Best time to visit Phnom Penh on a budget
When to visit Phnom Penh for lower prices on flights, accommodation, and food — without sacrificing too much on weather or atmosphere.
Best month
November
Best all-round month: dry season re-establishes, Water Festival peaks if not in October, city at full energy.
↑Bon Om Touk (Water Festival) can fall in November depending on the lunar calendar — if so, the riverside boat races, illuminated floats, and fireworks over the Royal Palace are unmissable; the most spectacular event in Phnom Penh's year
↑Dry season is re-establishing rapidly: 90mm of rain with 7.5 sunshine hours daily; the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, and Killing Fields memorial are all fully enjoyable again
↑Temperatures drop to a comfortable 31°C with lower humidity than the monsoon months — evenings on Sisowath Quay are genuinely pleasant for the first time since April
All months ranked — Cheap travel
Best match
Best all-round month: dry season re-establishes, Water Festival peaks if not in October, city at full energy.
#1 for cheap travel
Avoid
Wettest month (250mm) — but Bon Om Touk Water Festival (Oct/Nov) delivers one of Asia's great spectacles.
#2 for cheap travel
Best match
Late dry season — heat building toward 35°C but Khmer New Year preparations create rising energy.
#3 for cheap travel
Avoid
220mm of rain — the statistical peak of the monsoon; only visit if weather is genuinely irrelevant to your plans.
#4 for cheap travel
Best match
Peak dry season: 31°C, near-zero rain, and the Royal Palace at its most accessible.
#5 for cheap travel
Worth considering
Wet season begins: 155mm of rain and the tourist infrastructure quietens — for budget travellers only.
#6 for cheap travel
Worth considering
Deep wet season — 175mm of rain and lowest tourist volumes; museums make the best use of time.
#7 for cheap travel
Worth considering
Wet season continues — 165mm of rain; only worthwhile as a budget base for travellers unfazed by daily downpours.
#8 for cheap travel
Worth considering
Heavy monsoon continues — 180mm and 83% humidity; only for travellers who plan around the rain.
#9 for cheap travel
Best match
Near-perfect dry season continues — the driest month of the year with 8.5 sunshine hours daily.
#10 for cheap travel
Best match
Peak dry season excellence — 30°C, minimal rain, and Christmas/New Year visitors lift the riverfront energy.
#11 for cheap travel
Strong option
Khmer New Year (mid-April) transforms the city — the most significant cultural event in Cambodia's calendar.
#12 for cheap travel