Cardamom Tented Camp in Cambodia has launched its own conservation beer with the tagline, “Your Beer Keeps the Forest Standing”.
Profits from the Cardamom Mountains Steam Beer, now available at the ecolodge, help fund the conservation work of 16 forest rangers who protect 18,000 hectares (180 km²) of surrounding lowland evergreen forest in the Botum Sakor national park, Cambodia’s largest.
Since opening in 2017, the nine-unit award-winning camp has operated with the slogan “Your Stay Keeps the Forest Standing”.
Cheers to conservation
Cardamom Tented Camp manager Allan Michaud jokes that beer drinkers can now “take one for the team” for conservation.
“Now it’s the turn of beer drinkers to take one for the team and do their bit for conservation,” says camp manager Allan Michaud.
Mr Michaud chose the hybrid Steam beer after tasting sessions with Mr Yuki Aotani, founder of Flowers microbrewery in Phnom Penh.
The slightly hoppy beer — already a hit with camp guests — is 5.2% strong and sells in 330ml bottles for US$4.50 at the lodge’s riverside restaurant.
The bottles themselves are recycled; returned to the brewery by the camp to be thoroughly cleaned and refilled.
Keeping it local
Keeping it local is important for Michaud.
“With local Khmer dishes also on our menu, we make it easy for our guests to enjoy food and drink that reflect the best of Cambodia. Almost everything we do at the camp helps conservation of the forest and supports local suppliers,” he says.
Cardamom Tented Camp also sells locally made Ibis beer, profits from which are used to protect the rare Ibis bird in Cambodia, as well as craft beers made by the Stonehead brewery, also in Phnom Penh.
New rangers on patrol
Each month a percentage of income from beer sales and guest stays help forest rangers reduce illegal poaching, land grabs, and riverbank sand dredging. This summer the camp added two new Wildlife Alliance forest rangers bringing the total to 16 now on patrol.
With illegal hunting down by a factor of about 90% over the last seven years or so, sightings of rare wildlife such as Asian elephants, silver langurs, smooth-coated otters and leopard cats have increased in the lowland forest around Cardamom Tented Camp.
Wildlife Alliance rangers in Botum Sakor national park, Cambodia, near Cardamom Tented Camp (file pic)
About Cardamom Tented Camp
Cardamom Tented Camp is an ecolodge located in the foothills of the Cardamom Mountains in Cambodia. The nine-unit tented camp, with restaurant pavilion, staff dormitory, ecotourism equipment and boat pier, uses solar power.
The lodge aims to minimise the human footprint in the national park and serve as a role model for sustainable ecotourism practices in Cambodia. The camp has its own waste water filtration process. There is no road access. The camp is accessible only by river boat or forest hike.
Located on an 18,000-hectare (180 sq km) concession, the lodge and its surroundings are home to pristine lowland and coastal habitats linking wildlife corridors to the Cardamom Mountains. Trekking and kayaking packages are available for adventure enthusiasts who are keen to be a part of the real conservation work being undertaken on the concession.
Cardamom Tented Camp is a three-way initiative between Minor Group, YAANA Ventures, and Wildlife Alliance to ensure the land and its biodiversity does not fall into the hands of loggers, poachers, and sand dredging operations.
Don’t miss other “GT” Partner messages by Cardamom Tented Camp
Awards and accolades
Jun 2023 — Travel + Leisure Awards for Asia Pacific (Listing)Oct 2022 — HICAP Sustainable Award for Climate Action (Winner)Oct 2021 — Green Destinations Top 100 Destination Stories in the World (Listing)Aug 2019 — UK National Geographic Traveller ‘Earth Collection’ (Listing)July 2019 — PATA Gold Award for Ecotourism (Winner)April 2019 — WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Changemaker (Finalist)
About Cardamom Tented Camp operator YAANA Ventures
YAANA Ventures is an owner, partner and operator of entrepreneurial travel and hospitality ventures in Asia. YAANA Ventures distinguishes itself by sharing real experiences that are grounded in the cultural richness of Asia. The company is the champion of the triple bottom-line. It empowers its ventures with the values to nurture the people with whom it works.
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