Guide04621671936
April 29, 2024
We left our beautiful countryside luxury bungalow accommodation with softened hearts and new perspectives. I took a group of 18 women aged between 40-78 and everyone of them said this was the most incredible experience and that they were forever changed as a result. The Farmhouse Resort & Spa is an important part of the unique Smiling Gecko Campus, which was launched to sustainably combat poverty in rural Cambodia through schooling and vocational training. On 150 hectares of land, the organization runs not just a luxury sustainable resort in Cambodia but a fantastic, bilingual school and kindergarten, as well as various craft workshops, in which disadvantaged young adults from part of Cambodia are trained. Another focus is agriculture and animal husbandry. Most of the meat and fish used in the resort’s restaurants, as well as almost all the fruit and vegetables, come from its own farms, giving a whole new meaning to the concept of farm-to-table. Good to know: All profits from the resort are reinvested in the Smiling Gecko campus. At the same time, the Farmhouse Resort & Spa is also Smiling Gecko’s largest training facility, exemplifying sustainability in travel and tourism, a vacation with a purpose. We were very fortunate to meet and have private tours of the school and farm with the Swiss founder. He is passionate and so inspiring! An incredible man who is changing lives with his unselfish actions and constant drive to do more for the people of Cambodia. At the school, the children are given uniforms and have them washed there. They shower and have 3 meals a day there. They can have an instrument to take home and access to a doctor and dentist there. The most beautifully behaved and engaged children, and they have hope for a wonderful future thanks to this organisation. The pools were beautiful, the bungalows glorious and the spa? Well…many of us melted our way out of there. Delicious breakfast and nothing was too much trouble for the staff. Such attention to detail with decor including beautiful colourful cushions on the outdoor lounges, considered stunning planting throughout. A true oasis! And I must mention…knowing every cent obviously goes back into the organisation, we attended a 7 course fine dining experience with one of their greatest success stories. This woman is phenomenally talented and better than any Masterchef contestant I’ve seen. We all agreed, that was the BEST meal of our lives. From the moment I first connected online to the time we reluctantly left; communication was brilliant. Staff (including the lovely General Manager) went above and beyond to assist us with anything we needed. I am planning to take more people to this incredible place and I thoroughly recommend you add it to your Cambodian itinerary! Tip: DON’T MISS THE FLAG RAISING AT THE SCHOOL! It’s worth getting up early for.