Siem Reap Climate and Geography

The northern part of the province is blanketed with extensive greeneries and jungles where the Angkor Archaeological Park lies while the southern portion is covered with endless rice paddies typical of southern Cambodia. The city of Siem Reap, on the other hand, is divided into eight districts dominated by the intersecting roads of Phlauv Wat Bo, Pokambor Avenue, Phlauv Sivatha, Ph Om Khun and National Highway 6 at the city center. The last road is the highway that leads outside of the city especially to the capital city of Phnom Penh.

The Koppen climate system classifies Siem Reap’s climate as marked by two seasons, wet and dry. The city’s inland location gives its estimated 180,000 residents a year-round high temperature that never falls below 30 ºC (86 ºF). May to October is the monsoon season marked by rainy days virtually on a daily basis, with the months of September and October especially susceptible to flooding. The dry season from November to April is still characterized by high daytime temperatures but the evenings give a bit of a respite from the harsh tropical heat where temperatures usually go down to 19 ºC from December to February.

The best time to go to Siem Reap and enjoy the marvels of Angkor depends on your preference. If you shun the intense tropical heat, then perhaps the period between November and February could suit you best when the mercury goes down a bit and downpours are just a trickle and few and far between. The hanging dry air produces occasional haze that obstructs magnificent temple views. The least favorable conditions climate-wise could be from March to June when temperatures are at their maximum, occasionally exceeding 40 ºC and rains pour almost every day. The positive thing about this period is that there are fewer tourists, cheaper rooms and chances are you will have one temple all to yourself. July to October poses the best photographic opportunities when the jungles are aglow in emerald hues after a short downpour, moats and pools are full of water and wet walls of temples are at their most photogenic condition. Just be careful of the muddy grounds while traversing paths around temples and ruins.

Siem Reap Climate Facts: