"The old town works on a ticket system that surprises most first-time visitors. One ticket admits you to a set number of the heritage houses, assembly halls and museums inside the protected area, rather than to a single building. Walking the streets themselves is free; you need the ticket to go inside.
Time of day changes the place completely. Mornings are quiet and good for photographs before the tour groups arrive. From late afternoon the streets fill, the lanterns come on and the riverfront turns into a crowd; by mid-evening the main lanes are shoulder to shoulder. If you only have one visit, come in the late afternoon and stay into the evening.
The rainy season brings flooding, usually between October and November, when the river can rise into the streets closest to the water. Shops keep trading and boats appear in the lanes, which some visitors find memorable, but it is worth checking before you plan a trip around those weeks.
The tailors are part of why people stay. A made-to-measure order usually needs two fittings over at least a day, so leave time if you want one, and agree on fabric and price before anything is cut."