Phnom Penh · Month comparison

June vs November

November ranks #1 overall vs June at #9. Best all-round month: dry season re-establishes, Water Festival peaks if not in October, city at full energy.

Phnom Penh June — night market street scene as locals reclaim the city during the quiet wet season

June

#9 of 12 months

Worth considering

Deep wet season — 175mm of rain and lowest tourist volumes; museums make the best use of time.

  • ↑Lowest tourist crowds of the year: the National Museum, Tuol Sleng, and the Royal Palace can be explored with remarkable unhurried access
  • ↑Excellent accommodation value — mid-range hotels are at their competitive minimum, and boutique guesthouses on BKK1 are significantly discounted
Phnom Penh November — city skyline with the clock tower at dusk as the dry season returns to Cambodia's capital

November

#1 of 12 months

Best match

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
FactorJuneNovember
Weather score
3
8
Value score
8
7
Crowd score
9
6
Events score
4
9
Atmosphere
5
8
Avg high temp33°C31°C
Monthly rain175mm90mm
Daily sunshine5.5hrs7.5hrs

June trade-offs

  • ↓175mm of rain with persistent afternoon downpours — the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, which requires extended outdoor time, is difficult to visit meaningfully in June
  • ↓Only 5.5 daily sunshine hours — photography at the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda depends on catching the narrow morning window before the cloud cover builds
  • ↓The monsoon-swollen Tonlé Sap begins reversing its flow direction; boat trips on the river can be choppy and less comfortable than the dry season

November trade-offs

  • ↓If the Water Festival falls in November, hotel prices spike significantly for the festival weekend — early booking essential
  • ↓Tourist season rebuilding from the wet-season low: accommodation prices rising from October budget levels; advance planning increasingly necessary
See all 12 months for Phnom Penh →June in detail →November in detail →
Scores compare months within Phnom Penh. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →