Take a double-decker river bus ride and listen to traditional Vietnamese opera at the beginning of the new year.

Despite the strong winds and the cumbersome costumes, the artists did their best to convey the full beauty of traditional Vietnamese opera to the visitors.

Traditional Vietnamese opera helps preserve national identity.

The ship features traditional Vietnamese opera performances departing at 4 PM, 5 PM, 6 PM, and 7 PM on Saturday evenings throughout January.

The price for an outdoor seat on the second deck is 499,000 VND per person, while the other two seats, the deck and the interior, cost 379,000 VND each.

Hát bội is a national intangible cultural heritage of Binh Dinh province, which is known as the cradle of traditional opera art.

Bringing traditional art closer to people, especially young people and international tourists, is a source of happiness for the artists.

During the 45-minute experience on the double-decker bus on the Saigon River, passengers not only get to listen to traditional Vietnamese opera singers but also have the opportunity to interact directly with them. The blend of tradition and modernity creates a fresh experience for tourists in the early days of the new year. The river breeze, the waves, and the melodies combine to create a unique and impressive performance space.

"We introduced this model to serve tourists in order to preserve national identity, and we found that passengers were very enthusiastic about it. Not only the elderly but also the young people were very excited."

This makes us very happy and motivates us to organize more ethnic cultural activities on board the ship.

"In the near future, we plan to incorporate more forms of ethnic culture such as folk singing, traditional opera, and traditional theater into our tours. Our goal is to spread the spirit and identity of our nation," shared Mr. Nguyen Kim Toan, director of Thuong Nhat Company, the owner of Saigon WaterBus and Saigon WaterGo.

Passengers can purchase tickets for the afternoon of January 25th directly at Bach Dang Wharf station.

Hanh and Nguyen said they were very excited about the experience, as it was also the first time they had heard traditional Vietnamese opera performed live.

Ms. Minh Tram's family (right in the photo), residing in Tan Phu district, enjoyed the journey.

The artists have to put on very elaborate makeup before going on "stage".

The audience listened attentively and enjoyed recording it.

Some tourists captured beautiful moments on both sides of the river.

Meritorious Artist Linh Hien, who has been involved with the art of traditional Vietnamese opera for 46 years, shared: "I hope that tourists will understand and appreciate traditional Vietnamese opera more, thereby contributing to the preservation and development of this unique cultural feature."

David, who returned from the US, took photos with the artists. He said the performances were very unique and he wished the trip were longer so he could watch the artists perform for longer.

Traditional Vietnamese opera helps preserve national identity.

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