Perfume Pagoda Festival

Name: Perfume Pagoda Festival
Start: 2025-02-02
End: 2025-04-26
Location: Perfume Pagoda

A pilgrimage festival filled with prayers and the breath of spring-Vietnam’s largest pilgrimage celebration.

2026/02/24 - 2026/04/19

Every spring, the limestone mountains of Huong Son (Perfume Mountain), southwest of Hanoi, come alive with the Perfume Pagoda Festival-Vietnam’s largest Buddhist pilgrimage. From the 6th day of the first lunar month to the end of the third, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and travelers journey by boat, on foot, and up stone steps to this sacred site, seeking blessings, health, and spiritual cleansing. Whether you are a devotee or simply seeking nature and culture, this is a spring journey that awakens all the senses and stirs the soul.

The journey itself feels otherworldly. Gliding up the Yen River in a wooden boat rowed by local women, you’re enveloped by the scent of wildflowers, incense, and the damp air of spring, while the sound of bells and chanting echoes off the cliffs. At the heart of the festival, in the Huong Tich Cave, worshippers light candles, make offerings, and touch sacred stones to pray for good fortune, children, and prosperity in the new year.

Main Attractions

Pilgrimage Journey: River Boat and Mountain Trek

The festival begins at Duc Wharf, where visitors board traditional wooden boats rowed by local women for about an hour up the Yen River. The riverbanks are lined with wildflowers, rice paddies, and dramatic rock formations. At Trinh Temple, travelers pray for a safe journey, passing beautiful bridges and shrines before disembarking at Thien Tru Wharf.

Prayer Ceremonies and Sacred Cave

After offering incense at Thien Tru Pagoda (“Heavenly Kitchen”), pilgrims climb stone steps to Giai Oan Pagoda and the “Well of Cleansing.” The highlight is the vast Huong Tich Cave, filled with stalactites, altars, and the scent of incense. Here, devotees touch the “Mountain of the Son,” “Mountain of the Daughter,” and “Gold and Silver Tree,” believing their wishes for children, wealth, and health will be granted.

Dragon Dance, Folk Performances, and Calligraphy

On the festival’s opening day at Trinh Temple, a dramatic dragon dance is performed, along with music, folk games, and calligraphy demonstrations. Throughout the festival, vegetarian food stalls, prayer scrolls, and local performing arts create a vibrant spring celebration blending tradition and artistry.

Costumes and Decorations

Pilgrims and monks wear colorful ao dai, robes, and sashes, while temples and shrines are decorated with fruit, flowers, lanterns, and flags. Boats are festooned with blossoms and prayer flags, bathing the entire pilgrimage in the festive colors of spring.

Cultural and Historical Background

The Perfume Pagoda area has been known as a Buddhist holy site since at least the 15th century, with legends claiming it was discovered by a meditating monk over 2,000 years ago. The festival honors Princess Dieu Thien, a Buddhist saint who attained enlightenment in Huong Tich Cave, and is rooted in Vietnam’s springtime tradition of pilgrimage for blessings and spiritual renewal.

For Vietnamese Buddhists, the Perfume Pagoda is considered “Buddha’s Heaven,” a place where prayers are especially powerful. Families and friends gather here each spring, blending nature, culture, and faith in one of the year’s most important events.

Participant Voices

Even as a non-Buddhist, the energy and scenery of the festival were breathtaking. The dragon dance, street food, and the excitement of the crowds revealed the depth of Vietnamese culture. Drifting up the Yen River by boat felt like a dream-mist, birdsong, and mountain views all around, and the prayers in the cave left a lasting impression.

Fun Facts

The Perfume Pagoda Festival is Vietnam’s largest Buddhist pilgrimage, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
The busiest period is the 15th–20th day of the second lunar month, when the main rituals take place.
It is believed that touching certain stalactites in Huong Tich Cave brings blessings for children or wealth.

Festival Dates

The Perfume Pagoda Festival is held annually in the Huong Son (My Duc District) Perfume Pagoda area, about 70 km southwest of Hanoi. Visit during the main festival period to follow the river and mountain pilgrimage route and experience Vietnam’s grandest spring celebration of prayer and nature.

The event schedule is subject to change. Please check the official website for the most up-to-date information.