Cambodia
Phnom Penh in May
🌦️ Shoulder (showers)Hot, humid and some showers. Watch for hazy air.
🎒 Pack: light, breathable clothes & sunscreen · compact umbrella or rain jacket · quick-dry fabrics · N95 mask for hazy days
Why May scores 6.9What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort6.2
- !Hot (35°C highs / 26°C lows)
- !Very humid/sticky (dew point 24°C)
- !Wet: ~118 mm rain, ~4 heavy-rain days
- Air quality5.6
- !Elevated (PM2.5 ~35 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline7.0
- ·Increased caution
| May | Jan | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 6.9 Good | 8.7 Excellent |
| Season | 🌦️ Shoulder (showers) | ☀️ Dry season |
| High / low | 35° / 26° | 32° / 22° |
| Rain | 118 mm | 12 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 24° | dew pt 19° |
| PM2.5 | 35 µg/m³ | 13 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Phnom Penh weather-station normals. Rainfall: Phnom Penh weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsMay 2027
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- HM King Norodom Sihamoni's Birthday 14–16 May · 3 days off in a row
- Royal Ploughing Ceremony 22–24 May · 3 days off in a row
Other public holidays: International Labor Day (1 May) · Visaka Bochea Day (20 May)
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore Phnom PenhEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyCambodia's capital at the meeting of the Mekong and Tonlé Sap rivers, with royal and Buddhist landmarks, busy markets and sobering Khmer Rouge history sites.
No major events on our calendar for May.
Coming up later
Pchum BenDate variesKhmer lunar calendar — usually September or October
A 15-day festival honouring ancestors with offerings at pagodas.
Why go: The last three days are public holidays and the city empties.
Where: Pagodas nationwide
Water Festival (Bon Om Touk)Date variesLunar calendar — usually late October or November
Dragon boat races and illuminated floats marking the reversal of the Tonlé Sap's flow.
Why go: The riverside is extremely crowded.
Where: Sisowath Quay and the Tonlé Sap river
Independence DayEvery year9 November every year
Marks independence from France in 1953.
Why go: Public holiday with official ceremonies.
Where: Independence Monument
Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda
The king's residence and a temple with a floor of silver tiles.
💡 Shoulders and knees must be covered.
National Museum of Cambodia
A museum of Khmer art in a red traditional-style building.
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
A former school turned Khmer Rouge prison known as S-21.
Choeung Ek
The memorial at the 'Killing Fields' outside the city, with a stupa of victims' skulls.
Wat Phnom
A hilltop temple marking the city's legendary founding.
Russian Market
Tuol Tom Poung market, a covered maze of stalls selling textiles, crafts and food.
Fish amok
Fish steamed in a coconut curry custard, often in a banana-leaf cup.
Num banh chok
Rice noodles with green fish curry and fresh herbs, a breakfast dish.
Bai sach chrouk
Grilled marinated pork with broken rice, a common breakfast.
Lok lak
Stir-fried beef with a lime and pepper dipping sauce.
Kuy teav
Rice noodle soup with pork or beef, eaten at breakfast.
Kampot pepper
Prized pepper from southern Cambodia, with geographical indication status.
Cambodian silk
Hand-woven silk scarves and fabric.
💡 Russian Market and fair-trade shops
Krama
The traditional checked cotton scarf used across Cambodia.
Palm sugar
Sugar from the sugar palm, a national symbol.