January in Phnom Penh tops the year's climate scores
Best window · 8.1/10Days in January average 26°C (79°F) and humidity near 72% — front-load outdoor plans before the heat builds and treat the middle of the day as indoor time.
With around 21 mm of rain, any showers tend to pass through rather than settle in; about 29 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.5 hours of daylight fill the rest.
On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Phnom Penh at 8.1/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.
Budget for peak pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary.
February holds up well in Phnom Penh — 2nd best month
Good · 7.6/10Days in February average 28°C (82°F) — front-load outdoor plans before the heat builds and treat the middle of the day as indoor time.
With around 28 mm of rain, any showers tend to pass through rather than settle in; about 28 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.8 hours of daylight fill the rest.
That is 7.6/10 on the same scale — 2nd of 12 months, versus 8.1/10 for the best month here.
Expect peak pricing, and crowds are moderate. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary.
March in Phnom Penh: mixed conditions, plan around the weather
Trade-offs · 6.5/10March averages 29°C (85°F), so the practical pattern is early mornings, a long midday break, and evenings back outside.
Rainfall runs 52 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 31 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 12.1 hours of daylight.
It scores 6.5/10 here, 4th of 12 months, against 8.1/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? January scores 1.6 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
April in Phnom Penh — middling scores, decent value
Trade-offs · 5.1/10Days in April average 30°C (86°F) and humidity near 71% — front-load outdoor plans before the heat builds and treat the middle of the day as indoor time.
Budget for roughly 87 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 29 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 12.4 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 5.1/10 on the same scale — 5th of 12 months, versus 8.1/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, January is materially better in Phnom Penh — 3 points higher on the same scale.
May in Phnom Penh: expect compromises
Hardest · 2.9/10May averages 29°C (84°F) and humidity near 80%, so the practical pattern is early mornings, a long midday break, and evenings back outside.
250 mm makes this the wettest stretch of the year, though about 29 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still appear — keep an indoor fallback ready.
It scores 2.9/10 here, 12th of 12 months, against 8.1/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
Flexible dates? January scores 5.2 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
June in Phnom Penh — off-season conditions
Hardest · 3.7/10Days in June average 29°C (83°F) and humidity near 80% — front-load outdoor plans before the heat builds and treat the middle of the day as indoor time.
177 mm of rain makes this a wet month here, though with about 26 days with 6+ hours of sunshine there is still bright weather between the fronts.
That is 3.7/10 on the same scale — 7th of 12 months, versus 8.1/10 for the best month here.
Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, January is materially better in Phnom Penh — 4.4 points higher on the same scale.
July in Phnom Penh — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 3.4/10Days in July average 27°C (81°F) and humidity near 84% — front-load outdoor plans before the heat builds and treat the middle of the day as indoor time.
This is the year's wettest stretch at 274 mm, but with about 23 days with 6+ hours of sunshine it is not a total loss; an indoor fallback covers the risk.
That is 3.4/10 on the same scale — 9th of 12 months, versus 8.1/10 for the best month here.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, January is materially better in Phnom Penh — 4.7 points higher on the same scale.
August in Phnom Penh — off-season conditions
Hardest · 3.3/10August averages 28°C (82°F) and humidity near 83%, so the practical pattern is early mornings, a long midday break, and evenings back outside.
246 mm makes this the wettest stretch of the year, though about 29 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still appear — keep an indoor fallback ready.
It scores 3.3/10 here, 11th of 12 months, against 8.1/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
Flexible dates? January scores 4.8 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
September in Phnom Penh: expect compromises
Hardest · 3.4/10September averages 27°C (81°F) and humidity near 87%, so the practical pattern is early mornings, a long midday break, and evenings back outside.
375 mm makes this the wettest stretch of the year, though about 25 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still appear — keep an indoor fallback ready.
It scores 3.4/10 here, 10th of 12 months, against 8.1/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
Flexible dates? January scores 4.7 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
October in Phnom Penh — off-season conditions
Hardest · 3.5/10Days in October average 27°C (80°F) and humidity near 87% — front-load outdoor plans before the heat builds and treat the middle of the day as indoor time.
This is the year's wettest stretch at 402 mm, but with about 27 days with 6+ hours of sunshine it is not a total loss; an indoor fallback covers the risk.
That is 3.5/10 on the same scale — 8th of 12 months, versus 8.1/10 for the best month here.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, January is materially better in Phnom Penh — 4.6 points higher on the same scale.
November in Phnom Penh — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 4/10Days in November average 27°C (81°F) and humidity near 80% — front-load outdoor plans before the heat builds and treat the middle of the day as indoor time.
180 mm of rain makes this a wet month here, though with about 29 days with 6+ hours of sunshine there is still bright weather between the fronts.
That is 4/10 on the same scale — 6th of 12 months, versus 8.1/10 for the best month here.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination. That combination — decent conditions at the lowest rates of the year — is the best value window on this page.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, January is materially better in Phnom Penh — 4.1 points higher on the same scale.
December in Phnom Penh: strong conditions, 3rd of 12
Good · 7.4/10December averages 26°C (79°F) and humidity near 73%, so the practical pattern is early mornings, a long midday break, and evenings back outside.
Rainfall runs 50 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 30 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.5 hours of daylight.
It scores 7.4/10 here, 3rd of 12 months, against 8.1/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on peak pricing, with this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a packable rain layer.
