Best time to visit Siem Reap for events and culture
When to visit Siem Reap for festivals, cultural events, and local celebrations — the months when the city is most alive.
Best month
April
Khmer New Year — a genuine cultural celebration at the year's hottest temperatures.
↑Khmer New Year (April 13–15): Cambodia's most important festival, celebrated with water fights, traditional games, and Buddhist temple ceremonies across the country — the most culturally immersive week in Siem Reap
↑Accommodation prices at moderate levels: good value compared to January–February peak, with walk-in availability during non-Khmer New Year weeks
↑First occasional rains bring relief from the heat: brief afternoon showers reduce temperature and are not long enough to disrupt full-day temple tours
All months ranked — Events
Best match
Khmer New Year — a genuine cultural celebration at the year's hottest temperatures.
#1 for events
Best match
Bon Om Touk Water Festival — Cambodia's biggest celebration as the monsoon retreats.
#2 for events
Best match
Dry season begins — the best value month; Angkor accessible, lush from the rains, and growing.
#3 for events
Strong option
The driest and brightest month — Angkor's stone temples sharp under clear skies; the most photogenic window.
#4 for events
Strong option
Peak season returns — cool, dry and spectacular; Christmas influx drives prices up.
#5 for events
Strong option
Peak season — cool dry weather and clear skies for temple touring at the highest prices.
#6 for events
Strong option
Peak monsoon — Angkor's jungle temples at their most dramatic; empty corridors and budget prices.
#7 for events
Worth considering
Still excellent conditions with thinning crowds — warming temperatures but near-zero rain.
#8 for events
Worth considering
Monsoon begins — heavy rain but temples lush and green; emptier and cheaper.
#9 for events
Worth considering
Wettest period — flooded moats at Angkor and heavy daily rain; low prices throughout.
#10 for events
Worth considering
Monsoon deepens — heavy daily rain, Angkor almost empty, prices at the year's lowest.
#11 for events
Worth considering
Heaviest rain of the year — Angkor the quietest and cheapest it ever gets; serious bargain-seekers only.
#12 for events