Cambodia in February: dry season at full strength — warm days, island seas, one big holiday to plan around

Last updated: November 3, 2026 · By Wander Cambodia

February is the tail end of Cambodia's cool dry season sliding toward the heat: still dry almost everywhere, daytime highs climbing to around 32–33°C, mornings warmer than January's, and the sea at its calmest for the islands. It keeps nearly all of January's travel ease with slightly thinner crowds after the New Year peak — plus one calendar event to plan around in 2027: Lunar New Year falls on Saturday, February 6, 2027, and the regional holiday travel that comes with it. This guide follows our January and December month guides.

The weather, region by region

Siem Reap and Angkor: dry, clear and warming up. Sunrise starts are still comfortable, but midday temple touring now earns its early finish — build the big sites for dawn and late afternoon, the pattern in our best time to visit Angkor Wat guide. Phnom Penh: hot afternoons are back by late February; the riverfront evenings remain excellent. The south coast and islands: February is arguably the islands' best month — settled seas, high visibility in the water, and the smoothest ferry crossings before the March winds. If the islands are the point of your trip, this is the month; Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem are compared in our islands guide, and the gateway is covered in the Sihanoukville guide. The northeast: Mondulkiri and Kratie stay dry with cool nights; waterfalls run low but roads are at their easiest. Pack for summer with one light layer — the January dawn chill has mostly gone.

Lunar New Year: February 6, 2027 — what it means for a Cambodia trip

Cambodia's own big festival is Khmer New Year in April, not the lunar one — but February 6, 2027 still moves a Cambodia trip. Vietnam's Tet falls on the same date, and the days around it are Vietnam's biggest travel period of the year: cross-border routes, regional flights and border-town hotels all tighten, and our Cambodia and Vietnam itinerary gets noticeably harder to run on the Tet days themselves. Inside Cambodia, Phnom Penh's Chinese-Cambodian community celebrates visibly — lion dances, temple visits, family businesses closing for a day or two — which is a pleasure to witness and a minor logistics note if your favourite noodle shop is shuttered. The practical moves are simple: if your trip straddles February 6, book regional transport and island ferries a little earlier than February normally demands, and do not schedule a Bavet border crossing for the Tet weekend itself if you can slide it by two days either way. The crossing route is in our Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City guide.

A February-shaped itinerary

February rewards the classic loop run slightly warmer. Start in Siem Reap for four days while your temple energy is fresh — the 14-day itinerary trims cleanly to this month — then run the Battambang leg by road (covered in Phnom Penh to Battambang, run in reverse) and down to Phnom Penh for two or three days. Finish in the south while the sea is at its best: the expressway run in our Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville guide, out to the islands for the last nights, and Kampot on the way back if the days allow. Keep the paperwork boring throughout: the $30 tourist eVisa (or the $35 Ordinary entry if you might stay on), and the free e-Arrival card in the week before you fly.

Costs and booking in February

February pricing sits a step below the January ceiling and a long way above the green season. The rooms that sell out are the same ones as January — small, well-reviewed places in Siem Reap, beachfront on the islands — so the book-ahead rule survives, softened: two to three weeks ahead secures most February beds outside the Lunar New Year days, and a month ahead around February 6 if ferries or regional flights are involved. Where February quietly saves money is the shoulder inside the month: the second half, after the holiday travel has washed through, has January-grade weather with noticeably more negotiating room on longer stays and tours. If your dates are flexible, weight the trip toward mid-to-late February and let the first week belong to the holiday crowds.

What February is not good for

Honestly: February is not the month for waterfall chasing (the falls run at their lowest), for the Tonle Sap at its fullest, or for anyone whose ideal temple day is a cool one — by month's end, the build toward April's heat has begun. It is also not a bargain month; prices ease from the January peak but stay high-season. What it gives back is reliability: dry roads, calm seas, and a country that is easy to move around in, with one festive weekend in the middle of it.

Frequently asked questions

Is February a good time to visit Cambodia?

Yes — one of the best months. Still dry, warm rather than hot for most of the month, the calmest seas of the year for the islands, and slightly thinner crowds than January. Plan around Lunar New Year (February 6, 2027) if your trip touches Vietnam or regional flights.

How hot does Cambodia get in February?

Daytime highs run around 32–33°C in the lowlands, climbing toward the end of the month, with mornings still pleasant. It is hot-season approaching, not hot season itself — April is the extreme month.

What should I pack for February?

Light, breathable clothes, serious sun protection, and one light layer for air-conditioned buses and the odd cooler night in the northeast. The full list — and what costs double if you buy it here — is in buy before you fly.

Weather figures are long-term February averages for Cambodia's lowlands, checked November 2026; the Lunar New Year date (February 6, 2027) is the published lunisolar-calendar date for 2027, with Vietnam's Tet falling the same day.