Best time to visit Siem Reap without the crowds
When to visit Siem Reap for fewer tourists — quieter sites, more authentic local atmosphere, and less pressure on transport and restaurants.
Best month
October
Bon Om Touk Water Festival — Cambodia's biggest celebration as the monsoon retreats.
↑Bon Om Touk (Water Festival): occurring late October or early November depending on the lunar calendar — three days of boat races on the Tonle Sap River, the largest festival in Cambodia, drawing over a million people
↑Rain beginning its retreat: the second half of October brings noticeably longer dry windows and the first signs of the approaching dry season
↑Accommodation still at budget rates while the Water Festival delivers a genuinely unique cultural experience — the combination of low prices and major festival is the best-value event in the Siem Reap calendar
All months ranked — Without crowds
Best match
Bon Om Touk Water Festival — Cambodia's biggest celebration as the monsoon retreats.
#1 for without crowds
Best match
Peak monsoon — Angkor's jungle temples at their most dramatic; empty corridors and budget prices.
#2 for without crowds
Best match
Heaviest rain of the year — Angkor the quietest and cheapest it ever gets; serious bargain-seekers only.
#3 for without crowds
Best match
Monsoon deepens — heavy daily rain, Angkor almost empty, prices at the year's lowest.
#4 for without crowds
Best match
Dry season begins — the best value month; Angkor accessible, lush from the rains, and growing.
#5 for without crowds
Best match
Khmer New Year — a genuine cultural celebration at the year's hottest temperatures.
#6 for without crowds
Best match
Wettest period — flooded moats at Angkor and heavy daily rain; low prices throughout.
#7 for without crowds
Strong option
Monsoon begins — heavy rain but temples lush and green; emptier and cheaper.
#8 for without crowds
Strong option
The driest and brightest month — Angkor's stone temples sharp under clear skies; the most photogenic window.
#9 for without crowds
Strong option
Still excellent conditions with thinning crowds — warming temperatures but near-zero rain.
#10 for without crowds
Strong option
Peak season — cool dry weather and clear skies for temple touring at the highest prices.
#11 for without crowds
Strong option
Peak season returns — cool, dry and spectacular; Christmas influx drives prices up.
#12 for without crowds