Song Saa Private Island

Song Saa occupies two small islands in Cambodia's Koh Rong Archipelago, joined by a footbridge over the sea and reached by a 45-minute speedboat transfer from Sihanoukville. Founded by Melita Koulmandas as Cambodia's first all-villa resort, it was built around the country's first marine reserve, in the waters that surround it. Its 24 villas range from Jungle and Ocean View villas to the Royal Villa and the Overwater Villas, whose private pools lead down a few steps straight into the sea. Reclaimed timber runs through the architecture and gives the resort a handmade, rustic feel. Conservation is channelled through the Song Saa Foundation, an independent non-profit set up in 2013, which supports reef work and local communities across the archipelago. The Foundation runs a coral nursery and reef monitoring, and guests can join a marine biologist on a snorkelling outing to see the reef up close. With the temples of Angkor a flight away in Siem Reap, Song Saa works well as a place to slow down at the end of a journey through Cambodia. The dry season runs from November to April.