9 Vietnamese resorts to escape summer heat

Hidden inside Muong Hoa Valley, around 15 kilometers from Sa Pa, Topas Ecolodge has catapulted to fame after western celebrities like Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and former Manchester United football player Chris Smalling stayed there.

Situated about 900 meters above sea level, the resort enjoys year-round cool climate, making it a frequent retreat for summer escapes in a tropical country.

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.

Located at the height of 400 meters above sea level, Sapa Jade Hill Resort & Spa boasts a cool climate all year round with misty landscapes.

The resort has 19 two-bedroom villas, 66 unique palm bungalows, and 14 deluxe rooms that overlook Muong Hoa Valley.

While staying at the resort, tourists can enjoy chilly weather of 18 degrees Celsius, admire the golden rice terraces and explore small ethnic minority villages.

The lowest room price is around VND1.6 million a night.

To reach the resort, visitors will have to pay VND75,000 to enter Lao Chai Village.

Located behind high mountain rages in Mai Chau Valley with year-round cool weather, Mai Chau Ecolodge has 43 rooms surrounded by green trees and overlooking golden rice fields, which are entering the harvest season between September and November.

All rooms are built in the style of Thai stilt houses, comprising eco-friendly materials like local wood, palm leaf and stone.

It has a restaurant, spa and infinity pool and offers glamping (glorious camping) service.

All staff are from local ethnic minorities in Mai Chau. Hiking around local villages or cycling through rice fields are some of the must-try experiences in Mai Chau.

A night's stay costs from VND2.2 million.

At a height of 1,200 meters above sea level, Tam Dao Belvedere Resort is an ideal summer retreat for boasting its year-round foggy landscape amid green mountain ranges.

Covering 30 hectares, it has 48 luxury villas and suites largely surrounded by green trees.

It has an infinity swimming pool overlooking the entire town in what used to be a favored summer retreat of French officials in the late 19th century.

A night's stay costs from VND1.4 million.

At more than 600 meters above sea level, 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.

The highlight of the resort is an infinity pool overlooking a pine forest.

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.

Prices start at VND3.6 million a night.

Around 500 meters above sea level, Pu Luong Retreat in north central province of Thanh Hoa is famous for its year-round cool climate and foggy ambiance amid a green coverage.

Set inside a national reserve, lodgings here follow ecotourism principles. Hotel rooms do not have private television sets or air conditioners.

The resort has nine bungalows, one traditional stilt house with 16 beds, an open air restaurant, an infinity pool, a spa area and a rock garden.

Visitors can go trekking into remote parts of the surrounding forest, cycle along terraced rice fields and visit traditional villages.

Room rents start from VND2.2 million a night.

At the height of 1,487 meters above sea level on Ba Na Hills famous for cool climate, Mercure Danang French Village Bana Hills has 461 rooms whose design is inspired by Gothic architecture from the 19th century.

This is the only hotel on Ba Na Hills, which can be reached by cable car service.

From the hotel, guests can visit Golden Bridge, a tourism symbol of Da Nang.

Room rates cost from VND3.7 million a night.

In the Central Highlands town of Da Lat famous for its chilly weather all year round, the 127-hectare Sam Tuyen Lam Resort takes inspiration from the French countryside for its white villas scattered amid green meadows and pine forests.

It has eight villas with 55 bedrooms, with rooms costing from VND1.55 million a night.

Guests can bike, take a boat tour of Tuyen Lam Lake in the early morning or visit tourist attractions such as the Da Lat night market, Lam Vien Square and Truc Lam Zen Monastery.

Built on a peninsula bordering the Tuyen Lam Lake, around 7 kilometers from downtown Da Lat, the Terracotta Hotel & Resort covers an area of over 17 hectares surrounded by perennially green pine forests.

It has 240 hotel rooms and 90 lake-view villas.

A walk through the pine forest that is part of the resort is not just rejuvenating, but an occasion to enjoy wondrous natural sights.

A boat tour or kayaking expedition on Tuyen Lam Lake are other enjoyable activities that await visitors.

A night’s stay costs from VND1 million per person.