The storied Thang Long Water Puppet Theater in Hanoi, the country’s capital, is a well-known example of Vietnamese cultural creativity. The website’s captivating stories and dazzling puppet shows have astonished a lot of people. With its rich cultural heritage, mouthwatering food, almost a millennium of history, and an abundance of attractions, Hanoi is an enticing city. On Indochina tours, those who enjoy Vietnamese traditional art should make time to see the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater. Thousands of tourists are enthralled with the theater each year as they witness internationally renowned water puppet performances.
Thang Long Water Puppet Show Location
Address: Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi; No. 57B, Dinh Tien Hoang Street
The Thang Long Water Puppet Theater is conveniently accessible from most parts of Hanoi, situated next to Hoan Kiem Lake in the center of the Hanoi Old Quarter. To make sure you have enough time to find your seat and acquire your ticket, it is advised that you arrive at the theater at least 30 minutes before the play begins.
Thang Long Water Puppet Theater History
More than 500 traditional Vietnamese water puppet performances are available at Hanoi’s well-known cultural destination, Thang Long Water Puppet Theater. With live music, the performances frequently feature episodes from Vietnamese history, culture, and everyday life.
Water puppetry was first established in the Vietnamese Red River Delta during the Ly Dynasty in the eleventh century, which is when the theater’s history began. Water puppetry was originally presented in rural villages’ ponds and rice paddies during festivals and special occasions, drawing inspiration from the culture of rice farming. Eventually, the art was introduced to the imperial court in Hanoi, where it gained popularity as a kind of entertainment.
Thang Long Water Puppet Theater Hanoi was founded in 1969 to preserve and introduce traditional art to a larger audience. The theater offers shows these days that are both informative and enjoyable. Over 150,000 tourists from around the globe visit the theater each year to take in its amazing water puppet performances of Hanoi.
Water puppetry has developed into one of Vietnam’s most important cultural symbols today. The Thang Long Water Puppet Theater received the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage designation in 2010.
Thang Long Water Puppet Theater Tickets
E-tickets can be purchased via the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater’s official website or any other reliable ticketing platform that facilitates theater reservations. As an alternative, you can buy tickets at the theater’s ticket counter in person.
It is advised to purchase tickets in advance because the concerts might fill up rapidly, particularly during the busiest travel seasons. The cost of tickets for the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater varies based on the performance hour and kind of ticket.
- Normal tickets cost 150,000 dong (about USD 6.14).
- VIP passes cost 200,000 dong (about USD 8.72).
- Keep in mind that ticket prices are subject to change. The best place to find the most recent information is on the official website.
Thang Long Water Puppet Theater Show Times & Schedule
Visitors may anticipate a sparkling water puppet show when they visit the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater in Hanoi. Folk music and dances are among the other traditional Vietnamese arts that the theater has added to its repertory.
Water puppetry: Skilled puppeteers manipulate puppets while standing in waist-deep water behind a bamboo screen. The wooden puppets have been waterproofed with a lacquer finish. The puppets themselves are exquisitely made and fashioned to resemble a variety of animals, legendary beings, and human personalities.
Live music: Traditional Vietnamese music performed on bamboo flutes and drums is played throughout the performance.
Storytelling: A range of tales from Vietnamese mythology, folklore, and everyday life are featured in the program. While some legends recount tales of dragons, fairies, and other supernatural creatures, others show everyday rural settings like rice farming and fishing.
Visual effects: As the theater has grown and changed over time, new technologies have been integrated into the shows. To improve the performances, the show now incorporates a variety of visual elements, including water splashes, laser illumination, smoke, and pyrotechnics.
Audience participation: A portion of the audience is invited to come up on stage and engage with the puppets during certain performances at Thang Long Water Puppet Theater.
Visitors to Thang Long Water Puppet Theater should not miss some of the greatest puppet performances in Hanoi, which include:
- The legend of the returned sword tells the tale of King Le Thai To, who defeated invaders and brought peace back to the realm with the aid of a magical sword.
- Rice Harvest: Showing how rice is grown using conventional farming methods.
- Displaying the traditional dragon dance, which is a well-liked Vietnamese cultural act.
- Usually, a show lasts for fifty minutes. The daily water puppet plays in Hanoi begin at 3:30 pm, 5 pm, 6:30 pm, 8 pm, and 9:15 pm, with a Sunday matinee at 9:30 am.
Visitors of all ages will be delighted and amazed by the unusual fusion of traditional Vietnamese music, storytelling, and puppetry presented by Hanoi’s Thang Long Water Puppet Theater. It is an excellent method for having fun and learning about Vietnamese history and culture. The water puppet show in Hanoi is a unique cultural experience that you won’t soon forget, whether you are traveling alone or with family and friends.
