Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre: Hanoi's Iconic Water Puppet Show Guide | Vietnam Purple Travel Guide
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Backpack and Snorkel Purple Travel GuideLocated along the edge of Hoàn Kiếm Lake in the heart of Hanoi, the Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre is one of Vietnam’s most treasured cultural institutions. This world-renowned theater brings to life a traditional Vietnamese art form — múa rối nước, or water puppetry — that has delighted audiences for centuries.
If you are a history enthusiast, a lover of folklore, or simply a curious traveler looking for an authentic experience, a visit to this theater offers a captivating window into Vietnam's rural soul, ancient traditions, and enduring creativity.
The Art of Water Puppetry: A Living Tradition
Water puppetry is a uniquely Vietnamese performance art that dates back nearly 1,000 years, originating in the rice paddies of the Red River Delta during the 11th century. When monsoon rains flooded the fields, villagers would use the waterlogged landscape as a stage. Using long bamboo poles and wooden puppets lacquered against water damage, they performed folktales, myths, and everyday scenes for their communities. The puppeteers stood in the waist-deep water, hidden behind a screen, skillfully manipulating the figures above the surface.
Over time, this rural pastime evolved into a sophisticated form of theatrical entertainment and was eventually brought indoors and into urban centers. The Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre, founded in 1969 and operating in its current location since the early 1990s, has been pivotal in preserving and revitalizing the art form, bringing it to national and international prominence. The theater has performed in over 50 countries, yet its home in Hanoi remains the best place to see water puppetry in its most authentic and impressive form.
What to Expect During a Visit
A standard show runs for approximately 45 to 50 minutes and is made up of a series of short vignettes or scenes, each lasting a few minutes. These skits tell stories drawn from Vietnamese folklore, rural traditions, legends, historical events, and daily village life, all acted out by brightly painted wooden puppets gliding over the surface of a water-filled stage.
Characters and Puppets
The stars of the show are the wooden puppets, each one meticulously hand-carved and lacquered in vivid colors. The puppets typically stand about 30 to 40 centimeters tall and weigh between 4 to 11 lbs (2 to 5 kg), depending on their design. They are made from durable, lightweight wood such as fig tree wood, which is waterproofed using traditional Vietnamese lacquer techniques.
The puppets are controlled using a system of long bamboo rods and submerged mechanisms hidden below the water’s surface. The puppeteers stand behind a screen (called a ‘ché’) at the rear of the water stage, submerged to the waist in water. From this concealed position, they use great skill and physical strength to animate the puppets, making them spin, leap, dive, twirl, and even breathe fire or spray water.
You will encounter a variety of recurring puppet characters, including:
Chú Tễu (‘Uncle Teu’): The jester-like narrator who opens the show. With his large head, cheeky smile, and humorous antics, Uncle Teu is a beloved figure who represents the voice of the common people and often offers witty commentary.
Dragons, Phoenixes, and Turtles: Mythical creatures play a key role in many skits. The golden dragon is a symbol of imperial power and strength, while the phoenix represents peace and harmony. The giant turtle is a nod to the legend of Hoàn Kiếm Lake and King Lê Lợi.
Rural Farmers and Fishermen: Many scenes reflect traditional Vietnamese village life: farmers planting rice, tending water buffalo, or herding ducks; fishermen casting nets or competing in boat races.
Historical and Legendary Figures: Depending on the program, you may see skits featuring King Lý Thái Tổ, who moved the capital to Hanoi in 1010 CE, or heroic warriors and generals from national epics.
Each puppet is crafted to convey emotion and action without facial animation movements, gestures, and the interplay with other puppets create expressive storytelling in a way that's surprisingly nuanced for wooden figures.
Music and Atmosphere
Adding depth to the performance is a live orchestra, seated along one side of the stage. The musicians use traditional Vietnamese instruments such as the:
Đàn bầu (monochord zither)
Đàn nhị (two-string fiddle)
Đàn nguyệt (moon lute)
Trống (drums) and various percussion instruments
The music is not just background, it interacts with the puppets, reacting to dramatic moments or comic beats, and is sometimes accompanied by live vocalists singing traditional folk songs or chants in Vietnamese. Even if you do not understand the lyrics, the mood is conveyed clearly through tone, rhythm, and performance.
The Water Stage
The stage is a shallow pool of water, typically about 3 ft (1 m) deep and 13-16 ft (4-5 m) across, which acts as both the stage and the medium for the puppets’ movements. The water reflects the colorful puppets and helps conceal the mechanisms below. It also symbolizes the rice paddies and rivers of the Vietnamese countryside, which are integral to the origin of the art form.
Expect to be charmed not only by the technical skill involved but also by the rich variety of scenes: playful competitions between boys on water buffalo, humorous misunderstandings among villagers, courtship dances of cranes, bustling marketplaces, and spiritual rituals honoring ancestors.
A Performance for All Ages
Despite being performed entirely in Vietnamese, the show is accessible to everyone. The visual storytelling, lively music, and expressive puppets make it easy to follow. Adults will appreciate the cultural and historical nuances, while children are often captivated by the bright colors, quirky characters, and humorous scenes.
It is also worth noting that each performance can vary slightly depending on the day, the troupe, and the season, so even repeat visits can offer new skits or musical arrangements.
Why Visit the Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre?
Cultural Authenticity: This is not a tourist gimmick, it is a deeply rooted, living Vietnamese tradition performed with reverence and passion.
Accessible and Family-Friendly: With its vivid visuals and musical storytelling, the performance transcends language barriers and appeals to audiences of all ages.
Unique Venue: The stage is a pool of water; an unusual and fascinating setting that showcases the distinctiveness of Vietnamese puppetry.
High Production Quality: Thăng Long Theatre is known for its polished performances, expertly trained puppeteers, and beautiful puppets, making it the most reputable water puppet venue in the country.
We recommend that you see one water puppet show during your trip to Vietnam. This is a traditional Vietnamese experience that should not be missed.
How to Buy Tickets
Tickets can be purchased in advance at the theater’s box office.
In theory, tickets can be booked online, but the webpage typically does not work.
Shows often sell out, especially the evening shows, so advance booking is recommended. There are numerous agencies that buy the tickets for you, and some even deliver them to your hotel. This can be a good idea, if you are visiting on your first or second evening in Hanoi.
Here you can find a list of agencies that buy the Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre tickets for you, of course, at an extra cost.
We particularly liked this agency, who bought and delivered the tickets to the Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre show we wanted to our hotel the day before the show. Other agencies basically just provide a voucher that you need to exchange at the ticket counter, which sometimes means you need to wait in a long line.
Opening Hours / Showtimes
Performances are held daily, with multiple shows per day, typically at:
3:00pm
4:10pm
5:20pm
6:30pm
8:00pm
Extra shows may be added on weekends or holidays.
Ticket Prices (at the time of writing):
VIP (rows A-E): 200,000 VND (~US$8)
Deluxe Ticket (rows G-K): 150,000 VND (~US$6)
Standard Ticket (rows M-R): 100,000–150,000 VND (~US$4 )
The theater is small, so every seat is really OK. Just be advised that the farther back you sit, the higher the probability that people in front of you hold their cell phones up to record the show or take photos and thereby obstruct your view.
You can also get an audio guide for 50,000 VND from a little desk hidden behind a pillar on top of the steps to the left just before you go into the theater to the right. The audio guide helps you understand the story behind each scene, but it can also distract you from enjoying the performance. If you do not understand the story, then 50min can be a long time and some people may get bored.
The rows are close to each other, so if you are tall then you may want to sit on the side.
Tips for Visitors
Arrive Early: Seating is assigned, but arriving 10–15 minutes early allows time to explore the small lobby, take photos, and get settled.
Language Barrier? No Problem: Even though the show is in Vietnamese, its charm is universal. Some performances offer English audio guides or printed summaries.
Photography: Flash photography is not allowed, and video recording is typically prohibited. Some ticket levels may include permission to photograph without flash.
Souvenirs: The theater has a small gift shop where you can purchase miniature puppets, books on water puppetry, and traditional Vietnamese music CDs.
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Author: Rudy at Backpack and Snorkel
Bio: Owner of Backpack and Snorkel Travel Guides. We create in-depth guides to help you plan unforgettable vacations around the world.
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