Banteay Samre Temple

• Location: Banteay Samre Temple, Prasat Bakong, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia
• Recommended reason: Enlarged version of Banteay Srei Temple and one of the more complete preserved temples of Angkor
• Opening hours: 7:30-17:30
• Entrance fee: If you have a ticket of Angkor Wat, you can enter the temple.

Banteay samre facts

The Banteay Samre Temple is a temple in the "outer circle" of Angkor Wat. It is located about 400 meters southeast of Dongchi Lake (that is, Dongbalai Lake). Banteay Samre means the castle of the Sema tribe, and Samre also means tattoos. The Sima is a minority in the mountainous area, and they live at the foot of Mount Kullan.

Banteay samre history

The Banteay Samre Temple was built during the period of Suryavarma II, and was later expanded by his successor, Jejuvarma II. Because it was built in the same era as the Little Angkor Temple, the two have similar styles in architecture, which is considered a relatively well-preserved temple.

How to visit Banteay samre?

The Banthi Sema Temple is surrounded by two huge concentric walls. Its unique feature is that it has an inner moat between the two walls. There are four tower gates on each of the two walls. There are four tower gates on each of the two walls, east, south, west, and north. Through the deep porch like a picture frame, you can reach the center of the temple. There is a majestic main tower. The main tower is not connected to the surrounding cloisters, it is independent, and the surroundings have also introduced tortuous water channels. In addition, there are two Tibetan scripture pavilions in the second wall, especially the southern one is well preserved.

The temple is full of various carvings, such as the relief of the eight-armed Vishnu God vs Ashura at the west gate, the image of the Vishnu god lying on the snake in the Northern Tibetan Sutra, and the monkey biting Ashura Relief, etc. These carvings are not rough, and are worth savoring.

Because there are fewer tourists, you can still fully enjoy the fun of taking pictures here, catching light and shadow between the layers of corridors, whether it is taking pictures of the quiet temple scenery or taking a group photo without being disturbed.

Tips for visiting Banteay samre:

Follow the road to the Baanteay Srei to the village of Preah Dak, where you can find the Banteay samre. Going early in the morning is a good choice. When the sun has not yet fully risen, it is very tasty to photograph in a sparsely populated temple with soft light.