(December 2025) For over a decade, Song Saa Private Island in Cambodia’s Koh Rong archipelago has stood at the vanguard of regenerative travel, pioneering a model that weaves together marine conservation, the preservation of local heritage and the empowerment of neighbouring communities – all within a luxurious setting. Today, the brand is proud to unveil its most significant evolution yet: Saraan Sanctuaries, a new wellbeing paradigm that reimagines wellness as an experiential, place-rooted journey guided by nature and local wisdom. 

Song Saa founder, Melita Koulmandas, describes Saraan Sanctuaries as more than a new spa or an update to treatments. “The home of wilder wellbeing, Saraan Sanctuaries, marks the next chapter in a brand that has always placed people – and place – at its heart,” she says. 

Saraan Sanctuaries crystalises the brand’s long-held commitment to wellbeing anchored in the natural environment, culture and shared human connection, into a framework that honours ancestral practices, celebrates local knowledge, and reflects a global shift in how people seek restoration. 

Song Saa was conceived as a living practice of renewal – from barefoot rituals in the jungle and dining that honours Khmer traditions and organic farming, to moments of stillness at sunrise overlooking the Gulf of Thailand. At its core lies the belief that personal wellbeing is inseparable from the wellbeing of nature and community – a theory long embedded in Cambodian culture and now increasingly reflected in global conversations around mental health and purpose-led travel.

“True wellbeing cannot exist in isolation,” says Melita. “It is only possible when there’s harmony between the natural world, cultural connection and inner balance.”

“Our approach to wellbeing has been all-encompassing from the beginning,” Melita explains. “Through the Song Saa Foundation, we have established marine reserves, supported local livelihoods and integrated ancestral Khmer teaching; creating guest experiences that are deeply connective rather than transactional. With Saraan, that original philosophy simply expands – wellness is not an adjunct, but rather fundamental to what Song Saa offers, crafted with intention and reverence,” she explains. 

Song Saa’s leadership in regenerative luxury is widely recognised. The resort has been celebrated globally for its environmental and philanthropic efforts – garnering accolades from international travel and sustainability bodies. This reputation gives weight to the launch of Saraan Sanctuaries: it is not a rebrand, but the natural progression of a philosophy Song Saa has lived since its inception. 

At its heart is the untamed island of Koh Bong, which until now has been accessible to guests via a footbridge as an escape into nature but has never homed any structures or curated guest experiences. Now, it becomes the stage for Song Saa’s most elemental offering yet. 

“Our radically raw wellbeing centre is scattered across the previously untouched island of Koh Bong, as well as the main island – Koh Ouen’s – most tranquil corners. Cross the footbridge over the marine reserve and you’ll be immersed in a sanctuary within a sanctuary; a jungle-clad wonderland where nature leads the path to physical and spiritual healing.”

Saraan means ‘love’ in the Khmer dialect and the Buddhist concept of metta – loving kindness towards the self, collective, and the environment – is essential to the Saraan offering. Drawing inspiration from local beliefs and the island’s ecosystem, some of the key offerings include salt room sound therapy, herbal steam rituals, Shirodhara oil treatments, Vichy showers, Buddhist blessings, and nature-based movement. Curated journeys include Digital Detox, Sacred Sleep and Couple Connection. Guests can experience these practices in jungle sanctuaries, overwater salas, or open-air pavilions, ensuring each encounter is deeply attuned to the spirit of Cambodia. 

A cornerstone of Saraan Sanctuaries is Song Saa’s resident botanist, who guides guests into the island’s wilderness through immersive, ecologically grounded encounters. Foraging walks, botanical blending sessions, and creative workshops reveal the healing, culinary, and artistic potential of Cambodia’s indigenous plants – from lemongrass and turmeric to the mangroves that sustain the island’s ecosystem. Guests learn how these botanicals are transformed into teas, scrubs, and tinctures that nurture both body and spirit, explore their role in Khmer cooking, and even tap orchids sustainably for natural dyes used in artmaking back at the resort. 

“A resident botanist is a rare and precious gift for travellers,” says Melita. “Our botanist’s work embodies everything that Saraan, and the broader Song Saa brand, stand for. He helps our guests rediscover what ancient Cambodian traditions have always known – that true healing begins in harmony with natural rhythms.”

Reflecting on the global evolution of wellness, Melita notes a shift away from the predominant era of performance and optimisation – defined by biohacking, cryotherapy and data-driven diagnostics – toward something far more elemental: presence, connection and reciprocity. It’s a movement that Song Saa not only welcomes but has long anticipated. 

“Saraan is not our response to a changing world; it’s a continuation of a path we began over a decade ago – one that invites people to slow down, learn from the land and rediscover their place within it. As more people recognise that true cellular repair begins in nature – that the earth itself is the ultimate healer – Song Saa stands ready to lead that movement, proving that genuine wellbeing is not about luxury or innovation, but about returning to what has always sustained humanity. Through Saraan Sanctuaries, we’re setting a benchmark for what meaningful, future-focused travel can be.”

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