I came to Sapa exactly 20 years ago. A different real Sapa now. Still and hazy in the fog. When walking on Cau May Street, you can easily touch the clouds, the clouds pass through your hair and the blue smoke rises gently from a kitchen not far away, creating a beautiful picture that is difficult to find again. Sapa is different now. Noisy, bustling, dusty, crowded, and cramped with towering and modern hotels.
So for a long time, when I went to Sapa, I always looked for places far from the center to hope to find the old feeling again. I first came to Topas Ecolodge Sapa in early winter, a place 18km southeast of the center of Sapa. With an area of 4 hectares located in Hoang Lien Son National Park, overlooking both Muong Hoa and Muong Bo valleys, the resort has been in operation since 2003. Topas boasts 360-degree views on a hilltop, surrounded by pristine mountains and beautiful valley of terraced fields. The Danish investor has brought a minimalist Scandinavian design style to the resort.
Topas Ecolodge's 41 detached bungalows are built from local white granite, and the wooden interiors create a warm rustic yet extremely luxurious feel for the rooms here. All have a private balcony overlooking the beautiful natural scenery. The design is minimalist, so the rooms are not equipped with a TV or Wi-Fi for you to immerse yourself in a relaxing experience in the middle of nature without technology.
29 Premium Executive Bungalows are built on 1-storey bungalows while 4 Executive Bungalow Suites are designed on 2 floors and can connect these 2 types of rooms through a lovely and enclosed small garden for families or groups of friends.
The 8 newest Bungalows Deluxe Suites are built to be connected via a connecting door, arranged through a tunnel. The bungalows are built with modern green technology, floors are heated with Underground air pumps, each unit has 1 underground pump. Complex waste management systems are designed to have the lowest impact on the surrounding environment.
Pool Villas with private pools are under construction and a restaurant with 360-degree views. The new outdoor cinema and play area for children will be put into operation in Q2 2022.
The strongest impression of Topas at first glance is the open space unobstructed by anything, the view of the unspoiled mountains and beautiful rice terraces.
The two best times of the year to come to Sapa are in the pouring water season (May) and the ripe rice season (September). I went back to Topas Ecolodge with my friends one day in May, now there are 2 infinity pools. A family pool and children under 12 years old at the bottom, an upper pool for adults. The swimming pool is one of the best places to relax and enjoy the scenery here. Soak in the cool blue water, sip a cocktail, look down at the golden rice terraces or the green mountains that surround you will bring you an extremely relaxing feeling.
I wanted to see how another real Topas was at the best time of the year so keep coming back here in September. You don't have to go far to see the Red Dao people harvesting rice right in the resort. If you want, you can participate in the harvest with them.
Interestingly, all the staff here are hired and trained from the surrounding ethnic minority community in the area, namely the Tay, Red Dao, Hmong, and Day..... Topas Ecolodge Sapa places special emphasis on community commitments such as promoting local education, sharing resources, profits, and paying special attention to the environment. All the glass bottles after use are put into a glass crusher into sand, then continued to be used to build new bungalows.
You should stay at least 2 nights to be able to fully enjoy the wonderful atmosphere here. If you prefer to be active, you can opt for short walks around the resort. It is even better if you walk and explore Nam Cang village is 8km away and walk for about 3.5 hours. You'll find a lovely chalet next to the stream, with water flowing year-round throughout the month, Topas Riverside Lodge. This is another district of Topas in Sapa.
You can take a lunch break here and return to Topas Ecolodge in the afternoon. Sitting on the porch reading a book, watching the children of the village bathing in the stream, wading in the cool water or meditating by the rocks by the stream are all extremely wonderful.
The days at Topas Ecolodge are days of slow living. I will come to Topas Ecolodge again every time I want to find the feeling of the original Sapa before.
Topas Ecolodge Sapa Resort
Address: Ban Lech Village, Thanh Binh Commune, Sapa District, Lao Cai Province.
Price range: From 4,900,000 VND/bungalow/night
Website: https://topasecolodge.com/
Prize
National Geographic Recognized as the World's 'Unique Lodge'
One of the best places to stay if you're interested in Earth by National Geographic
Best resorts in Sapa by Condé Nast Traveler
Photo: Topas Ecolodge Sapa
Synthetic Migo