Who it's for
Is Cambodia right for your trip?
Every country is somebody's favourite. The honest question is whether it is yours, and for this trip.
This is your trip if…
- You want Angkor at dawn and dusk across several days, not a single sunrise scrum.
- History, including the Khmer Rouge period, is something you are ready to engage with.
- Slow rivers, rice country and small towns interest you as much as beaches.
- You are comfortable with heat, buses and a two-currency economy.
Think twice if…
- You want to fly in for one temple day and leave.
- You expect polished resort infrastructure outside Siem Reap and Song Saa-style islands.
- You want cool weather; March to May is punishing.
- You find casino-driven Sihanoukville an acceptable trade-off for its beaches.
Best time to visit
When is the best time to visit Cambodia?
November–February for cooler dry weather; August–October for green temples and full rivers. The dry season runs from November to April, with November to February the coolest and busiest and March to May very hot. The wet season from May to October brings short afternoon downpours, green paddies, full moats at Angkor and a Tonlé Sap high enough for the Siem Reap–Battambang boat. Late wet season, from August to October, is the most photogenic and least crowded period for the temples, at the cost of some muddy rural roads and occasional flooding in Phnom Penh.
- Best
Cool dry
November–February
Comfortable mornings, clear skies and peak Angkor crowds; book Siem Reap rooms early.
- Mixed
Hot dry
March–May
Temperatures pass 35°C, moats dry and temple days must start before six; Khmer New Year in April closes much of the country.
- Good
Early wet
June–August
Afternoon storms, low prices and green landscapes; the coast and islands get rougher seas.
- Good
Late wet
September–October
Fullest rivers, Pchum Ben holidays and the Tonlé Sap reversal; some rural roads flood.
Climate · monthly normals
Hot lowland capital: a dry, slightly cooler window from December to February, extreme heat in April and steady monsoon rain from May to October.
For contrast
Eastern highland town at about 800 m: cool dry-season nights, milder days and a long, wet monsoon from May to October.
Festivals and events
What is worth planning around?
Dates a plan should either aim for or steer clear of. Both are useful; the second saves more money.
13–16 April
Khmer New Year (Chaul Chnam Thmey)
Nationwide; Siem Reap's Angkor Sankranta
Families return to home villages, temples fill with offerings and Siem Reap hosts water fights and traditional games on the Angkor grounds.
Buses, banks and many restaurants close for several days; book transport well ahead.
Late September or early October
Pchum Ben
Nationwide
The fifteen-day festival of the ancestors ends with three public holidays when Cambodians bring food to pagodas for the dead.
Phnom Penh empties and intercity buses sell out on the days either side.
November full moon
Bon Om Touk (Water Festival)
Phnom Penh and Siem Reap
Longboat races on the Tonlé Sap and illuminated barges mark the reversal of the river's flow after the monsoon.
May
Royal Ploughing Ceremony
Phnom Penh
Sacred oxen predict the coming harvest at a court ritual that opens the rice-planting year.
Where to go
Where should you go in Cambodia?
The places that earn their nights, most important first, with how long each deserves. Nobody needs all of them on one trip.
City and local guides
6 worked-out stopsMap numbers match the local guide cards.
- 01
Siem Reap & Angkor
Southeast Asia
city4–5 daysAngkor Wat, Bayon and Ta Prohm are one circuit; Banteay Srei, Beng Mealea and the Kulen hills are others. Buy a multi-day pass, hire a tuk-tuk or guide, and rest through the midday heat.
Best time: December–April, adjusted for the coast
Explore Siem Reap & Angkor - 02
Phnom Penh
Southeast Asia
city2–3 daysThe Royal Palace, National Museum and riverside sit beside the Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek memorials. Visit the memorials with a guide and give the evening to the city's food.
Best time: December–April, adjusted for the coast
Explore Phnom Penh - 03
Battambang
Southeast Asia
town2–3 daysCambodia's second city is low-rise and unhurried, with Phare circus roots, art-deco shophouses and countryside temple hills reached by tuk-tuk.
Best time: December–April, adjusted for the coast
Explore Battambang - 04
Kampot & Kep
Southeast Asia
travel base3–4 daysKampot's riverside cafés and Bokor road pair with Kep's seafood market, the Kep National Park loop and a boat to Koh Tonsay.
Best time: November–February
Explore Kampot & Kep - 05
Koh Rong & the islands
Southeast Asia
travel base3–4 daysKoh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem have white beaches, bioluminescent nights and few roads. Reach them by fast ferry from Sihanoukville without lingering in the port city.
Best time: November–February
Explore Koh Rong & the islands - 06
Kratie & Mondulkiri
Southeast Asia
travel base3–5 daysKratie's Irrawaddy dolphin pools and Mondulkiri's elephant sanctuaries and Bunong communities form a north-eastern chapter that needs bus time and ethical operator choices.
Best time: December–April, adjusted for the coast
Explore Kratie & Mondulkiri
Things to do
What should you do in Cambodia?
Not a bucket list — the handful of things that make this country this country, with the timing catch that stops people doing them well.
- 01
Do Angkor over several days
Angkor Archaeological Park
A three-day pass valid over ten days lets you take the small circuit at dawn, the grand circuit in cooler light and outlying temples on a third day.
- 02
Visit Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek with intention
Phnom Penh
Take the audio guide or a survivor-led tour, go in the morning and give yourself a quiet afternoon afterwards.
- 03
Ride the Tonlé Sap to Battambang
Siem Reap to Battambang
In high water, from August to December, the day-long boat passes floating villages; in the dry season take the bus and visit Kampong Phluk instead.
- 04
Eat Kampot pepper and Kep crab at source
Kampot and Kep
La Plantation and smaller farms explain the geographical indication; Kep's crab market grills the catch beside the sea wall.
- 05
Choose an ethical elephant project
Mondulkiri
Observation-only sanctuaries run with Bunong villages replace riding and bathing shows; ask how mahouts are employed.
- 06
Support the arts economy
Battambang and Siem Reap
Phare Ponleu Selpak's school and the Siem Reap circus channel tourism into training; galleries and studios in Battambang do the same.
How to get around
How do you get around Cambodia?
Buses and minivans link every town, with the Phnom Penh–Sihanoukville expressway and improved National Roads cutting journey times. Tuk-tuks and ride-hailing apps handle cities and temple circuits. Fast ferries reach the islands from Sihanoukville, the seasonal Tonlé Sap boat links Siem Reap and Battambang, and short domestic flights connect Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville.
Buses and minivans
Giant Ibis, Mekong Express and Larryta run air-conditioned coaches and vans on the main corridors; book a day ahead in high season and avoid the cheapest overnight operators.
Rule of thumb: Town to town → bus or van, five to seven hours between major stops.
Tuk-tuks and ride-hailing
PassApp and Grab give fixed fares in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap; a daily tuk-tuk driver is the standard way to circuit Angkor and Battambang's countryside.
Fast ferries and river boats
Speed ferries from Sihanoukville reach Koh Rong in under an hour; the Tonlé Sap boat and Mekong crossings run on water levels rather than timetables.
Domestic flights
Phnom Penh–Siem Reap flights save a six-hour bus, and the new Techo International Airport has moved capital arrivals further from the city; check transfer time.
Passes and cards, honestly
- The Angkor pass comes in one-, three- and seven-day versions; the multi-day passes are valid over longer windows and are sold online and at the official ticket centre.
- No national transport pass exists; buses, boats and flights are booked separately.
Travel tips
What should you know before you go?
The things locals assume you know. Most travellers learn them by getting one wrong on day two.
- The Khmer Rouge years are living memory
- Nearly every family lost someone between 1975 and 1979. Ask carefully, listen more than you speak, and do not photograph people at memorials.
- Dress for temples, not the heat alone
- Shoulders and knees must be covered at Angkor and in pagodas; enforcement at Angkor Wat's upper tier is strict.
- Two currencies, one economy
- US dollars and riel circulate together; small change comes in riel and torn or old dollar notes are refused.
- Orphanage and begging tourism causes harm
- Do not visit orphanages or buy from children selling near temples; support registered NGOs and social enterprises instead.
- Buddhism structures the calendar
- Pchum Ben, Khmer New Year and holy days shape when people travel and when businesses close; monks are given priority on transport.
Travel basics
Visa, money, SIM cards and more
The boring section, which is why it is the one people skip and then regret at the airport.
visa
E-Visa before you fly
The official e-Visa portal issues a 30-day tourist visa; visa on arrival works at main airports and land borders but attracts overcharging at some crossings.
money
Dollars for large sums, riel for small
Carry clean US notes and expect riel as change; ATMs dispense both. Cards work in hotels and better restaurants, rarely at markets.
connectivity
Cheap SIMs and decent coverage
Cellcard, Smart and Metfone SIMs are sold at airports; coverage is good in towns and along main roads, thin on islands and in Mondulkiri.
plugs
Type A, C and G sockets
Cambodia uses 230 V; most hotels fit multi-standard sockets, but a universal adapter is sensible for older guesthouses.
safety
Petty theft and road risk
Bag-snatching from tuk-tuks in Phnom Penh is common; hold bags inward. Roads are dangerous at night, so avoid overnight buses where a day service exists.
health
Heat, mosquitoes and water
Dengue is present year-round; use repellent and cover up at dusk. Drink bottled water, and consult a travel clinic on malaria for Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri.
Trip costs
How much does a trip to Cambodia cost?
A mid-range trip usually needs about €35–€90 per person per day, before long-haul flights. Cambodia is inexpensive for rooms, food and tuk-tuks, but the Angkor pass, guided days, island ferries and any internal flight are fixed costs that a shoestring plan cannot dodge. Prices are quoted in dollars in tourism and in riel everywhere else; the gap between a family guesthouse and a Siem Reap boutique hotel is wide.
Shoestring
€€20–35
per person / day
- Stay
- Guesthouse or hostel dorm
- Food
- Market stalls, noodle shops and rice plates
- Transport
- Local buses, shared tuk-tuks and bicycles
Very feasible; the Angkor pass alone is a large single spend.
Mid-range
€€35–90
per person / day
- Stay
- Boutique guesthouse or pool hotel
- Food
- Sit-down Khmer restaurants and social enterprises
- Transport
- Tourist buses, private tuk-tuks and fast ferries
The comfortable level for a full circuit with guided temple days.
Comfortable
€€120–300
per person / day
- Stay
- Heritage hotel or island resort
- Food
- Chef-led Khmer tasting menus and river dinners
- Transport
- Private drivers, domestic flights and speedboats
Spend on early-access temple guides, drivers and the better island resorts.
Sample itineraries
Starting points, not scripts
Each of these is a real request you could hand to Menta as written. Change the people, the month and the pace; the structure will hold.
Angkor and the capital
8 days- Siem Reap
- Angkor
- Phnom Penh
Four temple days with a guide and rest hours, then the capital's palace, museums and memorials.
Temples, river and coast
13 days- Siem Reap
- Battambang
- Phnom Penh
- Kampot
- Kep
The classic loop with a Battambang detour by boat or bus and a slow southern finish among pepper farms and crab markets.
Full circuit with the north-east
17 days- Phnom Penh
- Kratie
- Mondulkiri
- Siem Reap
- Koh Rong
Mekong dolphins and highland elephants before Angkor, ending on the islands via the expressway and ferry.
Common questions
Quick answers about travel in Cambodia
Short answers to the questions people ask before they book. Use the full guide for the detail and trade-offs.
- When is the best time to visit Cambodia?
- November–February for cooler dry weather; August–October for green temples and full rivers. The dry season runs from November to April, with November to February the coolest and busiest and March to May very hot. The wet season from May to October brings short afternoon downpours, green paddies, full moats at Angkor and a Tonlé Sap high enough for the Siem Reap–Battambang boat. Late wet season, from August to October, is the most photogenic and least crowded period for the temples, at the cost of some muddy rural roads and occasional flooding in Phnom Penh.
- How much does a trip to Cambodia cost?
- Plan about €35–€90 per person per day for a mid-range trip, before long-haul flights. Cambodia is inexpensive for rooms, food and tuk-tuks, but the Angkor pass, guided days, island ferries and any internal flight are fixed costs that a shoestring plan cannot dodge. Prices are quoted in dollars in tourism and in riel everywhere else; the gap between a family guesthouse and a Siem Reap boutique hotel is wide.
- How do you get around Cambodia?
- Buses and minivans link every town, with the Phnom Penh–Sihanoukville expressway and improved National Roads cutting journey times. Tuk-tuks and ride-hailing apps handle cities and temple circuits. Fast ferries reach the islands from Sihanoukville, the seasonal Tonlé Sap boat links Siem Reap and Battambang, and short domestic flights connect Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville.
More destinations
Where else?
- JapanA megacity, a thousand temples and trains that leave to the second.
- ChinaImperial capitals, fast trains, regional tables and landscapes at continental scale.
- ItalyThree civilisations' worth of cities, and lunch takes two hours.
- SpainEurope's longest high-speed rail, five cultures, and lunch at three.
- PortugalTwo hilly cities, a valley of port and a long Atlantic coast.
- GreeceAntiquity, two hundred inhabited islands and a ferry timetable to respect.
- IcelandOne road, no trains, and weather that rewrites the plan daily.
- ThailandStreet food, temples, two coasts and Asia's cheapest good hotel room.
- VietnamTwo capitals, one slow railway and the best street food in Asia.
- MoroccoMedinas, the High Atlas and the Sahara, a ferry ride from Europe.
- MexicoA 3,000-year-old civilisation, the best street food on earth, and two coastlines.
- Costa RicaCloud forest, two coasts, volcanoes and wildlife best seen slowly.
- The BahamasShallow banks, island towns and water-led journeys between cays.
- BarbadosCoral coasts, Bajan food and an island with several speeds.
- CubaLayered cities, karst valleys and a journey that needs patience.
- Dominican RepublicCaribbean cities, mountain interiors and coasts beyond the resort gate.
- JamaicaMusic, mountain rain, strong food and coasts with different rhythms.
- FranceGreat cities, long lunches, mountains and a coast for every mood.
- United KingdomHistoric cities, wild coastlines and weather worth planning around.
- GermanyBig culture, small cities, forests and trains with caveats.
- NetherlandsCanals, art, cycling and small cities that reward staying longer.
- CroatiaAdriatic islands, stone towns, clear water and a crowded August.
- TurkeyMosques, markets, ancient cities and coastlines on a huge scale.
- SwitzerlandAlps, lakes and trains that make the expensive route feel simple.
- AustriaImperial cities, Alpine lakes, music and excellent rail links.
- NorwayFjords, midnight light, coastal towns and beautiful long distances.
- SwedenArchipelagoes, forests, design and summer light that lasts.
- FinlandLakes, saunas, forests and a capital built for slow days.
- CzechiaBeautiful old towns, serious beer and an easy train route beyond Prague.
- PolandDeep history, lively cities, forests, lakes and mountain food.
- IrelandAtlantic cliffs, music-filled towns, green roads and weather in charge.
- AustraliaBig distances, old landscapes, city beaches and wildlife in the wild.
- New ZealandVolcanoes, fjords, coast roads and a country made for the outdoors.
- IndonesiaVolcanoes, rice fields, reefs and thousands of islands to choose from.
- South KoreaFast cities, quiet temples, mountain trails and food at every hour.
- United StatesHuge landscapes, distinct cities and a route that must respect the map.
- CanadaBig wilderness, thoughtful cities and distances that need their own plan.
- ArgentinaBig-city appetite, Andean wine country and Patagonia at full scale.
- BrazilAtlantic cities, living cultures and continental-scale nature.
- ChileDesert sky, Pacific cities, volcano lakes and Patagonian wind.
- ColombiaHighland cities, Caribbean history and coffee-country roads.
- PeruAndean cities, living food cultures and Amazon headwaters.
- IndiaMughal cities, desert forts, sacred rivers and a monsoon coast.
- Sri LankaTea hills, ancient cities and two coasts with opposite seasons.
- NepalHimalayan trails, Newar cities and lowland jungle in one country.
- MalaysiaHawker cities, tea hills, island coasts and Bornean rainforest.
- PhilippinesIsland archipelago where the flight map decides the trip.
- TaiwanNight markets, high-speed rail and a mountainous Pacific island.
- LaosSlow Mekong days, mountain roads and a new railway.
- United Arab EmiratesSeven emirates, two big cities and a mountain-and-desert hinterland.
- JordanPetra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea on one compact road.
- OmanForts, wadis, dunes and turtle beaches on the Arabian Sea.
- EgyptThe Nile corridor, Red Sea reefs and five thousand years in sequence.
- South AfricaTwo oceans, self-drive safari and cities with unfinished histories.
- KenyaSavannah, highlands and a Swahili coast, sequenced by rain.
- TanzaniaThe northern circuit, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar, priced honestly.
- NamibiaSelf-drive desert, empty roads and Africa's darkest skies.
- BelgiumFlemish art cities, Brussels institutions and forested Ardennes valleys.
- DenmarkCopenhagen design, island villages and long Jutland beaches.
- HungaryThermal baths, Danube grandeur, wine hills and the Great Plain.
- SloveniaAlpine lakes, an emerald river, karst caves and a Venetian coast.
- GeorgiaCaucasus villages, eight-thousand-year wine and a serious table.
- MontenegroA fjord-like bay, limestone peaks and a short, crowded coast.
- AlbaniaOttoman towns, an Ionian riviera and a raw alpine north.
- RomaniaSaxon towns, Carpathian wilderness and Europe's largest wetland.
- BulgariaMonasteries, mountain villages and a working Black Sea coast.
- SlovakiaAlpine peaks, castle ruins and wooden churches on a rail spine.
- Bosnia and HerzegovinaOttoman bazaars, stone bridges and wild rivers between mountains.
- EstoniaMedieval Tallinn, bog boardwalks, island manors and long white nights.
- LatviaArt Nouveau Riga, castle valleys, a wooden spa coast and deep forest.
- LithuaniaBaroque Vilnius, a dune spit, lake castles and pine spa towns.
- MaltaLimestone capital, Neolithic temples, harbour ferries and Gozo's slow coast.
- CyprusDivided capital, mosaic coast, painted mountain churches and a wild peninsula.
- SingaporeA dense, humid city-state that rewards districts, not landmarks.
- MaldivesAtolls, reefs and two very different ways to stay.
- BhutanHimalayan valleys, dzongs and a daily fee that shapes everything.
- UzbekistanSilk Road cities linked by fast trains and desert roads.
- EthiopiaRock churches, highland monasteries and a distinct calendar.
- UgandaGorillas, chimpanzees, the Nile and crater-lake forests.
- RwandaGorilla volcanoes, tea hills and a compact, orderly country.
- BotswanaDelta floods, elephant rivers and empty Kalahari pans.
- ZambiaWalking safaris, wild rivers and the Zambian side of Victoria Falls.
- MadagascarLemurs, baobabs and an island that evolved apart.
- MauritiusLagoon coasts, a volcanic interior and a Creole, Indian and Chinese island.
- TunisiaCarthage, medinas, Roman arenas and the Saharan oases.
- GuatemalaMaya highlands, volcano lakes and a Petén forest of ruins.
- PanamaCanal city, Caribbean archipelagos and cloud-forest coffee.
- EcuadorVolcano avenue, cloud forest, Amazon edge and the Galápagos.
- BoliviaAltiplano salt, Aymara cities and a wide Amazon lowland.
- UruguayCalm capital, Atlantic beaches and slow wine country.
- FijiReef islands, village life and two big green mainlands.
- SerbiaDanube cities, monastery hills and long-table hospitality.
- North MacedoniaOhrid's lake, Ottoman bazaars and mountain villages in a small compass.
- KosovoEurope's youngest country: café capital, Ottoman Prizren and alpine valleys.
- MoldovaUnderground wine cities, cliff monasteries and Europe's least-visited country.
- ArmeniaStone monasteries, Ararat views and a capital that stays up late.
- AzerbaijanCaspian capital, mud volcanoes and Caucasus villages above the tea plains.
- LuxembourgFortress capital, Moselle wine and Ardennes castles by free bus.
- AndorraPyrenean principality of ski valleys, Romanesque chapels and thermal spas.
- Faroe IslandsEighteen basalt islands of sea cliffs, tunnels and turf-roofed villages.
- GreenlandIcebergs, ice sheet and Inuit towns reached only by air and sea.
- KazakhstanTian Shan foothills, steppe capital and canyon country by air.
- KyrgyzstanYurt stays, alpine lakes and horse treks in the Tian Shan.
- TajikistanPamir Highway, Wakhan villages and turquoise Fann lakes.
- PakistanMughal Lahore and the Karakoram, planned region by region.
- BangladeshRiver delta, mangrove tigers, tea gardens and Dhaka's old city.
- Hong KongVertical harbour city, outlying islands and surprising country parks.
- BruneiWater village, gilded mosques and untouched Borneo rainforest.
- Timor-LesteReef walls, mountain villages and a young nation's coastline.
- Saudi ArabiaNabataean tombs, Red Sea reefs and a fast-changing kingdom.
- QatarA compact Gulf peninsula built around one polished capital.
- GhanaAtlantic forts, Ashanti heritage and a warm, workable West Africa.
- SenegalDakar's music, Gorée's memory and delta and river landscapes.
- Cape VerdeTen Atlantic islands of morna, volcanoes and trade winds.
- SeychellesGranite islands, coral atolls and Creole ease in the Indian Ocean.
- MozambiqueIndian Ocean coast, dhow islands and a restored savanna.
- ZimbabweVictoria Falls, walking safaris and Africa's largest ancient stone city.
- MalawiA freshwater sea, restored parks and high plateaus in one small country.
- EswatiniA small kingdom of royal ceremony, rhino reserves and highveld hikes.
- LesothoThe mountain kingdom: pony treks, high passes and Basotho villages.
- BelizeBarrier reef, Maya cities and Garifuna coast in one small country.
- HondurasBay Islands diving, Copán's carved city and cloud-forest highlands.
- El SalvadorSurf coast, volcano towns and a small country in rapid change.
- NicaraguaColonial cities, twin-volcano island and two very different coasts.
- Trinidad and TobagoCarnival, ibis and doubles on Trinidad; reef and calm on Tobago.
- Saint LuciaThe Pitons, rainforest ridges and Kwéyòl villages on one green island.
- ParaguayRiver cities, Jesuit ruins and the enormous quiet of the Chaco.
- SamoaTwo volcanic islands, village fales and fa'a Samoa on its own terms.
- TongaA Polynesian kingdom of four island groups, whales and strict Sundays.
- VanuatuActive volcanoes, kastom villages and eighty islands of Melanesia.
- Cook IslandsRarotonga's ring road, Aitutaki's lagoon and atolls nobody reaches.
Cambodia is a good trip. Make it your trip.
Everything on this page is context Menta already has. Add the people going, the dates and what you actually care about, and the plan starts smarter than a blank chat.
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Start planning CambodiaGuide last reviewed 2026-09. Check visa rules against your own passport before you book.