Topas Ecolodge is a collection of thirty-three chalet-style bungalows overlooking these terraced hillsides and the valleys of Sapa below.
Set deep in the mountains of Hoang Lien National Park, Sapa’s haven of biodiversity, National Geographic Traveler recently included this spectacular outpost on its list of the best sustainable lodges in the world, wrote Jordan Bishop from Forbes.
The lodge does its part for the local community—it’s highly conscious of its ecological footprint, and hires minority tribe members from the region’s Ban Ho, Thanh Kim and Thanh Phu villages—though guests come here for another reason altogether. They come for its famed infinity pool.
The infinity pool was added to Topas Ecolodge in 2017, putting it on the map seemingly overnight. From its position halfway up the hill, the pool overlooks the main lodge and the stunning Muong Hoa Valley below. Rice terraces billow out from beneath it like layers of verdant fabric; field workers resemble ants as they attend to their crops.
The surrounding valleys fill up with ethereal fog and a mysterious haze, blending reality with a pervasive sense of mysticism. Am I on the ground? In the clouds? The only appropriate answer is somewhere in between.
Of course, Topas Ecolodge has more to offer than just a marvelous pool. Once you’ve gone for a dip, walk a few more steps and enter the lodge’s spa for a massage or local-inspired herbal bath.
Many guests like to spend their time on the property soaking up the valley views, though there are plenty of places nearby to go hiking and cycling as well. Topas offers several free shuttles to and from Sapa town each day, a 45-minute, windy drive.
The on-site restaurant, overseen by Danish-born chef Sune Jørgensen, serves Vietnamese dishes with a European twist; breakfast, a mix of Vietnamese and Western favorites, is included with your stay.
Adjacent to the restaurant is a cozy lounge, the only place on the property with WiFi, which offers a panoply of board games and books. In the winter, a crackling fireplace keeps the place toasty.
It’s important to note that Topas Ecolodge is a remote escape, not a five-star resort. As such, its bungalows are relatively raw—think smoothed ceramic-tiled floors and rough stone walls—with no TV or WiFi, though each of them boasts an impressive veranda.
The ground gets muddy after a heavy rain, and power and water outages happen on occasion. If such modern comforts are critical for you, Topas Ecolodge may not be a good choice, though for many, that’s all part of the adventure. Where’s the fun in going so far off the beaten path if you’re going to rest your head in the lap of luxury?
Topas Ecolodge sits twelve miles outside of stunning Sapa, which is, alongside Ha Long Bay, one of two major reasons tourists venture this far north into Vietnam.
The lodge is a 5-hour drive from Hanoi, and runs several daily shuttles to and from Hanoi to pick up and drop off guests. Direct flights to Hanoi are available from most Asian cities, as well as Paris, London, Frankfurt, Istanbul and Dubai.
Source : Forbes
