Perfume Pagoda

There are a number of day trips that you can take from Hanoi, and on Tuesday we are picked up by minibus before 8am for a trip to the Perfume Pagoda and Yen Stream. After the usual trundle around to collect people from various hotels, we travel about 2 hours south of Hanoi. The pagoda complex can't be accessed by road and so we transfer to sampan boats which are rowed by women from the local village.

The boats are extremely uncomfortable, with narrow metal benches only a few inches high and limited leg room. Getting in and out is a bit of a mission as well, so it's a bit annoying that the first stop is directly across the river at a small temple complex where we light incense and look around for 10 minutes or so.

After that, we're back on board for nearly an hour's journey downstream. The weather is overcast and extremely humid, but the river is practically empty and so peaceful that the discomfort is worthwhile. During the lunar new year 3-month festival period (beginning next month) there can be thousands of boats at a time almost completely filling the river, but now there are almost no tourists and just the locals bringing in tons of supplies in preparation for the festival.

On arrival we climb a couple of hundred metres up and stop for lunch before climbing more steps into the main Thien Tru Pagoda. Our guide brings us through the complex and tells us some of the history and legends of the area. It's a fascinating site with multiple buildings, tombs and statues, which were all paid for by the local villagers after the earlier temple was burnt down in the 15th century. It's tucked into a tiny valley surrounded by three mountains, and the name translates to "heaven's kitchen". Due to the location it regularly floods when the rains are high, and our guide shows us a video from just 10 days ago of water pouring through the complex and down the steps of the mountain.

We then climb higher again on some very uneven and slippery steps until we reach the cable car which will bring us to the top of the mountain. There is a path beneath us which many of the visitors will climb during the festival, and this is lined with small shops and restaurants. The smoke and smell of frying food drifting up from these buildings, mingled with the smell of incense, is what gives the area the name of "Perfume Pagoda".

At the top there is the Huong Tich cave, and the local legend is that the daughter of the king was hiding in this cave as her father wanted her to leave her life of prayer at the pagoda to get married. She died in the cave before he found her, and her body turned into the statue which can be seen in the cave today.

After we make our way back down the mountain it unfortunately starts raining heavily just as we are getting back in the boat. We get pretty soaked and the peace and calm of the stream is somewhat disturbed! The two hour drive back to Hanoi gives us time to mostly dry off, and though our legs and backs are aching, we are very happy with our day trip!