
One decade since its founding, the Song Saa Private Island and Foundation has made great strides protecting the undersea ecology of the Koh Rong Archipelago in Cambodia, while providing livelihood and education to its local communities.
A cursory look at the Foundation’s work reveals a massive push in multiple directions – from rainforest replanting to coral propagation to engaging communities with medical missions, education programmes and organic farming support.
This is intentional: Song Saa Foundation’s founder, Chairwoman and CEO Melita Koulmandas tells us they’ve taken a “deeply holistic” approach in its developmental work.
“This isn’t just about programs or initiatives – it’s a mindset, a way of seeing the world and our place within it,” Ms. Koulmandas tells us. “It means working closely with our local communities, listening to their needs, desires, and potentials. It’s about co-creating solutions with them rather than imposing one-size-fits-all models.”
We had a conversation with Ms. Koulmandas about the Foundation’s ongoing work: and how it helps promote sustainable tourism and women empowerment in Cambodia.

Please give us a run-down of what your Cambodia properties and the Song Saa Foundation have been doing since the pandemic ran down.
The pandemic presented us with an opportunity for profound reflection, a chance to consider what truly matters to us—the wider “us” being our staff, guests, community, and non-human community. It made us realize our commitment to resilience and regeneration and that we want to amplify this way of living and doing business further than ourselves.
One of our key realizations during the pandemic was the deep interconnectedness of our staff, guests, and the natural environment and the potential that this holds. This insight has now become even more of a cornerstone of the experiences we offer at Song Saa.
In the areas of conservation and community development, we launched the Rainforest Replanting project to regenerate and preserve Cambodia’s threatened rainforests as well as planted over 200 coral fragments within our Marine Reserve.
We initiated a food sourcing project to track the source and carbon footprint of all food consumed on the Island.
We want to be able to usher in a new way of traveling that is grounded in place. Our focus is on a holistic approach to travel, which has been at the heart of Song Saa from day one.

What does “regenerative development” mean in the context of your work?
In the context of our work at Song Saa, “regenerative development” is a more profound, all-embracing approach than simply “sustainability”. We aim not just to do better, but to radically shift what we do – to breathe new life into our environment, our communities, and our economy.
In the regenerative development world, our approach is, rather than teaching people to fish, our role is to guide them in enhancing the health and vitality of their fisheries. Another way to think about this is, working together to transform human communities into enablers of living systems.
Our approach is deeply holistic. We prioritize authentic connections between people and the places they inhabit or visit. This isn’t just about programs or initiatives – it’s a mindset, a way of seeing the world and our place within it. It means working closely with our local communities, listening to their needs, desires, and potentials. It’s about co-creating solutions with them rather than imposing one-size-fits-all models.
Regenerative development is also about understanding and respecting the complex, interrelated systems we’re part of – the ecological, social, and economic systems that make up our world.
We see ourselves as part of these systems, not separate from them, and we act accordingly. So when we talk about regenerative development, we’re talking about creating spaces where life – in all its diversity and complexity – can thrive. And this is what we strive for at Song Saa, each and every day.
Much of your work focuses on building sustainability in the locations you operate from. What success stories can you share?
One of the successes we cherish the most is the creation of Cambodia’s first marine protected area around the Koh Rong Archipelago. This marine reserve, which our Foundation team in partnership with Fauna Flora International and the local community fisheries monitor and protect, and now spans over 400 square kilometres. We have also implemented the first solid waste management system on Koh Rong, which not only manages waste but also provides a much-needed service for the local community and raises awareness about the importance of waste reduction and recycling.
Another initiative that we’re very proud of is the Song Saa Sustainability and Community-Based Tourism Education Centre. Here, we host workshops on sustainability, waste management, and hospitality, providing locals with both knowledge and skills. What’s truly remarkable is seeing the personal and professional growth of our team through these initiatives, and the positive ripple effect this has had on their communities.

Why is sustainable tourism such a necessity in the Greater Mekong Subregion? What positive impact does it make, particularly given the area’s biodiversity and its communities?
In recent decades, particularly in Western popular culture, travel was often portrayed as a journey only interested in self-discovery or “voluntourism”. While well-intentioned, these often perpetuated imbalanced power dynamics or missed opportunities for collective growth.
Now, we have a chance to evolve this paradigm again. The Greater Mekong Subregion is a treasure trove of natural beauty and cultural richness. Yet, it’s also a place where modern life and older traditions collide, creating unique challenges and opportunities. It’s also somewhere where investment and development is rapidly increasing but it hasn’t yet been completely extracted by industries.
This makes the Greater Mekong Subregion exceptionally well-placed to take on a role in creating the right kind of vitality. We can nurture places where people can travel, create collective meaning and understanding, while simultaneously regenerating fragile ecosystems. It fosters an environment where communities are enabled and empowered to make decisions for their current livelihoods and for future generations.

What particular challenges do you foresee the Greater Mekong Subregion facing as tourism bounces back? What opportunities can tourism stakeholders take advantage of today?
The key challenge for the Greater Mekong Subregion, as tourism bounces back, will be resisting the allure of falling back into familiar patterns and traditional ways of operating. There’s a real danger in succumbing to the “business as usual” mentality, which we know from experience does not serve our planet or our communities in the long term.
It’s also not what people want. Many travelers today really want to make a positive impact with their footprint, to contribute positively to the places they visit. However, they often lack the necessary understanding, literacy, or know-how to turn these aspirations into reality.
In this regard, tourism stakeholders hold a unique opportunity. We can lead the charge towards a paradigm shift, helping consumers understand how their travel choices can positively contribute to the vitality of the places they visit and the communities they interact with.
In the world of tourism, where decisions are often led by our hearts. Showcasing how we can make choices that not only satisfy our travel desires but also do real good can be a big draw for travelers.
We’re already seeing this become an increasingly significant factor in decision-making, and I believe this trend will only accelerate in the current climate. Our role, as those who shape the industry, is to enable and empower these choices, guiding our sector towards a truly regenerative future.

In your opinion, what is the state of women’s empowerment and equality in Cambodia? What do you think is the most significant barrier to female empowerment?
Women’s empowerment and equality in Cambodia have seen some significant strides, but there’s still a long way to go. In my view, the most significant barrier to female empowerment is the lack of access to quality education and employment opportunities. Coupled with sociocultural norms and expectations, these factors hinder the potential of many Cambodian women.
How can governments promote the economic empowerment of women?
I think it’s important for governments to thoroughly invest in education and enforce laws that ensure equal opportunities. However, achieving gender equality extends beyond policy. It also requires a significant cultural shift. It’s crucial to challenge and change the deeply ingrained socio-cultural norms that often undervalue women’s contributions or lock them out of certain sectors.
Laws can mandate equal pay and non-discrimination, but it is the unspoken biases and prejudices that often keep women on the back foot. Governments can play a transformative role by driving campaigns that challenge these norms and biases, fostering a cultural transformation that supports and respects women’s contributions across all sectors.
I believe that governments also need to model this equality and respect within their ranks. Transparency, fairness, and equal female representation in all parts of government can be a powerful beacon, setting a standard for the rest of society to follow. In doing so, governments can create the conditions where economic empowerment of women is not just a policy, but a lived reality for all women.

How active are women in the workforce within the communities you work in?
Women in the communities we work with are incredibly active. They are the backbone of their households, contribute significantly to their communities, and drive the local economy. Their work, often unseen or undervalued, is vital to the survival and prosperity of these communities.

Where are the barriers that are locking women in Cambodia out of the economic system? Does Song Saa Foundation have any initiatives to address the barriers?
Barriers that restrict women’s participation in the Cambodian economy include lack of quality education and employment opportunities, limited access to resources and financing, and societal expectations. At the Song Saa Foundation, we’re dedicated to breaking down these barriers. We focus on providing vocational training, education, and healthcare support to women in these communities, enabling them to become economically independent and empowered.
Through these initiatives, we aim to contribute to a more equitable and inclusive economic landscape in Cambodia.

Visit their website to find out more about the Song Saa Foundation’s ongoing work. To read about the other properties under the Song Saa Collective, click here.