Renowned architect and interior designer Bill Bensley has teamed up with leading luxe and intrepid Asia travel designer Remote Lands to create The Bensley Trail, an exclusive new expedition taking place from February 16 – March 1, 2020.

Photo: Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Wild

This extraordinary 14-day itinerary will take just 16 guests on an unforgettable journey through Southeast Asia including Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, where they will enjoy luxurious accommodation in four of Bensley's most iconic resorts - each one a truly magical experience that brings the destination to life. Participants will be treated to a deep exploration of each country including immersing in nature, adventure and astounding natural beauty, marveling in the culture, history and architecture of metropolitan Asian cities, indulging in authentic regional cuisine, and relaxing on picturesque beaches.

“As a client of Remote Lands, I am honoured to be working with them on this journey to showcase some of my favourite works of hospitality in these incredible destinations,” said Bill Bensley. “I am passionate about conservation and helping folks and animals in need, and my inspiration in developing this trip was to use hospitality to help people that need it in a sustainable fashion. We will be working with the Shinta Mani Foundation, which aims to enhance the lives and livelihoods of people in the communities where they operate, to help families in a rural Cambodian village, providing quality water, a hospitality school and youth dentistry programs. Our hope is that this trip will educate and inspire, while providing remarkable experiences in incredible places.”

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the renowned Bill Bensley on this new exciting new expedition,” said Catherine Heald, CEO and co-founder of Remote Lands. “We are huge fans of Bill's properties and love his vibrant and unique style. Similar to Bill, we also aim to give our clientele an immersive exploration into the destinations they visit with us, arranging truly special experiences. Southeast Asia offers a wealth of nature, adventure, culture, architecture and more and we are excited for guests to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

The journey begins in Laos at Bensley's Rosewood Luang Prabang resort, the former estate of French colonial civil servant and diplomat Auguste Pavie, and the first luxury villa and tent resort within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang. Nestled in the beautiful Nahm Dong Valley, the 23-room resort is centered around a natural waterfall and has a Laotian-French tropical architectural style, combining world-class luxuries with local aesthetics. While spending three nights in this natural paradise, travellers will get the chance to explore Laos, experiencing the nature and wildlife as they interact with elephants at the MandaLao Elephant Sanctuary, cruise downstream on the Mekong River and enjoy a temple walk with Rosewood's resident Buddhism expert. For a cultural immersion, guests will also get the chance to participate in a farm-to-table cooking lesson at Rosewood, receive a blessing at the Wat Mai monastery, discover the cultural sites and attractions of Luang Prabang, participate in an alms giving ceremony, and stroll the Hmong Night Market, shopping for textiles and other handmade creations.

After departing Laos, participants will then make their way to Cambodia where they will stay in two different Bensley Collection properties, including Shinta Mani Siem Reap, a lush, Art Deco-inspired private villa resort which offers a serene oasis in one of Cambodia's most exciting towns; and the new Shinta Mani Wild, a 15-tent luxury adventure camp in the heart of the Cambodian jungle which plays a vital role in protecting a small part of Cardamom National Park. As part of the collaboration with the Shinta Mani Foundation, a portion of the proceeds from this trip will go towards building a water well in the name of each guest in a remote Cambodian village, providing a family and its immediate neighbours with easily accessible hand pumped clean water.

In Siem Reap, highlights include exploring the iconic Angkor Wat; visiting the rural Cambodian village where the water wells are being built to meet the families whose lives have been impacted by these generous donations; enjoying a private temple dinner complete with gourmet Khmer cuisine and a traditional Cambodian dance performance; taking a private helicopter tour over Angkor and Siem Reap; and visiting the Conservatoire of Aspara Dance, which began as part of a humanitarian effort to deliver the essentials to the rural areas of Cambodia.

Following Siem Reap, the group will head to the wilds of the Southern Cardamom National Park. The experience will be paradise for adventure, nature and design lovers alike, beginning with an incredible zip-line arrival experience to check in to Shinta Mani Wild in style. With an endless list of immersive experiences including Jeep safaris, motorbiking, boating, indigenous cooking lessons, visiting the naturalist's research centre and viewing wildlife, there's plenty of things to tick off the bucket list. Those looking for downtime can enjoy the Boulder Spa, indulge in incredible alfresco dining and kick back at a mobile cocktail party in Shinta Mani Wild's Land Rover Bar: a WW2 vehicle reimagined as a portable, playful bar.

The group will next head to Thailand's metropolitan capital Bangkok, where they will enjoy an exclusive soiree at Bill Bensley's private home and an exclusive hard hat tour of Bensley's latest project by the Chao Praya River led by Bensley himself; as well as exploring the Buddhist temples and shrines of the city; discovering authentic neighbourhoods; cruising on a private long-tail boat along the river; a Muay Thai lesson; and receiving an optional Sak Yant tattoo - a traditional form of tattooing where magical ancient geometric and deity symbols are inked onto the body while serenaded with Buddhist prayers.   This part of the journey includes accommodation at the brand new Rosewood Bangkok, an outstanding urban retreat in the heart of the city and the only non-Bensley designed property on The Bensley Trail.

The itinerary ends in Danang, Vietnam for three days of beachside relaxation after an adventure-packed trip. The final resort on The Bensley Trail is the Intercontinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, a whimsical realm spread across four levels – Heaven, Sky, Earth and Sea – taking advantage of the incredible vistas from the mountaintop and pristine beach. Bensley was inspired by Vietnamese temples in his design and brought this idea into the resort in a light-hearted, innovative way. Participants will spend the final days at leisure, enjoying the resort's luxurious facilities or heading to the charming Hoi An to take in one of Vietnam's most popular destinations.

On this expedition, all touring is private: Each guest or couple will have their own private car, driver and guide for all airport transfers and touring, along with highly personalized and customizable itineraries.

Remote Lands' The Bensley Trail expedition will take place from February 16 – March 1, 2020 and costs US$37,888 (approx. GBP29,125) per person based on double occupancy, with all ground transfers and flights required within itinerary, visas, all beverages including alcohol at select events. Excludes international flights, places limited to 16 guests, for further information and reservations visit www.remotelands.com/special/bill-bensley.

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Notes to Editors:

Bill Bensley

Recognised for his distinctive, elegant deco inspired design, acclaimed hotel 'starchitect' and landscapist Bill Bensley is the founder of architecture and interior design atelier BENSLEY, and the creative force behind some of the world's most celebrated and beautiful hotels, resorts and residences. Last year, the Bangkok-based 'Willy Wonka of hotel design' launched his eponymous, super-luxe hotel and resort brand, The Bensley Collection, which now comprises:

• Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Siem Reap, Cambodia (opened January 2018): An exclusive 'resort within a resort' comprising an enclave of 10 spectacular luxury pool villas benefiting from elevated Bensley Collection services, as well as comprehensive access to facilities at the adjacent Shinta Mani Angkor.
• Bensley Collection - Shinta Mani Wild, Cambodia (opened December 2018): A radical new concept for a sustainable luxury tented camp experience, nestled deep in the wilderness of South Cardamom National Park. Shinta Mani Wild offers extraordinary adventures, from arrival via 380m zipwire and exploring South East Asia's last wild estuarine ecosystem aboard custom expedition boats; to joining Wildlife Alliance anti-poaching patrols.

About Remote Lands, Inc. 

Remote Lands, Inc. creates highly personalized and unique, luxury and intrepid holidays throughout Asia. Based in New York and Bangkok, the company specializes in extraordinary experiences that are difficult to arrange and require privileged access to important people and exclusive events, drawing upon Remote Lands' relationships with remarkable people around Asia. Unparalleled service, creative itineraries and extreme attention to detail are what set Remote Lands apart.

For press information on The Bensley Collection contact:

Kerry Skinner (kerry@bacall.net), Nat Frogley (nat@bacall.net) or Flora Gandolfo (flora@bacall.net), Bacall PR, Tel: +44 (0) 8704 288 401; Web: www.bacall.net

For press information on Remote Lands contact:

Emma Silverman (emma@elevensixpr.com), Eleven Six PR, Tel: +1 646-780-0159; Web: www.elevensixpr.com