General Manager David Steyn
Shinta Mani Wild – A Bensley Collection is Cambodia’s most unique all-inclusive tented camp. Designed by landscape architect and conservationist Bill Bensley, it all started with a sale of government land designated for logging. Sokoun Chanpreda (founder of the Shinta Mani Foundation and its group of boutique hotels dedicated to empowering Cambodians) and Bensley purchased some 875,000 trees, four-and-half kilometers of wild river and three magnificent waterfalls over 865 acres, saving it from becoming a titanium mine. After seeing the beauty of the land and its rivers they knew they needed to preserve it. Although they didn’t know for sure how. It was buy first, think later. The didn’t know what they were going to do with it, just knew to protect it. In order to protect this corridor of rainforest the size of Central Park from poaching and logging, in what is now one of the remaining great forests in Southeast Asia, a high yield low impact camp was created, with the main mission being a sustainable way to protect the forest and its wildlife inhabitants through a collaboration with the Shinta Mani Foundation and the Wildlife Alliance NGO.
The remote building location in a jungle posed challenges like the weather but the tenacious work ethic of the local villagers helped us to construct the property
Our biggest distinguishing feature would be our arrival experience for sure. The only hotel in the world where you enter via a 400m zip line: you fly 380 m on the first leg over the forest canopy and then a short 20m over the river and waterfalls to the appropriately named Landing Zone bar where we and the Bensley Butlers greet you.
We partner with Wildlife Alliance in efforts to protect the forest from poaching and logging activities. Sustainability efforts include zero single use plastic on property. Zero food goes into landfills as we utilise all food waste on property through and black soldier flies. Education initiatives at the local school on farming, conservation and English classes
Every afternoon, a gardener or chef leaves his apron or kitchen whites behind and sets out on one of Shinto Wild’s winding gravel paths on a foraging trip. He will comb the jungle and streams for the edible treasures from the forest floor. We have found many delicious ingredients, like the red tree ants!!! A beautiful crunch with a tart finish
Small yam beans, exclusive to our foraging trails, are abundant in antioxidants, beneficial for gut health, and serve as a delightful snack. Enjoy them freshly picked, washed, and peeled for a wholesome experience.
The foraging trails yield herbs and other delights: shoots of bamboo, sour leaves, wild potatoes, figs, waterlily, wild flowers, etc, it is the local way to source food in the forest.This job of foraging brings work for yet more local community members, including former loggers from surrounding villagers.
The dining possibilitiesre endless, whether you’re eating at the dining hall called Headquarters, on the lawn, at the Cistern, or having a waterfall picnic. The dining experience is just as spontaneous, with local fare inspiring the rotating menu boards which change daily, whether guests are exploring local Khmer cuisine, a five course tasting menu, or participating in a camp favourite: 25KM dinner, our most sustainable menu, where all ingredients are sourced within 25kms of the camp.
We will continue to push our sustainability efforts by improving our onset growing capabilities through hydroponics, and then utilising biodigester to process, organic waste from the property into bio, gas and compost.
The menu
As a chef at Shinta Mani Wild, I don’t have a signature dish because I am a fearless foodie always ready to dive into new flavors. However, my heart beats for Asian cuisine, so expect a sprinkle of those vibrant flavors on our menu. Drawing from my Cape Malay heritage, we’ll also serve up hearty meals, roasts, stews, pickles, and baked treats bursting with aromatic spices that not only elevate the taste but also bring a heap of health benefits to the table
A few crowd-pleasers from our 4-day menu rotation include Phnom Penh Noodle Soup, Char Kadao, Num Banh Chok, Brohet Trey (Cambodian fish cakes), Lok Lak, and Amok Bonle.
Executive Chef Bernard Hartzenberg
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David Steyn is the general manager of Shintamani Wild.
