[Vietnam] What is the Rong Vang Water Puppet Theater? Introducing how to buy tickets and access information
About Vietnam’s traditional performing art, the Rong Vang Water Puppet Theater. We will introduce how to buy tickets and how to get to the theater.
Vietnam has several traditional performing arts, but by far the most famous is water puppetry. At the “Rong Vang Water Puppet Theater” in Ho Chi Minh City, you can enjoy this traditional art.
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[Vietnam] What is the Rong Vang Water Puppet Theater? Introducing how to buy tickets and access information
What is the Rong Vang Water Puppet Theater?
The Rong Vang Water Puppet Theater (also known as the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater) is a water puppet theater in Ho Chi Minh City. Water puppetry is a traditional Vietnamese performing art that began about 1,000 years ago in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.
It originally started in northern Vietnam as part of rice harvest festivals, but over time, it was increasingly performed in royal courts, becoming a traditional and prestigious part of Vietnamese culture.
Accompanied by the beautiful music of traditional instruments, various puppets move in a realistic and amusing way, captivating audiences from around the world. Most performances are short, and the stories are not difficult, so it’s easy to understand the plot just by watching the puppets’ movements.
Although the Rong Vang Water Puppet Theater in Ho Chi Minh is smaller than the one in Hanoi, the distance to the puppets is closer, allowing for a more immersive experience.
Ticket information for the Rong Vang Water Puppet Theater
There are two ways to get tickets for the Rong Vang Water Puppet Theater: buying them on the day or purchasing in advance through a travel agency.
For same-day tickets, it’s important to go to the ticket counter as early as possible. On weekends and public holidays, the theater is especially popular with tourists, making tickets hard to get. The price is 250,000 VND (150,000 VND for Vietnamese people).
When buying from a travel agency, the advantage is that you can almost always secure a ticket, and often get good seats. It’s recommended to buy from “TNK Travel” on Bui Vien Street. Although it’s more expensive, but the benefits are worth it.
If you’re unsure which to choose, buying from a travel agency is recommended. With advance booking, you’ll often get a seat in the front or middle, whereas same-day tickets tend to be harder to get and are often for seats in the back or to the side.
◆ Focus on the traditional performances
The highlight is the live music performed with Vietnamese traditional instruments. The performance not only enhances the water puppet show but also allows you to directly experience Vietnamese culture.
Be careful of splashes. People in the front rows or near the front may get splashed by the fast movements of the puppets. If you don’t like that, it’s safer to avoid the front area.
How do water puppets move? In fact, they are operated manually! It’s said that mastering the basic techniques takes about one year, while more complex movements can take up to five years to learn.
Programs at the Rong Vang Water Puppet Theater
The shows include Vietnamese myths, folk songs, legends, and sometimes scenes from daily life. While myths and legends might sound complicated, as mentioned earlier, the unique characters, simple stories, and realistic movements make them enjoyable across languages and cultures.
A typical performance includes about 15–17 short acts, each lasting about 5 minutes. Some famous ones are:
“Water Play”: Puppets engaging in various water games
“The Legend of King Le Loi and Hoan Kiem Lake”: The 15th-century King Le Loi returns a sword given to him by the gods to a turtle that appears in Hoan Kiem Lake
“Dance of the Fairies”: Fairies, said to be ancestors of the Vietnamese people, perform dances for high-ranking people
It may be hard to imagine from just reading, but all the performances and characters are entertaining. Since each act is short, you won’t get bored. There is also a English pamphlet available, so you can watch without worry.
How to get to the Rong Vang Water Puppet Theater
The Rong Vang Water Puppet Theater is located very close to the main tourist site “Reunification Palace” in Ho Chi Minh City. If coming from a farther area, it’s recommended to take a taxi, which is much cheaper.
Since it’s in the center of Ho Chi Minh City, it’s also possible to walk there from nearby hotels.
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