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…
Must-see entertainment in Asia
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Battambang
Battambang's signature attraction is the internationally acclaimed circus (cirque nouveau) of this multi-arts centre for Cambodian children. Although it…
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Mandalay
Colourfully costumed dancers perform around 10 dances from a larger repertoire. Some give human form to traditional stories of local folklore, while…
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Mandalay
At this puppet theatre, colourful marionettes expressively re-create snippets of traditional tales on a tiny stage. Occasionally a curtain is lifted so…
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…
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…
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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…
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 & 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…
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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…
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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…
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Tashkent
Tashkent’s main cultural highlight is this progressive theatre, whose productions often touch on gay themes and racial subjects, to consternation of the…
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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…
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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…
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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!…
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Htwe Oo Myanmar Traditional Puppet Theatre
Yangon
Book ahead for this utterly charming cultural experience by Htwe and his family, who stage traditional puppet shows in their front living room. They've…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
