Best Time to Visit Angkor Wat
The best time to visit Angkor Wat is winter for its pleasant climate. But it is also the peak tourism season, thus the travel cost may be relatively high and the attractions are usually crowed. If you hate crowds, summer may be your best time to visit Angkor Wat, and the cost is lower. Monsoon season is good time for solo travelers as tourism comes to a halt during this time.Winter
Most travelers believe winter is the best time to visit Angkor Wat. While the temperatures remain between 20°C (68℉) and 32°C (90℉) during this season, ensuring pleasant weather throughout Cambodia, the country also witnesses maximum tourist footfall during this time. As a result, you can expect prices for everything to be on the higher side due to increased demand. We would recommend going during this season (December – February) if you don’t mind crowds.
Precautions:
1. Make sure that financial health is all well. As this is the time when most tourists visit Cambodia, prices for everything would be double, or maybe even triple, than what they are during the off-season.2. Make advance hotel bookings to ensure that you have rooms at decent establishments during such a peak season.
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Summers
As Cambodia is a tropical country that lies very close to the equator, you can expect summers to be incredibly harsh in terms of heat. While the high temperatures and the humidity may be bothersome, this is the best time to visit Angkor Wat, during which you can engage in all kinds of activities without worrying about high prices or the rains and enjoy you tour with minus crowds.
Precautions:
1. Stay hydrated throughout the day. Avoid drinking a lot of alcohol as it will only end up dehydrating you and make you feel terrible the next day. 2. It’s recommended to book an air-conditioned room. While rooms with air-conditioning tend to be pocket-friendly in summer.
Monsoons
If you are not afraid of mud and slush, then the monsoons would undoubtedly be the best time to visit Angkor Wat for you. While traveling during the monsoons can be a headache as the rains come thick and fast when they do, they are great for travelers looking for solitude as tourism comes to a halt during this time.
Precautions:
1. Carrying raincoats and rain covers for your bags is essential. You should also have boots that will keep your feet from getting caught up in the mud.2. Be especially careful during monsoons if you hire motorbikes to travel around the country. The roads are treacherous, especially in rural regions, and accidents are common.
3. Floods have been reported every year in the cities close to river banks. So if you are in Siem Reap or Phnom Penh, stay alert and keep track of flood updates.
Other Essential Travel Tips
1. Cash is the most popular mode of payment in Cambodia, as most commercial establishments in the country don’t accept credit/debit cards. In terms of currency, it’s best to carry the United States Dollar (USD), as it is accepted almost everywhere.
2. Do make hotel bookings in advance especially in peak tourism season. Without advance bookings, you may have to settle for an under-par room and that too at a price that’s not at all pocket-friendly.