When Melita Koulmandas Hunter moved to South East Asia, she only expected be there a year.She followed her husband, Rory, who had been offered an advertising position in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and planned to relocate to New York after 12 months.But a decade after touching down the Australian is still there - and lives in luxury on her own private island. Scroll down for video  Paradise: Melita Koulmandas purchased Song Saa, Cambodia, for $15,000 in 2006 after her husband, Rory, moved to the capital of Phnom Penh for a job  Tranquility: The island, surrounded by turquoise waters, is 18 miles off the coast of Sihanoukville Recognition: Mrs Hunter (second from left) and her team accept an award for Song Saa Resort - which is now made up of 27 luxurious villasA year after moving in 2005, the pair, who have a son called Naryth, went on a holiday to the coast and visited Song Saa, which is 18 miles off the coast from Sihanoukville. Locals on the island wanted a change and saw the couple, who were the first foreigners to land on their beaches, as their ticket away from the secluded spot. Mrs Hunter paid US$15,000 for the land rights, secured a 99-year lease with the national government, and planned build an exclusive getaway there.In 2008, there was a setback. During an interview with But the project got back on track, and the resort has flourished into a 27-villa paradise. Prices for a stay on the island are $869 a night.  RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Talk about a getaway! Historic home in an outback train... That's one way to beat the property boom: Art-deco homes...



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Guests can also treat themselves to an award-winning restaurant, serving Khmer cuisine, and a luxurious bar. After arriving in Sihanoukville, you can take a private boat across to the island or, if customers have touched down in Sieam Reap or Phnom Penh - they can book a helicopter ride straight to the beaches. The pair, who split their time between the island and Hong Kong. have spent millions developing the resort, creating a sustainable environment. They also employ locals from the surrounding islands. She told : 'My husband and I moved to Cambodia in 2005 for a 12-month adventure and ended up staying 10 years. 'We are both originally from Sydney, Australia, and met in Auckland, New Zealand, where Rory was working at Saatchi and Saatchi, and I had my own organic design business. 'We fell in love and planned on moving to New York City together. Just before we moved, Rory was offered an opportunity to run an advertising agency in Phnom Penh. 'As a designer, I have always been drawn to Southeast Asia, so we decided to take 12 months out and have an adventure, before taking on the bright lights of New York City. 'Ten years later, we haven't moved to NYC …yet. 'The villas on the island are available for between $600,000 and $1.75 million.Cambodians hold more than 80 per cent of the jobs. The resort itself, all designed by Melita, is made partially of recycled materials -- driftwood, wood from old boats, scrap metal, stone.