Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater in Saigon

The Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre hosts traditional Vietnamese water puppet plays to meet the growing demand for this interesting art form among tourists visiting Vietnam. The puppeteers' incredible talents are on display in the theater. From the first meeting, the indigenous concept of water puppets never fails to amaze the audience. UNESCO has designated water puppetry as a global intangible cultural property because it is a unique traditional folk art form and a distinctive Vietnamese innovation.

The Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre's water puppet presentations are supported by a live orchestra that performs traditional songs and folk music in support of the performances. The Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre seats 200 people and was designed with the audience's comfort in mind.

The puppet performance takes place in a pool with a 4-square-metre surface area. Water fairies, farmers, fish, and dragons are among the puppets who perform on the water's surface. The stage is equipped with a sophisticated sound system, props, and lighting to provide the best possible experience for the audience. Water puppetry contains traits that are distinct from those found in traditional puppetry. The theatrical water surface, numerous backdrops, decorative flags, port code, and parasol are all common aspects of water puppetry.

For generations, the functioning mechanism of water puppet displays has remained a mystery. Nobody knows how this happens since the puppeteers take great care to keep this incredible illusion safe. They have their own language to communicate with one another, as well as secret code words for various procedures in case someone is listening in. The main illusion of these water puppet shows is how a puppeteer blindly controls the precise movements of the puppets. The puppeteers are hidden behind a split-bamboo screen shaped like a temple's exterior. They control the puppets with a system of long bamboo rods and string located beneath the water's surface. The importance of water in all parts of life is depicted in these performances. The actions are performed in order, and the audience can enjoy many aspects of the show, including flag festivals, dragon dances, lion dances, buffalo babies playing the flute, agriculture, duck catching, and so on. The puppet show is entirely in Vietnamese, yet it is so captivating that you will be able to follow along and greatly enjoy it. This incredible art form is well-known and has received numerous international honors.

At the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre, there are two presentations, one at 17:00 and the other at 18:30. Tickets can be purchased at the counter, which is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 13:30 a.m. to 19:30 a.m.

Address: 55B Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Road, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.