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One attraction in
Vietnam, which is located in My Duc
district in the
province of Ha Tay in the Red River Delta
Region, is the Perfume Pagoda (Chua Huong) which is about
70 kilometers southwest of Hanoi. It is a complex of
pagodas and Buddhist shrines built into the
limestone cliffs in the vicinity of Huong Son
(Perfume Mountain). The Perfume Pagoda is a
highlight of the area where the scenery is comparable to Halong Bay and
a tranquil trip down
the beautiful River of Birds is not to be
missed. Huong Son Tourist Area is considered as
the most beautiful grotto in Vietnam and thus
making it one of Vietnam's most visited and well
known holy-places and the limestone caves around
the Huong Tich Mountain, also known as Mountain
of the Fragrant Traces, is one of the most
beautiful places in this region.
Perfume pagoda has a
long history in the Vietnamese literature and
has been featured in many songs, poetry,
literacy works as well as backdrops for
paintings and it is the most recognized landmark
in Vietnam. The distinctiveness of Huong Son
is that the mountains, rivers
and forests makes it an oasis for
Buddhists pilgrims in the middle of this great
plains in North Vietnam and a shutterbugs'
favorite.
Vast numbers of
Buddhists pilgrims come here during a festival
that begins in the middle of the second lunar
month and lasts until the last week of the third
lunar month. These dates usually end up
corresponding to March and April. This place
also tends to draw large crowds during the
weekends whereby devotees come here to offer
prayers.
If you want to
participate in the highly recommended scenic
river trip, you need to travel from Hanoi by car
to My Duc and then take a small boat rowed by
two women to the foot of the mountain. The main pagoda area
is about a 4 km walk up from where the boat lets
you off. Remember to bring your walking shoes
along. The path on this two-hour climb to the
top can be both steep and slippery when wet.
Day tours are being offered by the travelers
cafes for tourists whereby the package include
guide, food and transportation.
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