It is July in Cambodia, and I am surrounded by water, even when I am not in it. From my villa at Six Senses Krabey Island, the first thing I see each morning is the expanse of my private pool shimmering beneath a canopy of thick, tangled forest. The villa is quiet in that hushed, confident way great architecture can be. Teak floors. White fabric hanging gracefully from the frame of my canopy bed. Sliding walls vanish to let the outdoors in.
Each villa comes with its own pool and ocean views – the kind that make you forget the rest of the world exists. Inside, the elegant design whispers rather than shouts.
I swim in both rain and sunshine, the weather shifting as easily as my mood. Afterwards, with the kind of unhurried calm that returns when time finally feels like your own, I pick up The Water Book by Alok Jha from the villa’s library. It feels fitting; I am surrounded by water: the pool, the forest, the South China Sea in the Gulf of Thailand. Its sound becomes a quiet companion, and as I read the book’s inscription on the power of water, I feel that same steady force alive in the room with me.
The Water Book by Alok Jha says:
It pours from our taps and falls from the sky. We drink it, wash with it and couldn’t live without it. Yet, on closer examination, water is a very strange substance: look closer still and it reveals itself as a key to a scientific story on the biggest of canvases.
Ah yes, it’s time to read a hardback book once again. No podcasts playing on twice the speed on this jungle island.
A Spa That Recalibrates the Body
This is my 60th year, and my joints can sometimes announce themselves more loudly than I’d like. So it’s apposite that the island’s spa, rightly considered Cambodia’s best and certainly most awarded, becomes my refuge. My first treatment is a blissful 90 minute Khmer Kru Thnam Herbal massage. With healing hands, my therapist understands exactly where pain is hiding in my body and how to coax it away.
Earlier that day, I’d stretched through an aerial yoga session, limbs suspended from long silks that let gravity do its slow, persuasive work. By the time my massage ended, I walked back through the trees with the kind of lightness you can’t manufacture. The next day I was back again for the same massage. What do they say? If you are on to a good thing, stick to it.
The spa’s philosophy follows both ancient rituals, and the latest biohacking experiences. Guests move between sound therapy, custom wellness programs, and Khmer treatments infused with herbs that smell of lemongrass, ginger, and the forest floor after rain.
Weather That Changes You
Afternoons bring the kind of tropical rain that arrives suddenly and unapologetically. Travelling in the off-season has its charms: empty beaches, soft prices, and weather that feels alive. One hour I am kayaking in sunlight; an hour later I am watching rain run in sheets down the villa’s glass walls as I soak in a majestic stand-alone bath.
Rain forces a certain kind of rest, the good kind. I sit inside, listening, and continue reading The Water Book. The island feels protected, the jungle a deeper green under the passing storm.
Dining Rooted in Place
Meals are fabulous. At Aha Restaurant, the flavours of coastal Cambodia meet a wellness kitchen’s precision. Dishes arrive bright, balanced, and carefully composed. The Green Island salad with crisp beans, black sesame, ginger-chilli jam becomes an unexpected favourite.
The staff make the experience feel personal. Soriya, a young woman whose smile is effortless, explains each dish like she is introducing you to a friend. We look forward to being greeted by Soriya at every meal.
Tree, the resort’s plant-focused restaurant, serves biodynamic wines and produce pulled from its own organic gardens. Much of what you eat is harvested steps away, often by the guests themselves.
Robyn’s travel buddy Cathy Wagstaff looks right at home in the Six Senses Krabey Island pool which overlooks the high rises of nearby Sihanoukville, where you can catch a direct flight to Australia from.
Experiences That Reveal the Island’s Past and Future
My three days include snorkelling, swimming laps in the main pool (above) and a circuit around the island by kayak. A class led by Lida Chhun, the sustainability manager, details how the resort restores marine habitats and supports local communities.
Six Senses Krabey Island feels like a fully-fledged wellness retreat. It’s a place where you can indulge in the process of healing and unwinding. Cambodians working here speak of pride, of opportunity, of caring for land and sea, and it’s evident they love witnessing guests appreciate the breathtaking natural beauty and rich culture of their country.
Friendly Staff Line The Jetty To Farewell Us
When we leave, almost the entire staff lines the jetty, waving us off in a tableau so heartfelt it feels cinematic. I replay my days on the island, the unfinished book on water, and the fabulous cuisine, friendly staff and the heavenly spa. Since my return home to Sydney, I’ve been espousing the joy of Six Senses Krabey Island and the genuine hospitality of the Cambodian people.
As I bid farewell to the team on the jetty, I promise myself to return and least of all, finish The Water Book by Alok Jha as I bathe quietly in my villa perched in the jungle.
For more Information on Six Senses Krabey Island visit here:
https://www.sixsenses.com/en/hotels-resorts/asia-the-pacific/cambodia/krabey-island
My Cambodia Adventure Continues
Next week, Robyn shares her three day stay at the elegant Rosewood Hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
