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Travel guide · Angkor, the Mekong and Khmer memory

Travelling to Cambodia

The temples of Angkor, the Mekong, the memory of the Khmer Rouge years and quiet islands. We tell you when to go, what to see and what to eat.

Updated 18 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • Best time: from November to January
  • Where to eat: a market stall
Photo: Unsplash

Cambodia in 30 seconds

  • The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Cambodia are from November to January. If you can, avoid April (intense heat).
  • Buy your Angkor pass at the official centre, not at the temples: bring your passport.
  • To eat like a local: a market stall. Don’t leave without trying: Amok, Lok lak, Num banh chok.

Cambodia in November

Yes: November is a good time to travel to Cambodia. Our data shows no weather or seasonal warnings that month.

More destinations for November

When to travel to Cambodia

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Cambodia are from November to January. If you can, avoid April (intense heat).

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb with warnings
  3. Mar with warnings
  4. Apr with strong warnings
  5. May with warnings
  6. Jun with warnings
  7. Jul with warnings
  8. Aug with warnings
  9. Sep with warnings
  10. Oct with warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec no warnings

More destinations for those dates: where to travel in January · where to travel in November · where to travel in December

  • February

    Lunar New Year (approximate dates)

    Millions of people travel at this time: trains and flights are full and expensive, and many shops and restaurants close for several days.

    What to do: Book transport weeks in advance and expect closures for the first three days.

  • from March to May

    Intense heat

    From March to May temperatures reach 35–40 °C with high humidity; April is the toughest month.

    What to do: Visit temples at sunrise, rest at midday and drink plenty of water.

    Best time: November to February

  • from June to October

    Rainy season

    It’s usually heavy afternoon downpours, not whole days of rain. Everything is greener and there are fewer tourists.

    What to do: Plan outdoor visits for the morning and save the afternoon for museums, covered markets or a massage.

    Best time: November to February

What to see in Cambodia

The cities and areas most worth your time, with their highlights. Open each one for all the places, where to stay and its day trips.

  • Siem Reap
    Angkor

    Siem Reap

    The gateway to Angkor: Angkor Wat, the Bayon, Ta Prohm and much more.

    • Angkor Wat
    • Bayon
    • Ta Prohm
    • Banteay Srei
    Siem Reap guide
  • Phnom Penh
    Phnom Penh

    Phnom Penh

    The capital on the Mekong: the Royal Palace, markets and the places of memory.

    • Royal Palace of Phnom Penh
    • Silver Pagoda
    • National Museum of Cambodia
    • Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
    Phnom Penh guide
  • Battambang
    Battambang

    Battambang

    A quiet colonial town, with the bamboo train and hilltop temples.

    • Phnom Sampov
    • Wat Banan
    • Wat Ek Phnom
    • Wat Kor
    Battambang guide
  • Kampot

    Kampot

    A riverside town, famous for its pepper and its slow pace.

    • Pepper plantations
    • Bokor
    • Praek Tuek Chhu River
    • Salt pans
    Kampot guide
  • Kep

    Kep

    A former French seaside resort, now famous for its crab market.

    • Crab market
    • Kep National Park
    • Rabbit Island
    • Colonial villas
    Kep guide
  • Koh Rong

    Koh Rong

    Islands of white sand and bioluminescent plankton at night.

    • Long Beach
    • Bioluminescent plankton
    • Koh Rong Samloem
    • Snorkelling
    Koh Rong guide
  • Sihanoukville

    Sihanoukville

    The gateway to the islands in the Gulf of Thailand.

    • Ferries to the islands
    • Otres Beach
    • Ream National Park
    • Wat Leu
    Sihanoukville guide

Day trips and activities

What’s most worth booking from each city. We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

From Siem Reap

From Phnom Penh

From Battambang

From Kampot

From Kep

From Koh Rong

From Sihanoukville

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

What to eat in Cambodia

To eat like a local: a market stall, and order fish amok or lok lak. And don’t leave without trying:

  • Amok

    Fish curry with coconut milk, steamed in a banana leaf.

  • Lok lak

    Stir-fried beef with a Kampot pepper sauce.

  • Num banh chok

    Rice noodles with green curry, the breakfast dish.

  • Crab with Kampot pepper

    A speciality of Kep.

  • Bai sach chrouk

    Rice with grilled pork.

  • Fried insects

    For the brave, at the markets.

The typical dish of Cambodia, at home

Fish amok
Photo: sharonang · CC0

Fish amok

Cambodia’s national dish: fish in a mild curry of coconut milk and kroeung (a lemongrass and spice paste), steamed in little banana-leaf baskets until it sets like a mousse.

  • Serves 4
  • 1 h

Ingredients

  • 500 g white fish, diced
  • 400 ml coconut milk
  • 1 egg
  • Kroeung: 2 lemongrass stalks, 1 piece of galangal, 1 piece of turmeric (or 1 teaspoon ground), 4 garlic cloves, 3 shallots, 4 kaffir lime leaves, 1 chilli
  • 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and 1 of palm sugar
  • Spinach or noni leaves
  • Banana leaves or bowls

How to make it at home

  1. Pound or blend the kroeung ingredients into a fine paste.
  2. Mix the paste with the coconut milk (keep a little back), the egg, the fish sauce and the sugar.
  3. Add the fish and mix gently.
  4. Put a few spinach leaves in the bottom of banana-leaf baskets or bowls, fill with the fish and top with a little coconut milk.
  5. Steam for about 20 minutes, until set. Serve with rice and strips of lime leaf.

The trick: It should be creamy, like a fish custard.

The typical food of each city, with a recipe

Curious facts about Cambodia

What guidebooks don’t tell you and will help you understand the country better.

  • Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world and appears on the flag.
  • The US dollar circulates alongside the riel.
  • The Tonlé Sap reverses its flow with the rains.
  • More than half the population is under thirty.
  • Apsaras, celestial dancers, are carved by the thousand at Angkor.
  • Khmer has one of the longest alphabets in the world.

Traditions of Cambodia

Customs and celebrations that will help you experience the country like a local.

  • April Khmer New Year

    Three days of celebrations with water and games.

  • November Bon Om Touk

    The water festival, with boat races in Phnom Penh.

  • September or October Pchum Ben

    Offerings to the ancestors at the pagodas.

  • Apsara dance

    Classical dance, on UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage list.

What not to do in Cambodia

First-trip mistakes that are easy to avoid.

  • Don’t enter temples with bare shoulders or knees.
  • Don’t touch anyone’s head.
  • Don’t forget your visa and the arrival form (e-Arrival).
  • Don’t wander off paths across fields in rural areas: there are still landmines.
  • Don’t haggle rudely: do it with a smile.
  • Don’t drink tap water.

Before you go

Entry requirements depend on your passport and change: always check them with official sources before travelling.

  • Entering the country

    Visas, electronic authorisations and health requirements for Cambodia depend on your nationality. Check your government’s official travel advice and the embassy before you book.

    UK: foreign travel advice (GOV.UK) US: travel advisories (travel.state.gov)
  • Traveller tips

    Buy your Angkor pass at the official centre, not at the temples: bring your passport.

    Giant Ibis and Mekong Express buses between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap are the most reliable.

    Cover your shoulders and knees in temples and pagodas, and take your shoes off before going in.

Closing days

  • National Museum of Cambodia · Phnom Penh

    Open every day.

Frequently asked questions about Cambodia

What people search for most before travelling to Cambodia.

What’s the best time to travel to Cambodia?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Cambodia are from November to January. If you can, avoid April (intense heat).

What to see in Cambodia in a week?

The essentials of Cambodia: Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Battambang, Kampot and Kep. How many places fit into your days, and in what order, depends on your dates and how you get around: the Bagintravel app plans your trip day by day in a minute.

What to eat in Cambodia?

Amok, Lok lak, Num banh chok, Crab with Kampot pepper, Bai sach chrouk, Fried insects. To eat like a local: a market stall.

What is the typical dish of Cambodia?

Fish amok. Cambodia’s national dish: fish in a mild curry of coconut milk and kroeung (a lemongrass and spice paste), steamed in little banana-leaf baskets until it sets like a mousse.

What should you not do in Cambodia?

Don’t enter temples with bare shoulders or knees. Don’t touch anyone’s head. Don’t forget your visa and the arrival form (e-Arrival).

Is it worth travelling to Cambodia in November?

Yes: November is a good time to travel to Cambodia. Our data shows no weather or seasonal warnings that month.

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Guide reviewed 18 October 2026. Seasonal data, places and areas: the same ones the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.

Photos: cover, Unsplash. Siem Reap, Henning Blatt (CC BY-SA 3.0). Phnom Penh, Looppty (CC BY-SA 4.0). Battambang, The original uploader was Dr. Blofeld at English Wikipedia. (CC BY-SA 3.0). Kampot, Marcin Konsek (CC BY-SA 4.0). Kep, Bnottelm (CC BY-SA 3.0). Koh Rong, User: (WT-shared) Gazzzza at wts wikivoyage (Public domain). Sihanoukville, Kiensvay (CC BY-SA 3.0).