Water Puppet Show in Ha Long Bay

Water puppet show is the unique Vietnamese art that is popular in the north of Vietnam. It takes years to train the puppeteers who handle the wooden puppets. Local people usually train their family members to learn this kind of art. In front of all pagodas or temple, there must be one open theater for the puppet shows. Each water puppet team must include a live musical band. The puppeteer will handle the wooden puppets by following the folk music. The artists are very superstitious. Before any show, they have to say prayers to wish for a smooth show in front of the guests. Water puppetry will use all kinds of means like fire crackers, smoke, balloons. Most stories of the show reflect the agricultural life in the countryside like fishing, farming, harvesting rice, catching frogs.