season but Vietnam in the dry, May is the only clean overlap, since Vietnam’s central coast (Hoi An, Da Nang) gets wet September to December. For a real walk-through of how to chain the two countries, the SEA backpacking hub maps the full corridor.
A 14-day Cambodia + Vietnam loop from India looks like this: fly into Ho Chi Minh City, bus north to Phnom Penh (6 hours), explore Siem Reap and Angkor (3-4 days), then either fly back to HCMC or continue overland to Bangkok. The whole trip clocks in around ₹35,000-₹45,000 (~$363.30-$467.10) all-in if you skip the peak Christmas window.
Subodh’s Take
If you want the least hassle and you can afford the flights, book November. The weather is dry, the crowds are not yet at December levels, and the prices are still 10-15% below the Christmas peak. If you can handle some afternoon rain and you want to spend half as much on a hostel, go in July or August. Either way, plan around the Khmer New Year in April and avoid the last week of December unless you have booked flights 3 months out.
The one thing I would tell every first-timer: do not try to see Cambodia in 3 days. Even the minimal Phnom Penh + Siem Reap + a beach loop needs 7-10 days to feel like more than a checklist. The country rewards slow travel, the kind where you sit at a roadside stall and eat amok for an hour instead of rushing to the next temple.
FAQ
Is Cambodia worth visiting during monsoon (June to September)? Yes, if you are on a budget and flexible. The rain is mostly afternoon, the temples are uncrowded, and dorm beds drop to ₹482 (~5 USD) a night. The trade-off is humidity and the occasional road closure in the eastern provinces.
Which month is cheapest to fly from India to Cambodia? July and August are the cheapest, round trip from Delhi or Mumbai can hit ₹12,000-₹15,000 (~$124.56-$155.70) on budget airlines. December is the worst, expect ₹28,000-₹35,000 (~$290.64-$363.30) for the same route.
Can I combine Cambodia and Vietnam in one trip from India? Yes, and November to February is the one window that works well for both countries. The Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh bus is 6 hours and one of the cheapest border crossings in Southeast Asia.
Is Cambodia safe for solo Indian travellers? Generally yes. The main risks are bag-snatching on motorbikes in Phnom Penh and overcharging at markets. For current safety context, check the Indian MEA Cambodia travel advisory before you fly, and consider a Cambodia travel insurance guide read before departure.
Do I need a visa for Cambodia from India? Indian passport holders get a visa-on-arrival at the airport for ₹2,890 (~30 USD) or an e-Visa online for ₹3,468 (~36 USD). The e-Visa is slightly more expensive but skips the airport queue. Apply at the official portal: https://www.evisa.gov.kh
What is the best time to visit the Cambodia beaches? November to March is the dry season for the coast. Sihanoukville and Koh Rong are at their best in December and January, with calm seas and 28-30°C water. Avoid May to September, ferries cancel runs in heavy squalls.
