Hanoi plans Perfume Pagoda as national tourist destination

The Perfume Pagoda festival 2026 is being held in the context of Hanoi's goal of developing the area into a national tourist destination. Along with renovating the space and replanning the docks, the organizing committee has also announced the pricing structure for boat tickets, scenic spots, and cable car rides for the upcoming festival season.

The 2026 Festival takes place at a crucial time, as Hanoi aims to develop this special national historical site into a national tourist area by 2026, while simultaneously completing the dossier to submit to UNESCO for recognition of as Perfume Pagoda a World Natural and Cultural Heritage site by 2030.

According to the plan, the festival will have the overarching theme of "Safety - Friendliness - Quality", organized in accordance with legal regulations, ensuring solemnity and civility, while also meeting the cultural and spiritual needs of the people and tourists. The festival will take place from February 18th to May 11th, which is from the 2nd day of the first lunar month to the 25th day of the third lunar month of the Year of the Horse, the opening ceremony will be held on February 22nd (the 6th day of the first lunar month).

The festival space encompasses the entire complex of historical relics with 4 main tour routes, including 20 temples, pagodas, and Buddhist caves. The main ceremonies are held at Thien Tru Pagoda, Huong Tich Cave, and the system of temples and pagodas in the area, ensuring the preservation of solemnity and sacredness.

A notable aspect of this year's festival season is the intensified efforts to reorganize and re-plan wharves and service spaces. Authorities are focusing on addressing land encroachment and unauthorized trading within protected historical sites, reclaiming public land whose use rights have expired, and gradually restoring open and unobstructed landscapes in key areas such as Yen Stream, ferry docks, Thien Tru Pagoda, and Huong Tich Cave.

Simultaneously, the management model is implemented according to the "six clear principles": clear person, clear task, clear time, clear responsibility, clear product, and clear effectiveness. Security and order , road and waterway traffic safety, fire prevention and control, rescue operations, food safety, healthcare, and environmental sanitation are given top priority.

From the 2026 festival season onwards, the organization and management activities will be enhanced with digital transformation: entrance tickets and boat tickets will be electronic and QR code-based; AI camera systems will be installed at key locations; and an operations center and hotline will operate continuously to receive feedback from tourists.

Regarding ticket sales, visitors can purchase tickets directly at six fixed locations, including parking lots 1 to 4, the Sao Sa parking lot management office, the Yen parking lot management office; at the automatic ticket vending machine at Thien Tru parking lot; or online on the festival website.

Electric vehicles continue to be piloted on the routes of Hoi Xa - Yen Vy ferry terminal, Duc Khe - Truot Dong Cu ferry terminal (opposite Trinh Temple) and Road No. 1 - Tuyet Son pagoda terminal at a price of 20,000 VND/person/trip.

For boat transportation, the Organizing Committee operates according to a set schedule. The Huong Tich route uses an adult ticket price of 120,000 VND for the scenic area and 110,000 VND for the boat fare, totaling 230,000 VND per trip; a discounted ticket is 170,000 VND per trip; children are free of charge for the scenic area but pay 65,000 VND for the boat fare.

The Long Van - Tuyet Son route does not charge an entrance fee; the boat ticket costs 85,000 VND per trip for adults and 50,000 VND per trip for children. For private trips, additional boat tickets must be purchased, with a minimum of 6 people per vessel.

With the cable car service, the operating plan is designed to be flexible, prioritizing the elderly, children, pregnant women, and people with disabilities; and is ready to temporarily suspend operations when the Huong Tich Cave area becomes overloaded.

Round-trip cable car tickets cost 260,000 VND per adult and 180,000 VND per child; one-way tickets cost 180,000 VND and 120,000 VND respectively; discounted tickets are equivalent to one-way fares.

Following the traditional festival season, from May to December 2026, Huong Son commune will continue to implement year-round tourism activities , organize cultural, sports, and art events; promote local agricultural products and specialties; and develop meditation, ecological, and spiritual tourism.

With comprehensive preparations ranging from planning of wharfs and parking areas, tightening service management, to transparent announcement of ticket prices, the 2026 Perfume Pagoda Festival is expected to be safe, civilized, and lay the foundation for sustainable development, contributing to making Perfume Pagoda a typical cultural and spiritual destination of the capital and the whole country.

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