Top 14 Dinner Cruises with a Show in Ho Chi Minh City

1.Water Puppet Show and Dinner Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 111 reviews · from $68Our pick

Start with a 45-minute Vietnamese water puppet show about village life, then board a traditional-style boat for dinner, music, and Saigon River views. Hotel pickup covers central District 1, while others meet at 112 Trần Hưng Đạo by 17:30. Guides such as Vincent, Tony, and Phong Nguyen have helped make the evening run smoothly.

“The guide I think was only starting out, his English wasn't too great so there was a little language barrier/struggle but he did really try. The water puppet show was fantastic to watch! The dinner cruise was a bit of a let down. The food was mediocre/poor, it was buffet style so some of it must have been out the whole day. The ship was pretty pack. The entertainment segment was interesting. Personally I would skip the meal and just choose the show, as the meal was really not worth it.”

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2.Ho Chi Minh City by Night including Water Puppet Show and Dinner on cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 59 reviews · from $82Top rated

Start with hotel pickup at 5:45 pm and a Vietnamese water puppet show at Golden Dragon Theater. Your English-speaking guide helps explain the folklore, then you board a two-hour Saigon River dinner cruise. Private transport, admission, dinner, and two bottles of water are included. The show is in Vietnamese, and cruise food quality can vary.

“Very pleasant tour, and friendly, tourist-oriented guide. Ms Julia, our tour guide, made sure we had a good evening, explaining the theme of the puppet show and choosing a nice table for us during the dinner cruise. She really put an extrRead more”

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3.Saigon Evening: Water Puppet Show & Dinner Cruise Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 38 reviews · from $72

You’ll begin at the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater, where hidden puppeteers bring rural tales to life with wooden figures, water, music, and North Vietnamese singing. Then guide Tom and driver Jerry take you from your District 1 hotel to a dinner cruise on the Saigon River, with Vietnamese or Western food and nighttime city views.

“Fantastic show piece for Ho Chi Minh. The pick up was brilliant in an air conditioning vehicle comms were brilliant. Tom & driver Jerry were professional. The puppet show was a gem. The river cruise and meal was fantastic, it was a real top trip for our final night in Vietnam”

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4.Water Puppet Show And Dinner Cruise On Saigon River Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · from $47

Start with Vietnam’s traditional water puppetry at Golden Dragon Theater, then ride to the Saigon River for a two-hour dinner cruise with Vietnamese food, music, and skyline views. Your private guide, including guides such as Levi, Kieran, Castle, or Oliver, handles transport from District 1, 3, or 4 hotels. Show and dinner fees are paid separately.

“We booked this tour because we weren’t confident enough to book a dinner cruise and get to the boat dock by ourselves. This was the only tour I could find that had a dinner buffet instead of a course dinner (we are picky eaters lol) Read more”

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5.Water Puppet Show-Cyclo & Dinner On Cruise in Ho Chi Minh City

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 24 reviews · from $65

This small-group evening combines a Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater performance, a traditional xich lo ride, and dinner aboard a Saigon River cruise. Hotel pickup is offered at 5:30 PM, with an English-speaking guide, show ticket, transfers, and dinner included. Guides named Nhu and Linda have led this outing, though yours may differ.

“Nhu was an amazing tourist guide. Highly recommended. Food at the cruise was super. Enjoyed the whole tour.”

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6.Water Puppet Show/ Foot Massage – Dinner Cruise Saigon Night Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 23 reviews · from $80

Spend about five to six hours combining a Golden Dragon water puppet show or Yuri spa foot and hand massage with a Vietnamese dinner cruise from Bến Bạch Đằng. Your private group can arrange hotel pickup and drop-off. The cruise includes sightseeing and live Vietnamese traditional entertainment, while alcoholic drinks cost extra.

“When I booked the trip I just wanted the water puppets and dinner. I could not figure out what the difference between the 2 experience offered so I took the shorter/cheaper one. When I got the confirmation it showed all 3 experiences. WhRead more”

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7.Unique Saigon Dinner River Cruise with Live Music

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 12 reviews · from $37Best value

At 6 pm, you are collected from Districts 1, 3, or 4 and driven to a riverboat for a three to four hour evening cruise. Expect Vietnamese buffet food or a set menu, live music, an English-speaking guide, and views of Ho Chi Minh City after dark. Drinks cost extra, and the group can reach 30 people.

“We went on our first dinner cruise, we were collected at our motel and driven to the venue, we were given a great table near the buffet, after dinner we went up to the roof to enjoy the cruise, Note:please allow for traffic when getting collected they may be a little late.”

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8.Water Puppet Show & Dinner on Cruise in Ho Chi Minh city

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 11 reviews · from $80

Begin with a 45-minute water puppet performance at Golden Dragon Theater, complete with live musicians and folk singers. Then board the Tàu Bến Nghé junk for a 90-minute dinner cruise past Ho Chi Minh City’s night lights. Guide Luc has been praised for his calm, helpful approach. Hotel pickup covers Districts 1, 3, and 4.

“The water puppet show is a must when in Saigon! So traditional and charming! Luc was an awesome tour guide who made us feel safe and was very knowledgeable and kind. The dinner cruise was nice...so much traditional food!”

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9.Saigon Dinner Cruise with Live Music Ho Chi Minh– Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 9 reviews · from $50

Enjoy hotel pickup, a Vietnamese set dinner, iced tea, live traditional music or dance, and night views of Ho Chi Minh City from the Saigon River. An English-speaking guide handles transport to Bach Dang pier and returns you to your hotel. Expect a group setting and roughly 90 minutes on the water.

“Very noisy. The food was average. It was difficult to choose a cruise and I think we probably made the wrong choice!”

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10.Saigon River Dinner on Cruise with Buffet and live music

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 7 reviews · from $52

Spend 3.5 hours on the Saigon River with an English-speaking guide, a Vietnamese and international buffet, live music, and flamenco dancing. The small group is limited to 10 people, and A/C transportation, bottled water, and entrance are included. Tai has earned praise for guiding the evening.

“A fantastic experience on the river. The staff were exceptional, the food delicious and the dancers were wonderful. Thank you for a lovely time. I would recommend this trip to everyone.”

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11.Water Puppet Show & Dinner on Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 7 reviews · from $64

Begin with a traditional water puppet performance at the Golden Dragon Theater, then ride to the Saigon River for a five-course Vietnamese dinner aboard a night cruise. Pickup and return in District 1 are included. Expect about three and a half hours, with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free meals available if requested when booking.

“The whole experience was terrible from start to finish. The driver turned up half an hour earlier than the time we had been given therefore when we arrived at the time we had been told, it made us late for the water puppet show so misseRead more”

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12.Water Puppet Show Plus Sightseeing By Cyclo and Saigon Dinner Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 6 reviews · from $85

Spend about four hours on three classic Ho Chi Minh City experiences: a live water puppet show with orchestra, a pedal-powered cyclo ride, and a one-hour dragon boat dinner cruise. Pickup is offered from District 1 hotels, the group is limited to 20, and the menu includes Vietnamese and Western dishes.

“Nice traditional show. The seats are a bit hard and not very comfortable but for 45 minutes it passes.”

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13.Water Puppet Show And Dinner Cruise On Saigon River Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 6 reviews · from $80

Spend three hours with an English-speaking guide, beginning with a traditional water puppet show and ending with dinner on the Saigon River. Hotel pickup, a private group, city views, and edited videos are included. Kieran and Levi may be available as guides, though the cruise boat and menu can vary.

“The guide was good. The puppet show was cool. It wasn’t the same boat as the pictures and the food was awful”

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14.Saigon River Dinner Cruise with Live Music

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · from $45

Spend about four hours on a Saigon River dinner cruise, with pickup from Districts 1, 3, and 4, an English-speaking guide, Vietnamese dinner, iced tea or a soft drink, city lights, and live music. Guide Thi has been praised for timely hotel pickup and smooth boarding. A different cruise may be offered if the first boat is sold out.

“Our guide Thi was amazing! He was at our hotel on time, our ride showed up and we made it to the dock and boarded the boarded the boat immediately. The food and entertainment were excellent and the views were amazing!”

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