Built by Suryavarman II, Banteay Samre is believed to have been completed early in the 12th century, and has an interesting tale behind its construction.
Travel better, travel smarter
Save money, receive our latest updates and get the most out of your travels.
The story goes that a poor Samre farmer (Samre were a group of people who populated the Kulen hills to the northeast of Siem Reap) by the name of Pou had a particular talent for growing sweet cucumbers.
When Pou presented some of the cucumbers to the then-king, he was so taken with them he secured the exclusive rights and commanded Pou to kill anybody who tried to enter his cucumber fields without permission. When cucumber production dropped off during the monsoon, the king became impatient and snuck into the fields himself to try and source a few of the delectable cucumbers—the farmer followed his instructions and speared him to death. When he realised his mistake he buried the king in the middle of the field and hoped nobody ... Travelfish members only (Full text is around 400 words.)
Get the full story.
Create an account.
Becoming a Travelfish subscriber costs A$35 for a year. Benefits include:
1) Full access to the site
2) 250+ PDF guides
3) Discount coupons
4) 50% off our travel planning service
5) And of course, our gratitude and a warm fuzzy feeling for helping us stay in business!
Popular attractions in Angkor
A selection of some of our favourite sights and activities around Angkor.
What next?
Check out our listings of things to do in and around Angkor.
Read up on how to get to Angkor, or book your transport online with Camboticket.
Do you have travel insurance yet? If not, find out why you need it.
Planning on riding a scooter in Angkor? Please read this.
Browse the web securely while travelling with TunnelBear. Try with a 7–day free trial.