Visit a Museum

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.

There are plenty of museums in Hanoi where you get to learn more about the Vietnam’s rich culture and turbulent history while escaping daytime downpours during your holiday.
Home to unique artefacts and photographs, detailed (and often harrowing) stories and local artworks, must-visits include the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the Vietnam Women’s Museum. Tickets are priced between VND 10,000 and VND 25,000 per person, depending on which museum you choose to visit.
You can also choose Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi - offers an insight into the 54 different ethnic groups of Vietnam in an effort to preserve cultural heritage and promote socio-cultural diversity within the country. Visitors are welcome to browse some of the vast research on offer at this public museum which is also a centre for ethnographic research.
Explore the Local Art Scene

Hàng Gai Str..

Hanoi has no shortage of art galleries and handicrafts centres, most of which are conveniently located along Trang Tien Street in Old Quarter. A popular art gallery in this city is Thanh Binh Gallery, which houses artwork by some of Vietnam’s most respected modern artists as well as an extensive range of lacquerware painting.
Alternatively, grab an umbrella or raincoat and explore Hang Bac Street, where you can find decades-old shops selling silver jewellery, such as rings, necklaces and bracelets.
Enjoy the local coffee or beer

Fresh beer Junction in Tạ Hiện Str..

Hanoi’s ever-thriving café culture means that you’re never too far away from a strong jolt of caffeine. Introduced by the French, the city is teeming with modern and traditional coffee shops serving a wide range of Vietnamese coffee such as Cà phê bạc xỉu (iced coffee with condensed milk), egg coffee, yoghurt coffee and weasel coffee.
Alternatively, there are plenty of bars and pubs that open as early as 8a.m, where you can enjoy alcoholic beverages at a fraction of what you’d pay back home. Set in the centre of Old Quarter, Bia Hơi (Fresh beer) Junction is widely-regarded as the quintessential nightlife spot in Hanoi. This area is particularly popular with backpackers as they can enjoy the famous bia hoi (Vietnamese draft beer).
Enjoy a performance at Hanoi Opera House

Hanoi Opera House.

The Hanoi Opera House is the largest theatre in Vietnam, and is regarded as an important historical and cultural landmark of Vietnam under French rule. Built in 1911 and modelled after the Paris Opera House, this historical building exudes Parisian charm from its ivory-toned columns, ornate balustrades and Gothic domes.
Visitors can enjoy a wide range of events, including local Vietnamese opera, traditional folk music, ballets and international concerts, with tickets starting at VND 100,000.
Go for a spa

With plenty of five-star hotels with onsite spa centres, as well as standalone outlets found within the city, a spa treatment is just the right remedy after a long day of exploring Hanoi.
Catering to almost any budget and preference, Hanoi spas offer Vietnamese, Thai and Swedish-style body massages and reflexology, in addition to the usual offerings of facials, body wraps and scrubs. Some of the most popular hotel spas in Hanoi include Evian Spa, Sante Spa, and Le Spa du Metropole, Omamori Spa…
Spend the day at a Shopping Mall

Vincom Mega Mall Royal City.

Open daily, shopping malls in Hanoi are great options for when you need to escape the downpours (or afternoon heat), catch the latest Hollywood films and shop for internationally-renowned brands.
While narrow shophouses, outdoor markets and handicrafts outlets are plentiful in downtown Hanoi, contemporary shopping malls are gaining massive popularity among affluent locals and tourists for offering a wide array of dining, shopping and entertainment options under one roof.
A massive underground shopping mall, Vincom Mega Mall Royal City boasts 800 retail outlets, a massive hypermarket, as well as numerous outdoor and indoor recreational facilities in Hanoi’s Thanh Xuan District. Featuring an elegant all-white interior design, the shopping mall houses an indoor ice-skating rink, cinema, and a food-and-beverage street with more than 200 international and local restaurants.
Vincom Mega Mall Royal City is also home to the biggest rainforest-themed indoor water park in Southeast Asia, where visitors of all ages can enjoy six complexes of water slides, wave pools, concave sliding tubes, and water games.