If you visit Hanoi between May and October, it’s not really the best time to visit Vietnam. However, you can still make the most out of Hanoi with Hanoi rainy day activities like indoor shopping, spa, museum visiting, and many more. And for some people, the rains in Hanoi has something very special, almost romantic. Check out the best things to do in Hanoi on rainy days in our list below!
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1. Make a tour to the famous and insightful museums
- Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
This museum is the most worthy museum to visit in Hanoi and Vietnam. Expect to see people, especially kids playing some folk games like bamboo dancing or stilt walking, which are typical of Vietnamese culture, here.
The outside ground boasts all the major traditional houses of Vietnamese minority groups. Going inside the 2-story museum, you will be able to learn about the cultural characteristics of each Vietnamese ethnic group. Visiting Vietnam Museum Of Ethnology is one of the best things to do in Hanoi.
- Vietnamese Women’s Museum
Vietnam Women’s Museum is an interesting place to go on a rainy day. You will have chance to see how drastically different many of the minority cultures in Vietnam are yet the role, the significance of women remain the same.
To have both patriarchal and matriarchal societies so close to one another was fascinating. Their marriage and birthing customs are completely different to the way in which you’ve grown up, with many women still not getting ultrasounds of their babies to this day.
If you’re a female traveler, it’s an unforgettable memory of seeing and understanding the stories of other women even if they’re from different places.
- Vietnam History of Military Museum
The Vietnam Military History in Hanoi is a complete look back to the history of fighting against foreign invaders of Vietnamese people. A place you can’t miss to visit in Hanoi and have even more reason to do so on a rainy day.
To get the most out of it, it’s recommended to either have a local guide or to get an audio tour. The exterior of the museum is where all the tourist photos happen.
US helicopters, crashed planes, tanks and more will help you envision the scale of war. The inside of the museum have artifacts, maps, pictures and documents of most of the major historical events in Vietnam.
- Vietnam Fine Arts Museum
Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts is the meeting place for all art lovers who love to admire masterpieces.
Come to this museum, you’ll see the beautiful art works of Vietnamese artists from different history periods. These 20th century works reflect the wishes, dreams and patriotism of Vietnamese people though the ups and downs of history. While the later works show the artists’ exploration in abstraction and abstract impressionism.
2. Watch a performance in Thang Long Water Puppetry Theatre
If you have nothing to do in rainy days in Hanoi, watching a water puppetry performance would be an excellent choice to know more about Vietnamese folklore arts and shelter from the rains.
- Venue: Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre
- Address: 57B Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- Performance hours: 15:00, 16:10, 17:20, 18:30, 20:00
- Ticket Prices: 200,000VND – 150,000VND – 100,000VND
- Tips for booking: tickets for later shows can be booked out, so make sure to book in advance here.
3. Enjoy a performance at Hanoi Opera House
Hanoi Opera House is a famous historical and cultural landmark of the 1000-year capital. If you still wonder what is there to do in Hanoi in bad weather, we recommend you to book a ticket for a performance at Hanoi Opera House.
Built in 1911, in the resemblance of the famous Opera House in Paris, Hanoi Opera House is the quintessence of French architecture in the capital of Vietnam you can’t miss.
- Location: 01 Trang Tien Street, Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem
4. Discover Hanoi Art scene
Hanoi has plenty local art centers/galleries/handicraft centres on the streets of the Old Quarter and you can spend hours to enjoy. Here are the top 10 contemporary art galleries in Hanoi:
- Manzi
- DOCLAB
- Institut Français de Hanoï
- Mai Gallery
- Nguyen Art Gallery
- Dao Anh Khanh Studio
- Green Palm Gallery
- Vincom Center for Contemporary Art
- Work Room Four
- Tadioto
5. Enjoy local sideway café and beers
If you’re caught in a quick rain while being near the Old Quarter, just run into a sidewalk cafés and you won’t be disappointed. Vietnamese coffee has been known world-wide for its strong taste and many flavorful and interesting variations.
Ca Phe Sua Da (Brown Coffee – iced black coffee with condensed milk)
Egg Coffee
Iced Coconut Coffee
Where you can enjoy coffee in Hanoi on rainy days
- The Note Coffee – 64 Luong Van Can
- Hanoi Social Club – 6 Hoi Vu Alley, Hang Bong
- Cafe Giang – 39 Nguyen Huu Huan, Hang Bac
- Café Dinh – 13 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hang Trong
- Café Lam – 60 Nguyen Huu Huan, Hang Bac
6. Go to the shopping malls
Vietnam is known as one of the most affordable countries in Asia to visit. Shopping in Vietnam can be cheaper and undoubtedly a favorite thing to do in Hanoi for many travelers, especially on rainy days.
Wet markets and street shops at Hanoi Old Quarter might be a bit uncomfortable to be shopping in rainy days but the shopping malls are just perfect places to go.
Top shopping malls in Hanoi to spend your time:
- Lotte Center – 54 Lieu Giai, Cong Vi, Ba Dinh, Hanoi
- Trang Tien Plaza – 24 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem
- Hang Da Galleria Shopping Mall – Hang Da Street
- Vincom Mega Mall Royal City – 72A Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan
- Big C Thang Long – 222 Tran Duy Hung
7. Enjoy your time at Hanoi’s best Spa and Massage Centers
A rainy day can be a perfect day to rest after exhausting days of exploring. There are plenty of spa and massage centers in Hanoi for you to relax and recover at night. Here some of the top names:
- Orient Spa Hanoi – 72 Hang Trong
- SpasHanoi – 18 Hang Manh
- Omanori Spa – 102/5 Huynh Thuc Khang AND 52A Hang Bun
- Le Spa du Metropole – 15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
- Yakushi Center – No 6 Lane 28 Xuan Dieu
- Huong Sen – 78 Yen Phu, Hanoi
8. Have a blast at Thien Duong Bao Son Park
Thien Duong Bao Son is the biggest park in north Vietnam, promising a lot of pleasant entertainments you can spend time to enjoy. There are some thrilling games, aquarium, Vietnamese traditional games, traditional folklore performances, animal circus, and even more.
Location: Km5+200, Le Trong Tan, An Khanh, Hoai Duc, Hanoi
Above are the top 8 Things to do in Hanoi on rainy days you can check out. See for yourself that rainy days in Hanoi are not so bad as you think.
Recommended Hanoi Tours:
Hanoi – Halong – Ninh Binh Tour – 4 Days
- Price: $339/pax
- Suitable for: family vacation, classic tour, honeymoon vacation
- Price: $70/pax
- Suitable for: all traverlers
Hanoi Cooking & Street Food Tour – 1 Day
- Price: $130/pax
- Suitable for: food lovers, family day trip
FURTHER READING
When is the best time to visit Hanoi
How to spend most enjoyable 4 days in Hanoi | Hanoi Travel Guide
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