Last updated: October 29, 2026 · By Wander Cambodia
By Sophea Khim · Host & Editor, Wander CambodiaQuick answer: November is when Cambodia flips from rainy season to dry: the rain eases through the month, mornings turn cooler, the countryside is still green, and the Water Festival (Bon Om Touk, November 23–25, 2026) brings the country its biggest celebration of the year. It is one of the best months to come — book Water Festival week and Angkor accommodation early, because everyone else has read the same advice.
A month guide, written four weeks out: what November 2026 actually looks like on the ground — weather, the festival, prices and crowds — and how to time a trip inside it. For the festival itself in depth, see the Water Festival 2026 guide and its booking companion, what to book and prep now.
Early November can still carry late rainy-season showers, but the pattern breaks as the month goes on: fewer and shorter rains, lower humidity, and mornings that edge toward genuinely pleasant, especially in the north around Siem Reap. The landscape is at its greenest after months of rain, the Tonle Sap is still high (good for floating-village trips), and Angkor's ponds are full — which is why the sunrise reflection shots improve through November. Pack for warm days with one light layer for early starts; our buy-before-you-fly list covers the short version of what earns space in the bag.
The Water Festival is a three-day public holiday (Monday to Wednesday this year) built around longboat racing on the Tonle Sap river in front of the Royal Palace. Phnom Penh fills completely; riverside roads close; hotels near Sisowath Quay sell first. Siem Reap and Kampot run smaller, friendlier versions on their own rivers. Banks and offices close for the holiday, so sort visas, extensions and money the week before — the money guide and the extension guide are the two to read if paperwork is on your November list.
The first half of November is the connoisseur's window: dry-season weather arriving, green-season crowds not yet gone home, and prices still soft. From the festival weekend onward, the high season is properly on — Angkor sunrises get busy, good mid-range rooms in Siem Reap and riverside Phnom Penh tighten up, and the popular routes (our Phnom Penh to Siem Reap comparison covers them) reward early booking. Islands and Kampot follow the same curve a week or two later.
Temples first, festival second: give Angkor its days early in the trip while mornings are quietest (our best time to visit Angkor Wat page explains why November ranks so high), then be in Phnom Penh — or happily in Kampot — for November 23–25. Short on time? The 3-day itinerary drops straight into early November; with longer, the 7-day itinerary times the festival as its finale. Arrive sorted: the e-Arrival card is free and mandatory for air arrivals, and landing at the capital now means the new Techo International Airport.
One November change to plan around: the Water Festival 2026 update — the Nov 23–25 holiday stands, but Phnom Penh's official races are suspended this year.
Staying on into the next month? Cambodia in December 2026 covers peak dry season, cool mornings and the holiday booking window.
Planning further ahead: Cambodia in January covers the peak of the dry season, once the Water Festival crowds in this guide have gone home.
Water Festival dates (November 23–25, 2026) confirmed against Cambodia's 2026 public holiday calendar and checked October 29, 2026. Weather describes the normal seasonal pattern for November; any single week can vary.
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