Shinta Mani Wild
Cambodia
THE PERSONALITIES
Eco-luxury seekers. Adventure lovers. Conservationists. Curious creatives. Jungle dreamers.
THE MOMENTS
Zipping into the resort on a 400m jungle canopy zipline. Bathtubs in the wild beside rushing rapids. Morning yoga to the sounds of gibbons. Forest-foraged cocktails by the fire. A private picnic waterfall lunch after tracking wildlife with conservation rangers.
BEST VISITING MONTHS
Visit from November to April for Cambodia’s dry season, when clear skies and lower humidity create perfect conditions for ziplining, trekking, and dining under the stars. May to October brings dramatic monsoon rains that transform the forest into a lush, cinematic green, ideal for wellness seekers who want to immerse themselves in nature, linger in the spa, or cozy up in their tent with the symphony of the rain.
WHY STAY
Shinta Mani Wild is a hotel where design, experience, and intention come together. Tucked deep within the protected wilderness of Cambodia’s Cardamom National Park, the property feels like a hidden world suspended between reality and fantasy. Designed by the visionary Bill Bensley, the 15 luxury tents channel the romance of a 1940s jungle safari with hand-crafted curios, vintage campaign furniture, and flowing spaces that open onto cascading rivers and verdant forest.
But beyond the exquisite aesthetics, what truly sets Shinta Mani Wild apart is its total embrace of freedom and ease. There are no set meal times, no restaurant menus to decode, no bills to sign - everything from artisanal cocktails to riverbank picnics to daily spa treatments is included. Your days are tailored to you by your personal Bensley Adventure Butler, whether you want to ride a zipline into camp, trek to hidden waterfalls, or simply sink into a spa treatment surrounded by jungle birdsong. It’s a rare kind of barefoot luxury - deeply immersive, effortlessly indulgent, and absolutely unrepeatable.
WHY WANDER
To wander at Shinta Mani Wild is to step into a living conservation effort, where every moment spent in the jungle serves a purpose. Located in one of Southeast Asia’s last remaining wild corridors, the resort exists to protect, not just to host. Your stay directly supports the work of Wildlife Alliance, whose rangers patrol the surrounding 350 hectares of rainforest daily to prevent poaching, logging, and land encroachment.
You’re invited to witness this work firsthand, joining rangers on motorbike patrols, setting camera traps to monitor endangered species, or learning how traditional knowledge and modern science are merging to restore this vital landscape. These aren’t curated “eco” experiences; they’re part of real, on-the-ground conservation that impacts ecosystems and livelihoods. You arrive seeking connection, but leave having contributed to something much larger: the future of one of the most biodiverse regions on earth.
INDULGE IN
Dining here is both wildly inventive and grounded in the landscape. Menus are ever-changing and inspired by local, foraged ingredients - jungle ferns, river fish, forest mushrooms. Meals might be served beside a waterfall or delivered to your tent’s private terrace. The in-room maxi bar is a trove of snacks and drinks, and every cocktail is infused with regional herbs and fruits.
GETTING THERE
Reaching Shinta Mani Wild is part of the adventure. Guests are picked up in a private vehicle for a 1.5-hour scenic drive from Phnom Penh International Airport or Sihanoukville. From there, you arrive not through a lobby, but by soaring over the canopy on a zipline. Helicopter transfers are also available, offering a bird’s eye view of the protected jungle below.
WILD INITIATIVES
What truly sets Shinta Mani Wild apart is its deep commitment to conservation. The land it occupies was once slated for logging and mining and now, it’s a sanctuary. In partnership with Wildlife Alliance, the resort funds a full-time ranger station that combats poaching, protects endangered species like pangolins and clouded leopards, and helps preserve the ecological integrity of the Cardamom Mountains. Guests are invited to participate in this mission, learning first-hand how tourism can be a force for good.
Photos by Shinta Mani Wild, Elise Hassey, It's Me Louis Photography