Shinta Mani Wild
Your arrival by zip line over a waterfall is the first clue that Shinta Mani Wild is no typical hotel. With just 15 tented suites strung out along a boulder-strewn river on the doorstep of Southern Cardamom National Park, this ambitious jungle camp is the brainchild of Bangkok-based architect Bill Bensley and his Cambodian business partner Sokoun Chanpreda, who originally acquired the 375-hectare concession to protect it from logging. Conservation is at the heart of the operation; guests can explore the surrounding forests with a resident naturalist or join local wildlife rangers on anti-poaching patrols. But luxury is taken just as seriously. Supremely comfortable, the tents are flamboyantly appointed with retro hand-painted murals, vintage knickknacks, and sexy alfresco tubs. Dailychanging menus showcase the best available ingredients — lemongrass-cured salmon with green papaya salad, say, or curried mud crab — while the spa is perfect for post-trek Khmer massages. Sangjay Choegyal, the camp’s charismatic manager, is another asset. Having grown up at a Nepalese jungle lodge, he’s the ideal companion (schedule permitting) for a spot of tenkara fly-fishing, bird-watching, or just a drink at the Landing Zone bar, where the cocktails are botanically inspired and the playlist favors 1960s Cambodian pop. — 855-12/223-782; shintamani.com; tents from US$1,900, full board, for a minimum three-night stay