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Cambodia in the summer? Good or bad?

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apappajohn:
Hey! We are trying to figure out where to travel at the end of July and beginning of August. SE Asia is definitely on our radar. Cambodia keeps popping up as an awesome place to travel with friendly people and awesome beaches. Anybody been there during those times? Rainy all the time? Sunny? Any advice would be helpful....THANKS

stamerjam:
I am thinking the same thing. I don't have first hand experience, but here's what I read:

June-August: Hot and wet. The hot season continues but is fairly quickly moderated as the monsoon rains begin in May and June, cooling, if only a bit, the hot, humid air. Across most of the country, the monsoon rains are fairly predictable, usually occurring in the afternoon or at night. And the afternoon rains usually last no more than a couple of hours making them fairly easy to plan around, especially if you are visiting the temples or touring. In fact, the Angkor temples are at their aesthetic best during the wet season. The surrounding moats and reflecting pools are full, the jungle is lush and moisture bring outs the colors of the moss and lichen covered stones of the temples. Boat travel becomes easier and more reliable as the season progresses and the river and lake levels rise, but some roads sometimes deteriorate or become temporarily flooded. The pattern of monsoon rains tends too be different along the coast and the beach towns, where the rains are more frequent and, when the season is at its peak, may last for days at a time, though, unlike the rest of the country, the rain on the coast may stop for days at a time as well. 

I think it's still worth it to go. Has anyone traveled during this time? I'd like to hear from you!   

muzykagirl:
I have read the same thing about Cambodian weather (as well as Laos, Vietnam, etc.) being really rainy in August and thought I should hold off going there until Jan-February.  I'd also like to hear if anyone has been there during that time of year and what their experiences have been like.

On a related note, does anyone have any opinions on whether to fly from location to location in SE or take the bus?  I'm mainly thinking Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh or Siem Reap to the Thai border then onward to Bangkok.  Thanks for any advice!

vw08:

--- Quote from: muzykagirl on June 04, 2012, 08:28:16 PM ---I have read the same thing about Cambodian weather (as well as Laos, Vietnam, etc.) being really rainy in August and thought I should hold off going there until Jan-February.  I'd also like to hear if anyone has been there during that time of year and what their experiences have been like.

On a related note, does anyone have any opinions on whether to fly from location to location in SE or take the bus?  I'm mainly thinking Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh or Siem Reap to the Thai border then onward to Bangkok.  Thanks for any advice!

--- End quote ---

If you are short on time and do not mind spending a little extra cash, flying is the way to go.  Though there are many buses and bus routes in SE Asia available for great prices, the road network is not all that great and is most likely worse in the rainy season.  What could be an 7-8 hour or all night bus ride becomes a 1-2 hour flight.  AirAsia generally offers great deals as do a few other airlines in the region like JetStar and Tiger. 

On a previous trip, I flew from Bangkok to Phnom Penh on AirAsia.  It took about an hour, give or take, and if I remember correctly was 50-60USD.  Bangkok is a bigger hub for travel than HCMC so you may have more luck finding reasonably priced flights to/from Thailand than Vietnam. 

SupaTeacha:
I've found flights to be extremely expensive between Cambodia and Vietnam. ($300 per person via  Vietnam Air or Cambodia Angkor Air) Anyone found any cheaper flight deals? The 12 hour bus ride from Ho Chi Minh to Siem Reap seems too long for a week vacation.

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