Siem Reap · Cambodia
May
Monsoon begins — heavy rain but temples lush and green; emptier and cheaper.
Strong option
#10 of 12 months
There are better months for Siem Reap — see the full ranking below.
See when to go instead →Climate
High
34°C
Low
24°C
Rain
130mm
Sun
7hrs/day
30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5
How May scores in Siem Reap
Weather
Above average
Value
Very good
Crowds
Very good
Events
Below average
Atmosphere
Good
What you gain in May
- ↑Prices dropping 25–35% below peak season: budget guesthouses near Pub Street at under US$15, mid-range riverside properties at US$30–50 per night
- ↑Angkor's temple complex goes strikingly green: the moats fill, the jungle around Ta Prohm floods with lush growth, and the stone-and-foliage combination is more dramatic than the dry season
- ↑Visitor numbers dropping to low season: Ta Prohm and Banteay Srei accessible without queues, tuk-tuk drivers available immediately
What you sacrifice
- ↓130mm of rain, mostly heavy afternoon downpours: sunrise at Angkor Wat is less reliable and sometimes cloud-obscured; bring a waterproof outer layer for afternoon temple touring
- ↓Paths inside some temple complexes can become muddy and slippery in heavy rain: less suitable for elderly visitors or young children
- ↓Some remote temples on unpaved roads become difficult to reach in the worst rain weeks; access limited to paved-road complexes
How May compares to November (best month)
| Factor | May | November ★ |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | 5 | 8 |
| Value | 7 | 6 |
| Crowds | 7 | 6 |
May in other destinations
Lisbon (20.7°C)Barcelona (20.8°C)Tokyo (23.8°C)Bali (31.2°C)Santorini (19.8°C)Paris (18.1°C)New York (20.4°C)Marrakech (26.4°C)Amsterdam (16.4°C)Maldives (31.5°C)Rome (21.7°C)Bangkok (32.6°C)Istanbul (20.7°C)Vienna (19.7°C)Seoul (21.4°C)Dubrovnik (20.9°C)Rio de Janeiro (26.2°C)Kyoto (25.2°C)Phuket (32.6°C)Cape Town (18.9°C)Prague (21°C)Amalfi Coast (23°C)Mexico City (27°C)Medellín (27°C)Fiji (28°C)London (18°C)Sydney (19°C)Iceland (10°C)Tulum (32°C)Dubai (38°C)Singapore (33°C)Hoi An (33°C)Chiang Mai (33°C)Miami (30.6°C)Florence (23.1°C)Queenstown (11°C)Madrid (21.7°C)Porto (21°C)Edinburgh (15°C)Copenhagen (16°C)Budapest (22°C)Kraków (20°C)Tbilisi (23°C)Palawan (32°C)Hanoi (31°C)Osaka (25°C)Goa (33°C)Cusco (20°C)Buenos Aires (19°C)Mykonos (23°C)Zanzibar (28°C)Sri Lanka (31°C)Costa Rica (27°C)Cancun (32°C)Krabi (33°C)Athens (25°C)Seville (27°C)Cartagena (31°C)
Climate data: 30-year normals (1991–2020) from Open Meteo ERA5 reanalysis. Scores compare months within Siem Reap, not across destinations. Methodology →