By The UNCHARTED® editors · 8 min read
Just back from an epic 19-day journey to Vietnam and Cambodia, UNCHARTED co-founders recount things that made the trip memorable.
Chip and Sandy Cunningham have visited Thailand several times over the years, but it had been a while since their last trip to Southeast Asia. So, they knew it was the perfect moment to return and explore a new part of the region.
After meeting and being awe-struck by hotelier, designer, and landscape architect Bill Bensley, the Cunninghams were inspired to create an itinerary that includes a few of his theatrical properties — from lavish jungle tents to sparkling urban gems. After all, Bensley has been creating glamorous hotels and lodges across Asia for decades. Moreover, the Cunninghams recognized that he was going about things in a very UNCHARTED-friendly way, with an emphasis on sustainability in his mix of historic urban Outposts and culturally sensitive ecolodges.
“To say we are huge fans of the multi-talented Bensley is an understatement, so we began and ended the trip with places he has created,” says Sandy. “He is doing amazing work in the ‘bush’ of Cambodia, particularly at Shinta Mani Wild, a world-class safari-style camp on a river in the jungle.”
“If you like the soulful side of an African safari, you’re going to love a Southeast Asian safari.”
“If you like the soulful side of an African safari, you’re going to love a Southeast Asian safari,” adds Chip. “During our Kenya years managing Ol Donya Wuas lodge we’d work four months straight, day in and day out through peak season — then we’d fly to Thailand to decompress. So many of the same things you get in East Africa — the pristine beaches, the nature, the amazing cultures — you get in Cambodia and Vietnam.”
Here, our leading lady Sandy shares her highlights and travel takeaways.
Where the Wild Things Were
I planned a pretty fast-moving trip. Usually, I’m a fan of the linger-longer approach and really getting to know places along the way, but this was a thrilling whirlwind!
Upon arriving in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, we were whizzed by a private 4WD Toyota through the lush countryside, where wetlands stretch out in a patchwork of verdant, pastoral landscape.
Our destination was Shinta Mani Wild camp, which is surrounded by towering trees that create a canopy teeming with life. The air was thick with humidity, and the 15 tents are fantastical manifestations of Bensley’s imaginings of what it would have been like when Jackie Kennedy traveled the country to meet King Sihanouk in 1967. Guests can swim in surrounding natural pools and awake to the howls of gibbons while receiving royal treatment from personal butlers. We arrived in camp by zipline — I was screeching the whole time! — and landed in a rainforest bar where we were greeted with exotic, refreshing cocktails.
We stayed in the Cambodian Royalty tent, which the staff refer to as the property’s “cover girl.” Perched over a riverbed, it was bliss in every sense of the word and no attention to detail was spared. And the indulgent spa treatments were up there with the best I’ve ever had!
What really captured my heart was the Shinta Mani Foundation’s devotion to conservation and community training. As we explored Cardamon National Park, an an area that for a long time had only known illegal hunting and logging, we learned that Bensley had bought a Central Park-sized swath of forest and set out to preserve its nearly one-million trees and restore threatened wildlife (such as Asian elephants, clouded leopards, sun bears, and the Indochinese tiger) by establishing anti-poaching units.
Our guide, Son, also told us his story as we explored the river on a houseboat: Growing up in poverty, he had heard about the academy the foundation ran, so he applied. There, he learned all the ins and outs of hospitality (and also met his wife). Shinta Mani Wild is now the main employer of the local village, and it shows: Townspeople are beginning to recognize that tourism can be more lucrative than poaching and logging.
This is the preservation model we promote in Africa, and I was most impressed. All in all, it was an intoxicating introduction to a country once ravaged by war, and shone as an example of how to uplift and empower communities while also providing a world-class travel experience.
Sunrise at Angkor Wat
Next, we headed north to Siem Reap, the town adjacent to UNESCO World Heritage site Angkor Wat. We stayed at Shinta Mani Wild’s sister property, Shinta Mani Angkor and Bensley Collection Pool Villas, on a tranquil street near the center of town. A bathtub filled with water lilies welcomed us, which was a perfect way to refresh and settle in after transferring locations.
Our first morning was an early one, and surprisingly our stay here coincided with the spring equinox, which meant the sun rose directly in line with the main entrance of Angkor’s center temple. We joined others lining the halls of the great pagoda and enjoyed the spectacle — it was a true testament to the architectural knowledge of the Khmer builders, who carefully aligned the buildings with astronomical events and cardinal directions.
Afterward, we wandered with our guide, Temly, whose sense of humor had us in stitches for the entire time! We explored Ta Phrom, made famous from the movie “Tomb Raider”; Angor Thom, a vast complex that was the seat of King Jayavarman VII’s mighty Khmer empire; and Bayon, the site's central Khmer temple that blends both Hindu and Buddhist iconography. Fig, banyan and kapok trees spread their gigantic roots over the stones, their branches and leaves intertwining to form roofs over many of the ancient structures. And believe me, there were plenty of naughty monkeys around, too! One other incredible highlight was visiting the APOPO HeroRAT project, which trains giant pouched rats to use scent detection to sniff out landmines leftover from the war. Because of their small size they don’t set them off!
On our last evening there, we explored the atmospheric streets of Siem Reap, and dined alfresco under lamps suspended from trees.
Good Morning, Vietnam!
After the serene magic of Cambodia, Ho Chi Minh City struck us like a bolt of lightning. Navigating the surging sea of motorbikes and cars (they really don’t have traffic rules … or they just ignore them!) was endlessly nail-biting. We constantly thought we were going to be mowed down by a scooter!
Because our guide’s family had converted to Catholicism during the French colonial period, they had been forced south by the Communists and ultimately fought alongside the Americans during the war. Tuan’s story stayed in the back of our minds during our visit to the solemn and deeply educational War Remnants Museum.
Outside on the streets, signs of the war were still present if you looked hard enough.
But the vibrant city full of bustling markets was thrilling and full of energy. We met up with a friend at a cosmopolitan rooftop bar full of locals, expats and travelers, and it felt like we were in a city that is moving forward. Fireworks capped off this buzzy evening too!
The next morning, Tuan took us on a boat tour of the city, and as we wound the waterways — around glitzy office buildings, into floating flower markets, and through smaller canals that crisscross neighborhoods — we were offered a glimpse of local life alongside the city’s rapid development. These arteries serve as both bustling transportation routes and tranquil retreats from the city's frenetic pace. Our daughters also joined us in Ho Chi Minh and deeply enjoyed a motorbike food tour of the city.
The Making of a Dress
Set on the coast in the middle of Vietnam, Hoi An is renowned for exceptional tailoring, where skilled artisans craft garments like dresses, suits, traditional áo dài tunics, and even bespoke designs in under 24 hours. So that is exactly what we did on our first afternoon! The dresses turned out perfectly, and we idled, sipped, and sampled our way through the streets after touring the countryside on electric bikes.
The next day, our main quest was to shop for the small city’s iconic lanterns, and we later found the most perfect crispy banh mi sandwich before wandering alongside the river, which had come alive with music. We even watched our younger daughter get up on stage and sing a few tunes with a local band, which was pretty cool.
UNEXPECTED SOUTHEAST ASIA
SEE THE TRIP
Rice Paddies + Ecolodges
Next up was Ninh Binh, a small city set in the valley of Mai Châu in northern Vietnam. A few hours from the vibrant city of Hanoi, it gives off all the pastoral vibes: Emerald terraces cascade down cliffs, towering limestone peaks frame lush rice paddies, water buffalo graze, and farmers in traditional conical hats tend their crops.
Our eco-lodge digs for the next two nights were set amidst two intertwining rivers, and more than once we sat on the verandah and listened to frogs singing. The orchid spa was quite lovely as well, surrounded by koi fish ponds and sprawling infinity pools etched into the hills.
But, there were also things to do and places to explore: We biked through meandering paths and then took a river trip down the Lien Khuong tributaries, where the stunning landscapes were enriched by the cultural heritage of the Tai Dón and Hmong communities. We were able to explore local villages while still taking in the surrounding meadows and red dirt roads.
In Vietnam’s northern city, I walked into the Capella Hanoi hotel and Chip took one look at me and said, “You’re never leaving, are you?”
Nestled in the heart of Vietnam's vibrant capital, it blends colonial charm with opulence and contemporary flair. Another Bill Benlsey property, it was designed as an ode to the artists, luminary icons, and composers of the opera-meets-jazz age culture of the Roaring Twenties, and it is absolutely divine! I could not have picked a better finish to our trip, but the property really fits in perfectly at the beginning, middle, or end of any journey … you just have to make sure you get there!
The Living Room, a social club, offers complimentary high tea and happy hour to guests each afternoon and evening. On the invitation from the Capella bar manager, we peeked into a wine cellar and were given a clue about where to “find the bottle of Grappa” — which, of course, Chip did straight away as his tall frame enabled him to reach it down from the rafters. Just then, a secret door opened up into a speakeasy! It was quite a surprising and fabulous night.
"Bill Bensley meets the culture of the Roaring Twenties"
We took advantage of all the Capella had to offer and soaked in the AC after strolling through bustling streets, savoring fragrant phở, taking in the back alleys of the leafy Old Quarter, and exploring Hoa Lo Prison Relic. I learned more on this journey than I could have imagined, and I would love to share my insights with you when you’re ready to start planning. UNCHARTED Southeast Asia is once-in-a-lifetime material!
