Malacca Travel Overview:
Located on the southwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia some 150km from Kuala Lumpur, commanding a superbly privileged position on the Straits of Malacca, Malacca, or Melaka as it's usually known, is a laid-back city belying its glorious past as an internationally acclaimed trading port, whose pride and joy is almost exclusively its enchanting history and culture.
From ancient ruins and epitaphs where traces of the genesis and evolution of a powerful Malay Sultanate are engraved, such as the A'Famosa Fort, Hang Li Poh's Well, and St. John's Fort, to prayer houses where deities of Islamic, Christian, Hindu and Buddhist beliefs are enshrined, like the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, Christ Church Sri Pogyatha Vinoyagar Moorthi Temple, and the Kampung Kling Mosque, to monuments and museums where details of aesthetic, historical and traditional aspects of Malacca are introduced, history and heritage aren't buried here in Malacca, but rather outrageously flaunted at every nook and corner.
Modernism and commercialism have their moments though in this sleepy city. Pockets of latter-day additions are happily few, most notably some stupendous mega malls, splendiferous five-star hotels, and sprawling leisure and entertainment parks, ready to complete your enjoyable tour in a fairly tourists friendly destination.
Nearby Cities: Genting, Kuala Lumpur, KL, Melaka
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What To Do in Malacca
Historical site:
Stadthuys (1641- 1660, one of the oldest Dutch buildings in the east);
Porta de Santiago or A Famosa fort (1511, remains of the old Portuguese fort);
St. John's Fort (...
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Historical site:
Stadthuys (1641- 1660, one of the oldest Dutch buildings in the east);
Porta de Santiago or A Famosa fort (1511, remains of the old Portuguese fort);
St. John's Fort (late 18th century, Dutch bastion);
Melaka Sultanate Palace (replica of a palace based on description from the sixteenth-century Malay Annals);
Hang Li Poh's Well (commemorate a Chinese princess from the Ming dynasty in the 15th century);
Hang Tuah's Mausoleum (dedicated to 5 legendary Chinese warriors )
Temples, churches and mosques:
Christ Church (1741-1753, oldest protestant church in Malaysia);
St. Francis Xavier's Church (1849);
St. Paul's Church (1521);
St. Peter's Church (1710, oldest Catholic church in Malaysia);
Cheng Hoon Teng Temple (1645, oldest Chinese temple in Malaysia);
Poh San Teng Temple (1795); Kampung Keling Mosque (17th century);
Sri Poyyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple (one of the first Hindu temple built in the country)
Museums and art galleries:
Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum;
The Maritime Museum and the Royal Malaysian Navy Museum;
The Youth Museums and Art Gallery;
The Cultural Museum (Muzium Budaya);
Villa Sentosa (Malay Living Museum).
Beaches and islands:
Pulau Besar (10km south of Melaka);
Tanjung Kling (15km from Malacca);
Pantai Kundur (17km from Melaka);
Tanjung Bidara (20km north of Malacca).
Parks, gardens and zoos:
A' Famosa Water World;
The Bird Park Melaka;
Butterfly Farm;
Crocodile Farm;
Zoo Melaka;
Mini Asean theme park;
Mini Malaysia theme park.
Shopping:
Jalan Hang Jebat (Jonkers Street), famous for antique shops and night markets;
Mahkota Parade Shopping Mall, in Bandar Hilir opposite the Padang Pahlawan (Warrior's Field);
Dataran Pahlawan Mega Mall, largest mall in Southern Malaysia, opposite Mahkota Parade.
Other Activities:
Light & Sound Spectacular at Padang Pahlawan;
River Boat Cruises;
Bullock Cart Ride;
Trishaw Ride.
What To Wear in Malacca
Given Malacca's typical tropical climate, lightweight casual clothing is reasonable all year round. Formal dresses are recommended during special and formal occasions, such as mosques and temples, ...
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Given Malacca's typical tropical climate, lightweight casual clothing is reasonable all year round. Formal dresses are recommended during special and formal occasions, such as mosques and temples, governmental buildings, top-notch restaurants, etc. In rural area, especially communities with prominent Muslin tradition, women' garments exposing the arms, shoulders, legs or even head are not advisable. While out there on the beaches, modest beachwear is OK and topless sunbathing is never accepted.
Don't forget to pack a pair of comfortable walking shoes, lots of high SPF sun cream, and perhaps a folding umbrella for the occasional tropical showers and thunderstorms which frequent Malacca during Southwester Monsoon season of March, April and May, and the Northeaster Monsoon season of November December and January.
What To Eat in Malacca
Noodle:
Wantan Noodle ( noodle dish goes with vinegarish chilli sauce);
Taiwanese noodles (with variations in toppings, such as stewed beef, pork ribs, pig's trotters or minced chicken);...
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Noodle:
Wantan Noodle ( noodle dish goes with vinegarish chilli sauce);
Taiwanese noodles (with variations in toppings, such as stewed beef, pork ribs, pig's trotters or minced chicken);
Hee Kiaw (noodles with an assortment of fish derived toppings);
Mee Kahwin (fusion of noodles and rojak, usually goes with a dash of vinegar and kicap manis).
Rice:
Hainanese chicken rice ball (chicken-flavored rice balls served with boiled chicken pieces, cucumber and spring onion, and chilli sauce);
BBQ pork rice (charcoal roasted meat served with white rice and side dishes).
Satay:
Satay Celup (skewered seafood, meet and vegetables eaten with a satay sauce similar to halal Malay-style satay but of different ingredients);
Hainanese Pork Satay (skewered pork, chicken, liver and intestine with side accompaniment of ketupat rice, sliced onions and cucumber);
Malay Satay.
Nyonya:
Nyonya laksa (laksa in spiced coconut soup);
Ayam Pongteh (chicken cooked with miso, dark soy sauce and sugar);
Ayam buah keluak (chicken cooked with a bitter fruit);
Chicken Kapitan (chicken curry with ingredients like tamarind juice, candlenut, fresh turmeric root and shrimp paste, served with steamed white rice, or Roti Jala);
Enche Kabin (bite-sized pieces of marinated chicken deep fried with a egg and flour coating);
Kuih (steamed bite-sized dessert made from a wide assortment of local rice, potatoes and or beans).
Where To Stay in Malacca
1. Renaissance Melaka Hotel
Tel: 60-6-2848888; Jalan Bendahara, 5 stars. Acclaimed to be the most reliable place for a quality business stay, a taxi is needed get to most of historical lan...
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1. Renaissance Melaka Hotel
Tel: 60-6-2848888; Jalan Bendahara, 5 stars. Acclaimed to be the most reliable place for a quality business stay, a taxi is needed get to most of historical landmarks from this more business-minded part of the city.
2. Hotel Puri
Tel: +60-6-2825588; 118 Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, 3 star. A Peranakan manor house converted boutique hotel in Chinatown, with a spa adding grace to the low-key atmosphere of the place.
3. The City Bayview Hotel
Tel: +60-6-2839888; Jalan Bendahara, 4 star. Less expensive alternative to the posh neighbor of Renaissance. A somewhat tacky top-ender but fine lodging option popular with domestic tour groups.
4. Hotel Equatorial Melaka
Tel: +60-6-2828333; Jalan Parameswara, 5 star. Adjacent to the A'Famosa Fort. The latest five star addition to the best hotels in Malacca boasting the seamless blend of old world elegance and new age luxuries and the versatility of the best banqueting and catering facilities in Malacca.
5. Century Mahkota Hotel
Tel: +06-6-2812828; Jalan Merdeka, 4 star. Stands on the waterfront next to Mahkota Parade Shopping Mall. A busy international business resort hotel with apartment-style lodging and competitive prices popular with Singaporean family groups.
6. Hotel Grand Continental
20 Jalan Tun Sri Lanang, 3 star. An excellent value mid-range hotel offering affordable comfort and high-quality service at an reliable international chain, though not as close to the action and attraction.
7. Legacy Melaka Hotel
Tel: +60-6-2816868; 146 Jalan Hang Tuah, 5 star. Stands in the direction of Ayer Keroh. Another five-star marquee defining legacy and luxury,
8. Hotel Seri Costa
Tel: +60-6-2816666; Jalan PM 8, Plazza Mahkota, 3 star. An Art Deco new comer to Plaza Mahkota, surrounded by a great many restaurants, pubs and nightspots, as well as budget hotels. Most often booked solid by business and seminar crowd.
9. Shah's Beach Resort
Tel:606-315 3121; 9KM Tanjung Kling, 3 star. Set in a quiet village some 9kms from the historical city center. An economy family resort with traditional wooden chalets, elegant gardens, homely ambience.
10. Heeren House
Tel: +60-6-2814241; 1 Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock. Nice guesthouse with creakingly elegant staircase linking the hushed genteel cafe and craftshop downstairs to old boarding-house style rooms overlooking the Malacca River.
How To Go Malacca
1. By road- the best way.
Melaka Sentral bus terminal:
Transnasional(the largest long-distance express bus operator in Malaysia);
Malacca-Kuala Lumpur Express (RM9.40);
Malac...
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1. By road- the best way.
Melaka Sentral bus terminal:
Transnasional(the largest long-distance express bus operator in Malaysia);
Malacca-Kuala Lumpur Express (RM9.40);
Malacca-Singapore Express (RM14.60 to/from Johor Baru, RM17 to/from Singapore);
Jebat Ekspres (to Kuala Lumpur via Masjid Tanah and Alor Gajah);
Mayang Sari Express (RM14.60 to/from Johor Baru).
Jalan Kee Ann:
Chartered taxi services to/from destinations within Melaka state and KLIA International Airport, Kuala Lumpur and even Singapore.
2. By train- the slowest way.
Tampin railway station: Located 38 km from Malacca.
Contact +606-4411034 or Singapore Station at 602-6222 5165/62213390 for schedules and fares.
3. By air
Batu Berendam Airport:10km from Malacca city.
Berjaya Airlines to/from all states in Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore;
Merpati Nusantara Airlines and Riau Airlines to/from Indonesia;
Malaysia Airlines have an office at Century Mahkota Hotel but no flight to Malacca.
4. By sea
Harbour Master's jetty (Jeti Shahbandar): at Taman Melaka Raya
Tunas Rupat Follow Me Express (RM80/150 to/from Dumai in Sumatra Indonesia; RM120/210 to/from Pekanbaru in Sumatra Indonesia);
NNH Ferry Services (to/from Pekanbaru).
What to be noted in Malacca
Be aware of your surrounding custom. Malacca is a small but multi-cultural and multi-racial community, where ethnic groups have their respectively distinctive customs and ways of life, some of whic...
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Be aware of your surrounding custom. Malacca is a small but multi-cultural and multi-racial community, where ethnic groups have their respectively distinctive customs and ways of life, some of which are flexible and casual like that of Chinatown, and some being formidable and formal, such as the Muslims who don't consume any alcohol or pork at all.
Note that many museums, shops, restaurant are closed on Tuesdays, especially in the Jonker Street area.
While planning your day trip to Malacca, arrange your visit on days other than Tuesday.
Malacca is a very established typical tourist destination.
Use your common sense and take precautions against the tourist traps, pickpockets and other petty undesirables
