Hanoi may be more famous for its traditional water puppet performance, but no visit is complete without viewing its seedier cousin. The secret water puppet show will not be mentioned in any guide book, or indeed any government pamphlet, but hang around in the tourist section north of Hoan Kiem lake for long enough and you will probably be hassled by a tout advertising “sexy puppets” or “naughty puppets”.

With pornography banned by the Communist government, paddy field workers in need of a little titillation turned to their water puppets, adapting them to create this rather hilarious wooden soft porn. In some of the more comical scenes, even the animals are involved.

The entrance is usually in some little hideaway alley off Dinh Liet Street, to which your ticket seller will escort you. It last around an hour and should cost around 50,000 dong.

Warning: this is not suitable for children, no matter what the tout says.

North of Hoan Kiem lake

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