Siem Reap · Month comparison

October vs November

November ranks #1 overall vs October at #3. Dry season begins — the best value month; Angkor accessible, lush from the rains, and growing.

Siem Reap October — Ta Prohm's ancient stone archway engulfed by massive tree roots, the jungle at its most lush after the rains

October

#3 of 12 months

Best match

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
Siem Reap November — Angkor Wat at blue-hour dawn, the dry season returning with the temple reflected in the full moat

November

#1 of 12 months

Best match

Dry season begins — the best value month; Angkor accessible, lush from the rains, and growing.

  • ↑The most underrated month in Siem Reap: dry season conditions returning, temples still green and atmospheric from the rains, and accommodation at shoulder prices
  • ↑Bon Om Touk Water Festival (if not in October): the boat racing on the Siem Reap River and the fireworks over Angkor are the most spectacular free event in Cambodia
FactorOctoberNovember
Weather score
5
8
Value score
8
6
Crowd score
8
6
Events score
7
6
Atmosphere
6
8
Avg high temp30°C29°C
Monthly rain240mm60mm
Daily sunshine6hrs8hrs

October trade-offs

  • ↓240mm of rain — October is the single wettest month, even wetter than September: the Water Festival celebrations happen in the rain, not under guaranteed sunshine
  • ↓Water Festival week draws very large domestic crowds to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh; accommodation in both cities is difficult to find during the festival days
  • ↓Angkor still receiving significant rain in early October: temple touring in the first two weeks involves mud, slippery stairs, and heavy afternoon downpours

November trade-offs

  • ↓Early November still transitional: rain can return for multi-day stretches, particularly in the first week as the dry season is not yet fully established
  • ↓Visitor numbers rising toward December peak: Siem Reap's Pub Street, riverside restaurants, and tuk-tuk drivers at higher demand than September
  • ↓Water Festival timing uncertainty: planning around it requires checking the lunar calendar date each year
See all 12 months for Siem Reap →October in detail →November in detail →
Scores compare months within Siem Reap. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →