Hanoi attractive with water puppet

The world-famous Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre in Hanoi has its roots in an art form that dates back to the 11th century. 

The tradition of water puppet theatre stems from a time when rice paddy fields were flooded, villagers would make entertainment by standing in the waist-deep water with the puppets performing over the water. Dragon Pearl Junk halong bay

Using large rods to support the puppets it appeared as if they were moving across the water with the puppeteers hidden behind a screen.

This tradition is unique to North of Vietnam but has recently found fame on all over the world; so it’s a rare treat to find the puppets perform in their original location at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre. 

Performances are accompanied by a Vietnamese orchestra playing traditional music using drums, wooden bells, horns, bamboo flutes and cymbals. There're also authentic Vietnamese operatic songs the story that is being acted out by the puppets. Most of the shows recount Vietnamese folk tales and legends with topics including the celebration of the rice harvest among one of the most popular tourist attractions in Hanoi with tickets selling out well in advance so it’s worth booking yours as soon as you arrive in town. It is also advisable to pay more to get closer to the action as the theatre seats a few hundred people and the puppets are not that big. The theatre is modern and usually shows 17 short sketches over a one-hour performance.

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