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Cambodia — hero

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Cambodia

Home to Angkor, with sunrise over the temples, Phnom Penh's riverfront and the islands and pepper farms of the south coast.

Currency
Cambodian Riel (KHR) / US Dollar
Language
Khmer
Best time
December – February (cooler and drier; March – April is the hottest)
Visa
E-visa or visa on arrival (tourist visa valid 30 days from entry)

Still current at: 13 November 2026 Updated: 19 March 2026

See which areas are affected
Official FCDO travel advice map for Cambodia
FCDO (TA) 085 Edition 7 © Crown Copyright

FCDO's detailed advisory map (PDF) FCDO (TA) 085 Edition 7 © Crown Copyright

Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — the definitive source. Check it close to your travel dates.

Flight cancelled or delayed because of this? Your rights under UK261 / EU261 →

Why visit

Why Cambodia

Angkor's temples at first light, a capital on three rivers, pepper farms and quiet islands on the south coast, and dolphins in the Mekong.

  • Angkor Wat at sunrise
  • Siem Reap temples
  • Tonle Sap floating villages
  • Phnom Penh
Read more

Most trips to Cambodia start with Angkor. The temple park north of Siem Reap holds more than 50 temples open to visitors, from Angkor Wat itself to the Bayon at the centre of Angkor Thom and jungle temples such as Ta Prohm. A pass lasts one, three or seven days, and we think the longer ones are worth it: the temples reward slow mornings and long afternoons.

Phnom Penh, the capital, sits where the Mekong, Bassac and Tonle Sap rivers meet. It has the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, French colonial mansions and busy markets. It also has the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek memorial, which we think every visitor should see, quietly and with respect, to understand what the country lived through under the Khmer Rouge.

South of the capital, Kampot is known for its pepper and the forests of Bokor National Park, and Kep for its crab and boats to Rabbit Island. Further west, Koh Rong lies about 40km off Sihanoukville and has no roads, only trails and white-sand beaches. In the northeast, Kratie has rare Irrawaddy dolphins in the Mekong, and Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri have forested hills, waterfalls and minority villages.

The FCDO advises against all but essential travel within 20km of the land border with Thailand. The rest of the country is not covered by that warning.

Where to go

The regions of Cambodia

Siem Reap & Angkor

Siem Reap is the town closest to the temples of Angkor and the country's main tourist base. The Angkor park opens from 5am to 6.30pm and has more than 50 temples open to visitors, including Angkor Wat, the Bayon at the centre of Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm and the carved miniature temple of Banteay Srei. Most temples face east, so mornings bring the best light; Angkor Wat faces west and is at its best in the afternoon.

South of town lies the Tonle Sap, which the tourism board calls the greatest freshwater reserve in Southeast Asia. Angkor Enterprise sells boat trips to Chong Kneas on the lake as well as day passes for the outlying temple sites of Koh Ker, Beng Mealea and Kbal Spean.

Phnom Penh

The capital sits where the Mekong, Bassac and Tonle Sap rivers meet. Its French colonial mansions and tree-lined boulevards make it calmer than many Asian capitals. The Royal Palace stands near the Tonle Sap, and the Silver Pagoda next to it is named for the 5,000 silver tiles on its floor. The National Museum, Wat Phnom, the Central Market and the Russian Market are all here too.

The city is also home to two of the country's most important memorials: the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, in the former S-21 prison, and the Choeung Ek killing fields outside the city.

The south coast & islands: Kampot, Kep and Koh Rong

Kampot town lies on the Tuk Chhou river, about 5km inland. It is known for Kampot pepper and for Bokor National Park in the Elephant Mountains, where Bokor Hill Station rises to 1,027m. Kep, about 15km away and 173km from Phnom Penh, is known for its crab. Its beaches are darker than those further west, and Koh Thonsay (Rabbit Island) is about half an hour away by boat.

Koh Rong lies in the Gulf of Thailand about 40km off Sihanoukville. It has many white-sand beaches, including Long Beach, which is more than 6km long. There are no roads, so you get around on jungle trails or by local boat. Koh Rong Sanloem is its smaller neighbour. Sihanoukville is about 232km from Phnom Penh on National Highway 4.

The northeast: Kratie, Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri

The Mekong flows north to south through Kratie province, and the river north of Kratie town is home to rare Irrawaddy dolphins. The usual place to see them is Kampi, about 15km north of town.

Further east, Mondulkiri has forested mountains, rolling hills and waterfalls such as Bou Sraa, with Sen Monorom as its only real town. Most people here belong to minority groups. Ratanakiri, with Banlung as its capital, has red laterite roads, jungle rivers and the Yeak Laom crater lake. These two provinces are cooler on average than the rest of Cambodia.

Battambang

Battambang has some of the best-preserved French colonial architecture in the country. The old shophouses along the Sangker River are the highlight. The province was once Cambodia's main rice producer, and the town makes a good base for the hilltop temples of Phnom Banon and Wat Ek Phnom. Phnom Sampeau, also called Ship Hill, has the killing caves, a Khmer Rouge-era site.

The FCDO advises against all but essential travel within 20km of the land border with Thailand, so check the FCDO map before heading west of town.

A pillar, not a footnote

Eat your way through Cambodia

The single reason many travellers come back — the food culture worth reshaping a trip around, and the dishes to seek out region by region.

Cambodia

Gentler and subtler than its neighbours — lemongrass curries, deep fermented-fish funk, and a French baguette on the side.

A proper amok arrives in a little cup of folded banana leaf: fish set soft and mousse-like in a coconut curry, perfumed with kroeung, the pounded lemongrass, galangal and turmeric paste that is the backbone of Khmer cooking. Cambodian food is quieter than its neighbours — less fiery than Thai, less sharp than Vietnamese — trading chilli heat for sourness and the deep, savoury funk of prahok, the fermented fish paste that underpins the whole cuisine.

Mornings start with nom banh chok, cool rice noodles doused in a pale green fish gravy, or a steaming bowl of kuytheav noodle soup fixed to taste at the table. Lunch might be lok lak, a French-colonial hand-me-down of quick-seared beef with a lime-and-black-pepper dip, and down in Kampot the celebrated local pepper perfumes fresh crab. The baguette, too, survives as num pang, a Khmer take on the banh mi. Round it off the local way, with a glass of strong, sweet iced coffee.

Dishes to seek out
  • amok (steamed fish curry)
  • nom banh chok (Khmer rice noodles)
  • lok lak (peppered beef)
  • kuytheav (noodle soup)
  • num pang (Cambodian baguette)
  • kroeung (lemongrass curry paste)
  • prahok (fermented fish paste)
Things to do

Nature, culture and the outdoors

  1. The temples of Angkor

    Siem Reap

    Angkor Enterprise sells one-day passes at $37, three-day passes at $62 (used within 7 days) and seven-day passes at $72 (used within 30 days). The park is open from 5am to 6.30pm. Plan mornings for east-facing temples such as the Bayon, and save Angkor Wat, which faces west, for the afternoon.

  2. Koh Ker, Beng Mealea and Kbal Spean

    Beyond the Angkor park

    These outlying sites have their own day passes from Angkor Enterprise: from $15 for Koh Ker, $10 for Beng Mealea and $5 for Kbal Spean (indicative). They are good for a quieter day once you have seen the main temples. Stay on marked paths: the FCDO warns that landmines and unexploded ordnance remain in rural areas, including around temple complexes.

  3. Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda

    Phnom Penh

    The palace stands near the Tonle Sap river. The Silver Pagoda is floored with 5,000 silver tiles and houses an emerald Buddha and a life-size gold Buddha. Cover your shoulders and knees, as you would at any religious site.

  4. Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek

    Phnom Penh

    In 1975 a Phnom Penh high school became S-21, the largest detention and torture centre of the Khmer Rouge period. Around 17,000 people held there were taken to Choeung Ek to be killed. Both are memorials now, so we go quietly and dress soberly.

  5. Irrawaddy dolphins in the Mekong

    Kampi, near Kratie

    A small group of rare freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins lives in the Mekong north of Kratie town. Kampi, about 15km north, is the usual viewing spot. The FCDO warns that river currents in Cambodia can be extremely strong.

  6. Pepper country and Bokor

    Kampot

    Kampot pepper is the province's best-known product. Above the town, Bokor National Park covers forested slopes of the Elephant Mountains up to the old hill station at 1,027m.

  7. Crab in Kep and a boat to Rabbit Island

    Kep

    Kep's seafood, especially its crab, is the reason most people come. Koh Thonsay (Rabbit Island) is about half an hour away by boat.

  8. Koh Rong's beaches

    Off Sihanoukville

    Koh Rong has many white-sand beaches and no roads, so you walk on trails or take a local boat. Long Beach is more than 6km long. The FCDO warns that some boats are overloaded or poorly maintained and sometimes sail in bad weather, and that the islands have limited medical care. We pick established operators and stay ashore if the sea is rough.

  9. Swim in Yeak Laom crater lake

    Ratanakiri

    This round crater lake near Banlung is about 750m across and 48m deep. People come to swim, picnic and walk the rim. Entry is from $1 (indicative).

Plan your own trip to Cambodia
Plan

Getting there, getting around and where to stay

Getting there from the UK

We know of no direct scheduled flights from the UK to Cambodia, so plan on at least one connection. The country has two main international gateways:

  • Techo International Airport (KTI), about 20km south of Phnom Penh, opened on 9 September 2025 and is Cambodia's newest main international gateway.
  • Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport serves Siem Reap and the temples of Angkor.

If you arrive by air at Phnom Penh, Siem Reap or Sihanoukville, you must complete the free e-Arrival card at arrival.gov.kh within 7 days before you land. The FCDO says land borders and crossings between Cambodia and Thailand are currently suspended, so don't plan an overland entry from Thailand.

Flights to Phnom Penh (KTI) →Flights to Siem Reap (SAI) →

Getting around

Most travel is by road. Kep is 173km from Phnom Penh on National Road 3, and Sihanoukville is about 232km away on National Highway 4. The FCDO says Cambodia has one of the highest road accident rates in Southeast Asia and calls motorcycle taxis dangerous. If you want to drive, you need your UK licence and an International Driving Permit, which you can only buy in the UK.

In towns, tuk-tuks are the usual way to get around. The FCDO warns that thieves on motorbikes snatch bags and phones, and suggests tuk-tuks with metal grilles on the back and sides. Keep your bag on the side away from the road.

Ferries run from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong: fast boats take about 40 minutes to an hour, slow boats about 2½ hours. Check your boat drops you on the side of the island where you are staying. From June to October, monsoon storms can damage roads and slow journeys, so leave slack in your plans.

Where to stay

Siem Reap

This is the base for Angkor. Staying in town keeps you close to the park, which opens at 5am, so you can be at the temples early and back at your hotel during the midday heat.

Phnom Penh

Stay near the Tonle Sap riverside and the Royal Palace and you can walk to the palace, the National Museum and the markets. Allow for the drive from Techo International Airport, about 20km south of the city.

Kampot and Kep

Kampot, on its river, is the base for Bokor and the pepper farms. Kep is quieter and by the sea, and the two towns are only about 15km apart, so one base covers both.

Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem

Pick your beach before you book. There are no roads on Koh Rong, so moving between beaches means walking trails or taking a boat. Koh Rong Sanloem is smaller and calmer. Medical care on the islands is limited.

Battambang

Stay in town near the Sangker River and its colonial shophouses. We list nothing within 20km of the Thai border, where the FCDO advises against all but essential travel.

When to go

Weather & timing in Cambodia Right now RIGHT NOW 31°C mostly clear

Best Dec–Feb · Shoulder Mar–Apr, Jun

Units

Next 7 days

Forecast · Met Office · Powered by Met Office data

Typical · climate data

Best time to visit

December – February (cooler and drier; March – April is the hottest)

Best for
  • Angkor Wat
  • Mekong
  • Temples
  • Beach Islands
At a glance
Sunshine 9.6 hr/day
Rainfall 164 mm/mo
Wettest October · 369.1mm
Driest January · 17.7mm
Part of Southeast Asia →
By season

Units

Spring (Mar–May)

What to expect — Daytime highs average about 34°C with overnight lows near 26°C, with plenty of rain.

What's best — Dry season, then Shoulder season, then Wet season.

Summer (Jun–Aug)

What to expect — Daytime highs average about 32°C with overnight lows near 25°C, with plenty of rain.

What's best — Wet season, then Monsoon.

Autumn (Sep–Nov)

What to expect — Daytime highs average about 31°C with overnight lows near 24°C — the wettest stretch of the year.

What's best — Monsoon, then Wet season.

Winter (Dec–Feb)

What to expect — Daytime highs average about 31°C with overnight lows near 23°C, and it stays largely dry.

What's best — Dry season. Dec, Jan and Feb are among the best months here (dry season, sunny).

Live forecast map · Windy.com · temperature with wind, °C and km/h

Heat, rain and the best months, region by region

Cambodia is warm all year. In our Phnom Penh figures, average highs reach 32°C or more in February (32.5°C), March (34.4°C), April (34.3°C), May (33.5°C), June (33°C) and August (32.2°C). March and April are the hottest months. No month averages 35°C, but March to November are humid, so it feels hotter than the numbers suggest.

The wet season runs from about May to October. Rainfall reaches roughly 200mm in May and climbs to its peak in September (about 340mm) and October (about 370mm), the wettest stretch of the year. The FCDO warns that monsoon storms from June to October disrupt and damage roads, and that roads in Phnom Penh, including the airport road, can flood. November is a transition month: highs drop to about 31°C, but our figures still show around 200mm of rain.

November to February is the cooler time of year, with highs of about 30–31°C, and December to February are the driest months. We think December and January are the most comfortable time to visit. February is still dry but already above 32°C.

Average daily high (°C) by month. Measured 2020–2024.
AreaJFMAMJJASOND
Phnom Penh 313334343433323231303130

Colours as on the month tiles above. Bold: hot, 32°C or more (go early or late in the day). Outlined: very hot, 35°C or more. Wet: 150 mm of rain or more.

Heat: Average highs of 32°C or more in February, March, April, May, June and August, with March and April the hottest at about 34°C (Phnom Penh). Humid from March to November, wet from May to October, and wettest in September and October.

A little context

A little history

To read what you're looking at — the empires and eras that shaped Cambodia's food, art and streets.

The Khmer Empire ruled much of Southeast Asia from Angkor, raising the vast temple-city of Angkor Wat in the 12th century
Theravada Buddhism and the old god-king tradition still shape the culture and the calendar
a century as a French protectorate left the baguettes, the coffee and the colonial shophouses
the Khmer Rouge genocide of 1975-79 remains a raw national wound, its recovery visible across the country today
Culture

Culture and etiquette

  • Dress for the temples. Cover your shoulders, and don't wear shorts or skirts above the knee. The FCDO says you may be refused entry to religious sites, including Angkor Wat, if you do. Angkor Wat also has an official code of conduct for visitors.
  • Monks and photos. Ask before photographing people, especially monks and other religious figures. Never take photos on or near military bases.
  • Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek. These are places of mourning for the victims of the Khmer Rouge, not ordinary sightseeing stops. We dress soberly, keep our voices down and leave time to take in what they record.
  • Phnom Sampeau. The killing caves near Battambang are a memorial too. Treat them with the same respect.
  • Drugs. Cambodia has a zero-tolerance policy. Possessing any illegal drug, including cannabis, is a serious offence.
Practical

Entry, money and health

Entry and visas (British passport holders)

Rules for British passport holders, per GOV.UK on the date we checked:

  • Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the day you arrive, and undamaged and complete.
  • Tourist visas are valid for 30 days from the date of entry.
  • You can apply for an e-visa at least 4 days before you travel, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs portal (evisa.gov.kh) or the official e-visa app.
  • You can also get a visa on arrival at airports and land border crossings. You need a photo, and you pay in US dollars. GOV.UK doesn't list fees; check them with the Royal Embassy of Cambodia in London.
  • If you fly into Phnom Penh, Siem Reap or Sihanoukville, complete the free e-Arrival card within 7 days before you arrive.
  • Keep your departure form. Overstaying brings fines with no upper limit, and you can be detained and deported.
  • Your hotel or guesthouse should register you on the Foreigners Present in Cambodia System.
  • You need a yellow fever certificate if you arrive from a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission.

Read the full GOV.UK entry requirements before you book.

Money

The national currency is the riel (KHR), issued by the National Bank of Cambodia. When we checked, its official rate was about 4,080 riel to the US dollar. US dollars are used alongside riel: the visa on arrival and Angkor passes are priced in dollars. The FCDO warns that some shops and clubs have given travellers fake dollar bills as change, so check notes you receive.

Health

TravelHealthPro recommends hepatitis A, typhoid and an up-to-date tetanus vaccine for most travellers. Some travellers should also consider hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and others. The malaria risk is low in most of Cambodia, very low at the Angkor temples and around the Tonle Sap (including Siem Reap), and nil in Phnom Penh. Dengue is present, and TravelHealthPro reported a sharp rise in 2026 cases, so avoid bites, especially during the day. Japanese encephalitis peaks from May to October. The FCDO also warns about drink spiking and methanol in alcohol. See a travel health professional at least a few weeks before you go, and check the TravelHealthPro Cambodia page.

UK government travel advice

The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to within 20km of the land border with Thailand. Heavy fighting took place along parts of the border in 2025. A ceasefire was signed on 27 December, but the FCDO says the situation remains tense. Land crossings between the two countries are suspended, and the border temples of Preah Vihear, Ta Krabey and Tamone Thom are closed. There are also landmines and unexploded ordnance in the border area. The FCDO does not advise against travel to the rest of Cambodia. Travelling against FCDO advice can invalidate your travel insurance.

Elsewhere, the main risks the FCDO lists are road accidents, bag snatching, boat safety, drink spiking and strong river currents. Read the latest GOV.UK travel advice for Cambodia, last updated on 19 March 2026, before you travel.

Sources · last checked 28 October 2026

We write this guide from official sources only: GOV.UK, national immigration portals, tourism boards, airports and operators, central banks and met services. Rules change, so check the linked pages before you book.

Before you book

Know before you go

The practical back-matter — safety, drones and the essentials, in one place.

Safety

FCDO advisory in force — see above FCDO advice →

Official UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office guidance is the definitive source — check it close to your travel dates.

Drone rules (sub-250g)

  • Cambodia
    Recreational flying is allowed but a drone must be declared and registered with the civil aviation authority (SSCA), and the star attractions — Angkor, Phnom Penh and historic temples — each need their own advance permit; flying without one risks confiscation. ⚠ Angkor Archaeological Park needs a permit from the APSARA Authority plus air-traffic clearance (the airport is close by) and can take weeks to arrange; start any permit application 2-3 weeks ahead, and expect fines or confiscation for flying at restricted sites. Rules checked: Jul 2026

National parks, protected sites and religious/heritage venues often have their own rules and permits — always check the specific site before you fly.

The essentials

Plug & voltage Type A/C/G · 230V
Daily budget Budget-friendly
Region South-Eastern Asia