Bill Bensley Trail
A private design-focused adventure
featuring the most celebrated work
of star architect Bill Bensley

Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam
Embark on a design-focused odyssey through Southeast Asia, staying at four of the most celebrated Bensley hotels.
The Bill Bensley Trail is a small group itinerary that will take you on a meticulously-planned journey, inspired by Bill Bensley’s design work. It was designed as a special one-off experience, but is now available to you as a bespoke trip. You’ll stay at Bill’s magnum opus, Shinta Mani Wild, and enjoy an intriguing glimpse into his his team's creative process, at BENSLEY studio. Depending on Bill's availability, we'll arrange for you to meet the man himself in Bangkok.
If you are a creative, designer, Bensleyphile, intrepid explorer, or luxury hotel aficionado, this incredible journey is for you.
Dear Adventurer, having made Southeast Asia my home for the past 30 years, it is always a joy to welcome newbies, as well as veterans, to the magic of this corner of the world.
Dear Adventurer,
Having made Southeast Asia my home for the past 30 years,
it is always a joy to welcome newbies, as well as veterans, to the magic
of this corner of the world. I have had the time to explore its diverse
beauty and hidden treasures, both through our work at BENSLEY, and my own
adventuring.
I hope The Bill Bensley Trail will give you a look into Southeast Asia as
I dream it and have experienced it for so many years. By the end of it you
will probably realise, like me, that no number of visits - and even a
lifetime - is barely enough to take in all of the complexities, wonder and
beauty of this corner of the Earth, but you have definitely gotten off to
the best start.
Bill Bensley is a jack of all trades: gardener, fisherman, architect, interior designer, lover of all things natural, and a prolific explorer of as many corners of the Earth as he can. He has brought to life over 200 resorts, hotels, and palaces in more than 30 countries and is on a never-ending quest to create his best work yet.
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Remote Lands is the world’s leading tour operator focusing on luxe and intrepid Asia.
Travel with us and you will experience the finest that Asia has to offer, from the very best hotels to unique experiences with remote cultures far from the beaten path. Our attention to detail, personalized service, creativity, and deep knowledge of Asia set us apart and guarantee you many an enthralling tale of adventure upon your return home.
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We care deeply about the communities that we visit and work among.
This is something that we share with Bill Bensley and is why we are so thrilled to work with him on this incredible itinerary. Not only will you visit some of Asia’s finest hotels, and meet one of the most recognized names in hotel design, but you will be supporting The Shinta Mani Foundation, an organization that improves the lives of the communities in which they operate and empowers people with the skills to lift themselves out of poverty and promote sustainable, ethical tourism.
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Bill Bensley on the Shinta Mani Foundation
“In Siem Reap, a long time ago, it was really difficult to get water. You’d have to walk several kilometers. Since then, we’ve built something like 2,000 wells. And we’ve built something like 2,000 homes as well, up on stilts. We created a farm school where we distributed 30,000 different plants for farmers to grow better crops with a higher protein value. Dentists would come to visit us several times a year and we send them out into the countryside to clean the teeth and pull teeth of kids who have never even seen a toothbrush. That, to me, is very heartwarming. And all that is just the tip of the iceberg. Now we’ve got programs to filter that well water. I mean, five percent of kids - are dying because they can’t get clean water. It’s so simple.”
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About Your Contribution:
Remote Lands has partnered with Shinta Mani Foundation to build a house for a local family in need using a portion of proceeds from this trip. During your journey, you'll have the opportunity to see the constructed home and meet the family whose lives you have helped to improve. In addition, $1,000 will be donated to Shinta Mani Foundation on your behalf.
If you would like to donate further to the Shinta Mani Foundation and its cause, talk to your Remote Lands travel expert for options.