Melaka

Malacca (Malay: Melaka) [1] is the capital of the Malacca (state)|state of Malacca, on the West Coast (Malaysia)|west coast of peninsular Malaysia.

Plan your trip

Make the most of your visit to Melaka with this comprehensive travel guide to top attractions.

• Family fun
• Cultural caravan

Brief Introduction

Malacca is honoured one of World Heritage Sites in July 2008.

Must See

The older part of the city proper has, in addition to the old palace and the large buildings left by the Europeans, many private houses and shops from nearly a century or more ago, put up by Chinese traders. Many of these have beautiful details such as moulded porcelain tiles and painted plaster reliefs on the front. Note that on Tuesdays, many museums, shops, restaurant are closed, especially in the Jonker Street area. If you have only one day to spend in Malacca, do not go on Tuesday!

• Red Square - Beautiful square around Christ Church and the Stadhuys. On this square you will find the Tang Beng Swee Clock Tower.
• Christ Church - It is the oldest protestant church in Malaysia. On the altar you will see sacramental silverware, still bearing the Dutch coat of arms. Open: Thursday - Tuesday.
• Stadthuys - completed in 1660. Nowadays, it houses the historical museum. This is one of the oldest Dutch buildings in the east.
• Tang Beng Swee Clock Tower
• Porta de Santiago - You will find this remains of the old Portuguese fort A Famosa on Jalan Kota, around St Paul's Hill. What you can see nowadays is a mostly Dutch reconstruction, bearing the VOC coat of arms.
• St Paul's Church - take a path up the hill and it will lead you to this church. It was originally built in 1521, by the Portuguese. It became a fortress in 1567, until 1596. After the Dutch siege it became St Paul's, before it was known as Nossa Senhora da Annunciada (Our Lady of Annunciation). It has been used as a burial ground for the Dutch. You can still see the tombstones, along the walls of ruins of the church.
• Muzium Budaya - Below the hill you will find this museum (Melaka Cultural Museum). It is a reconstruction of the istana of the sultan. It was built in 1985. It is open daily from 9AM to 6PM except on Tuesdays, and on Fridays from 1215-1445. Entrance fee: RM1.50.
• Baba and Nyonya Peranakan Museum. Tel: +60-6-2831233. Opening hours: 10:00-12:30, 14:30-16:30. Closed on Tuesdays - Step back in time with a visit to this museum which is an actual Peranakan heritage town house and is a great example of Peranakan culture. It is located on Heeren Street (now known as Tun Cheng Lock Street). The entry fee is RM8 per person and everyone has to follow a guide-led group.
• Jonker, Heeren and adjacent streets - This is the residential heart of Old Malacca just west of the Malacca River, with its narrow winding streets, beautifully decorated houses, tiny shops, temples and mosques. The whole area is undergoing a renaissance with new shops, restaurants and hotels catering to tourists mushrooming everywhere. However, the area still has a lot of atmosphere and is worth having a look around. One of the streets in this area is Harmony Street (officially Temple street or Jalan Tokong), so called because it contains the prayer houses of Malaysia's three main faiths - the Cheng Hoon Teng Chinese temple, the Sri Poyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Hindu Temple, and the Kampung Kling Mosque.
• Cheng Hoon Teng Temple. [2] 25, Jalan Tokong. Tel: +60-6-2829343. Opening hours: Morning to 7pm - Oldest Chinese temple in Malaysia and has an inscription dating 1685 commemorating the deeds of by Kapitan China Li Wei King.
• Taming Sari Revolving Tower. Jalan Merdeka, 75000 Melaka. The latest addition to Malaysia's stable of skyscrapers. The 110m-tower seats 66 people at a time, taking them on a 7-minute ride offering breathtaking 360-degree views of the historic city and the coastline. Admission Fees for MyKad Holders: RM10 for adults, RM5 for children below 12 years old, and RM7 for senior citizens above 55 years old. Admission Fees for Visitors without MyKad: RM20 for adults, RM10 for children below 12 years old, and RM17 for senior citizens above 55 years old. Operating hours: 10am to 10pm daily
• Portuguese Settlement - Here is where the descendants of the Portuguese who conquered Malacca in 1511 live today. The settlement, located just southeast of the city centre, consists of tidy rows of mostly wooden houses leading up to the Portuguese Square (Malay Medan Portugis) and Hotel Lisbon (sorry, unlike its Macau namesake, there is no casino here) on the waterfront. The people here may look Malay but peer into their houses and you'll see the characteristic altar with status of Jesus and Mary perched high on their walls. Quite a few still speak Cristao (or Cristang), a Portuguese patois. There are also many restaurants for you to sample Portuguese fare. The most interesting times to visit is during Intrudu - usually in February - when the you'll get a Songkran-like drenching with buckets of water thrown at you; Festa San Pedro to commemorate the Feast of Saint Peter in June, where there are processions, cultural shows and general merry-making; and Christmas when the whole settlement is decked in decorative lights. Getting there/away: Malacca Town Bus (green) No. 17 (destination "Ujong Pasir and Bandar Hilir") from Melaka Sentral will bring you right into the Settlement.
• St John's Hill and Fort. Malacca's other fortress located on top of St John's Hill in Bandar Hilir, south of the city. Pretty views of the surroundings from the top.
• Hang Li Po's Well - Legends have it that Hang Li Po was a Chinese princess from the Ming dynasty who was sent to Malacca to wed Sultan Mansor Shah in the 15th century when the Malacca Sultanate was at its zenith. She had 100 followers who were all settled on Bukit China, which means Chinese Hill, and this well, at the foot of the hill, was where they got their water.
• Poh San Teng Temple - This temple is located at the foot of Bukit China and next to Hang Li Po's Well, was founded in 1795 by Kapitan China Chua Su Cheong as a graveyard temple. The main deity is Fu-te Zhen Shen. the temple was built to allow the descendants of those buried on Bukit China to conduct prayers to their ancestors away from the heavy rain and strong winds.
• Bukit China - Bukit China is the one of the largest Chinese cemetery outside of mainland China. Graves can be found here that go back to the late Ming dynasty (mid 17th century). The earliest grave found so far dates to 1622, but unfortunately many graves were exhumed during the British occupation of Malaysia. Bukit China is a famous jogging spot for the locals and jogging tracks are available all over the hill. When you climb on top of the hill, you will have a nice view of the town.
• Melaka Raya is the nightlife area of Melaka. Countless Pubs, Discos, Cafes and Restaurants are located in this area. If you want to enjoy some Clubbing experience in Melaka, this is the place to go.

Out of town

• Geok Hu Keng Temple - Located at the junction of Klebang and Jalan Pokok Mangga, This temple has a history of 130 years. Managed by local communities, the temple was incorporated under the management of Cheng Hoon Teng in 2000.
• Kampung Morten - a village of traditional houses, it is located on the west bank of the Malacca River.
• Recreational Forest Ayer Keroh - The 359 ha (887 acre) Ayer Keroh Recreational Forest was opened on April 17, 1984 and offers visitors peace and tranquility within its cool green surroundings.
• Melaka Zoo - Located in Ayer Keroh, along the main road from the Ayer Keroh toll plaza to Melaka town. One of the best, if not the best, zoo in Malaysia. Even better than the National Zoo. The zoo is located in a reserved forest where the animal enclosures more resemble the animals' natural habitat. The trees within the zoo compound provide ample shades for visitors during hot and sunny days.

Must Do

• Kite flying - Go to Klebang Beach and buy a cheap kite (fighter-style, but nowhere near that well-constructed) with Japanese cartoon characters on it for RM 1.50, or a styrofoam airplane for RM 5 if you don't have the necessary kite-flying mad skills.
• Jonker Walk - Jonker Walk is an open air night market held every weekend (and recently extended to eve of public holidays) evening to late night. Have a leisure stroll along the street, observing the locals' life, catching a free performance and shop for some local souvenirs can be a wonderful and unforgettable experience.
• Night Market / Pasar Malam - Night Market or more known as Pasar Malam is a market that is held from evening to around 9pm at night everyday(though at different locations, eg. Tuesday in Kampung Lapan and Friday in Malim). This is a good way to observe the life of locals. Pasar Malam sells basically almost anything, from food to clothing, small electronics to medicine.

Must Buy

• Jonkers Walk (6PM -12AM every weekend).
• The Orangutan House (59 Lorong Hang Jebat, +606 282 6872, [3]) has cool T-shirts as well as paintings for sale.

• JUSCO store in Ayer Keroh Very popular during the weekend where even the Singaporeans come to shop.

• Tan Kim Hock Product Center (85, 87, 89 Jalan Bendahara [4]) sells famous food specialties from Melaka, like Dodol, Cincalok, Belacan, dried fruits, durian cake, etc. Might be a good idea as souvenirs for friends back home. Mr Tan Kim Hock, the founder of the company, occasionally still walks around with his famous white suit giving out free stuffs.
  File:Tan Kim Hock durian cake.jpg

  Tan Kim Hock durian cake

• Dataran Pahlawan Mega Mall, is the latest landmarks in Melaka. It is also the largest mall in Southern Malaysia. Located in the heart of the historic centre and opposite Mahkota Parade.

• No.4 Jalan Tokong, just off the jonkers walk this is a lovely art gallery of contemporary art work by Titi Kwok, the work is beautiful and the prices even better.
• <buy name="Raz Kashmir Crafts" alt="" address="No. 12 Jalan Tukang Emas" directions="Near Jonker Street" phone="014-3283131" url="" hours="12" price="" lat="" long="">Owned by Khalid Chapri. They specialize in Kashmiri, Indian, and Nepali crafts. Beautiful handmade textiles. Not cheap, but totally worth a visit if you're looking for original gifts (not tourist junk).</buy>
• <buy name="Mahkota Parade Shopping Centre" alt="" address="" directions="located in Bandar Hilir opposite Padang Pahlawan" phone="06.2826151" url="http://www.hektargroup.com.my" hours="10am-10pm" price="" lat="" long="">as over 200 shops and anchor tenants are Parkson Grand Departmental Store and Giant Supermarket. Shops include The Body Shop, World of Cartoons, Royal Selangor, FOS, Reject Shop, Nokia, MPH Bookstores, Sony Centre, SenQ Digital Station, Starbucks, McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut. The biggest food court in Melaka is also located here. Has several bureau de change including Maybank and CIMB Bank which are open 7 days a week.</buy>

Must Eat

Besides the usual Malaysian fare, you'll be able to sample some rather peculiar Malaccan food. On top of the list is of course Peranakan or Baba-Nyonya food, which until recently was totally uncommercialised and confined to the kitchens of old grandmothers. Now, there are a string of restaurants claiming to serve Peranakan food, most unfortunately seem to be on the tour bus circuit. The dishes are slightly different from that of the Penang Peranakan. Usual ones include ayam pongteh (chicken in bean sauce, originally cooked with pork) and ayam buah keluak (chicken cooked with a bitter fruit) and a whole array of desserts. Another famous Malacca dish is what is commonly called "chicken rice ball". Although it is called Hainanese chicken rice, it is not from Hainan, China, but invented by the Hainanese immigrants to Malaysia a long time ago. The chicken for this dish is very much the same as the boiled chicken offered throughout Malaysia; what is unique is the rice - it comes in ping-pong sized balls. Yet another Malaccan speciality is satay celup. It is like lok-lok found in other parts of the country but instead of dipping your skewered foodstuff (fishballs, crabsticks, meat, prawns and etc) into boiling water, you dip them into a boiling vat of satay sauce. The sight of boiling satay sauce may not appeal to you but the crowds at the satay celup outlets seem to suggest that many have overcome their phobias.

Of course, Malacca is where you'll find Portuguese-Eurasian food. The greatest concentration of outlets will be at the Portuguese Settlement. Seafood is popular, as is the fiery "devil curries".

The recent tourism boom has seen many new food and beverage outlets open in Malacca, and especially in the heritage area of Jonker and Heeren Street. However, competition is great and some outlets fail to survive. Places you discover on your first visit may not be around anymore on your second.

• Drink

When in Malacca, don't miss the cendol ("chen-dul"), a sweet dessert of coconut milk, lurid green noodles and gula Melaka (Malacca sugar), made from palm sap.

• Clocktower cendol,Jalan Laksamana. Located by the Malacca River opposite the Red Square clock tower. Another Malacca legend, the cendol served by this Indian-Muslim hawker is superb. You can have it plain or with red bean and is a wonderful thirst-quencher when doing the historical sights circuit. There is also Indian rojak. It used to operate out of a mangosteen-shaped stall (hence he's also known as "Mangosteen cendol") but now has a more conventional-looking stall.

• Limau Limau Cafe, 49 Jonker Street. Wide selections of fresh juices, milkshakes and lassi, with no water or sugar added. They sell Lavazza Coffee too.

• Libra Restaurant and Cocktail House, Jonker St, [5]. Wide selection of beers and cocktails.

Accommodation

Malacca city offers a range of accommodation options to suit all budgets. Most backpackers/budget accommodation are found in two areas, namely in the old heritage heart where you will find atmospheric hotels and guesthouses in old typical Malacca terraces, and in Taman Melaka Raya, the new business centre built on reclaimed land only several minutes walking distnce to the east of the old heart of town. Hotels are found throughout the city.