After zip-lining (yes really!) over the forest canopy into camp, you’ll start planning the finer details of your stay before heading to one of the tents dotted along the riverbank or perched over the small waterfalls.
With every detail finely tuned by our Asia Specialists.
Between all of us at Selective Asia, we’ve been lucky enough to stay at some truly unique hotels, including a number created by the inspiring landscape architect and interior designer behind this project, Bill Bensley. However, Shinta Mani Wild is in a different league: undoubtedly luxurious for its rural location – some might say surprisingly decadent – yet with an unrivalled commitment to conservation and sustainability.
Combine your Shinta Mani Wild experience with time in some of our other favourite places in Cambodia for a fully rounded and enriching journey. Our destination specialists will discuss how to best fit this standout experience into your tailor-made itinerary (it’s what they do!), but here are a few ideas to get you started on thinking about the shape of your trip…
Venture beyond Cambodia’s temples into remote forests and rivers for an immersive escape into nature and conservation.
Staying at Shinta Mani Wild is a sure-fire way to expand your definition of luxury to include rarity, beauty and a sense of place as well as high-spec surrounds.
Walk the walk alongside local conservationists.
Explore the city’s diverse skyline and relax in style at classically elegant hotels.
Wander among Angkor’s extraordinary temples, and help a project building local homes with the Shinta Mani Foundation.
Kick back on picture-perfect sands for a few days of southern island bliss.
The exact shape and details of your journey will be personalised to you by our team of Destination Specialists, so get in touch to start planning your perfect trip…
Get in touch to start planning your bespoke Asia trip.
From Shinta Mani Wild’s rainforest sanctuary to Cambodia’s golden coast, take a closer look at the details of our Into the Wild journey below…
The spaces at Shinta Mani Wild are ‘tents’ in the loosest sense of the word, with facilities to match any luxury safari camp or top hotel suite, all designed in achingly retro style with interior themes including local butterflies and references to Jackie Kennedy’s 1967 visit to Cambodia.
The spaces at Shinta Mani Wild are ‘tents’ in the loosest sense of the word, with facilities to match any luxury safari camp or top hotel suite, all designed in achingly retro style with interior themes including local butterflies and references to Jackie Kennedy’s 1967 visit to Cambodia.
Meet your personal ‘Adventure Butler’ (described as part guide, part friend and part magician!), who’ll be a graduate of the Shinta Mani Foundation. This innovative initiative, providing free, world-class training in the hospitality industry for local people, is a major part of what makes this place so impressive.
Those who are willing to foot the (undeniably fairly large) bill for a minimum three-night stay can fully immerse themselves in the experience, safe in the knowledge that they’re helping to preserve of 865 acres of pristine river valley – a habitat for some of Cambodia’s most endangered species – alongside providing vital support for the local community.
Whatever you choose to include in your tailored Shinta Mani experience (and ensuring that your stay fits you perfectly is an essential part of the experience), we heartily recommend joining the rangers of the Shinta Mani Wild’s partner organisation, the Wildlife Alliance, on an anti-poaching patrol.
Whatever you choose to include in your tailored Shinta Mani experience (and ensuring that your stay fits you perfectly is an essential part of the experience), we heartily recommend joining the rangers of the Shinta Mani Wild’s partner organisation, the Wildlife Alliance, on an anti-poaching patrol.
Bumping out into the wilderness on the back of a ranger’s motorbike, you’ll accompany them as they study the forest, check camera traps and clear snares, gaining an unrivaled insight into the challenges of protecting this remote region.
You could also include a foraging expedition and cooking class, a trip on one of the Shinta Mani’s expedition boats, or a kayaking or mountain biking trek. Don’t forget to leave time to fit in a sublime treatment at the resort’s signature spa before relaxing over a gourmet dinner. As Selective Asia’s Aaron once said of Shinta Mani Wild, sleeping feels like a waste of time!
Having expanded from remote river valley to vibrant riverside capital, Phnom Penh is certainly an assault on the senses, and an essential stop for anyone keen to gain an understanding of modern Cambodia.
Having expanded from remote river valley to vibrant riverside capital, Phnom Penh is certainly an assault on the senses, and an essential stop for anyone keen to gain an understanding of modern Cambodia.
If your experience at Shinta Mani Wild has fired your passion for design, indulge yourself with wanders among the city’s diverse architecture, both traditional and modern. Admire the pristine Royal Palace, the Khmer-Chinese architecture of the old merchants’ quarter, and the eye-catching Royal University (designed by renowned Cambodian architect Vann Molyvann) alongside the contemporary style of the city’s hippest neighbourhood, Boeung Keng Kang – BKK to those in the know.
Stay amid the slightly faded colonial glamour of the Raffles le Royal hotel, where Jackie Kennedy rested her head during her whistle-stop tour of the country, or experience the city’s contemporary side at one of its collection of cutting-edge high-end hotels. It’s an atmospheric base from which to visit the Khmer Rouge sites, tuck into traditional street food, or head to Koh Dach – Silk Island – and the ancient capital of Phnom Oudong.
Having marvelled at the Angkor Temples, what better way could there be to give back to the communities living around Siem Reap than to join the Shinta Mani Foundation in building a house for a local family?
Having marvelled at the Angkor Temples, what better way could there be to give back to the communities living around Siem Reap than to join the Shinta Mani Foundation in building a house for a local family?
You certainly don’t need an architecture degree to take part, and you can be as hands on, or not, as you wish whilst still knowing that your visit has had a tangible, positive impact. The Foundation was set up by Mr Sokoun Chanpreda, a Cambodian businessman who returned from overseas determined to invest in the future of his country, and his business partner Bill Bensley. Working directly with villages in this way is just one of the many initiatives they support.
After a day helping with the build, you can unwind at an exclusive Bensley Collection private villa, enjoy a private dinner cruise on the Tonle Sap Lake, or enjoy an evening’s entertainment at the Phare Circus: a project designed to help deprived young people use theatre, music, dance and modern circus arts to tell their own versions of Cambodian stories.
Board a speedboat and get spirited away to the tropical sands and crystal clear waters of one of Cambodia’s southern islands: Koh Rong, Koh Rong Samloem or Koh Russey.
Board a speedboat and get spirited away to the tropical sands and crystal clear waters of one of Cambodia’s southern islands: Koh Rong, Koh Rong Samloem or Koh Russey.
Although the islands still have a relatively remote feel, and a thriving yet relaxed backpacker scene (Koh Rong was the location for more than one outing of the television series ‘Survivor’), a new breed of barefoot luxury properties have recently emerged that are ideal for pampering yourself at the end of your travels.
Making a decision about where to stay could be tough, having included the ultimate highlight of Shinta Mani Wild, but your Destination Specialist will help you make the right choice for you. We particularly love the spacious, minimalist-yet-indulgent villas of the Royal Sands Resort – our pick for flexibility and wide appeal – or the Six Senses Krabey Island for pure castaway bliss. Enjoy a prime position on a pristine stretch of coastline, with very little to impede your progress from pool, to sea, to spa, and all the way back again…
We suggest that you compliment your 3 night stay at the Shinta Mani Wild perfectly with 3 nights in Phnom Penh at the Raffles Hotel Le Royal, 4 nights based at the Shinta Mani Resorts & Bensley Collection whilst exploring the Angkor Temples and 3 nights at the Royal Sands Resort on Koh Rong Island. This trip would typically cost the guide price above per person (not including international flights).
Every Selective Asia trip is fully customised, and the shape of your tailored route is always finely tuned to your wishes.....
Lean into the details of your bespoke Asia trip to discover rare experiences, exceptional hotels, local connections, inspiring conservation and much more…
With every detail finely tuned by our Asia Specialists.
Every Asia trip we build is finely tuned to fit you, and that all starts with a chat. Let us know what you're hoping to see, feel and experience on your travels, and the places you're dreaming of, and your Asia Specialist will craft a route that includes everything you want and more.
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