Clockwisefrom
topleft:Shinta
ManiWildorchid
expertBongDet;
grilledmarinated
prawnsand
stir-friedwater
spinachatAlila
VillasKohRussey;
a nativeplant;a
KohRusseylocal.
Opposite:wildlife
rangerspatrolling
forhuntersand
illegalloggersat
Shinta Mani Wild.theinternationalnon-governmentconservation
organisationWildlifeAllianceandstaffedbylocals,
someofwhomwerepoachersandloggers.Rangersclear
snares,arresthuntersandillegalloggers,andseizeguns
andgear.Theresultsofsurveillanceofthearea,says
Choegyal,havebeenencouraging,withfewersnares
setandanimalskilledinareasthatoncewereheavily
trapped.Oneafternoon,I hitcha rideonthebackofa
motorbikewitha ranger.Thoughwefindnopoachers,
theranger’sAK-47,I’mtold,is notjustforshow.
ThenextmorningI walkintotheforestwiththe
camp’sheadnaturalist,Chanmunny“Munny”Van,to
checkhiswildlifecameras,mainlyforevidenceofnative
cats:civet,pig-tailed,leopard.Thewhoopingduetsof
courtingpileatedgibbons,anendangeredspecies,echo
aroundus,andhisfacelightsup.“I explaintohunters
andloggerswe’renotprotectingtheforestforourselves,
we’reprotectingit fortheirchildrenandgrandchildren,”
hesays.“I givethema warningandnormallytheystop.”
Withhelpfrompersonal“adventurebutlers”
assignedtoeachtent,theintrepidpossibilities
multiply:chasingbutterflieswithheadbutlerSarawut
“Mac”Saikaew,birdwatchingalongtheSreyAmbel
estuaryona whimsicallydecorated“expedition”
boat,foragingandhiking,riverbedcocktailsat
sunsetandJapanesetenkarafly-fishingat dawn.
There areadventures,too,backat Headquarters,
a camo-swathedopen-airfantasytentstuffedwith
Khmer objets d’art, vintage carousel horses, century-oldBurmeseburialtotems,jungle-vinechairs,antique
theatrelights,propellersandportholes– a placewhere
JacquelineKennedymightmeetPedroAlmodóvarover
gingerMojitos.(TheformerFirstLady’sbriefvisitto
Cambodiain 1967 at theinvitationofKingNorodom
SihanoukwasBensley’sfar-fetchedinspirationforthe
flamboyantfit-out.Hispremise:whatif thekinghad
invitedJackieonsafaritotheSouthCardamomforest?).
Mealsat Headquartersunderdrowsilyspinning
fansarelightandfulloffreshflavours,preparedon
requestorchosenfromtheday’sblackboard.Startwith
greengoddessavocadoandpoachedeggontoastor
Thaibreakfastporridge,orderthelikesoftomato
andwatermelongazpachoora herbalLaochicken-rice
saladintheheatoftheday,andworkupanappetite
byforagingforforestplantsthatstarintastingdinners
ofrefinedKhmerdishessuchasa deconstructed
scallopamok,andtwistsonclassicAsianrecipes.
BorninCaliforniaandbasedinBangkok,Bensley
has designed some 200 resorts and hotels – he has122 GOURMET TRAVELLER