Sand and Sanskrit

Amok fish and rice are among local meals at Vat Preah Einkosei.

I have a soft spot for the efforts of Rory and Melita Hunter, the Australian founders of Song Saa. When I visited the twin islands of Koh Oun and Koh Bong in 2010, their enthusiasm for preserving the destination and its indigenous folks was infectious.

It was fantastic to see their vision realized three years later. Song Saa rivals some of the best island resorts in the world, complete with a nearby helicopter landing pad, a speed boat that whisks guests to Sihanoukville 46 km away and villas with uninterrupted sunrise or sunset views.

Ideal isles around Cambodia

Colorful planks from fishing boats were reused by Melita in villa furnishings while sandstone boulders unearthed during construction were transformed into feature walls.

Dinner at Vista Bar and Restaurant started with cocktails specially created for the resort, along with an assortment of canapes served on driftwood that cement the sense of place. After moving to the dining pavilion, we were treated to porcini risotto with aromatic white truffle, line-caught sea bass salad and pink milk-fed Australian prime veal medallions.

When Australian chef Joel Wilkinson stopped by our table, he mentioned that many of the menu items were sourced locally. "There are still a few things that we import, but the seafood and local produce are excellent," he said.

The next morning, associate program director Barnaby Olson took us on a tour of the fishing village on nearby Koh Rong. The Hunters started Song Saa Foundation as a complement to the resort, with the mandate to help 2,500 villagers live a more sustainable life.