Top places visit Laos

Tad Sae waterfall

    

Tad Sae waterfall

On a trip visiting Luang Prabang, almost everyone think of walking around the tranquil streets and corners of the World Heritage town, visiting a wat and sipping a coffee when watching the world passing by. Apart from these activities inside the town, many outside activities are worth looking, containing of visiting the Tad Sae waterfall surrounding the town. Visit Laos with adventure indochina travel 

The Tad Sae waterfall together with Kuang Si waterfall is the two most famous waterfalls loved by Lao people. Coming here, tourists will usually see a number of groups of locals picnicking right on the water’s border. BUDDHA PARK- A MYSTERIOUS DESTINATION IN LAOS

Royal Palace Museum

Housing the King Sisavang Vong whose statue situated outside, the former Royal Palace which was constituted in 1904 evokes traditional Lao and French beaux-arts styles. Several tasteful, decidedly sober residential quarters stand within the Royal Palace Museum together with some rooms remained as much as they were in 1975 when the king was imprisoned.

Distinct buildings outside exhibit the Floating Buddha collection of meditation photographs as well as the five-piece Car Collection of the Royal Palace. There is no other treasure in Laos reflects the history more detail than the Pha Bang, an 83cm-high gold-alloy Buddha statue. Walking east along the exterior of the palace south terrace and peep in between the bars at the eastern side to see this giant statue.

Nam Ou Riverside Resort

Offering visitors numerous high quality services together with a wide range of amenities and first-class facilities including free wireless Internet access throughout the property, ticket service, daily housekeeping, 24-hour front desk coming with luggage storage, Nam Ou Riverside Resort ensures to bring you unforgettable stay.

Make yourself at home in one of 22 comfortable inviting rooms and escape from the hustle and bustle of busy daily life by experiencing a large number of amenities available containing of complimentary instant coffee and complimentary tea. Outdoor pool and garden are recreational facilities offered at the hotel for your entertainment.

en, pork and fish skewers. When tourists visit to the night market, they can be noticeable to enormous kinds of skewered fish and meats appearing on tables with baskets of food in every street.

Skewers are favorite street foods in Laos

Skewers made of bamboo holding the meat into place to be cooked over charcoal. The fish tasting with lemon glass while the pork is marinated with some special sauce, normally it tastes as barbecue. The chicken skewers are also the favorite one to be addicted by foreigners as the best street foods when visiting to Luang Prabang.

Scenery:

We can say, Vang Vieng is the beautiful paradise that a lot of tourists want to explore. With a beautiful scenery is deliberated the second most in Laos, Vang Vieng riverside town where the young people joined in the rapids.

Vang Vieng

Travel to Hanoi, Vietnam

Going shopping at Dong Xuan market

At the end of the streets that make up the old quarter of Hanoi is The Dong Xuan market, it's a building that houses a market, than though specialized in sales of textiles to the wholesale, also any kind of item is sold to the retail. Some information about the beeline to Sydney from Hanoi

Dong Xuan market

The Dong Xuan market, constructed in 1889 by the French, is the largest in Hanoi market covered and without a doubt, one of the most popular and bustling city markets. The popularity of Dong Xuan market is not so much by the diversity of products or by its price, but also because it is situated in the Centre of Hanoi, just 5 minutes to walk from the central lake in Hanoi, Hoan Kiem Lake. Ly Quoc Su – A Hanoi’s street for stunning food

Where to stay in Saigon

Getting interested in travelling to Vietnam means enjoying the innocent charm of this country as well as sampling all the exquisite food and going to beautiful coastline and definitely experiencing the chaotic energy of ebullient Ho Chi Minh City. For your trip to Saigon, planning your stay is essential.

The Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral

The famous central Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, built from 1863 to 1880 by French colonists. Erected exclusively with materials imported from France, it is one of the most popular destinations to see in Ho Chi Minh City. The official name of this church is “Basilica of Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception”.

Tuan Chau

Tuan Chau Island is a newly built tourism center in Halong City, which is only 8 kilometers away from downtown Halong. The entire area of this island is about 2.2 square kilometers, which including multiple sloping hills.

Tuan Chau Island

Nowadays, Tuan Chau is really the most attractive destination of Halong with numerous constructions for the sake of satisfying tourist. From the entrance of this tourism complex, visitors can see a chain of international standard villas. Visiting Tuan Chau, you would never have to be nervous about your accommodation with more than 400 rooms of international standard at your service: villa, luxury resort, or high-end hotel.

Walk in Vietnam

Mortorbike is the main transport in Vietnam and you can see a huge motorbikes on the street in Vietnam. Be careful while walking on the street and make sure that you follow the signal light and traffic sign.

Vietnam - bests coffee shop

The Old Space Coffee in Da Nang


The coffee has ancient space with the old houses building made from valuable old aged woods. The coffee shop has bar, restaurant as well as coffee section ideal for you to pay a visit to after hard working. If you want to hold parties with your relatives and colleagues, the coffee is also a suitable spot. In spite of the much higher price menu than the other coffees in the city, the Old Space Coffee still attracts tourists thanks to the differences in its beautiful architecture, unique style and long year history. Ly Quoc Su – A Hanoi’s street for stunning food

Align 3D Graphic Café in Hanoi

Situated on a quiet residential street, at number 10A Khuc Hao Street, Ba Dinh, Hanoi, Align 3D Graphic café is one of the most exciting coffee shops in Hanoi. This hip coffee shop, this multi-story, excellent and sometimes gloomy café is a very popular place to these laptop-using students in Hanoi. What attract they to come to this shop are strong cocktails boozing more options than caffeine, burnished surfaces and strange blend of nature with modern decoration.


Bep Truong (Chef) coffee shop in Hoi An

Situated at 166 Tran Phu Street, Bep Truong coffee shop is one of the most popular coffee shops to both local people and foreign tourists in Hoi An. Bep Truong is not only a coffee shop, a restaurant but also one of the largest bookstores in Hoi An. Being space for coffee with comfortable seats, the second floor of the shop is an ideal place for both reading books and enjoying coffee. You can buy a variety of headings of book from the ground floor.

Shopping in Myanmar

Shopping in Myanmar
While duty-free shops, department stores, supermarkets and minimarkets in Yangon offer a wide choice of products, both foreign and local with fixed prices, the real magic of shopping is to be found mainly in the well-known Bogyoke Aung San Market where shopping is fun and easy; and bargaining is acceptable. Indochina tours Myanmar
Situated in the heart of Yangon, housing 2,000 shops with a wide selection of unique locally made goods, luxury buys such as precious jewellery of gold and gems, silverware, arts and crafts, lacquerware, paintings,traditional wooden dolls, Mandalay silk, typical Shan and Kachin shoulder bags, foodstuffs, cosmetics and tailor-made clothes are a few of the sought-after items.
Shopping
Yangon is the capital of Myanmar. It is the biggest and most populated city, a major port and trading centre, and home to a blend of diverse cultures, customs and peoples. There are a variety of markets, plazas, supermarkets, marts, malls, stores, roadside shops and even street peddlers, providing a paradise for passionate shoppers who can find every kind of local product as well as imported foreign items. Tours In Myanmar
Bogyoke Aung San Market

This is a famous one-stop market for arts and handicraft, gems and jewellery, hand-woven fabrics and traditional costumes as well as other souvenirs that are truly characteristic of Myanmar. It is a must-stop shopping site for every visitor who takes an interest in Myanmar culture.
Mandalay
Shopping in Mandalay is an entirely different experience compared to shopping in Yangon. Mandalay does not have the malls and major shopping centres that the capital has to offer (with the exception of the Skywalk Mall in Yadanarbon), so shopping can be limited in this city. While the commercial stores may be lacking, the local shops are many and there are several markets to be found offering shoppers a wide array of products to choose from.
Myanmar is known for its gems, jewellery and handicrafts and all these can be purchased in Mandalay. There are countless stores and shops that sell precious stones like jade, ruby and sapphire; gold and silver jewellery are also offered in many establishments. As the country's crafts centre, Mandalay also features an abundance of souvenirs such as sculptures and Buddha images.
Zay Cho
The famous market of Mandalay provides many local and foreign products, and serves as a one-stop shopping centre for every visitor.
Nya Zay
Nya Zay means evening market, and a variety of products are for sale at very reasonable prices. This is the place for budget tourist seeking interesting items. Country-side Markets
Although every big town in Myanmar has an established market or markets of its own, the smaller rural towns and villages do not have permanent market sites. Instead, they have road-side or every-five-day markets commonly seen in the Shan State. One of the best known is the floating market at Inlay Lake, where both buyers and sellers trade from rowing boats.

2 famous lake in hanoi

2 famous lake in hanoi
Hoan Kiem Lake
Hanoi tourists and locals alike head to Hoan Kiem Lake when seeking a place to get away from the noise of the city

Hanoi tourists and locals alike head to Hoan Kiem Lake when seeking a place to get away from the noise of the city. Peaceful and quiet, the lake surrounds Ngoc Son Temple, a temple sitting in the centre on a small island. Vietnam travel packages

The temple attracts many visitors and was built in commemoration of the 13th century military leader Tran Hung Dao who was renowned for his bravery in the battle against the Yuan Dynasty.

Homage is also paid to scholar Van Xuong and Confucian master Nguyen Van Sieu. The island on which the temple is built is known as Jade Island and is accessible by the iconic Huc Bridge or Rising Sun Bridge which is a charming scarlet-painted wooden bridge of classical Vietnamese design. The pagoda is also guarded by two towering posts decorated with Chinese writing. The lake and temple are probably the most famous places in Hanoi city in which to rest and enjoy the view and are a great place to sit back and watch the locals. Halong bay cruise Vietnam

Ngoc Son Temple was built in the 18th century on Jade Island in the centre of the ‘Lake of the Returned Sword’ or Hoan Kiem Lake. Legend describes how an emperor was once given a magical sword which helped him defeat the Chinese Ming Dynasty and in doing so saw the return of the Golden Turtle God to the lake.

Today ‘Turtle Tower’ stands close to the lake in memory of this legend. There are also endangered large soft-shell turtles swimming in the lake, and to see one of these gentle giants is considered very auspicious. The name of the temple translates to ‘Temple of the Jade Mountain’ and is predominately dedicated to war hero General Tran Hung Dao who defeated an armed force of 300,000 soldiers sent by Mongolian Emperor Kublai Khan in the 13th century to invade Vietnam.

Also inside the pagoda are a large bronze bust and other deities. There are altars dedicated to Tran Hung Dao, some ancient artefacts including ceramics and a preserved specimen of a giant turtle found in the lake weighting 250kg.

Good to know

The lake and the temple offer plenty of trees and shaded spots in which to escape the busy city streets. To get there head towards the old town and the main post office which is located next to the lake. Tickets are purchased at a booth located on the left-hand side before you cross the bridge. The temple opens at 08:00 and closes at 17:00 every day and its best to get to the lake as early as possible to watch the locals do their morning yoga and Tai Chi. To get to the temple, walk across the flag-lined bright red Huc Bridge across to Jade Island.
The west lake of Hanoi
With a shoreline of 17km, Ho Tay (West Lake) is the largest lake of Hanoi.
West Lake of Hanoi

With a shoreline of 17km, Ho Tay (West Lake) is the largest lake of Hanoi. Tran Quoc pagoda is Hanoi’s oldest Buddhist temple and dates back to the 6th century. The bodhi tree in the garden is even said to be grown from a cutting of the very tree under which Buddha found enlightenment.
The West Lake originally sited on the Red River, repeated flooding and erosion saw it relocated to its present site on Kim Ngu (Golden Fish) Islet near the south east shoreline of the lake.

Hanoi Travel Guide-Tran Quoc Pagoda

The lake is also steeped in legend and is bordered by several significant pagodas. Vietnam’s oldest pagoda, Tran Quoc, was built in the 6th century and is located on Cayang Island in the middle of the lake, a beautiful setting.

The pagoda is renowned for the intricacy of its design, based on the Buddhist trinity, and contains 10 shrines in all. Look out for the red lacquered statue trimmed with gold representing the Buddha’s nirvana. Created in 1639, the sculpture is considered a masterpiece of a distinctly Vietnamese style of sacred sculpture.

Hanoi Travel Guide-Westlake1

Farther along the lake, Quan Thanh Temple, by the northern gate, was built during the reign of Le Thai To King (1010-28). It’s dedicated to Huyen Thien Tran Vo, the god who reigned over Vietnam’s northern regions. Renovated in the 19th century, the impressive temple has a triple gate and courtyard, and features a 3.6m (12-ft.) bronze statue of the god. West Lake is also a hub of local activity, particularly on weekends, when families go paddle-boating on it.

Saigon Diaries – A Day Trip to The Mekong Delta

Most flights to Vietnam land in its chaotic business hub – Ho Chi Minh City aka Saigon. Now we can definitely forgive you for staring at postcards with picture-perfect Vietnamese panoramas of rice paddies while you are surrounded by Saigon’s nightmarish traffic. These postcards seem to be selling a bucolic haven, enveloped by mist, that’s nowhere to be found. The only ‘mist’ you’ll see here is a result of the fumes arising from thousands of motorbikes on Saigon’s busy roads. If you have over a week or two, it’s possible to experience idyllic Vietnam in all its glory at Halong Bay, Phu Quoc, or Mui Ne/Phan Thiet. If not, then a Day Trip to the Mekong Delta is the perfect way to get a taste of the gorgeous Vietnamese countryside.

A 2-hour drive through suburban Saigon leads to My Tho, an important market town and the gateway to the bustling floating markets of the Mekong Delta. The Mekong River, known as The Mighty Dragon or The River of the Nine Dragons in Vietnam, is the life-line of six countries in Asia (Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, and China). It passes through temple cities, lush tropical forests, swamps, rice plantations and boasts of some of the richest and most fertile landscapes in the world. Jasmine Cruise

So we decided to go for a sampan cruise on one of the tributaries of the Mekong.
We opted for a private tour and had the entire boat to ourselves

Our guide Nam, a young university student, gave us a short geographical lesson before we boarded a small boat that took us to Unicorn Island, named after a Chinese mythological figure. We sat on a wobbly bench under a thatched roof as we sampled Vietnamese honey tea. Regular tea is flavoured with the juice of kumquats (a small citrusy fruit, similar to limes) and sweetened with home-made honey. Southern Vietnam Discovery

Bee pollen might be the newest health fad to hit the western world, but here in the backwaters of Vietnam, it is generously spooned into every cup of tea. We sipped on the tea and munched on the accompanying candied ginger, banana chips, and peanut bars as we observed the ritual being repeated for dozens of tourists around us.

Saigon Diaries – A Day Trip to The Mekong Delta

Moments later, we were treated to a rather weary song and dance routine by local musicians before being ferried to a neighbouring island, known as the Kingdom of Coconut. Ben Tre Island boasts of over 45,000 hectares of coconut trees, so make sure you carry an insect repellent spray or wear a mosquito repellent band when you venture to this part of the country. Every day hundreds of tourists visit this island, so the thrill of stumbling on something new is almost non-existent. But that doesn’t mean it’s any less fun.

We visited a local coconut factory and tried our hand at making coconut candy. We failed miserably, so we drowned our sorrows in snake wine- yes that’s a thing! Don’t believe us? Take a look

But we didn’t stop there – our guide treated us to a calorie-laden lunch comprising fried fish, scrumptious Pho, and Vietnamese rice-paper spring rolls. Once we were suitably stuffed, we decided to go on a bike-ride through the Vietnamese country side (yes, that’s how smart we are). As you might have predicted we were panting for breath in no time :-)

Towards the end of the day, we decided to go for a Sampan cruise on one of the tributaries of the Mekong. We stepped into our boat tentatively but started enjoying the ride almost as soon as our boat started making its way past lush palm trees and stunning green foliage. Day trips such as this are bound to feel ‘touristy’, but one look at the brightly-coloured boats bobbing along the calm waters of the Mekong made us fall in love with the river. We’ll definitely be back for more….

FACT FILE
A Day Trip to the Mekong Delta is the perfect way of getting a taste of the Vietnamese countryside if you only 1 day to spare. If you have 2-3 days, make sure you visit the floating markets in Can Tho as well.
We booked our Day Trip to the Mekong Delta with Impress Travels – their staff arranged everything well and promptly responded to all our queries within hours over email. Highly recommended.
The tour costs anywhere between $35-65/person depending on group size. Private tours cost $75/person.
We opted for a private tour – this gave us the flexibility of customising the tour according to our taste. Moreover this ensured we did not feel rushed at any time.

The Perfume Pagoda

One of the most popular excursions on the outskirts of Hanoi is The Perfume Pagoda (Chua Huong). The Perfume Pagoda, contrary to what its name may indicate, is a set of pagodas and Buddhist temples located 70 kilometres south-west of Hanoi, on top of the mountain of the Perfume (Ha Tay Province). In addition to being one of the most famous spiritual places of Vietnam, the Perfume Pagoda is a natural with views and incredible landscapes. North Vietnam tours Packages

Tour of the Perfume Pagoda

To get to the Perfume Pagoda, we have to take a bus from Hanoi, which usually takes 2 hours to reach the Jetty Ben Duc. Once on the Jetty we will have to mount them on a metal red boats pushed by oars, with capacity for 6 people, which will lead us through the Yen saw River until reaching the foot of the mountain of the Perfume (Huong Son). Halong Indochina Sails cruise

The Perfume Pagoda is located in the interior of a cave to the top of the mountain of the Perfume, to be able to access it well can climb a long and steep staircases road (4 km, usually takes 1 hour) take the cableway that will leave us at the top of the mountain (option we recommend) where will begin our visit the pagodastemples and caves that make up the tour by the Perfume Pagoda. PANDAW CRUISE MEKONG

The Embarcadero Ben Duc

Although you can go directly overland from Hanoi up the same mountain of Perfume, no doubt recommend stop at the Jetty Ben Duc and take a rowing boat. Price round the 2€ per person but worth it, since it is one of the most beautiful and peaceful areas of all visit parts.

The Perfume Pagoda

In Ben Duc wharf have wooden boats and boats painted metallic red. Each barge has a number that we have to aim if we use the same boat to return from the Perfume Pagoda. In the boats usually fit 6 people and the river walk Yen Vi 45 minutes.

As a curiosity, we know that in 1998 he tried to replace these boats rowing by motor boats in order to transport tourists and visitors faster. Fortunately this initiative did not prosper and today we can enjoy a peaceful and quiet ride.

The Rio Yen Vi

To reach the mountain of Perfume will have to navigate the 4 kilometers of the River Yen Vi (or River Yen), a gentle river surrounded by Karst formations in the style of Tam Coc punctuated by a landscape of green grass, rice fields and crops of medicinal herbs. Usually be delayed one hour to travel the river, to which must be added the same time to return.

The Mountain Cableway Perfume

After landing the Yen saw River, we have an 4 km climb to the top of the mountain of the Perfume, this ancient road is of Earth and stones that added to the tropical climate of Vietnam will make dent in our legs. As an alternative, by a price 2€ / way can you ride the cable car that climbs in less than 5 minutes to the top of Perfume mountain, more than option recommended since not everyone is able to climb the steps of 4 kilometers from the River to the Perfume Pagoda temples complex.

For those have minimal physical condition, we recommend you go up to the Perfume Pagoda by cable car and walk down the road, which offer spectacular views of the area.

The first temples that make up the Perfume Pagoda dating from the 17TH century, built by a Buddhist monk who was in search of spiritual enlightenment. During the following years, due to the beauty of the place, we were adding new buildings and pagodas, of says that in this place there were more than a thousand temples, but after the indochina war against the French, many of them were destroyed.

Although they needed several days to visit this vast place, highlights from the Perfume Pagoda are Den Trinh shrine, Thien Tru pagoda, the Pagoda Hinh Bong, Giai Oan Pagoda, the Thanh Son Pagoda, Huong Tich cave and the temples Long Van, Cay Khe, Tuyet Son y Mau Me.

Recommendations to visit the Perfume Pagoda

The visit to the Perfume Pagoda vary much if we go when turnout is low or if instead visited the resort in high season.

At the Perfume Pagoda is the busiest time during festivals (usually between February and March) and also during the lunar new year (Tet Festival). If you visit this place during those dates, must be taken into account that we will share with thousands of people visit (some years figures of 60,000 people has been achieved).

If possible, we recommend you visit the Perfume Pagoda outside these dates or during weekdays, in order to enjoy this spiritual place without crowds (in the following photos have the Perfume Pagoda a day with few people and one day maximum number of visitors during festivals).

As a final recommendation does not hurt to bring an umbrella or parasol to protect us from the sun during the boat ride on the Yen Vi river, especially in the summer months.

Our walk along the River Yen saw ends at the Den Trinh shrine which is the start of our visit to the Perfume Pagoda. The literal translation of this place is the sanctuary of the presentations, where the tradition instructs burn sticks of incense to the gods of our presence and that we granted good luck for the road that begins.

This sanctuary also called Temple Den Trinh, is nothing more than a striking stone structure equipped with two heights with 5 arches in on the floor below and a note, at both ends of the door have statues of elephants.

Thien Tru Pagoda

After a visit to the Den Trinh shrine the next stop before ascending to the top of the mountain of the Perfume is the Thien Tru Pagoda, also called Pagoda Chua Nhãn (outer pagoda). The literal translation of Thien Tru is the kitchen of the sky, from name of Vietnamese legend and imagination in which the rocks of the mountain resemble a Cook working in your kitchen. Perhaps this natural enclave surrounded by rocks and green forests not resembles a kitchen, and a chef, but the beauty of the place anyone can put it in doubt.

The Thien Tru Pagoda was built in the 18th century by Emperor Le Thanh Tong, made of brick and fitted with decorative curved roofs who remember to the Temple of Literature Hanoi.

Destroyed and subsequently rebuilt in 2 occasions, the highlight of this Pagoda which is one of the many temples of the Perfume Pagoda complex, is a monolith of granite called Tower Thuy Tien is located in the middle of the courtyard of this Pagoda, in that same courtyard have other sculptures with the shape of dragons, etc... Although one of the most photographed spots of this Pagoda is the exterior door, 2 heights with 3 arches on each height from which we can see the Pagoda.

For those travelers who want to spend the night at the Perfume Pagoda, near Thien Tru Pagoda of small lodges can be found and places to sleep.

Tien Son Cave

A few meters from the Pagoda Thien Tru Tien Son cave, famous for his 5 sculptures in granite and suggestive ways to the walls of the cave we have. These battered walls being sound like a traditional percussion instrument Vietnamese called Khanh, whose sound resembles the sound of a Bell.

Huong Tich Cave (Cave of Perfume) and Perfume Pagoda

One of the most interesting parts of the visit to the Perfume Pagoda is the Huong Tich cave (also called Cave of the perfume), discovered thousands of years ago (the Vietnamese say that this cave is similar to the mouth of a dragon). We descend 120 stone steps from the main road to gain access to the inside of the cave of the Perfume, which contains the well-known Perfume Pagoda, main pagoda of the complex with a very striking altar, several statues of Buddha and other historical characters and also a 1.24 bronze Bell meters height.

The highlight of this cave is an inscription engraved on the rock dating from the year 1700 which says the cave more beautiful under the sky of the Southeast.
The interior of the Huong Tich cave is filled with stalactites and stalagmites, where Vietnamese have been giving names based on forms that evoke these elements, this mode can find stalactites shaped rice plant, forms that resemble children, trees of gold and silver, etc...

Popular beliefs are still many couples who have no children to this place for the birth of your firstborn pray.

A curious fact about the entrance to the cave entrance Perfume is that this is said to find the way to heaven, you have to go down the road to hell, referring to the stone steps and entrance ways suggestive of cave.

The Perfume Pagoda

We have the Perfume Pagoda in Huong Tich cave inside. The cave, which is 50 meters high is lit by the rays of Sun that enter from the main entrance and also by the lights of candles to the pilgrims and believers left in place. The altar of the Perfume Pagoda, known for his sculptures of Buddha.

If we are lucky during our visit to the Perfume Pagoda perhaps we are making offerings to Buddhist monks, praying with incense sticks and singing hymns in honor of Buddha.

This place in Vietnam, Perfume Pagoda, is the scene of many legends, popular songs and place of inspiration for poets, philosophers, writers, painters and all kinds of artists.
Recommendations to visit Huong Tich Cave

Inside the cave often cold, so we recommend you bring warm clothes and especially not enter directly if you have traveled the way up to the mountain of Perfume walking, because the sudden temperature change can play tricks.

Festivals in Perfume Pagoda

The Perfume Pagoda is a perigranacion of the Vietnamese people during the first months of the lunar calendar (February to March) coming en masse to pray and make offerings to have luck and prosperity in the year that begins.
Traditionally a Vietnamese pilgrims can spend 3 days touring and praying for all the temples of the complex of the Perfume Pagoda.

The most important festival, called the Perfume Pagoda festival is held on 15 to 20 of the second month of the lunar calendar. This place also hosts other celebrations during the first day of the lunar year (Tet Festival) and also the 6 day of the first month of the lunar calendar. These dates mean celebrations during the months of February and March.

As a curiosity, we know that this festival is a popular place for young people to find a partner because legend has it that this magical place is the ideal place to begin a romance.

The Perfume Pagoda is located 70 kilometers southwest of Hanoi in Ha Tay province.

Traversing to the Perfume Pagoda

Best to go to the Perfume Pagoda is to hire an excursion at any tourist office in Hanoi (in the old town there are many agencies). The average price for a whole day trip round the 30€, it is important to look at the price includes the entrance to the cable car.

If we want to go to the Perfume Pagoda for free, we will have to take a bus from Hanoi to Ben Duc Wharf, if on the other hand we don't want to make the boat trip along the River Yen saw (walk that we recommend you do), you should take a bus from Hanoi to the perfume mountain. From the center of Hanoi, take the bus No. 1 to Ha Dong (Ha Ðong) and take the bus No. 75 to perfume (Chùa Huong) pagoda.

The displacement bike or ride to the Perfume Pagoda not recommended, since the pier Ben Duc have to park the bike in a secure place and also because the road through the village Van Dinh is not very comfortable. The taxi to the Perfume Pagoda is very expensive compared to the price of an organized tour or a bus for free.

The entrance to the Perfume Pagoda is free, the ticket to the cable car costs 2€ / way and boat trip along the River Yen saw costs 2€.