3 Best Performing Arts Venues in Around Pham Ngu Lao, Ho Chi Minh City

Other than the Opera House, this is one of the only regular venues in town for classical music performances. The theater's main season is from September through June; it's generally closed in summer except when there are special concerts by visiting orchestras.

Five screens (including one showing 3D movies) with more than 1,000 seats show local and international new-release films. Tickets are cheapest on Tuesday.

Every evening, talented water puppeteers perform this folk art from the Red River Delta in Vietnam's north. The show is narrated in Vietnamese by a troupe of singers, accompanied by traditional musicians. The 50-minute show does not tell just one story, but scenes from daily life and skits based on Vietnamese folk tales. Expect to get a little wet if you sit in the front row—it's okay to shout if you get splashed, it's all part of the fun. In high season, tickets are only available two weeks ahead.

Explore the nearby Tao Dan Park before or after a show.