Perfume Pagoda Full Day Departure from Hanoi Capital

PERFUME PAGODA 1 DAY

One of Vietnam’s most important pilgrimage sites, the Perfume Pagoda is a vast complex of Buddhist temples, grottos, and shrines dotted around Huong Tich Mountain. The shrines lie amid a flooded valley of towering karst cliffs and lotus fields—a stunning backdrop that makes for some incredible photo opportunities. The Basics The journey to the Perfume Pagoda is as much a part of the experience as the destination. Cruise along the scenic waterways of the Yen River aboard a traditional row boat, then arrive at the Perfume Pagoda, where you can hike between the cliff-side temples, or ride the cable car to the mountaintop Huong Tich Cave, home to the most impressive shrines. Most visitors choose to take a Perfume Pagoda tour from Hanoi, and many tours include hotel pickup, lunch, and entrance fees. 

Itinerary

• Escape the bustling city on this day tour to the biggest pagoda complex in Vietnam: the Perfume Pagoda
• Come face to face with the historic pagoda and catch breathtaking natural sceneries along the Yen River
• Go on a hike up a mountain to reach the mystic Huong Tich cave, known as the holy land of Buddhism

07:45    We pick you up at your hotel (located within the Hanoi Old Quarter only) or at LVP Travel  Office in Hanoi and depart for the Perfume Pagoda.
10:00    Arrival at the Perfume Pagoda. After a scenic hour and a half boat ride along the Yen stream and a 2-hour trek, you reach the Huong Tich Cave, which houses the Pagoda of the Perfume Vestige. Next, you’ll visit the Thien Tru Pagoda – or Pagoda leading to Heaven – before stopping at a restaurant for lunch.
16:30    After, the boat trip back to Ben Duc, we depart for Hanoi, arriving in the city around 19:00 PM
 Inclusive: Transportation in private van with A/C,  English speaking guide, boat travel, meals, entrance fees,
 Exclusive: Drinks, insurance, visas, personal expenses, tips & gratuities
 Extra of vip class: cable car
 What to bring:

•     Appropriate clothing for the season

•     A hat and sunscreen

•     Comfortable clothing and footwear for walking

Summary

Perfume Pagoda, known locally as Chua Huong or ‘inner temple’, is at the center of a very revered and sacred site featuring a maze of mainly Buddhist temples built into the limestone cliffs of Huong Tich. At the heart of this complex lies the Perfume Temple or Perfume Pagoda in the Huong Tich Cave.

It is believed that the first temple was built here in the 15th century, although legend declares that the site was actually discovered over 2,000 years ago by a Buddhist monk who was meditating nearby. The mountain foothills are an area of great natural and spiritual beauty filled with streams, tropical plants and temples.

There are many pagodas to visit, each offering a different shrine, most of which are Buddhist although one or two are animist. The Perfume Pagoda attracts pilgrims and tourists seeking good luck from the stalagmites and stalactites inside the cave which have been named according to the individual blessing they can bestow. Dun Tien offers prosperity and Nui Co offers the chance of giving birth to a girl whilst Dun Gao translates as a ‘rice stack’ to those hoping for a bountiful harvest.

The entrance to the vast and mysterious Perfume Pagoda and Huong Tich Cave resembles that of an open dragon’s mouth and is decorated in ancient Chinese letters which translate to ‘first grade cave of the South World’, this writing dates back to 1770.

Inside the cave are many statues carved from green stone which decorate an intricate shrine, including one of Lord Buddha and another of the Buddhist goddess Quan Am. Smooth stalactites and stalagmites also fill the cave which are constantly touched by pilgrims believing them to deliver miracles and good luck. You will find the temple very cool inside and also very busy especially during the days of the Chua Huong festival which lasts from January to April.

It’s well worth taking time to stop and enjoy the view en-route to the temple as the scenery is very interesting, dotted with fruit trees including apricots and medicinal herbs grown by local farmers. Other temples to see within the complex include the Vong Temple, Thuyet Kinh Cave and Thien Son Pagoda.