Things to Do in Siem Reap in November
November weather, activities, events & insider tips
November Weather in Siem Reap
Is November Right for You?
Advantages
- Post-monsoon clarity means Angkor Wat photography is exceptional - the moats are full, stone carvings look freshly washed, and you get those perfect sunrise reflections without the haze that builds up later in dry season. Morning temperatures around 23-25°C (73-77°F) make temple exploration genuinely comfortable before 10am.
- November sits right in that sweet spot where rainy season crowds have left but Christmas peak hasn't arrived yet. You'll actually have space to photograph Bayon's faces without strangers in your frame, and popular restaurants don't require advance bookings. Hotel rates typically run 30-40% below December prices.
- The countryside is properly green right now - rice paddies are that brilliant emerald color before harvest, Tonle Sap Lake is near its maximum expansion making floating village tours more interesting, and the whole landscape looks lush rather than the dusty brown it becomes by March. This is Cambodia looking its best visually.
- Those 10 rainy days sound concerning but they're actually ideal - brief afternoon downpours that last 20-40 minutes, cool everything down, then clear out. You can plan around them easily, and they're nowhere near the all-day soakers of September. The rain keeps dust down and makes evenings pleasant for Pub Street without the oppressive heat of April-May.
Considerations
- November is technically still within monsoon transition, which means weather can be genuinely unpredictable day-to-day. You might get three perfect sunny days followed by a morning of steady rain that throws off your Angkor plans. It's not the reliable blue-sky guarantee you'd get in January-February, so you need flexibility in your itinerary.
- That 70% humidity is real and it affects how the temperature feels - 31°C (88°F) in dry season feels fine, but with this moisture level you'll be sweating through shirts by mid-morning. If you're heat-sensitive or have mobility issues that make you overheat easily, those 23°C (73°F) mornings might be your only comfortable temple time.
- Some remote temples and countryside roads can still have muddy patches or minor flooding from October's heavier rains, particularly around Beng Mealea or Koh Ker. Most major sites are fine, but if you're planning extensive rural exploration, you'll want to check current conditions with your driver rather than assuming all routes are passable.
Best Activities in November
Angkor Archaeological Park Temple Tours
November is actually perfect for the temples because you're doing most exploration between 5am-11am when it's 23-27°C (73-81°F) and genuinely pleasant. The post-rain stone has this beautiful clean appearance, moss is vibrant green, and tree roots at Ta Prohm look particularly dramatic with the moisture. Crowds are 40-50% lower than peak season, which matters enormously at sunrise spots like Angkor Wat's reflection pools where you're not fighting for position. The occasional afternoon rain gives you a natural break to rest at your hotel during the hottest part of day. Book multi-day passes and plan intensive mornings with leisurely afternoons.
Tonle Sap Floating Villages
The lake is near its November peak expansion - roughly 12,000 square km (4,633 square miles) versus 3,000 square km (1,158 square miles) in dry season, which makes floating village tours far more interesting. Houses that sit on 6 m (20 ft) stilts in April are actually floating now, and you get a genuine sense of this massive ecosystem. Water is cleaner post-monsoon than the murky brown of August-September. Morning tours around 7-9am avoid midday heat and catch better light. The experience feels more authentic in November because you're not part of massive tour group convoys like you get December onward.
Countryside Cycling Tours
November mornings are ideal cycling weather - 23-25°C (73-77°F), relatively low humidity before 10am, and the landscape is properly scenic with green rice paddies and full irrigation channels. You can comfortably ride 15-25 km (9-16 miles) before it gets too hot, which is enough to reach rural villages, local markets, and lesser-visited temples. The post-rain ground is firm enough for most routes but still soft enough that dust isn't choking you like it becomes in February-March. Afternoon rains actually work in your favor since most tours finish by 1pm anyway.
Cambodian Cooking Classes
November is peak season for local produce - morning markets have excellent vegetables, fresh river fish from high-water Tonle Sap, and you'll find seasonal items like lotus stems and water spinach that aren't available dry season. Classes typically start with market visits around 8am when it's cool and vendors have best selection, then cooking happens mid-morning before afternoon heat. This is perfect November timing since you want indoor activities available for 1-4pm anyway when it's hottest or potentially rainy. You're learning dishes using ingredients at their actual peak rather than dry season substitutes.
Phare Cambodian Circus Performances
Evening performances at 8pm are perfectly timed for November - you've finished dinner, the rain has typically cleared if there was any, and temperatures have dropped to comfortable 25-27°C (77-81°F). This is genuine Cambodian circus arts, not touristy dance shows - acrobatics, theater, live music performed by students from Phare's arts school. The 90-minute shows happen in a proper circus tent with good seating. November crowds are lighter so you can book day-of rather than competing with December's packed houses. It's an ideal indoor evening activity that doesn't involve more temples or another restaurant.
Banteay Srei and Landmine Museum Day Trips
Banteay Srei temple, 32 km (20 miles) north of Angkor Wat, is exceptional in November because the red sandstone carvings look particularly vivid after monsoon cleaning, and the smaller scale means afternoon visits work fine if morning weather is poor. The route passes through proper countryside - rice paddies, sugar palm trees, rural villages - that looks far better green than the dry season brown. Combining it with the Cambodia Landmine Museum makes a meaningful half-day trip. November's lower crowds mean you can actually study the intricate carvings without tour groups shoving past.
November Events & Festivals
Water Festival (Bon Om Touk)
Cambodia's biggest festival celebrating the reversal of Tonle Sap River flow typically happens in November during the full moon, though exact dates shift yearly based on lunar calendar - for 2026, likely mid-November. While main celebrations happen in Phnom Penh with boat races, Siem Reap has its own riverside festivities, temple ceremonies, and special markets. Hotels book up significantly during these 3 days and prices spike, but if you're there anyway, the evening illuminated boat processions on Siem Reap River and the festive atmosphere around Pub Street area are worth experiencing. Locals are in genuinely celebratory moods.