Hidden inside Muong Hoa Valley 15 kilometers from Sa Pa, Topas Ecolodge has catapulted to fame after western celebrities like Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Manchester United football player Chris Smalling stayed there.
It was voted as one of seven resorts with the world’s most unique swimming pools by Agoda readers.
The absolute highlight of the resort is an infinity pool situated 900 meters (3,000 feet) above sea level and surrounded by terraced rice fields.
The pool is warmed all year round by an environment-friendly system.
Opened in 2005, the five-star resort has 41 bungalows built with white granite that resemble ethnic minority stilt homes. All their furniture is made from natural materials like wood, bamboo and rattan.
There are no TVs, computers or even wifi.
A night's stay costs from VND6 million ($257) per person.
Set inside the Pu Luong Nature Reserve in the north-central Thanh Hoa Province, around 190 kilometers to the south of Hanoi, Pu Luong Eco Garden opened to tourists in 2018 and offers rooms for both budget and high-end travelers with tariffs ranging from VND300,000 to 2 million a night.
The resort has an infinity swimming pool also surrounded by terraced rice fields and overlooking Pu Luong Valley.
Set in a national reserve, all the lodgings here follow ecotourism principles with rooms not having television sets or air conditioners, and using only environment-friendly materials.
Guests can trek up Pu Luong mountain peak at a height of 1,700 meters above sea level and explore Pho Doan flea market where ethnic minority people such as the Thai and Muong sell their unique products.
At more than 600 meters above sea level, the Melia Ba Vi Mountain Retreat is just a short ride from the Ba Vi National Park, a popular weekend camping spot on the outskirts of Hanoi.
The resort’s architecture is a combination of French colonial and ancient Vietnamese.
It has eight rooms and three- to five-bedroom villas with views of the Ba Vi mountains and gardens.
Guests can hike through the forest in Ba Vi National Park, cycle or go camping in the mountains. Interacting with the Muong and Dao ethnic people is a special bonus.
