Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

Nhà hát Múa rối Thăng Long

Fifty minutes of wooden puppets dancing on water to a live band

⚠ Book ahead in peak season

Hours

Mon–Sat 4:10, 5:20, 6:30 and 8pm; extra morning and afternoon shows on Sundays (as of September 2026; more in peak season and holidays)

Tickets

100,000–200,000 VND at the box office (mostly cash) or via booking apps; camera 20,000, video 50,000 extra

Address

57B Dinh Tien Hoang Street, at the northeast tip of the lake, three minutes from the Ngoc Son bridge

It began in the Red River Delta, where farmers used flooded paddies as a stage after the rice planting. Here the stage is a waist-deep pool, and performers hidden behind a bamboo screen work the puppets on long poles under the water. A dragon spits water, a fisherman chases his catch, a flock of ducks paddles across: more than a dozen short scenes, accompanied by a traditional band singing and playing live at the side. No language needed, and children love it.