Green Season in Cambodia
Here in Cambodia we do not like to talk about the Rainy or Low Season. Instead, we cheerfully refer to it as the Green Season. Much like the other countries in our region, the Green Season makes the lands alive again as the rains fall in an almost rhythmic way from the sky. Perhaps this is where the inspiration for “Singing in the Rain” came from?
Between May and October Cambodia, unlike its neighboring countries, transforms drastically in color, activities and lifestyle. Much less travelers come to visit, which means more fun and space to yourself. The country transforms from May onward into a green and lush haven of hideouts. Lakes fill up again, the rice paddies are filled and greenery surrounds the countryside and hills as far as the eye can see. Cambodia’s Green Season transforms the country as the Tonle Sap Lake expands significantly and changes the way people on and around the lake live. It has a domino effect in the provinces that border the Mekong River, where life suddenly seems to take on a different pace and meaning.
Experience the Green Season with the community
To us, this is the most beautiful time of the year. Riding your bicycle through the shady villages with a fresh breeze cooling you down. People are happy, cows are fat, children play in the streams, the waterfalls are thundering and the floating villages operate at high speed. We are able to enjoy a whole different atmosphere during this time of the year. And all of that without the usual crowds we encounter between October and April.
We got to understand that “rain” is not a scary word in Cambodia. It is almost a synonym for life, or happiness. There should be no fear that it will rain throughout the day. Showers are timely and predictable. This gives us a wonderful opportunity to sit down with a local family and sip some local tea. Let the rain do its job irrigating the lands, we will amuse ourselves joining the locals celebrating the rains.