Must-see entertainment in Asia

  • SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA - JULY 01:  Cambodian circus artists perform in front of a crowd of foreign tourists on July 1, 2015 during a performance of "Eclipse" at Phare - The Cambodian Circus in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Phare Ponleu Salpak is an organization providing free education and artistic training to Cambodian children. Students in the organization's circus program often go on to careers performing both internationally and domestically at venues like Phare - The Cambodian Circus in Siem Reap.  (Photo by Taylor Weidman/Getty Images)

    Phare the Cambodian Circus

    Siem Reap

    Cambodia's answer to Cirque du Soleil, Phare the Cambodian Circus is so much more than a conventional circus, with an emphasis on performance art and a…

  • Phare Ponleu Selpak

    Battambang

    Battambang's signature attraction is the internationally acclaimed circus (cirque nouveau) of this multi-arts centre for Cambodian children. Although it…

  • Mintha Theater

    Mandalay

    Colourfully costumed dancers perform around 10 dances from a larger repertoire. Some give human form to traditional stories of local folklore, while…

  • Myanmar Marionette Theater

    Mandalay

    At this puppet theatre, colourful marionettes expressively re-create snippets of traditional tales on a tiny stage. Occasionally a curtain is lifted so…

  • Tokyo, JAPAN - January 18, 2014: Kabuki-za (Kabukiza Theater) in Ginza is the principal theater in Tokyo for the traditional kabuki drama form. ; Shutterstock ID 1441778489; full: 65050; gl: Online Editorial; netsuite: Best things to do in Tokyo; your: Bailey Freeman
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    Kabukiza

    Ginza & Tsukiji

    The flamboyant facade of this venerable theatre is fitting for the extravagant dramatic flourishes that are integral to the traditional performing art of…

  • Finish line at Seoul Racecourse.

    Seoul Racecourse

    Gangnam & Southern Seoul

    Enjoy a day at the races at Seoul's impressive and hugely popular horse-racing track. A 40,000-capacity grandstand faces the sandy track and its backdrop…

  • Royal Opera House

    Mumbai (Bombay)

    India's only surviving opera house reopened to suitably dramatic fanfare with a 2016 performance by Mumbai-born British soprano Patricia Rozario, after a…

  • Indonesia, Bali, Kecak dancers in ceremonial dress and make up

    Kecak Dance

    Bukit Peninsula

    Although the performance obviously caters for tourists, the gorgeous setting at Pura Luhur Ulu Watu in a small amphitheatre in a leafy part of the grounds…

  • Alisher Navoi Opera and Ballet Theatre.

    Alisher Navoi Opera & Ballet Theatre

    Tashkent

    Tashkent's main opera and ballet theatre is worth a visit as much for its impressive interior as its fine opera and ballet performances. Verdi and Puccini…

  • Ramayana Ballet

    Central Java

    Held at the outdoor theatre just west of the main Prambanan temple complex, the famous Ramayana Ballet is Java’s most spectacular dance-drama troupe. The…

  • Old Chiang Mai Cultural Centre

    Chiang Mai

    For an interactive immersion in all things Lanna, this first-of-its-kind Khantoke dinner-theatre experience remains unparalleled in Thailand. Guests…

  • Ilkhom Theatre

    Tashkent

    Tashkent’s main cultural highlight is this progressive theatre, whose productions often touch on gay themes and racial subjects, to consternation of the…

  • Rajadamnern Stadium

    Bangkok

    Rajadamnern Stadium is Bangkok’s oldest and most venerable venue for moo·ay tai (Thai boxing; also spelt muay Thai). Be sure to buy tickets from the…

  • Traditional Dance Show

    Phnom Penh

    For this must-see performance, put on daily by Cambodian Living Arts, artists come from CLA's incubator program and work on specific shows for up to two…

  • Sriwedari Theatre

    Solo

    The theatre in this vacant plot (formerly an amusement park now undergoing redevelopment) is the unlikely venue of one of the best shows in Java!…

  • Peel Fresco

    Hong Kong

    Charming Peel Fresco has live jazz every day of the week, with local and overseas acts on an intimate stage close enough for listeners to chink glasses…

  • Singapore Dance Theatre

    Little India & Kampong Glam

    This is the headquarters of Singapore's premier dance company, which keeps fans swooning with its repertoire of classic ballets and contemporary works,…

  • Shǔfēng Yǎyùn

    Chengdu

    This famous century-old theatre and teahouse puts on excellent 1½-hour shows that include music, puppetry and Sichuan opera's famed fire breathing and…

  • Shinjuku Pit Inn

    Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo

    This is Tokyo's best jazz spot: intimate, unpretentious and with an always solid line-up of influential, avant-garde, crossover and up-and-coming…

  • Nanta Theatre Jung-gu

    Myeong-dong & Jung-gu

    Running since 1997, with no end in sight, is Korea's most successful nonverbal performance. Set in a kitchen, this high-octane, 90-minute show mixes magic…

  • Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre

    Kuala Lumpur

    Part of the Sentul West regeneration project, this modernist performing-arts complex puts on a wide range of progressive theatrical events including…

  • House of Dancing Water

    Macau

    The House of Dancing Water, Macau’s most expensively made show, is a breathtaking melange of stunts, acrobatics and theatre designed by Franco Dragone,…

  • Yùyīntáng

    Shanghai

    Small enough to feel intimate, but big enough for a sometimes pulsating atmosphere, Yùyīntáng has long been one of the top places in the city to see live…

  • Jatra Biroti

    Dhaka

    Dhaka's coolest music and arts lounge, Jagra Biroti hosts regular live music and spoken word events. Brightly painted walls, soft lights and billowing…

  • Paradiso

    Ubud

    Sharing a building with the vegan Earth Cafe & Market, this surprisingly plush 150-seat cinema screens two films daily. The price of admission is…

  • Guandong Guild Hall Peking Opera

    Tianjin

    Popular Peking opera performances are held every Saturday and Sunday afternoon at this fabulous 100-year-old wooden tea house-theatre inside the Guangdong…

  • Canteen

    George Town

    This shabby-chic bar in China House has an indie vibe and is one of George Town's most reliable live-music venues for jazz and rock. Gigs usually kick off…

  • Namba Bears

    Osaka

    For going on three decades this has been the place to hear underground music live in Osaka. It's a small, bare-concrete, smokey space – well suited to the…

  • Pura Taman Saraswati

    Ubud

    The beauty of the setting may distract you from the dancers, although at night you can’t see the lily pads and lotus flowers that are such an attraction…

  • Meta House

    Phnom Penh

    This German-run cultural centre screens art-house films, documentaries and shorts from Cambodia and around the world at its rooftop cinema. Films are…

  • Mudaeruk

    Seoul

    The 'Lost Continent of Mu' has been hiding out in Sangsu-dong all these years? Join those in the know for live bands, piano, improv jazz or electronic…

  • North Gate Jazz Co-Op

    Chiang Mai

    This compact jazz club tends to pack in as many musicians as it does patrons, with local and visiting instrumentalists offering nightly sets and…

  • Shisha Cafe

    Pune

    It's a magical atmosphere anytime, but live jazz Thursday nights at alfresco Shisha are a Pune institution. Snuggle up on Iranian-style lounges downstairs…

  • No Black Tie

    Kuala Lumpur

    Blink and you’d miss this small live-music venue, bar and bistro, hidden as it is behind a grove of bamboo. NBT, as it's known to its faithful patrons, is…

  • Mojo Park

    Thimphu

    Thimphu's premier live-music venue and bar, strong on blues, rock and reggae, and friendly to boot. Beers on tap include Amber Ale and Dragon Stout from…

  • Pura Dalem Ubud

    Ubud

    This open-air venue in a temple compound has a flame-lit, carved-stone backdrop and is an evocative place to see a dance performance. Different companies…

  • Ayni Opera & Ballet Theatre

    Dushanbe

    Built in 1942, this fine Opera House was completely refitted in 2009 and the gardens re-landscaped in 2013. It attracts quality international and local…

  • Brick Bar

    Banglamphu

    This basement pub, a favourite destination in Bangkok for live music, hosts a nightly revolving cast of bands for an almost exclusively Thai crowd – many…

  • Merdekarya

    Malaysia

    Tap into the local music scene at this grungy, arty venue, which hosts concerts and open-mic nights (and shakes up a decent cocktail). Happy hour is…

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