VIETNAM. Built into the limestone cliffs of the Mountain of Fragrant Traces, the Perfume Pagoda is one of Vietnam's most popular pilgrimage destinations. Thirty seven miles southwest of Hanoi, it draws hundreds of visitors every year. The peak season is in late March, when the Vietnamese celebrate the arrival of Spring. The pilgrimage begins in the town of Ben Duc, where 2000 small rowboats wait for pilgrims along the banks of the Swallow River. 1994.