Photo by shintamani.com

Staying in an artwork

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Situated between three of Cambodia's oldest nature parks you can find a work of art created by world-famous architect Bill Bensley called Shinta Mani Wild. A unique concept that you will not find elsewhere in Cambodia. Top design is combined with a high level of service and sustainability. Collaborations are being established to protect and preserve the flora and fauna and new sustainable initiatives are being started to continue to provide the local population with work and thus income. Shinta Mani Wild is a fantastic place for the conscious traveler with a big budget and preference for nature.


From the name of it and the people involved you must know before you arrive that this will not be an ordinary hotel. If you didn't you'll work it out when you leave your transport at the gate and they pop you into a military jeep and bring you to the zip-line. Y
ou get zip wired in to meet your butler who is armed with welcome drinks. After this welcome a number of days and nights of bliss will start.

New sustainability model

Bill Bensley is not only the architect, but also the owner of Shinta Mani Wild. It all started with his visit to a nature reserve between the Bokor and the Kirirom National Parks. Amazed by the unspoiled nature of the area and the knowledge that this beautiful piece of nature was not protected, he made a mission of protecting this 350-hectare valley from poaching, mining and logging. In collaboration with Wildlife Alliance, the Royal University of Phnom Penh and the Government of Cambodia, he created a new sustainability model in which he combined nature conservation with setting up an exclusive lodge.


The accommodation consists of only fifteen exclusive tents located on the rocks right next to a waterfall. No nature is damaged for the construction of the lodge. As a result, the tents are not right next to each other, so that each tent offers a lot of privacy. The tents are built on a platform and have an open design so that you are constantly connected to nature. The public spaces and the tents are works of art, combine this with the swim-able waterfall in front of the bar (not to be confused with the swimming pool) and the run of the river beside every tent and you create a magical experience.


A stay at Shinta Mani Wild is without a doubt a highlight of your trip. The facilities of the small camp are numerous and every effort is made to make this untouched piece of wilderness as comfortable as possible. It is special to see how luxury is combined with a great sense of responsibility towards nature and its inhabitants and with your stay at Shinta Mani Wild you contribute to the preservation of this fascinating phenomenal wilderness.
You can book this lodge on booking.com.

Best time to visit

There is a dry period from the end of November until the end of April. Rainy season starts in May and ends in November. Best time to visit this resort temperature wise is in the European winter months from December until March. These are also the most popular months.

This article was last updated on December 15, 2020.