7) 1 p.m. Market feast

Hoi An is known for several local dishes like white rose dumplings and chicken rice. Most emblematic of its multicultural past is Cao Lau — with the flavors of Japan in the thick rice noodles, China in the soy pork and France in the rice flour croutons. Try it at Hoi An Market. Barnlike, it stretches from the river, where a riot of tables loaded with papaya and dragon fruit lead to the raw meat counters inside, then to stalls loaded with incense and spices, and women napping on benches (it opens at 6 a.m.) The main hall is filled with about 60 brightly lit glass hutches stocked with spring rolls and plates of orange shrimp. Perch at the metal counter at No. 50 and plop fresh greens into a bowl of cao lau spiced with red chili paste. Lunch for two 150,000 dong.

8) 4 p.m. Photogenic heritage

Take a truncated tour of Vietnam’s ethnic communities at the Precious Heritage Museum, opened in 2017 by the French photographer Réhahn. He spent eight years traveling to 53 of the country’s 54 ethnic groups, photographing villagers and collecting costumes, including a tree bark jacket on display upstairs. The free museum in the French Quarter is also a gallery of Réhahn’s portraits, on sale as postcards for 30,000 dong, up to large, metallic paper prints for tens of thousands of dollars. If he’s there, he’ll share the backstory of his most famous shot, “Hidden Smile,” a close-up of a puckish woman in a conical hat covering her forehead and mouth with her hands. The portrait was presented to President Emmanuel Macron of France by Communist officials last year. On most mornings the subject, 80-year-old Bui Thi Xong, is on the river in Hoi An (near Cargo restaurant) offering rides in her row boat.

9) 6:30 p.m. Doyenne of dishes

Even if you didn’t mean to, you may find yourself in one of Trinh Diem Vy’s eight restaurants in and around the old city. Definitely make it to Vy’s Market. Its food-court-meets-street-cart setup has 200-plus traditional dishes, from steamed pig brains to monk fish curry. Try the beef rolled in betel leaves (105,000 dong) and the pumpkin curry served in the gourd (85,000 dong). As tasty as those are, do not miss the squid stuffed with pork (175,000 dong). The meat is minced with mushrooms and spring onions and peppered with spices, and the pan is caramelized by the fried squid skin.

10) 8 p.m. Magical stroll

After dinner, step into the side street and Hoi An’s main night market. Zigzag through the banana pancake carts and shuffling tour groups, to a row of stalls alight with silk lanterns. Make your way across the footbridge (mind the bikers pedaling through the throngs) to a small square with elevated bamboo huts where locals gather for a sort of singing bingo. On certain nights, you’ll find families curbside at metal drums burning fake money and other offerings for ancestors. Every night, you’ll find touts offering river rides. For 120,000 dong for 15 minutes, step into a little wooden boat, join the flotilla and watch an oil painting come to life, the profusion of lanterns on the boats and river bank reflecting on the dark, crinkled water.