There is no fixed deadline, but four to six months ahead gives the best choice of hotels, guides and internal flights. Booking later is possible and we do arrange trips at shorter notice, though the options narrow, particularly over the dry season and around the end of the year.
Five days covers Siem Reap and Phnom Penh at a reasonable pace. Seven to ten days lets you add the Tonle Sap lake, Battambang or a few nights on the coast. Two weeks is what you need to reach the eastern provinces such as Kratie, Mondulkiri and Rattanakiri, which are a long way from the main circuit and are where most of the country's forest and wildlife are.
One full day covers the main sites: Angkor Wat, the Bayon inside Angkor Thom, and Ta Prohm. Two or three days is better if you want to reach the outlying temples such as Banteay Srei or Beng Mealea, and it also lets you avoid the busiest hours by visiting in the early morning and late afternoon. Entry passes to the Angkor Archaeological Park are sold for one, three or seven days, so the length of pass is decided once your itinerary is set.
Travellers from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and most EU countries need a visa. You can either get a visa on arrival at the airport, currently 30 USD for a single-entry tourist visa allowing a stay of 30 days, or apply for an e-visa in advance at the official site evisa.gov.kh. Note that the e-visa is only valid at certain airports and land crossings, so check that your entry point is covered. Separately from the visa, every traveller must also submit the free Cambodia e-Arrival card online at arrival.gov.kh within seven days before arrival. The e-Arrival card is not a visa and does not replace one: you need both. Fees and rules change, so please check the official sites before you travel. Last checked: September 2026.
The dry season, from mid-October to April, brings mild weather, clear skies and very little rain, and it is the easiest time for temple visits and travel between regions. The rainy season from May to September is still workable: showers are usually short and fall in the afternoon, the countryside is green, and there are fewer visitors at Angkor.
Yes, it is entirely possible to reach Cambodia by air. You can take a flight from Ho Chi Minh (or Hanoi) to Siem Reap and spend the rest of your journey exploring the magnificent Angkorian temples.
