The Map Cambodia · Tools
Phnom Penh Crowd Forecast
Planning Phnom Penh? Pick your dates and see how busy that week typically is: based on 15 months of official Ministry of Tourism data (2023–2026), with festival peaks flagged.
Calm
Green-season quiet: the city at its calmest.
Historical monthly averages, official Ministry of Tourism data 2023–2026 (foreign arrivals): not a real-time prediction. Festival dates: 2026 official calendar.
Visitors to Phnom Penh, month by month
Monthly averages of FOREIGN arrivals across 15 reported months (2023–2026), Phnom Penh region. Domestic arrivals are excluded: the Ministry's domestic series broke methodologically in 2026 (6–8× jump) and cannot be compared across years. Source: Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia: monthly statistical reports. · Data refreshed 2026-07-16.
How Phnom Penh’s seasons actually work
The capital’s rhythm is steadier than Angkor’s: business trips, regional flights and city breaks flow year-round, so the swing between peak and low is only about 2.4×. 210,000 foreign visitors in January against 84,000 in September. Siem Reap swings far harder.
The shape still follows the dry season: November to February is the sweet spot, with riverside evenings at their coolest. May to September is the green season. Short, dramatic downpours, moody skies over the Mekong, and easy tables everywhere.
Water Festival full, Khmer New Year empty
Two national holidays flip the capital in opposite directions. In November, the Bon Om Touk boat races run right on Phnom Penh’s riverfront (23–25 November 2026): the city’s biggest crowds of the year, on top of a month that already averages 180,000 foreign visitors; riverside hotels and rooftops book out. Mid-April is the reverse: residents head to their home provinces for Khmer New Year, many shops close for a few days, and the city feels emptier than any statistic shows.
Month-by-month advice for your visit
- Nov – FebHigh season and the best weather of the year. Book well ahead around the Water Festival; the rest of the season, the city absorbs its visitors easily.
- Mar – AprThe hottest months. Around 14–16 April (Khmer New Year), expect closed shops and unusually quiet streets: pleasant for wandering, limited for restaurants.
- May – OctGreen season: downpours rarely last more than an hour, museums are quiet, and September is statistically the calmest month of the year.
And the weather?
Crowds are only half the question: here is the rainfall and heat for the same weeks.
Rainfall and heat, month by month
Full climate chartDriest around Nov–Apr; wettest in Oct (~306 mm, 25 rainy days). Daytime highs stay 30.5–34.6°C year-round.
FAQ
- When is Phnom Penh busiest with travellers?
- January tops the year with about 210,000 foreign visitors: the classic November–February high season, when the weather is at its driest and coolest. Based on 15 months of official Ministry of Tourism arrival data (2023–2026), foreign arrivals.
- When is Phnom Penh quietest?
- September, with around 84,000 foreign visitors: roughly 2× fewer than the peak. Green-season Phnom Penh means short afternoon downpours, dramatic skies over the rivers, and easy tables everywhere.
- How big is the Water Festival in Phnom Penh?
- It is the city's biggest moment of the year: the boat races happen on the riverfront in Phnom Penh (23–25 November 2026), drawing enormous crowds from all over the country on top of the 180,000 foreign visitors November averages. Riverside hotels and rooftops book out. Plan well ahead or watch from a partner rooftop.
- What happens in Phnom Penh at Khmer New Year?
- The opposite of Siem Reap: the capital empties out as residents travel to their home provinces (14–16 April). Many small businesses close for a few days, streets go quiet, and the city feels unusually calm. Pleasant for wandering, limited for eating out.
- Why does this tool only count foreign visitors for Phnom Penh?
- Honesty over completeness: the Ministry's domestic-visitor series for Phnom Penh changed methodology in 2026 (figures jumped 6–8× overnight), so it cannot be compared across years. Foreign arrivals are consistent over the whole period (2023–2026). That is what the gauge and chart use.
- Is this a real-time crowd prediction?
- No. This tool shows historical monthly averages from official Ministry of Tourism statistics (2023–2026), plus known festival dates. It tells you how each period typically compares. Nothing more, and we think that is exactly what trip planning needs.
Quiet season perks: deals on now
Fewer crowds also means the best deals of the year:
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