A new holistic wellness concept on a wild Cambodian island restores not only body, mind and soul but the environment it rests in. 

I’m alone on an island, suspended in a treehouse above the jungle canopy. Up here, hornbills cackle in an echoing duet, and I drift in and out of cognisance. Somewhere below, the ocean licks the shore. I briefly open my eyes.  

Trickles of honey-coloured sunlight drip through a tangle of trees. Wafts of lemongrass, tamarind and basil cling to the damp island air. When I hear footsteps approaching, my senses shift, and I feel gentle hands rest on the crown of my head. 

“Time to rinse," my therapist Khan Muyly whispers, lifting the wooden steam chamber where I lie on a bed of banana leaves, embalmed with a sticky, botanical concoction of honey and wild herbs. She guides me upright, but when I step towards the out-of-view bathroom, I sense her hesitation.  

“I shower for you, Bong," she says, gesturing to a wooden chair and an urn that’s overflowing with lotus flowers. With her head bowed, Muyly slowly scoops up the cool water with a coconut shell, then gently bathes my exposed skin like a child. Later, I’m told that the water was blessed by Buddhist monks from the neighbouring Koh Rong Island as part of an ancient ritual, just as they did long before travellers ventured  beyond mainland Cambodia. 

The story behind Song Saa Private Island 

A few days prior, I left the bustling port of Sihanoukville with my family, bound for five-star Song Saa Private Island – which consists of two islands, Koh Bong and Koh Ouen, linked by a wooden walkway – to dip my toes into the newly launched Saraan Sanctuaries, a holistic wellness offering tied to Buddhist philosophy and Khmer culture.  

Over the next five days, I immerse myself in wellbeing practices in a bid to understand why metta, a concept rooted in kindness and compassion, is the resort’s guiding ethos. 

In 2006, while exploring the Koh Rong archipelago, Australian Melita Koulmandas came across a pair of islands with a deteriorating coral reef, depleted waters, logged trees and piles of waste. She soon returned, purchased the islands from local fishers, and began a tireless pursuit with nearby communities to restore the Koh Rong ecosystem.  

A breakthrough came when Melita set up an NGO called the Song Saa Foundation and, soon after, Cambodia’s first marine protected reserve was established with a strict ‘no take’ zone. In 2012, Song Saa – which means sweethearts or lovers in Khmer to represent the two linked islands – was born, providing a lifeline for the archipelago and a haven for weary guests. 

The simple pleasures of island life 

On Koh Ouen, we luxuriate in a serene jungle villa. Just below the forest fringe sit ocean-facing villas and a string of overwater dwellings – the only ones of their kind in the Cambodian hospitality scene. A sandy trail meanders towards two restaurants, a pool and a small beach. The original fishing hut, with its traditional thatch, still stands, although it now resembles an alchemist’s kitchen where you can pluck herbs and plump fruit and vegetables straight from the earth, or watch chefs crush Thai basil, kaffir lime leaves and galangal for fish amok, a delicious, creamy local curry.  

Guests can also go wild foraging with resident botanist Sok Vichea, who’s quick to point out hanging orchids, a slender green tree snake and wild camphor, used as thnam or medicine in Khmer, to treat coughs and toothaches.  

In his herbarium, there are vials of specimens: dried sea beans and tropical fruit seeds alongside hibiscus flowers, lemongrass, Mexican mint and moringa leaves, which he distils into small-batch oils and fragrant teas, all bound for the intriguing new sanctuary across the stilted pathway. 

Inside Cambodia’s latest luxury wellness retreat 

Until recently, Koh Bong Island was uninhabited, offering the curious a place to spot oriental pied hornbills or explore a maze of overgrown jungle trails. Now, it’s the home of Saraan Sanctuaries. Translated into love, the ritualistic wellness concept creates sacred spaces scattered across nature where people can find renewal and deep healing, from weary muscles or minds, perhaps even a fatigued spirit.  

There’s also the Raw Bar, a sea-facing temple of sorts for post-practice replenishment with plant-based treats – such as watermelon with cashew, coconut yoghurt and Thai basil – and island-infused teas. 

Some wander across to Koh Bong for movement – I’m told someone spent weeks here training and conditioning for an ultramarathon with trainer Eren Koprulu in the jungle gym – others seek quieter personal transformation amongst nature, to detox digitally, spiritually recharge or reclaim a sense of wholeness after burnout.  

All of this can be pursued on this storied little island, where personal quests and rebirth seem to happen in equilibrium with the wild. 

After sunrise yoga one day, the resident marine biologist, Long Morokot, who goes by Mozza, explains that the Song Saa Foundation works with nearby communities to manage waste and curb illegal fishing through education.  

With a largely local team, the partnership is fruitful. While we sit barefoot in the white powdery sand, Mozza paints the picture plainly: “The more Khmer we have on our team, the greater our impact." From her back pocket, she pulls out her phone and shows me a video. Three days before, Mozza and her colleagues spotted a whale shark while diving in the archipelago. A sign, she says, that marine conservation is working. Beaming, Mozza exclaims, “Even dugongs have returned!" 

The healing powers of nature and wellness 

Sometime before dusk, when I awake from my jungle daze, I retrace the pathway through the dense forest, pausing at a small lopsided Pteah Preah Phumi shrine laden with strings of white jasmine. The light is low on the steep descent from the centre of the island, but soon I see the clean, lapping water through the pandanus trees. 

I see homeward-bound fishermen skirt the outer edges of the protected zone in low-slung wooden boats as night trawlers bound for the glistening open ocean idle by. Over Koh Rong Island, the sun melts into a ripe mango blaze, with trails of wood smoke floating from the small village towards the heavens. 

Closer to the shore, my husband is paddleboarding above the shallow coral reef with my toddler. In the gin-clear water, they’ve spotted a shimmer of needlefish, moving like ribbons in the current. There is a languid octopus on a shallow rock, sprinklings of black sea urchins and a scuttle of blue swimmer crabs. 

Later, we watch the full moon rise together while spa manager Mana Kannoi leads us through a sound bathing ritual on the rooftop of the yoga shala. In the stillness, surrounded by the wild, it clicks. Metta is the parallel between the healing of nature and ourselves. Here it happens in tandem. A recovering reef, a return to wellness. A deeply nurtured body and soul. 

Everything you need to know about visiting Song Saa 

Cathay Pacific has flights to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, via Hong Kong, departing from all major Australian cities. From Phnom Penh, it’s a 55-minute flight to Sihanoukville. There, guests can relax in the Song Saa Lounge while awaiting a speedboat transfer to the island, located 45 minutes away. 

Staying on Song Saa 

Located in the Koh Rong archipelago, Song SAA Private Island has 24 villas with private pools and open-air showers. On Koh Ouen, guests can dine under the stars, beside the pool or at two scenic restaurants.  

Driftwood is delightfully laid-back, ideal for families with casual dining and Khmer flavours, while the overwater Vista Bar & Restaurant sets the scene for sunset cocktails and contemporary dining. 

Exploring Song Saa Island

Each villa has a personal host who can create customised itineraries, including wild swimming, snorkelling and diving, water sports, Song Saa Sala Tours that visit the local community, cooking classes, foraging workshops and off-island excursions.  

At Saraan Sanctuaries, guests can lean into fitness at the nature-based jungle gym. Try Pilates or yoga at sunrise and visit The Raw Bar for plant-powered snacks. Don’t miss a deep-tissue Karuna Kaya massage followed by an intimate sunset sound healing session overlooking the ocean.