Discover Saigon Dinner on Cruise and Water Puppet Show by night tour
Water puppet show is an ancient puppet tradition and an important part of Vietnamese culture. In Saigon Dinner on Cruise and Water Puppet Show, water puppets are played on the surface of a pool of water, while Vietnamese orchestras of professional musicians accompanied by an array of talented singers provide background music for the performance. Enjoy watching the puppet show and learning more about Vietnamese rural life and folklore. Many of the programs, especially those involving the tales of day-to-day living, often have a humorous twist.
History of water puppet show beside Saigon Dinner on Cruise
Every year during the annual rice harvest, farmers in Vietnam’s Red River Delta – north of Vietnam region would gather for folk singing and dancing at village festivals. About one thousand years ago, water puppets were added to the list of performances at these festivals. The first shows were hosted in the harvested rice fields, which could be filled with water to create a watery stage.
Water puppet show as a folk-art form evolved from serving everyday people to a show for royalty. Under the reign of the Ly Dynasty in the 12th century, the country’s best water puppet troupes were chosen to entertain the king and guests, marking a new high for the art’s social status. Many centuries later, water puppet show still fascinates audiences, and is a cherished intangible cultural heritage of Vietnam.
How to perform water puppet show
Water puppet show is a physically demanding craft. Puppeteers stand in water throughout the show, and use the movement of the water to create drama, perfect the illusion, and tell a story. The puppeteers’ secret lies in the material of the puppets themselves, which are made of buoyant fig wood and painted with lacquer. The puppeteers skillfully maneuver the puppet’s arms using bamboo sticks and strings. It takes decades to become a master water puppet makers and performers.
Today in Vietnam Tours, Saigon Dinner on Cruise and Water Puppet Show are not presented in flooded rice paddies but in pools of water. These pools are decorated with red tiered roofs, flags, and parasols to resemble an altar inside Vietnamese communal houses. On both sides of the stage sit the musical ensemble who bring the stories to life using their voices and traditional instruments.
The order of water puppet show performance
A traditional show always starts with an introduction to Teu, the comedic host. Teu is an iconic character, a whimsical storyteller who will lead you through different scenes and stories as they unfold on stage. The brightly colored puppets recreate daily life in Vietnam’s northern villages, including duck herding, fishing, rice planting, boat rowing, and royal parades. Some Saigon Dinner on Cruise and Water Puppet Show include depictions of Vietnamese folktales, which always carry a moral. This is one of the must see show at in in among of Ho Chi Minh City Tours.
What do we see in Saigon dinner on cruise and water puppet show tour
Come with Saigon Dinner on Cruise and Water Puppet Show, puppet shows are performed entirely in Vietnamese which is not a problem for the visiting tourist as the puppet gestures are obvious enough to keep the audience enthralled. The musicians are often positioned to one side of the stage adding in sound effects and songs as the people-styled puppets, dragons, fairies and other ornamental figures dance across the stage. Traditional Vietnamese Water Puppet Shows remain one of the cultural draws for most travelers to Ho Chi Minh City. The Vietnamese art of water puppet show originated in the Red River Delta of North Vietnam around the 11th century when villagers put on shows after the rice paddies flooded. Today, the tradition is on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Here’s how to see Saigon Dinner on Cruise and Water Puppet Show in Ho Chi Minh City. Depicting the culture, traditions and folklore of Vietnamese life, visitors are entertained by puppets acting on a ‘stage’ of water accompanied by live old-fashioned music played on authentic instruments.
After the show, you will be driven to Saigon river to board a junk for a cruise. Take the time here to admire the lights of Saigon city from the river. Dinner will be served on the cruise, which you can enjoy while listening to our selection of relaxing music. After dinner on cruise, you will be driven back your hotel and the Saigon Dinner on Cruise and Water Puppet Show will be ended.
Highlights of Saigon Dinner on Cruise and Water Puppet Show
17:30 PM: Hotel picking up
- Watch as colorfully painted puppets seem to dance on water, accompanied by a live orchestra.
- Learn more about the ancient art of water puppet show from a knowledgeable guide.
- Combine a unique Vietnamese water puppet show with a scenic cruise along the Saigon River
- Dinner on Saigon Cruise
- Choose an all-inclusive tour including dinner, show tickets, and hotel pickup and drop-off from Ho Chi Minh City hotels.
21:30 PM: Hotel return & tour end
Time Table
| Departure location: | Opera House or hotels in District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City |
| Return location | Opera House or hotels in District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City |
| Departure time: | 17: 30 PM |
| Return time: | 21: 30 PM |
| Wear: Comfortable athletic clothing, shoes or slippers, fashionable clothes | |
Inclusion
- All entrance fees
- Mini air-conditioner private car/ van
- Pick up & drop off at Centre of City as mentioned in Departure
- English speaking tour guide
- Dinner on Ho Chi Minh City Cruise along Saigon river (Halal & Vegan Food available)
Exclusion
- Personal expenses, tips/ gratuities…
- Drinks on cuise
Price Table
| Number of pax | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Price/ pax (USD) | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 |
Child Policy
Child under 04 years old: FOC
Child under 12 years old: 75% of adult fare
Additional information
- You will be picked up at your hotel which is located within district 1, 3, 4.
- Once your purchase is completed, please send us your contact information such as phone number, email address, etc. for our local operator to organize pick-up arrangements.
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Children from 0 – under 5 years old: Free of charge (sharing bed and meals with parents)
- Children from 5 – 10 years old: 70% of adult price (sharing bed with parents and having own meals)
- Children 11 years old upwards: 100% adult price Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 9 travelers
Payment Policy
- Online payment will be processed via website. Once your purchase is completed, please send us your contact information such as phone number, email address, etc. for our local operator to organize pick-up arrangements.
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- If not full payment online, deposit of 30% of the total of the tour can be applied upon confirmation of booking tour. Rest full payment for balance can be applied on arrival
- All the tour packages on this website operate on a pre-payment basis. Payment can be made either using a major credit card as Visa, Mastercard and American Express Credit Card ( It would be charged in 3% fee for Visa, Mastercard or 4% for American Express, 5% for Paypal to the total amount of payment each time).
- Full direct bank transfer will be discount immediately 5% of total amount of cost. After receiving your payment, we will issue you final confirmation itinerary, which can be sent to you by e-mail.
- Flexibility is our strongest point. You can amend your booking when it is made. Just contact us at booking@vietnamtours.vip with your booking number. Our reservations team is glad to amend your booking accordingly.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- Flight delayed, food poisoning, getting sick unable to attend tour. Under those circumstances, we agree to reschedule your start date with an additional charge of 50% of the total tour cost
- The refund is done using the same payment method. In the event of credit cards which are charged monthly, the amount shall be credited at the end of the current invoicing period. The exact time of the refund depends on the user’s credit card agreement. The refund by bank transfer shall be done within seven bank working days.
- Refunds will be always issued through Paypal
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