TOPAS ECOLODGE & MARKET PACKAGE

3 days & 2 nights at Topas Ecolodge

The ethnic minority markets of Northern Vietnam are the colorful meeting places for the hill tribes of Vietnam. Minorities come down from the mountains to sell their produce; sometimes it is a long hike for the tribes to come to sell or exchange their goods. Others may simply come to catch up on the latest news or gossip. With the various tribes in their colorful traditional dress, the smell of exotic herbs and spices, abundant rice wine and food stalls – you can be assured that market day in Vietnam is truly an unforgettable experience.

Your journey from Hanoi to Sapa is by the Topas Mountain Express. The 10-seat limousine has luxurious modern interior design with wood and leather, spacious and soft chairs, offering you a comfortable journey for the 5 hours transfer.

You will stay the 2 nights at Topas Ecolodge, set deep in the Hoang Lien Mountains. The 50 bungalows overlook the entire valley with magnificent views of the ethnic minority villages, valleys covered by rice terraces, and towering mountains.

Reference: SEM3 | Activity: Relaxing and Market visiting | Grade: Easy
Duration: 3 days 2 nights – it’s possible to extend with one or more nights.

Please enquire

SUMMARY

Day 1 (Friday): Take Topas Mountain Express via the mountain road to Topas Ecolodge.

Day 2 (Saturday): Relax at Topas Ecolodge or book a day excursion to explore the area.

Day 3 (Sunday): Visit Bac Ha market. Transfer by Topas Mountain Express to Hanoi.

WHAT TO EXPECT?

Day 1 (Friday): Comfortable drive directly to Topas Ecolodge

From 6:45 – 7:30 AM, you will commence from your hotel with Topas Mountain Express for 5 hours transfer to the remote hilltop of Topas Ecolodge. After checking in your bungalow, you will enjoy the beautiful and peaceful view of the surrounding mountains and valleys from your private balcony.

Day 2 (Saturday): Topas Ecolodge

The day is at your leisure at Topas Ecolodge. You can either relax or borrow free of charge high-quality mountain bikes from the lodge for an exploration of the neighboring villages. You can also book one or more of the available activities at the lodge:

Join a half-day or full-day walking/biking excursion, the best way to experience nature and the local cultures of the ethnic minority people.
Book a half-day tour to explore the highest peak of Indochina, Mt. Fansipan (3.143m), with the cable car, as well as visit Sapa town
Try a traditional Red Dao herbal bath at the lodge’s spa

Day 3 (Sunday): Visit Bac Ha minority market. Back to Hanoi

At 7:30 AM, you will commence Bac Ha market tour from Topas Ecolodge. The market is the largest in the area, situated inside the small town of Bac Ha. Every Sunday morning, it is literally a riot of color as many different ethnic groups such as the Flower H’mong, Phu La, Black Dao, Tay and Nung minorities gather to trade. Most of the goods are simply farming products such as rice, corn, vegetable, herb… While the local women are more interested in food and clothing, the unique cattle area draws a lot of attention from the local men. After spending the rest of the morning exploring the market, you will enjoy lunch in a local house in a nearby village.

In the afternoon, you will take a drive downhill to reach the pretty Trung Do village, where we will visit the Tay ethnic minority group who live here. The Tay people are very friendly and open-minded. Most make a good living from agricultural farming, and they keep their village, which lies next to the Chay river, looking neat and attractive.

You will take an easy walk through rice fields and around the village before arriving at the river bank. Here you will enjoy a gentle boat ride along the Chay river before stopping at Bao Nhai village to transfer by car to Pho Lu, here you continue the drive with Topas Mountain Express back to Hanoi. Drop off at your hotel at around 6:45 – 7:00 PM.

This package includes:

English-speaking guide during shared excursions (*)
2 nights at Topas Ecolodge (twin shared Premium Executive bungalow)
2 breakfasts + 1 lunch
Transfer by Topas Mountain Express: Hanoi – Topas Ecolodge – Hanoi (SIC)
Chay river boat trip
Mineral water and snack during excursions
All other indicated transportation (sharing)
All entrance fees to the indicated places

What to wear and bring:

It is recommended to wear a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, trekking shoes, and to bring insect repellent, sunglasses, sun hat, and sunscreen.

Attention:

(*) The excursions are designed for shared experiences in groups of up to 10 travelers.
Please note that during the tour, you may be followed by ethnic women who are eager to sell their handcrafted items. They may follow you throughout your journey. If you are not interested in purchasing, just decline nicely. We are very sorry for this inconvenience.
As described on the program, you will visit a local house, and interact with local people. However, during the seasonal days, they all may not be at home but work in the fields, this experience may be lacking.
Visiting a local school is also subject to availability of school calendar.
The course’s difficulty is assessed on average across the program, meaning that even an “easy” rating could include sections of moderate or hard difficulty due to the uneven, mountainous terrain with varying elevations.
Lunches are intended to be provided at local restaurants; however, should unexpected situations arise, a picnic lunch will serve as the fallback option.

Note for Topas Mountain Express (Seat in Coach):

Only pick up and return passengers at hotels/residences in Hanoi’s Old Quarter and Tay Ho Area.
Pick-up time is around 6:45 AM – 7:30 AM, but guests need to be ready at 6:45 AM. for smooth services. Kindly share the client’s phone number or WhatsApp that is functional in Vietnam, allowing us to reconfirm the day 1 pick-up time and reach them if there are any emergencies.
Due to limited space, guests are requested to bring only 1 cabin bag/suitcase 115cm (56cm x 36cm x 23cm) per person.