Things to Do in Cambodia in March
March weather, activities, events & insider tips
March Weather in Cambodia
Is March Right for You?
Advantages
- Peak dry season means Angkor Wat and temple complexes are accessible without mud, and you can explore remote sites like Beng Mealea or Koh Ker on dusty but passable roads. March typically sees only 2-3 rainy days total, so you can plan outdoor activities with confidence.
- Tonle Sap Lake sits at its lowest water level of the year in March, which sounds like a negative but actually makes the floating villages more concentrated and easier to photograph. The stilt houses that sit 6-9 m (20-30 ft) high are fully exposed, showing their impressive engineering.
- Shoulder season pricing kicks in after Chinese New Year wraps up (usually early March). Hotels in Siem Reap drop 25-35% compared to December-January rates, and you'll find flight deals from Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City for USD 60-90 roundtrip if you book 4-6 weeks ahead.
- The heat actually works in your favor for temple exploration if you adjust your schedule. Sunrise at Angkor Wat (around 6:00am) starts at a comfortable 24°C (75°F), and most tourists clear out by 11am when temperatures hit 33°C (91°F), leaving you with emptier temples during the midday break before the late afternoon golden hour.
Considerations
- March is genuinely hot - we're talking 35-37°C (95-99°F) in the afternoon with a UV index of 11-12. If you're not comfortable with intense heat, this isn't your month. The kind of heat where walking from your hotel to a restaurant 400 m (0.25 miles) away leaves you sweating through your shirt.
- Dust becomes a real issue as March sits at the tail end of the dry season. Unpaved roads around rural temples and the countryside kick up red dust that gets into everything - your camera bag, your sinuses, your clothes. Bring a buff or bandana for tuk-tuk rides outside Siem Reap.
- Water levels at places like Kulen Mountain waterfalls and some river activities around Kampot are at their lowest. The waterfalls are still flowing but reduced to gentle cascades rather than the impressive torrents you'd see in October or November. Some boat tours on smaller rivers might be suspended entirely.
Best Activities in March
Angkor Archaeological Park temple circuits
March offers the sweet spot for temple exploration - dry enough that all roads are accessible, including the bumpy 90-minute drive to Beng Mealea, but after the peak tourist crush of February. The heat is intense but predictable: arrive at Angkor Wat for sunrise around 5:30am when it's still dark and cool, explore until 10:30am, break during the scorching midday hours (11am-3pm), then return for the golden hour at Bayon or Ta Prohm around 4pm. The low-angle March sun creates dramatic shadows in the temple corridors that photographers love. Crowds at sunrise might hit 200-300 people versus 500+ in January.
Kampot riverside town and pepper plantation visits
Kampot in March is what seasoned Cambodia travelers know about - it's hot but breezy along the river, and the famous pepper harvests happen in February-March, so you can visit plantations and see the actual processing. The town sits 5 m (16 ft) above sea level with constant airflow that makes 34°C (93°F) more bearable than inland Siem Reap. March is mango season here, and the riverside restaurants serve them six different ways. The French colonial architecture looks particularly photogenic in the harsh March light. It's a 3-hour bus ride from Phnom Penh, and worth 2-3 nights to decompress from temple fatigue.
Phnom Penh cyclo food tours through Russian Market and Central Market areas
The capital in March is hot and chaotic, but the food scene peaks because it's mango season, and you'll find street vendors selling everything from green mango salad to ripe mango with sticky rice. Taking cyclo (bicycle rickshaw) food tours in the early evening (5-8pm) when temperatures drop to 29°C (84°F) lets you cover 3-4 km (1.9-2.5 miles) between food stops without the walking exhaustion. March evenings have occasional brief showers (maybe 20% chance) that cool things down beautifully. The Russian Market area and riverside night markets are busiest 6-9pm.
Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem island beach stays
March is actually ideal for Cambodia's southern islands - the sea is calm (monsoon season doesn't start until May), water visibility for snorkeling hits 15-20 m (49-66 ft), and the beaches are less crowded than the December-February peak. Temperatures reach 33°C (91°F) but the ocean breeze and swimming make it manageable. The ferry from Sihanoukville takes 45-60 minutes and runs multiple times daily. March occasionally gets a brief afternoon shower (maybe 1 day in 5) but it's usually 20 minutes of warm rain that feels refreshing.
Battambang countryside bike tours and bamboo train rides
Battambang in March is hot (35°C/95°F midday) but the countryside cycling is spectacular if you time it right. Early morning rides (6-10am) through rice paddies and traditional villages work because the fields are dry and golden before wet season planting starts in May. The famous bamboo train (norry) still runs on old rail tracks through farmland - it's touristy but genuinely fun and breezy. March is also when you can visit Phnom Sampov caves for the bat exodus at sunset (around 6pm) when millions of bats stream out for 20-30 minutes. The countryside is dusty but photogenic.
Tonle Sap Lake floating village visits
March shows Tonle Sap at its most extreme low water level - the lake shrinks to about one-third of its wet season size. This concentrates the floating villages and makes the stilt house architecture more dramatic since you can see the full 6-8 m (20-26 ft) poles. The downside is some tours feel more staged for tourists, but the cultural insight into how communities live on water year-round is still valuable. Go in late afternoon (3-5pm) when the light is softer and the heat less brutal. The boat rides provide welcome breeze.
March Events & Festivals
Angkor Sankranta (Khmer New Year preparations)
While Khmer New Year itself typically falls in mid-April, March sees the buildup throughout Cambodia with temple cleaning ceremonies, market stalls selling New Year decorations, and families preparing for the biggest holiday of the year. In Siem Reap, you'll notice monks blessing businesses and homes, and markets stocking special foods. It's not a tourist event per se, but provides cultural context and photo opportunities. Temples get extra busy with local worshippers during weekends in late March.