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Perfume Pagoda
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
poi · VN

Perfume Pagoda

Getting around: About 60km southwest of Hanoi — roughly 1.5-2 hours by car to the boat dock at Yen village, followed by a boat ride and cable car or hike up to the main cave pagoda. Usually visited as an organized day trip from Hanoi.
Hours: Typically open daily, roughly 6am-6pm; extremely busy during the spring festival (roughly the first three months of the lunar year).

Perfume Pagoda is a complex of Buddhist temples and shrines built into the limestone cliffs and caves along the Yen Stream southwest of Hanoi, reached by a scenic small-boat ride through karst scenery followed by either a cable car or a steep hike up to the main cave temple, Huong Tich Cave. It's one of the most important pilgrimage sites in northern Vietnam, drawing enormous crowds during its spring festival season.

Outside festival season it's considerably quieter and the boat ride itself, gliding past limestone hills and rice paddies, is arguably as much a highlight as the temples at the end of it.

Perfume Pagoda FAQs

Is it crowded?

Extremely so during the spring festival (roughly the first three months of the lunar new year); much calmer the rest of the year.

Do I need to hike, or can I take the cable car?

A cable car covers most of the climb to the main cave pagoda for those who'd rather skip the steep walk.

How long does the boat ride take?

About 45 minutes to an hour each way along the Yen Stream.

Is this doable as a day trip from Hanoi?

Yes, it's commonly done as a full-day trip combining the drive, boat ride, and time at the pagoda complex.

Is there an entrance fee?

Yes, plus separate fees for the boat and the cable car if used.

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