Hanoi · SHOW
This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 15 shows worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
Collect your ticket at 31 Lo Su, then watch a 50-minute Vietnamese water puppet show with live traditional music, village scenes, legends, and colorful puppets. Choose a show time and seat category in advance. An English audio guide and other languages can be bought at the theater for 50,000 VND.
“A lovely show, with beautiful music and a great atmosphere.”
Spend 50 minutes at Hanoi’s Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, watching Vietnamese legends, village life, music, and singing performed over water. Your ticket includes a show program and skip-the-line access. Collect the physical ticket near the theater or choose hotel delivery, and add a multilingual audio guide for 50,000 VND.
“Loved it. One of the best shows I’ve seen. It would be good to make more obvious the info about audio in your own language. This would have made it a 10/10!”
Collect your reserved ticket at 78 Hang Quat, then walk to Hanoi’s famous Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre for a 50-minute show of water puppets, folk tales, live music, and traditional Vietnamese artistry. The performance is in Vietnamese, with optional audio guides for 50,000 VND.
“Interesting and unique show, the puppeteering and music was really well done!”
At Hanoi’s Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, you’ll watch a one-hour Vietnamese-language performance of puppets, music, singing, and traditional scenes on water. Choose a showtime, arrive 15 minutes early at 57B Dinh Tien Hoang, and collect your physical ticket from staff at the counter.
“Great cultural experience. Would suggest the ticketing system to improve. Had to wait a bit to get a physical ticket rather than a digital scan which caused us to be late for the concert.”
You’ll watch a 50-minute Thang Long Water Puppet performance featuring colorful puppets, Vietnamese folk music, singing, legends, village life, and historic tales. Tickets cost $9 per person, with delivery to Hanoi Old Quarter hotels or exchange at 31 Lo Su Street. Arrive 10 to 15 minutes early.
“I paid. The ticket was waiting for me when I arrived at my hotel. Went to the theatre. Skipped the queue. Went straight upstairs. Was directed to take my seat in the front row. Couldn’t have been easier.”
See Hanoi’s key sights in one guided day, from Tran Quoc Pagoda and Ho Chi Minh’s complex to the Temple of Literature. Lunch is included, and the day ends with a 50-minute water puppet show. Guides such as Tu, Tommy, Lee, and Son are praised for clear explanations and helpful service.
“Tommy was a great guide, and we saw so much in such a short time that we would not have been able to do without him. Having a private car and driver to achieve this was very useful. Highly recommend.”
See traditional Vietnamese water puppetry on a flooded stage at a theater near Hoan Kiem Lake. The 55-minute performance combines village life, legends, myths, and historic scenes. Mobile tickets, central location, and selected show times make it easy to fit into a Hanoi day.
“Definitely a very good cultural experience in Hanoi. Fun for children and adults. Not too long a show with some funny bits. Highly recommend if you are in Hanoi and looking for something different to do in the evenings!”
Spend 8 to 10 hours seeing Hanoi with a private English-speaking guide, cyclo ride, air-conditioned car, lunch, Vietnamese coffee, major landmarks, and a water puppet show. Guides such as Huong, Sam, Thanh, Kien, and My have earned strong praise, but confirm the start time and inclusions before departure.
“Started out a little shaky. The tour guide was late and there was no breakfast included we did eat at the hotel prior so it was no big deal for us. Our guide turned out to be awesome. Knowledgeable and very friendly. We booked out tour for a Read more”
You’ll tour Hanoi’s Old Quarter area with an English-speaking guide, visiting Tran Quoc Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, and the Temple of Literature before a 50-minute Thang Long water puppet show. Guide Anna has earned praise for clear English and flexible family-friendly support. Show-only tickets are also available.
“It is expensive, the ticket price is 100.000 vnd and it is easy to buy tickets at the entrance. Here you pay double. The show itself is really beautiful and amazing, highly recommend doing it when visiting Hanoi.”
You’ll watch a 50-minute Vietnamese water puppet performance at Hanoi’s Lotus Water Puppet Theater. Expect folk music, dragon dances, village scenes, legends, comedy, and a multilingual program. Vietnamese performers present several short acts, with multiple showtimes and pre-reserved entry.
“The show was beautiful and the performer very talented. However, we paid more for better seats and were placed in the second to the last row. So that was very frustrating.”
You’ll watch a 50-minute Thang Long Water Puppet performance in Hanoi, where puppets move across water to local Vietnamese singing and music. Collect your physical ticket at 57B Dinh Tien Hoang at least 30 minutes before the show. Bring no food, drinks, large bags, or flash photography.
Spend 3.5 hours with a private English-speaking guide, riding a cyclo through Hanoi’s French Quarter, visiting Hoan Kiem Lake, walking the Old Quarter, eating beef pho, and watching a 50-minute water puppet show. Guides may include Ashley, Tina, Leon, or Paul.
“Perfect intro to the city of Hanoi. We landed and took this tour after a banh mi. What a highlight. Paul our guide was awesome. He took us to the puppet show, helped us cross streets, set us up in a cyclo which was heaps of fun (please rRead more”
Spend about eight hours seeing Hanoi with a guide, driver, lunch, water, and admission included. Visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex, Hoa Lo Prison, Temple of Literature, Ethnology Museum, and Tran Quoc Pagoda. The optional water puppet show adds a classic Hanoi evening.
“I had a great experience with this tour agency! The service was smooth and professional from start to finish. Our guide was incredibly helpful — not only did he make our tour enjoyable, but he also went the extra mile by helping us book an aRead more”
Spend 6 to 10 hours exploring Hanoi with an English-speaking guide or driver, visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Tran Quoc Pagoda, Ethnology Museum, Temple of Literature, and Hoa Lo Prison. Add a Thang Long water puppet show for an extra fee. Lunch, water, pickup, and private transport are included.
“A wonderful tour to learn about Vietnam’s history and culture. Seeing President Ho Choi Minh’s body was amazing. He looked like he was asleep. Tour guide Chuong Lee had a wealth of knowledge and a lovely guy. The prison, temples, etc were all worth seeing. Glad I went on this tour.”
Spend 3.5 hours with a private English-speaking guide in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. Ride a cyclo for 30 minutes, try local dishes including bun cha and coffee, then watch a water puppet show. Guides such as Hannah, Trang, Dan, and Nick have led this experience.
“We had a really nice time trying different foods and learning about Vietnam from Lilly our guide. Excellent host with great English.”
Pick a bay, a bowl or a bike.
