Water Puppet Show at Golden Dragon Theater in Ho Chi Minh City

Puppetry at Golden Dragon Theater is a Vietnamese traditional art form that has been closely connected with the long-standing Vietnamese people’s spiritual life. There are different puppet shows in the country, with various kinds of puppets. However, puppetry art has been diversified and popularized, mostly in North Vietnam and South Vietnam.

Today, Water Puppet Show is a brilliant gem in Vietnamese culture and has been popular with tourists who come to our country. Travelers can enjoy this special art form at Water Puppet Show at Golden Dragon Theater in Ho Chi Minh City.

Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater

Showtime

The show starts every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday at 5:00 PM and 6:30 PM. The show lasts about 45 minutes with no intermission. Daytime performances according to your agreement).

Address: 55B Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

Telephone: Booking – office: +84 938 3143 86

Water Puppet Show tickets price: VND 280,000 (~ $12 USD)

Water Puppet Show

The program includes:

1. Raising the Festival Flag (Bật cờ hội)

2. The narrator: Teu (Tễu giáo trò)

3. Dragon Dance (Múa rồng)

4. On a buffalo with the flute (Em bé chăn trâu thổi sáo)

5. Agriculture (Nông nghiệp)

6. Catching frogs (Câu ếch)

7. Rearing ducks and catching foxes (Đánh cáo bắt vịt)

8. Fishes (Câu, đánh bắt cá)

9. Lion dance (Múa sư tử)

10. Phoenix dance (Múa phượng)

11. King Le Loi on boat tour or the legend about “Restored sword” (Truyền thuyết Lê Lợi trả gươm)

12. Children playing in water (Nhi đồng Hý thủy)

13. Boat racing (Đua thuyền)

14. Unicorns play with ball (Múa lân tranh cầu)

15. Fairy dance (Múa tiên)

16. Dance of four Holy Animals (Múa tứ linh long lân quy phụng)

Artists, puppets and instruments

Musical instruments include wood and leather drums in different sizes such as great drum (trống cái), rice drum (trống cơm), child drum (trống con), tocsin made from turtle shell (mõ rùa), Vietnamese traditional zither (đàn tranh), flute (sáo), Vietnamese two-chord fiddle (đàn nhị), gong (thanh la), clash cymbals (não bạt). Artists are usually in traditional Ao Dai, four-flap outfits (áo tứ thân), Vietnamese headband (mấn).

Tours including Water Puppet Show at Golden Dragon Theater in Ho Chi Minh City

In order to enjoy the unique Water Puppet Show at Golden Dragon Theater, you can come to the theater, buy a ticket directly at the ticket booth, then enter the hall on time to watch the show. However, the tickets usually run out in peak season in Saigon. It is better to book the show in advance by contacting the Golden Dragon Theater or through a tour agency.

The most popular tour including this show is usually called Saigon Water Puppet Show and Dinner On Cruise By Cyclo. It is known as one of the best things to do in Ho Chi Minh City thanks to the perfect mix of traditional culture and the nice view of Saigon streets and rivers at night.

On this tour, they take you around the city by three-wheel vehicles – cyclos, then stop at Golden Dragon Theater where to enjoy the great puppetry show, and finally to a cruise ship where to cruise along Saigon River and enjoy delicious meals. There is another option if you do not want to join a cyclo tour but a tour on two wheels. That is a brand new designed tour: Saigon Water Puppet Show & Dinner on Cruise Tour by Motorbike

Guests take photos in front of the Water Puppet Show at Golden Dragon Theater on a Water puppet show and Dinner on Cruise by Motorbike

FAQ about Water Puppet Show in Saigon

Where to watch Water Puppet Show in Ho Chi Minh City?

Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre
55B Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai St., District 1, HCMC

Click here to see the location of the theater on Google Maps.

• Bui Vien Walking Street (Saigon Backpacker Area) – Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre: 2 km
• Ben Thanh Market – Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre: 1 km
• Nguyen Hue Walking Street – Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre: 1.5 km
• Port for Dinner On Cruise – Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre: 2.5 km

How much is the ticket for Water Puppet Show in Ho Chi Minh City?

The Water Puppet Show ticket costs 280,000 VND

What time and date to watch Water Puppet Show in Ho Chi Minh City?

The Water Puppet Show in Ho Chi Minh City is available on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. There are two options for your choice: 5:00 PM and 6:30 PM.

How long is the Water Puppet Show in Ho Chi Minh City?

The duration is 45 minutes.

Why should you book Water Puppet Show (buy ticket) in advance with us?

The price offered by us is better than the price at the Golden Dragon Theater ticket booth.

Even though last-minute tickets are usually available at the door, they are typically seated in the back. Since the puppets are small, booking ahead of time and paying a little bit extra to sit near the front will offer you the best experience.

Why not miss Water Puppet Show in Ho Chi Minh City?

Of course, because the show is totally Vietnamese, foreign audiences frequently hard to follow the story. However, the charm of the puppets and the directing skill of the artists are enough to keep you entertained.

Water puppetry (water puppet show) in Ho Chi Minh City

Stories and history

Once upon a time, during the annual rice harvest, farmers in the Red River Delta region of Vietnam gathered to sing and dance in the communal house. About a thousand years ago, water puppetry was added to the list of performances at these festivals. The first performances were held in harvested rice fields, which could be filled with water to create a water stage.

Stage

Today in Vietnam, water puppetry is not performed in full-water rice fields but in a well-organized water stage. The house on the shore has a red tile roof, flags, and parasols like a Vietnamese communal house. On the sides of the stage, orchestras breathe life into stories with their traditional voices and instruments. For added mystery, fireworks and colorful lights are decorated.

Puppeteer

To have perfect puppets, puppeteers have to lose a lot of labor. Puppets are made of buoyant fig wood and painted with lacquer. During the show, puppeteers have to stand in water. They direct puppets skilly, making them act and speak. They direct puppets with bamboo bars and strings. It takes puppeteers a long time to become good in their occupations. They also have to have health, love of the job, and patience.

Puppet

Puppets are made of wood and usually weigh up to 15kg. Under the feet of puppets are big wood bars supporting them. Puppets are connected to puppeteers with bamboo bars and strings. With the direction of puppeteers, poppets become charming and vivid lively.

Music

During the show, an orchestra provides traditional music. The Cheo singers sing songs telling a story (Cheo is a kind of traditional opera). Puppets act showing the content of the story under the direction of puppeteers. traditional musical instruments like drums, wooden bells, cymbals, horns, two-string Chinese violins, and flutes are used in harmony.

Stories told in Water Puppet Show

The stories are based on local folklore, legends, and typical rural life in the past. There are fishing, festivals, and rice harvesting sceneries. There are boys riding buffaloes, and fire-breathing dragons. Chú Tễu (Uncle Teu), is a classic jester character who opens the show. Frogs, fish, turtles, and fairies also are present at that time. They float and dance beneath the temple-like stage.

Who is Tễu?

Uncle Teu is a typical puppet character in the form of water puppetry in Vietnam. Uncle Teu is about 7, 8 years old, has a full body, pink and white skin, and is always happy. Uncle Teu often wears loincloths, revealing his chest and belly. To make the audience laugh, Uncle Teu always waves his hand and turns and tilts his head.

Where to watch Water Puppet Show in Vietnam?

In Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre
55B Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai St., District 1, HCMC

Museum of Vietnamese History (outdoor)
2 Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm St., District 1, HCMC

In Hanoi

Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre
57B Đinh Tiên Hoàng St., Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi

Vietnam Puppet Theatre
361 Trường Chinh St., Thanh Xuân District, Hanoi

In Hoi An

Hội An Theatre
548 Hai Bà Trưng St., Hội An

In Hue

Huế Water Puppet Theatre
8 Lê Lợi St., Vĩnh Ninh District, Huế