Song Saa

When someone mentions ‘private island’, dreams of escapism, nature and luxury flow freely; a trip to Song Saa Private Island will turn these dreams into reality. Within minutes of arrival, stepping off the boat and walking towards the jungle interior, the feeling of harmony with nature began to take over. Bats hang from trees by day and swoop through the skies by night. Swallows skim the clear water where shoals of fish swim over the coral reef below. The rich biodiversity that exists at Song Saa is a result of a sustained effort to live alongside the natural environment and guests of this unique luxury private island resort are most definitely rewarded from this commitment to sustainability.

The 24 private pool villas are harmoniously set within the jungle or right next to the ocean. There are a selection of one and two bedroom over water villas for those who want to be surrounded by the endless expanse of crystal clear waters. Our expansive jungle villa was dreamy, offering 135 square metres of luxurious living space that we really didn’t want to leave. Peaceful ocean views could be enjoyed from the linen draped bed, the huge sofa in the lounge area or the pool-like couples bath. Whilst our day bed and private pool provided even more opportunities to get lost in those ocean vistas, with the surrounding jungle canopy offering a perfect sense of privacy and nature. We even had a pair of hornbills checking out our sunrise yoga session, creating a unique and wonderful gift from this truly magical place.

The Vegan Food

The menus at Song Saa featured traditional Khmer cuisine alongside a selection of dishes from elsewhere around the globe, with a leaning towards natural and healthy food. It has been well established that eating more vegan and plant based food has a positive impact when considering the current global environmental crisis. In line with this understanding, Song Saa offer many vegan options and a staff team who are keen to develop the plant based options on offer making the resort even more vegan friendly. During our stay we worked with them to assist with ideas and menu adaptations and offered support to make them even more vegan friendly. Watch this space for updates as new menus are launched with extensive and exciting plant based options.

Breakfast was served in the over water ‘Vista’ restaurant, named for the spectacular panoramic views of the sea and surrounding islands. We enjoyed dish after dish of delicious vegan creations, with each breakfast starting with a healthy shot of the daily juice concoction, thoughtfully presented seasonal fruits, freshly baked bread and homemade preserves.  Our ‘Bor Bor’ rice porridge was flavoursome and light, cooked with herbs and finely sliced king oyster mushrooms. Fried tofu added an extra dimension and was a more planet friendly and compassionate option than the addition of meat or fish as often served this dish.

Pumpkin noodles formed the basis of our ‘Kuy Teow’, where julienned vegetables and cubes of tofu were lightly fried together and seasoned to taste with lime, chilli and soy. A simple yet perfectly executed fried rice with tofu and vegetables certainly hit the spot too; and we loved that the organic rice being served at Song Saa was from the excellent Ibis Wildlife Friendly Rice. Creamy smashed avocado was served on nutty dark rye bread with an accompanying salt and Kampot pepper buffet which showcased the world renowned condiment. Cinnamon, coriander and chilli salt, ground black and white Kampot pepper added a further pinch of something special to an already delicious dish. Finally, our tofu was perfectly scrambled with spinach and served with fried potatoes, king oyster mushrooms and roasted tomatoes for a Western breakfast option that was as tasty as it was planet friendly.

There were plenty of opportunities to fall in love with even more classic Khmer dishes during our stay at Song Saa. During lunch at ‘Driftwood’, we loved the ‘Banh Chao’ and were happy to see this turmeric laced, crispy rice flour pancake had been veganised with a filling of beansprouts and tofu. Served with the traditional garnish of salad leaves, fresh herbs and a soy based dipping sauce it was an excellent way to experience the taste of local Khmer cuisine. Other Khmer favourites to try from the plant based options included ‘Kor Ko’, a simple and healthy vegetable soup made with Khmer yellow kroeung and brimming with local vegetables and green leaves. Served with the excellent local organic Ibis rice, it made for a hearty and healthy meal.

The ‘Roast Stuffed Eggplant’ was a nutrition and protein packed powerhouse, roasted until soft and heaped with chickpeas in a rich basil flavoured tomato sauce. A must try dish was the ‘Khmer Red Curry’, an absolutely excellent example of a popular and well loved dish eaten all over Cambodia. The spices, the richness and the variety of fresh local vegetables combined to make this humble dish a real star of the menu at Song Saa. The ‘Veggista’ vegan pizza was another ‘must try’ option. Topped with a cashew cream sauce and with a really light base, this was a pizza that ticked the boxes for healthy eating, flavour and comfort food all at the same time. Our ‘Song Saa Salad’ was a rainbow of fresh vegetables and salad with a vibrant zesty citrus dressing. Finally, the slightly naughty but oh so nice ‘Tofu Tempura’ was made with fingers of medium soft tofu coated in a light and crispy batter and served with a dipping sauce.

The Vegan Essentials

As you would expect from a resort that has sustainability as one of their core values, the bathroom amenities at Song Saa are in refillable glass bottles, as is the drinking water. The bathroom amenities are from Bodia, a Khmer company that use natural and organic ingredients in their products, most of which are vegan, other than those that contain honey.  We enjoyed health giving and super tasty fresh juices next to the pool each day, freshly squeezed and served in refillable glass bottles. There were multiple community, environmental and sustainable initiatives to learn about, all of which are part of the impressive Song Saa Foundation who work extensively to ensure that there is a net positive impact from everything they do. Whether it is supporting and employing team members from the local community, re-planting mangroves, or protecting the surrounding reefs, oceans and their inhabitants, the work of the foundation is an integral part of the Song Saa story.

The Vegan Food Quest Verdict

The unique location, passionate team and commitment to the environment made Song Saa Private Island Resort an instant favourite of ours. Song Saa really has something special, something you don’t find very often, not to mention delicious and plentiful plant based food options created by a team who are always looking to innovate and improve. We’re sure that Song Saa is somewhere you’re going to love too.

We were guests of Song Saa but please rest assured that their generosity in hosting us didn’t influence our views.

Song Saa
Koh Rong Archipelago
Near Sihanoukville
Cambodia

Telephone: +855 92 609 488
Email: reservations@songsaa.com
Cost From: £800 / $1000 (Apri 2023)