The water puppetry art is a Vietnamese traditional theatrical specialty. With the performance stage being water surface, actors will be puppets made from wood, combined with sound and light effects, the artists will control the puppets into a meaningful play. This art form has conquered a lot of domestic and international visitors alike.
About the Vietnamese water puppetry art
Puppet dance is an art form present in many countries, but the art of water puppetry is unique in Vietnam. This art form was born in the 11th – XII centuries, at that time Buddhism was on the rise and associated with the natural conditions and activities of wet rice culture in the Northern Delta. 
Water puppetry art
Water puppetry will often use puppets to act, act on the water and will be held on major festivals, village festivals, Tet holidays, … With the special features from the artistic stage. folk elements, water puppetry has quickly become a unique form of performance and is considered the intangible cultural heritage of Vietnam. 
This art will take place on festivals
Currently, there are many tourists coming to our country who choose to enjoy water puppetry as a Vietnamese tourism experience that is difficult to ignore. Most people are excited to see a folk art show that is only available in Vietnam.
The guests were attracted by the “symphony” of sound, light, puppets and instruments such as gourd, percussion, zither, … Music in water puppetry will be the factor that helps the plays have a connection. The performers will rely on the rhythm of the music to make the puppets lumpy, lively, and gentle. 
The puppets are the main actors in the performance
Water puppet shows are now more and more elaborately invested. Not only is it a crude performance stage of artisans and puppets, but this art is also a delicate combination of light, cheo orchestra, spark effects, smoke, … Both will bring a lively and colorful water puppet show.
The stages have now been more invested
The water puppet characters will be skillfully controlled by “secret” artists. Through the story conveyed by the water puppeteers, viewers will feel the profound meanings of life, morality, culture, … 
Behind the stage, there will be artists who secretly manipulate the puppets
Where to see water puppetry? How much for the ticket?
Water puppet viewing venues in Hanoi
1. Thang Long Water Puppet Theater
Address: No. 57b Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.
Ticket price: 60 – 120k / ticket
Thang Long Water Puppet Theater is a place to enjoy the unique water puppetry that you can refer to. Here, visitors will have the opportunity to know more about the idyllic beauty, the meaning and profound meaning of the Vietnamese water puppetry art.
In addition to organizing water puppet shows, Thang Long water puppet theater also invests in a shallow puppet art performance stage to meet the modernity while retaining the national culture. 
Thang Long Water Puppet Theater
2. Vietnamese Puppet Theater
Address: No. 361 Truong Chinh, Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi.
Ticket price: 100 – 300k / ticket
The Vietnam Puppet Theater is considered the cradle and center of the largest puppet art in our country with a great function of preserving and comprehensively developing traditional arts. Possessing a history of up to 60 years, this is the place where many famous researchers, composers, visual artists, directors, water puppeteers of Vietnam are gathered with 5 people, 25 NSUT and many other young talents.
Currently, the theater has 3 main performance stages: 2 stages for water puppetry performance, 1 stage for shallow puppetry performance. 
Vietnamese puppet theater
Water puppet viewing venues in Ho Chi Minh City
1. Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater
Address: 55 B Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 1, City. HCM City
Ticket price: 250k / ticket
The Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater went into operation on August 3, 2007. Over 10 years, the theater has now become a place to enjoy the leading water puppetry in Saigon. Currently, the water puppet stage here has 2 performances per day at 17h and 18h30. The duration for a show is 30 minutes. A stage will accommodate a maximum of 200 people. 
Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater
2. History Museum – City. HCM City
Address: No. 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, HCMC
Ticket price: 50k / adult
Add a address to see the famous water puppetry in the city. Ho Chi Minh City is the Phuong Nam Art Theater under the Museum of History of Ho Chi Minh City. A water puppet show here falls around 15 minutes. Although the time is a little bit, but the story told through the form of water puppetry is still clearly felt by many people. The show schedule will be held at 9:00, 10:00, and 11:00 in the morning. In the afternoon, there are 3 performances at 14h, 15h, 16h.
3. Ngon Restaurant in Thao Dien Village
Address: 195 Nguyen Van Huong, District 2, HCMC
Ticket price: free
In District 2, you can go to Ngon restaurant to see water puppetry. Although it is a restaurant, there is still a water puppet show stage that takes place on Saturday night from 19:30 – 20:00. One thing you should note if you want to enjoy professional puppet performance, this is not the right place.
4. Homemade Beans
Address:
- No. 6 Hong Ha, Ward 2, Tan Binh District
- Number 1 Nguyen Van Trang, District 1
- No. 45A Hoa Lan, P2, Phu Nhuan District
Ticket price: free
Homemade beans are actually a restaurant, but the restaurant has dedicated a floor to perform a water puppet show. This is a non-profit activity for visitors to the restaurant. Currently, there will be 2 free performances taking place daily. 
Performing water puppetry at Homemade Beans
Water puppetry is a form of traditional theater with a very high collective character. This is a unique cultural product in the Northern Delta region. Over a long period of existence and development, water puppetry is increasingly developing to match its position in the national cultural heritage treasure.
Photo: Internet