Topas Ecolodge

Pass the vast journey deep into northern Vietnam with a comfortable and modern ride on the Sapaly Express. Upmarket and up-to-date, this convenient journey from Hanoi to Lao Cai is run by the team behind Best Western hotels, so you can expect a good night’s sleep and excellent service.

Styled with natural wooden furniture, the six cabins are dressed in soft pillows, fresh blankets, elegant curtains and state-of-the-art amenities.

Those with a hankering for that extra touch of comfort should opt for a VIP berth cabin for more privacy and relaxation.

Step into a romantic era when train travel was more than just a way to get from A to B. Surrounded by elegant style inside and passing by North Vietnam’s exotic scenery outside, the Victoria Express is the finest and most comfortable way to pass the 340 kilometre journey between charming Hanoi and Sapa.

Two luxury sleeping carriages take off six times a week holding seven handsome cabins each. All provide the best in Vietnamese locomotive comfort with air conditioning, wood panelling design and large windows.

Vietnamese and western four-course set menus are then served in the well-heeled dining carriage, ‘Le Tonkin’, alongside a good choice of wines and friendly service.

Set amongst a landscape of terraced rice paddies and wonderfully colourful hill tribe villages, Victoria Sapa Resort and Spa occupies a premier position close to Vietnam’s highest peak, Mount Fansipan. This four star luxury hotel was built as a traditional chalet, blending perfectly with its natural surroundings.

The 77 spacious rooms and suites – including family suites – each feature accented wooden decors, sofas, writing desks and private terraces with views over Sapa village, the resort’s lush gardens or Mount Fansipan.

Should you wish to dine at the hotel, the Ta Van Restaurant offers both fine local and international dishes made. It boasts a large central fireplace for a cozy atmosphere in the winter, and a terrace that makes al fresco dining a joy in the summer. The restaurant also offers entreatment in the form of traditional dance performances by H’mong and Thai Minority people on Saturdays. The Ta Fin Bar on the other hand, is the perfect place to unwind after a busy day of sight seeing.