Hanoi to Perfume Pagoda: Private day trip

The first temple at the Perfume Pagoda was built in the 15th century, and over the years, the limestone hills and caves came to be filled with more shrines and temples. Reaching the Perfume Pagoda is half the fun - you first travel by road, then by river, then on foot or by cable car (for an additional fee). Once you reach the complex, you can see some of the area’s most revered temples, like the Pagoda Leading to Heaven, the Purgatorial Pagoda, and the Pagoda of the Perfumed Vestige. The heart of the complex is the Inner Temple, housed within a cave shaped like a dragon’s mouth, which is filled with a variety of statues, and numerous stalactites and stalagmites. The variety of temples in such a stunning setting has made the Perfume Pagoda immensely popular among the Vietnamese in February to April, so be prepared for crowds if you’re visiting during this time.