editorial

A “wild wellness” concept off the coast of Sihanoukville offers a soulful approach to well-being, drawing on Buddhist principles and Khmer healing traditions.
Photographs by Elise Hassey
<figure id="attachment_154950" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-154950" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-154950" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Massage-Pavilion-and-Raw-Breakfast.jpeg" alt="A seaside treatment sala; the Raw Bar serves raw breakfasts made with locally sourced ingredients." width="1200" height="800" srcset="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Massage-Pavilion-and-Raw-Breakfast.jpeg 1200w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Massage-Pavilion-and-Raw-Breakfast-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Massage-Pavilion-and-Raw-Breakfast-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Massage-Pavilion-and-Raw-Breakfast-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-154950" class="wp-caption-text">Left to right: A seaside treatment sala; the Raw Bar serves raw breakfasts made with locally sourced ingredients.</figcaption></figure>
Into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” Often attributed to John Muir, the 19th-century naturalist who helped shape the U.S. national parks system, this sentiment feels equally apt beneath a star-studded sky on Koh Oeun, one of the two islets that make up Cambodia’s <a href="https://www.songsaa-privateisland.com/?DestinAsian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Song Saa Private Island</a>.
“Saraan Sanctuaries is the living heart of Song Saa’s ‘nourished by nature’ philosophy,” says Mana Kannoi, the resort’s associate director of wellbeing and spiritual care, as we follow a softly illuminated jungle path toward the new wellness center. The only sounds are the rhythmic crash of waves and a chorus of cicadas.
Since opening in 2013, Song Saa, set off <a href="https://destinasian.com/travel-guide/cambodia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cambodia</a>’s southern coast in the Koh Rong archipelago, has cemented its reputation as the country’s premier private island retreat. Its castaway-luxury vibe has inspired a wave of high-end island escapes on this side of the Gulf of Thailand.
The resort’s latest evolution is Saraan Sanctuaries, a collection of wellness spaces mainly scattered through the hitherto untouched jungle of Koh Bong, linked to the main island by a timber footbridge. Picture a rainforest-shrouded jungle gym, a raw bar serving freshly pressed juices and plant-based bites, an open-air treehouse pavilion for massages and herbal steams, a salt room, and spa canopies suspended above the water. Forget clinical treatment rooms, panpipe soundtracks, or high-tech equipment. Each sanctuary dissolves into its natural surroundings. On Koh Bong, no trees were felled; instead, salvaged wood and other foraged materials were used to craft the structures, with sinuous pathways weaving organically through the forest. Here, nature isn’t merely part of the experience; it leads it.
With 15 years of experience—eight at Song Saa—Mana has curated a suite of programs designed to promote physical and spiritual well-being through holistic, nature-centric rituals. And few settings feel more conducive to soul-soothing respite than these two tiny islands.
“Our goal is to go beyond typical spa treatments and create holistic journeys that truly connect the mind, body, and soul to their natural stillness and harmony,” Mana explains as he guides me into a softly lit room. “We want guests to feel restored by the profound peace of our island environment.”
My introduction to Saraan Sanctuaries begins with an evening sound-bath ritual. Wrapped in a cloud-soft blanket on a yoga mat, I’m gently enveloped in waves of vibration that melt away any lingering tension. By the end, my mind feels clear, my body grounded. I later drift to sleep in my overwater villa to the lapping of waves beneath its stilts.
<figure id="attachment_154949" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-154949" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-154949" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Floating-Sound-Healing-Experience-and-Spa-Ingredients.jpeg" alt="The Floating Sound Healing experience; Saraan Sanctuaries utilizes ingredients foraged from the jungle by an in-house botanist." width="1200" height="800" srcset="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Floating-Sound-Healing-Experience-and-Spa-Ingredients.jpeg 1200w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Floating-Sound-Healing-Experience-and-Spa-Ingredients-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Floating-Sound-Healing-Experience-and-Spa-Ingredients-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Floating-Sound-Healing-Experience-and-Spa-Ingredients-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-154949" class="wp-caption-text">Left to right: The Floating Sound Healing experience; Saraan Sanctuaries utilizes ingredients foraged from the jungle by an in-house botanist.</figcaption></figure>
Earlier that day, I’d been collected from my Phnom Penh apartment for the three-hour drive to the port of Sihanoukville, where a dedicated lounge provided refreshments ahead of the 45-minute speedboat ride to the island. On arrival, I was welcomed by general manager Manish Sharma and my personal host, Mithona—who had been in touch the previous day via WhatsApp—before being whisked on a tour of the island, which fuses barefoot luxury with eco-conscious sophistication.
Twenty-four elegantly rustic pool villas dot the edge of Koh Oeun, with sustainable design at their heart. Mine boasted a large terrace that opens up onto uninterrupted ocean views and an infinity pool framed by natural stone. Inside, reclaimed timber and locally sourced materials echo the island’s wild beauty. Indoor-outdoor living is also effortless, thanks to an alfresco rainfall shower and a glorious sunken bathtub with sea views. But as tempting as it is to remain cocooned here, there’s much more to be discovered.
The dense jungle blanketing both islands teems with wildlife, providing a fitting backdrop for the resort’s new wild wellness concept. In the treetops above the herbarium, I spot a pair of frolicking hornbills. Birdsong drifts through the forest by day; at dawn and dusk, the sky fills with giant fruit bats.
The following morning begins with a private meditation session by the main pool before I return to Koh Bong. A brisk walk leads to the Raw Bar, an intimate hideaway overlooking the ocean. Here, pressed juices, herbal teas, and plant-based treats are infused with ingredients foraged from the island—jasmine, butterfly pea flower, lemongrass, ginger, and tamarind.
That afternoon, I make my way to the Treehouse Sanctuary, an open-air sala perched on a cliff edge where sea breezes and lulling waves set the rhythm. My two-and-a-half-hour Raw Renew Journey starts with an invigorating scrub made from island botanicals, followed by a fragrant herbal steam. A deeply restorative massage completes the ritual as the forest hums around me.
As the last treatment of my two-night stay ends, I emerge from the jungle relaxed, rejuvenated, and ready for dinner. Guests can savor a range of locally sourced food across two restaurants, with destination dining also available each evening.
Two nights offer just enough time to dip my toe into the breadth of Saraan Sanctuaries, though staying longer allows for deeper immersion. Multiday programs include the Burnout Journey, the Sacred Sleep Journey, and the Digital Detox Journey, each tailored to individual needs. Whatever the choice, Song Saa’s embrace of wild wellness replenishes mind and body while reconnecting guests with the rhythms of the natural world. And isn’t that something we could all use a little more of right now?
<figure id="attachment_154951" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-154951" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-154951" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Singing-Bowl-Meditation-and-Jungle-Gym.jpeg" alt="Singing-bowl meditation; Saraan Sanctuaries’ jungle gym." width="1200" height="800" srcset="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Singing-Bowl-Meditation-and-Jungle-Gym.jpeg 1200w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Singing-Bowl-Meditation-and-Jungle-Gym-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Singing-Bowl-Meditation-and-Jungle-Gym-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Singing-Bowl-Meditation-and-Jungle-Gym-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-154951" class="wp-caption-text">Left to right: Singing-bowl meditation; Saraan Sanctuaries’ jungle gym.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_154948" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-154948" style="width: 1800px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-154948" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Aerial-View-of-Wellness-Center.jpeg" alt="A yoga session on the roof of the Wellbeing Centre at Song Saa Private Island." width="1800" height="1200" srcset="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Aerial-View-of-Wellness-Center.jpeg 1800w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Aerial-View-of-Wellness-Center-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Aerial-View-of-Wellness-Center-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Aerial-View-of-Wellness-Center-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Aerial-View-of-Wellness-Center-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Saraan-Sanctuaries-by-Song-Saa-Aerial-View-of-Wellness-Center-1568x1045.jpeg 1568w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-154948" class="wp-caption-text">A yoga session on the roof of the Wellbeing Centre at Song Saa Private Island.</figcaption></figure>
Villas at <a href="https://www.songsaa-privateisland.com/?DestinAsian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Song Saa Private Island</a> start at US$1,264 a night.
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This article originally appeared in the <a href="https://subscription.destinasian.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March/May 2026</a> print issue of DestinAsian magazine (“Not the Same Old Song and Dance”). Buy a single issue or subscribe <a href="https://subscription.destinasian.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

A yoga session on the roof of the Wellbeing Centre at Song Saa Private Island.

Reconnecting with Nature at Saraan Sanctuaries