A day trip to Perfume Pagoda from Hanoi
Apart from a day trip to Tam Coc in Ninh Binh, I did not venture out of my hotel room in Hanoi. The typhoon totally messed up my plan to visit the famous Halong Bay and it was quite a depressing travel time. After the storm was over, I went out to see how Hanoi had fared and the sight that met my eyes was tough. Hanoi was much affected by the typhoon and the streets were littered with uprooted trees, torn electrical wires, and broken poles. There was not much to do other than walking around the Old Quarter at that time and it was during one such stroll that I booked myself into a small group tour to Perfume Pagoda. It was a day trip just like Tam Coc and provided a getaway from Hanoi until the day of my train ride to Sapa. Needless to say, I was very much looking forward to it.
The journey to Perfume Pagoda is half the fun
Perfume Pagoda is a complex of pagodas and Buddhist shrines built into the karst cliffs of Huong Tich Mountain. Translated as the Mountain of the Fragrant Traces due to the spring blossoms that scent the air, the setting is very lovely and the site is of immense religious importance. Located about 60 kilometers southwest of Hanoi getting to the pagodas is quite an adventure. It requires a two hours drive first from Hanoi, then by a boat ride down a river, then a hike on foot or zip up by cable car. The journey is half the fun and the best way to do it is by a small group tour which is incredibly cheap. I found the boat trip to be exceptionally pretty and local women row along scenic waterways between limestone cliffs. The hike to the summit is steep in places, and the ground can get slippery with rain. The smartest way to do the Perfume Pagoda is to ride up by cable car and hike your way down. There are many shrines scattered along the path and the most important sites are at the summit.
A revered religious site and a very pretty place
Locally known as Chua Huong or the ‘Inner Temple’, Perfume Pagoda lies in the heart of the maze of Buddhist temples built into the limestone cliffs of Huong Tich. It is located inside the Huong Tich Cave and is believed to be the first temple built here in the 15th century. The complex has many pagodas, each having a different shrine and most of them are Buddhist by faith. The shrines are named according to the blessing they bestow and while Dun Tien offers prosperity, Nui Co gives the chance of a childless couple to have a baby and Dun Gao which literally mean a ‘rice stack’ promises a bountiful harvest.
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Perfume Pagoda is a spiritual blessing
I loved my visit to the Perfume Pagoda. The journey was fun and the group I was traveling with were easy going, friendly bunch. We had perhaps the best guide with us and he introduced us to the intricacies of the local Vietnamese spiritual beliefs. It is believed by the Vietnamese that the pilgrimage to the Perfume Pagoda through its tranquil forest, rivers, limestone cliffs and inundated paddy field setting enriches spirituality and empowers people to stay balanced and relaxed. I cannot agree more. There is so much tranquil beauty in that area that the mind automatically calms down and goes into a quiet, happy, meditative state. It is the exquisite healing power of nature which does that and Perfume Pagoda is the combination of beauty and spirituality.
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Perfume Pagoda Travel Facts
How to Reach from Hanoi: The journey to Perfume Pagoda is half the fun. First, you must travel to My Duc which is 2 hours from Hanoi. There you have to hop on a boat from the Ben Yen pier. It is followed by a 45 minutes boat ride to Thien Tru pier. Make sure to memorize your boat’s number as there are hundreds of identical crafts there. From this point, a stone-paved path shaded by a canopy of frangipani trees leads to the seventeenth-century Chua Thien Chu. There are two options for reaching the summit. Either hike uphill for 2 kilometers or opt for a short cable car ride to the Huong Tich Cave.
The path to the Perfume Pagoda: The hike to the summit can be hard and treacherous on the descent during wet weather. Good walking shoes are highly recommended and remember to drink plenty of water, especially in the hot summer months. Though drink stalls can be found in plenty all along the path, the prices are inflated. During the festival time, this path is lined with stalls selling tacky souvenirs and refreshments, marring the spiritual atmosphere.
Things to Remember before visiting Perfume Pagoda
Perfume Pagoda is a pilgrimage site of immense importance to the local Vietnamese people. So respectful attire is advised. Long trousers, skirts below the knee and no sleeveless tops are recommended for this trip. Also, get a hat, umbrella and/or a rain jacket since the boats have no shelter and it may rain. Perfume Pagoda is a hard-to-reach site and not wheelchair accessible.
The Best Time to Visit: The annual Tet (Vietnamese New Year) celebrations, normally held in January or February is the busiest time to visit Perfume Pagoda. Unless you don’t mind massive crowds, it is best to avoid visiting during this time. February to April is the best time and it is a good idea to make an early start, especially if you are traveling down from Hanoi. Huong Pagoda Festival in February is also another busy time.
Follow the rest of the Vietnam series
- Offbeat Vietnam itinerary for 14 days
- Central Vietnam cottage industries
- Discovering Central Vietnam
- Enjoy Sa Pa without trekking
- Karsts scenery of Tam Coc in Ninh Binh
- My Vietnam trip in a nutshell
- karsts scenery of Tam Coc in Ninh Binh
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FAQs
What are the best attractions in Hanoi?
This article’s main focus is actually a day trip out of Hanoi to the Perfume Pagoda, a revered 17th-century religious site (Chùa Thiên Trù) reached by boat and a hike or cable car to Hương Tích Cave — the author found it a welcome escape after a typhoon left Hanoi’s streets littered with uprooted trees and downed power lines.
Is Hanoi worth visiting?
The author’s own Hanoi stay was heavily disrupted by a typhoon, which cancelled her plans to visit Halong Bay and left her mostly confined to her hotel and the Old Quarter — but she still found a rewarding day trip nearby in the Perfume Pagoda, a spiritually significant excursion worth the effort.
How much time should I spend in Hanoi?
The article doesn’t give a general Hanoi duration, but describes the Perfume Pagoda as a full-day trip: roughly 2 hours to My Đức, a 45-minute boat ride, and then either a 2-kilometer hike or a cable car ride up to the cave shrine.
What is Hanoi famous for?
Beyond the city itself, Hanoi is a convenient base for day trips to major sites like the Perfume Pagoda, a major Buddhist pilgrimage destination for local Vietnamese, especially significant during the Tết (Vietnamese New Year) and Hương Pagoda Festival seasons.
Is Hanoi tourist-friendly?
The article doesn’t address this broadly, but notes the Perfume Pagoda day trip, though not wheelchair accessible and requiring some physical effort, is a well-organized excursion accessible via small group tours booked directly in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.
I’m planning a trip to Hanoi — what should I prioritize seeing and doing there?
If your visit allows, prioritize a day trip to the Perfume Pagoda: dress respectfully (long trousers or knee-length skirts, no sleeveless tops, since it’s an active pilgrimage site), bring a hat and rain gear since the boats are uncovered, and go between February and April to avoid the busiest Tết and festival crowds.
Can you give me an honest, first-hand take on what Hanoi is actually like to visit?
The author is candid that her Hanoi stay was largely defined by a major typhoon, which flooded her plans and left the city visibly damaged — uprooted trees, torn wires, broken poles — but she found genuine relief and a highlight in booking a small-group tour to the Perfume Pagoda during a lull in the storm’s aftermath.
What’s the best time of year to visit Hanoi, and why?
For the Perfume Pagoda specifically, February to April is recommended, avoiding the massive Tết (Vietnamese New Year) crowds in January/February and the busy Hương Pagoda Festival — the author’s own visit was complicated by typhoon season, underscoring the value of checking weather patterns before planning.
What should a first-time visitor to Hanoi know before they go?
If typhoon season affects your trip like it did the author’s, have a backup plan — she pivoted from a cancelled Halong Bay trip to the Perfume Pagoda instead, and recommends dressing respectfully, bringing rain protection, and starting early if you plan to visit this pilgrimage site as a day trip from Hanoi.
How does Hanoi compare to nearby destinations for someone deciding where to go?
Hanoi serves as a practical base for day trips to significant nearby sites like the Perfume Pagoda and Tam Coc, both about 2 hours away, giving travelers based in the city easy access to spiritual and scenic destinations even when city-based plans (like the author’s cancelled Halong Bay trip) fall through.
