Take an adventure in the Cambodian rainforest, then enjoy the luxury of nature at Shinta Mani

BY MAR PAGES

HauteTRAVEL

SHINTA MANI WILD TENTED SAFARI ADVENTURE IN THE RAINFOREST

Traveling with a purpose in wild Cambodia

FROM EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS FUNDED BY LUXURY LODGES IN THE African bush to turtle nurseries in beach resorts in Malaysia, properties around the world not only give discerning travelers a fabulous vacation, but also contribute to the communities they are in.

The best traveled don’t just want great interior design, personalized service, and exclusive dining, but the assurance that their holidays give back. Shinta Mani Wild was built with this purpose in mind.

The exclusive, low-impact, tented camp in the rainforest of Cambodia was born not only to welcome travelers, but also to protect one of the last remaining wild habitats in Southeast Asia. It proves that conservation can be the fuel for tourism, not just a way for travel companies to give back.

FROM LOGGING CONCESSION TO LUXURY LODGE

Bensley Collection Shinta Mani Wild is a partnership between acclaimed Bangkok-based architect, interior designer, and landscape architect Bill Bensley and Cambodian businessman Sokoun Chanpreda.

With dozens of properties in his design portfolio, including a royal residence and reigning best hotel in the world, Capella Ubud (which bears stark resemblance to Shinta Mani Wild), passionate conservationist Bensley got into hospitality management with his Bensley Collection brand late and almost exclusively to make a difference.

The second property in his portfolio, Shinta Mani Wild, opened in 2018 with a high calling: the protection of 865 acres of the Cardamom Mountains, one of the last remaining, unfragmented rainforests in Southeast Asia.

Bensley and Chanpreda bought the land at an auction years earlier to prevent it from becoming a titanium mine. They built the lodge to provide employment opportunities and support the conservation efforts of the Wildlife Alliance who started patrolling the forests in 2002.

Located in the Southern Cardamom rainforest, the tented camp was built with minimal environmental impact. No trees were cut in the construction of the lodge, so they occasionally grow through unexpected places, such as the spa rooms. All 15 luxury safari-style tents sit on elevated platforms; even the swimming pool is a large, freestanding structure placed above the ground.

Cambodian Royalty tent number 1 at dusk

HauteTRAVEL

Khmer Spa

Waterfall picnic

Cistern pool

THE INSPIRATION FOR SHINTA MANI WILD

As is traditional of Bensley, the lodge’s design is inspired by a story, in this case, Jackie O’s private 1967 trip to Cambodia to fulfill her lifelong dream of seeing Angkor Wat. The trip took her to UNESCO-listed temples and other parts of tranquil Cambodia in the company of the Khmer royal family. While some of the peace that reigned in Cambodia at that time can be felt throughout the lodge, adventure awaits the intrepid.

Guests can get to Shinta Mani Wild on a scenic helicopter ride from the capital of Phnom Penh and, after completing check-in formalities, are invited to make an entrance on the longest zipline in Southeast Asia or to continue on a vintage Land Rover.

After gliding over gushing waterfalls to the Landing Zone Bar, zip liners are met by the lodge manager holding chilled margaritas. This sets the tone for every stay, which is a mix of Old World charm and unexpected adventures.

Riverboat expedition

LUXURIOUS RIVERSIDE TENTS, SAFARI-STYLE

Even when full, Shinta Mani Wild has fewer than 40 guests and, with tents set 100 meters apart, one is unlikely to see any other guests. Each host, aptly named an “Adventure Butler,” is tasked not only to tend to guests’ requests, but also to anticipate their needs. A pre-dinner massage (included in the rate), a smoky drink at the bar, a bedside snack: butlers guess guests' needs before they are even aware of them.

Each tent is an oasis in the middle of the rainforest. Each is themed, uniquely appointed with one-off vintage pieces, and carefully designed to blend into the forest and let nature shine. From above, you can barely distinguish the canvas from the canopy.

There are no physical barriers around the tents, other than hanging hammocks designed as relaxing spots for guests to listen to the flowing river below. Inside, thin canvas walls and netted windows let in nature’s sounds.

Tents one and 14 are the favorites. The former is inspired by the Khmer royal family and the latter is filled with National Geographic magazines, the oldest dating back to 1960, when Dr. Jane Goodall was on the cover for her work with chimpanzees.

In a welcome letter, Bensley encourages guests to “Get wild!” However, it’s hard to leave the tent behind when your maxibar is stocked with your favorite drinks and fresh snacks.

Adventure butlers host guests throughout their stay, taking them from wild foraging to Khmer cooking lessons, from kayaking and mountain biking to evening drinks by the river, from relaxing by the pool to picnics by the waterfall: anything is possible. Two signature activities are particularly recommended: a river expedition with grilled lobster lunch by the sandbank and a morning patrolling with Wildlife Alliance rangers.

From the back of a powerful motorbike, zigzagging through muddy paths and into the rainforest, guests see the formula for the Wildlife Alliance conservation success in the Cardamom Mountains where no elephant has been killed at the hands of poachers since 2006.

Encroachment, illegal logging, fires set to clear the forest, and poaching require round-the-clock surveillance by a network of rangers. Shinta Mani Wild supports these efforts via the Shinta Mani Foundation and the lodge.

When asked to describe his most precious moment at Shinta Mani Wild, conservation advocate Bensley said without hesitation, “It would have to be on my 60th birthday, when the Wildlife Alliance decided it was time to reintroduce certain species into the area and we released three civet cats.”

While the lodge’s construction didn't have any impact on the environment, its presence continues to have a very positive effect on its conservation. Bensley dreamed of a lodge that, in his own words, is “exactly how I would have designed it for myself.” By that, he means intimate, quirky, rooted in conservation, and with rates inclusive of all food, drinks, massages, and activities, so there aren’t any bills to settle at check-out, as you wouldn’t have to if you were staying at your vacation home.

Shinta Mani Wild attracts travelers with a purpose: to get away from the demands of routine, to enrich their lives with new adventures, or simply to learn. In the great wilderness of the Cardamom Mountains, they can do all of these and know that their trip also fuels the protection of one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world.

Tent

Ziplining

Sunset drinks by the river