Wat Sasar Muoy Roy – One Hundred Pillar Temple

 

Wat Sasar Muoy Roy (The 100 Columns Pagoda) is a cultural and historical tourist site located in Sambour Village, Sambour Commune, Sambour District, Kratie Province, approximately 36 kilometers from the provincial capital. Tourists can travel via Provincial Road 377, along a paved road that follows the riverside.

Wat Sasar Muoy Roy is one of Cambodia’s ancient temples. It was originally built in the 16th century during the reign of King Chan Reachea, using 100 wooden columns. During the Pol Pot regime, much of the temple was destroyed. However, it has since been continuously restored and is now rebuilt with bricks on the original site, which features 126 columns instead.

It is well known that Wat Sasar 100 was built in memory of King Chan Reachea’s daughter, Princess Vorapheak, who is also famously known as "Princess Krapum Chhouk," after her tragic death inside the belly of a crocodile named Nen Thon. However, not everyone may be aware of the symbolic meaning behind the 100 sasar trees. During her lifetime, Princess Vorapheak was served by 100 attendants who loyally followed her. When she died, all 100 attendants chose to sacrifice their lives to follow her, and their remains were also placed in the temple.

The Legend Goes as Follows:

In the 16th century, during the reign of King Chan Reachea at the former capital of Oudong, the king had a daughter named Vorapheak. When the princess fell ill, the king ordered that a senior monk from Neak Sen Temple (located in Prek Prasab District ) be summoned to treat her.

At the time, the senior monk was not at the temple; a favorite disciple named Nen Thon, who had secretly learned dark magic. Nen Thon had gained the supernatural ability to transform into a crocodile, becoming the infamous “Crocodile Nen Thon.” When the senior monk returned, Nen Thon had already turned into a crocodile and could no longer revert to human form.

From then on, Crocodile Nen Thon regularly carried the senior monk on his back to travel and treat the princess.
One day, another crocodile named Sopor Kaley, jealous of Nen Thon, tried to attack him while he was transporting the senior monk. The two crocodiles engaged in a fierce battle. Realizing that he could not protect the monk in his current state, Nen Thon swallowed the monk to shield him temporarily.

The battle lasted for three days and three nights until Sopor Kaley was finally defeated and died. The place where he perished became known as Phnom Sopor Kaley (Mount Sopor Kaley), which still exists today. After the fight, Nen Thon tried to release the monk from his belly, only to find that the monk had died. Overcome with grief and blaming the king’s daughter for the tragedy, Nen Thon became enraged and later swallowed the princess Vorapheak while she was joyfully bathing near the riverbank.

King Chan Reachea ordered his men to pursue the crocodile. They eventually caught Nen Thon at a place called Sambour. A royal diviner declared that the princess was still alive inside the crocodile’s belly. The king immediately ordered the crocodile to be cut open, but by then, both Nen Thon and the princess had died.

To determine where to enshrine his daughter's body, the king floated a small royal cantoong (a small container made of leaves which can be floated on water) down the river. Then it came to rest near the current location of the temple. Thus, King Chan Reachea ordered the construction of Wat Sasar 100 there to serve as the final resting place of Princess Vorapheak and to honor her spirit.

The name “Wat Sasar Muoy Roy” literally means “One hundred-pillar temple.”

Things You Should Know!

• Morning is the best time to visit this tourist site because the weather is usually cooler and more pleasant.
• You should spend about one hour to thoroughly explore the hundred-pillar temple from all angles.
• Dress appropriately, as this is a sacred monastery.

Entrance Fee:

• Both Cambodian and foreign visitors do not need to buy a ticket to enter this ancient temple. However, you may need to pay for a tuk-tuk rental, which typically costs around $10 to $15 for a morning trip.