Song Saa Private Island

Rooms

The 24 palm-roofed villas, all with private decks and plunge pools, are dotted around the resort. They are near identical in terms of décor and layout, with gleaming wooden floors, exposed sandstone walls, four-posters swathed in mosquito nets, and indoor and outdoor sitting areas with smart white daybeds. Ensuite bathrooms have double sinks, vast sunken bathtubs (some looking out over the ocean) and spacious open-air rain showers. The overall feel is sleek and sophisticated, but wherever possible Rory and Melita have used recycled timber or driftwood from old fishing boats to create rustic tables, chairs and wall hangings.

The stilted Overwater Villas have steps straight down into the ocean, plus a small glass floor where you can watch fish swimming beneath your feet. Ocean View Villas are set on the shoreline, with sea-facing windows, a small patch of private beach, and a little alfresco dining area jutting out over the water. Jungle Villas are perched in the rainforest above and come with a choice of sunrise or sunset ocean views; some have been built around trees, which now grow up through their decks.

There are also 5 palatial 2-bedroom villas for families or friends travelling together. Each has 2 bedrooms, 2 ensuite bathrooms, a large living area with sofas and a dining table, and a bigger pool flanked by a table and several daybeds. Two are set in the jungle, 2 sit over the water, and the most luxurious of all, the Royal Villa, is hidden away in a secluded corner of the resort, complete with a private jetty; guests staying here have the option to hire their own chef and longtail boat if they want.

All villas have minibars (some are free, depending on your rates), a selection of carefully chosen wines (extra charge), Bose sound systems with iPod docks, and satellite TVs with a small selection of films on demand.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Hairdryer
• Minibar
• Mosquito net
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

The Vista Restaurant & Lounge sits on stilts above the ocean, with a sofa’d deck for cocktails and open-air tables for meals under the stars. You're in good hands: the executive chef has worked in some of the world’s top resorts.

His lunch and dinner menus take their cue from contemporary Cambodian cuisine and European fine dining. Every artfully decorated course comes with an amuse-bouche, and our dishes were filled with imaginative ingredients and tricks - freshly shucked oysters with flavoured salt and dipping sauce, salt-baked fish with 'foamed' cubes of tomatoes, Tom Yum soup with prawns and fried frogs legs. Our desserts - sweet Cambodian rice dumplings with sesame praline and red-bean sauce, and banana terrine with lemon and peppercorn ice cream - were served on lightboxes. Illuminated by moonlight, it was unquestionably a meal to remember.

If you fancy something more informal, you can grab a pizza and a cold beer at the beachside Driftwood Bar, or order from the room service menu, which offers a variety of Western food and rustic Cambodian fare, delivered to your villa in traditional baskets. Everything is here, from amok (the national dish of curried steamed fish) to steak and chips, spaghetti and sinful puddings like dark chocolate and peanut torte with marmalade ice cream. Tables can also be set up by the main pool, on the beach or at any number of secluded spots around the resort.

For breakfast, served by your pool or in the restaurant, you can choose from fruit, smoothies, pastries, meat platters, or decedent eggs Benedict, bacon and sausages. And every morning a hand-written note from the manager is delivered to your villa with a suggestion for eating that day - perhaps an invitation to join other guests for tapas or sample freshly caught fish grilled on the barbecue.

Features include:

• All meals included
• Bar
• Coffee maker
• Kids' meals
• Restaurant
• Room service
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• Lounge on the powdery white-sand beach, then take your pick from sailing, water-skiing or diving at the watersports centre
  
• Catch some rays on your private deck, or join other guests by the communal infinity pool
  
• Take part in the poolside morning yoga class (you’ll find a yoga mat in your villa wardrobe)
  
• Get pampered in one of the open-air treatment rooms. There’s a wide range of massages, facials and rituals to choose from, including Himalayan salt scrubs, anti-jet lag wraps and Buddhism-inspired treatments
  
• Join the resort’s marine experts for a guided snorkelling tour of Coral Reef Island, where seahorses and parrotfish dart among vibrant corals
  
• Book a speedboat or a traditional longtail boat and head off for a private picnic on one of the beaches fringing the neighbouring island of Koh Rong with a gourmet hamper prepared by the chefs
  
• Kayak through Koh Rong’s mangrove forests, which provide shelter for kingfishers, hornbills and other colourful birdlife, as well as rare lizards and orchids. Afterwards, enjoy lunch and an afternoon of sunbathing on the vast Five Mile Beach
  
• Trek through the rainforest with one of the resort’s conservation experts, who will teach you about the local ecosystem and measures being taken to protect it
  
• Take a trip by traditional buffalo cart to a local farm and fishing village, where you’ll learn about Khmer agriculture and culture. Browse the market and enjoy a blessing at the Buddhist pagoda while you’re there
  
• Join the resort's chefs for a Cambodian cooking class. These can be tailored to children, too

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Boat trips
• Cooking classes
• Hiking
• Kayaking
• Plantlife / flora
• Private guided tours
• Sailing
• Scuba diving
• Shopping / markets
• Snorkelling
• Swimming
• Traditional cultures
• Well being
• Wildlife
• Yoga

Kids

Families are welcome here and children of all ages are catered for. There’s a range of 1 and 2 bedroom villas to choose from, and the beach has warm, shallow waters that are safe for little ones. We’d say it’s best for children over 4, however, as the steep drop from the raised boardwalks would be a hazard for crawling babies and toddlers.

The resort has a surprising amount of activities to keep kids entertained, including swimming lessons, children’s cooking classes with the chef and tailored snorkelling tours of the reef. In addition, the conservation team will happily set up an educational treasure hunt with gifts at the end, you can discover the island's flora and fauna on nature trails, and there’s an air-conditioned playhouse with toys.

Best for:

Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

The 2-bedroom villas provide plenty of space, though note that both bedrooms are doubles. A rollaway bed or baby cot can be added to any villa on request.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Distances:

• Airport: 45 minutes by boat, then 35 minutes by road (Sihanoukville)
• Shop: 45 minutes by boat
• Hospital: 45 minutes by boat, though an on-call resident doctor can visit the resort if needed

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The resort is on an island connected to a marine reserve in the Koh Rong Archipelago in the Gulf of Thailand, just off the Cambodian coast. It’s 45 minutes by speedboat from the nearest mainland town (and airport), Sihanoukville.

Guests are advised to overnight stay at Phnom Penh or Sihanoukville if they are not able to catch the speed boat as per the schedule:

Sihanoukville Port to Song Saa Island: 1.30pm and 4pm( mainland time)
Song Saa Island to Sihanoukville Port: 10.30am and 3.30pm (island time: +1hr)

By Air:
Sihanoukville Airport is served by domestic flights from Siem Reap; these operate on certain days of the week only, so check schedules carefully. International flights to Cambodia land also land at Sihanoukville, Siem Reap or Phnom Penh; if you come via the latter, it’s a 4.5 hour drive to the meeting point for boat transfers to the island (45 mins)

Click on the links below for more information on airlines serving Cambodia.

From the Airport
Boat transfers from Sihanoukville are included in the all-inclusive rates. The boats depart at 1.30pm and 4pm each day (mainland time and subject to change, guests will be updated accordingly); if you're flying to Sihanoukville, car and van transfers can be arranged for the 20-minute drive tot he port (see Rates).

Song Saa can also arrange car transfers from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville (4.5 hour), and helicopter transfers from Phnom Penh direct to the resort, but these cost extra - see Rates.

By Car:
The resort is only accessible by boat. However if you want to hire a car and driver for your entire trip to Cambodia, ending in Sihanoukville, contact our Tailormade Tour Operator.

Detailed arrival information will be provided when you confirm a booking through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Cambodia and getting around