“Selamat Datang/Welcome. Melaka World Heritage City. Declared by UNESCO on 7th July 2008.” These are the words I saw on a wall as we entered the central part of Melaka. Malacca, a historic state in Malaysia, used to be a Sultanate which was conquered by the Portuguese in 1511. It was later under the Dutch and then British rule. It is no wonder why there are many colonial structures around the city. But you will not miss some Chinese influence as well since the Chinese also traded in Malacca and some have settled here.
Before I share with you our experience exploring Melaka for a very short period of time, here are a few information you need to know if you are also interested to visit this city.
How to get there
Melaka can be reached by air through the Melaka International Airport that serves flights every day to the northern Malaysian state of Penang and to the Indonesian city of Pekanbaru. There are also ferries from Indonesia to Melaka.
But if you are coming from Kuala Lumpur, which we did, you can take a bus from the Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) to Melaka Sentral bus station. It only took us two hours to travel that route. Since we traveled during the holidays, I decided to purchase tickets online at the BusOnlineTicket.com.
We got to TBS by taking Grab and we had our breakfast at the terminal as well. The TBS is very modern and it has several buses here that ply various routes from KL and different destinations in Malaysia. You can buy tickets at the terminal but if you prefer to purchase tickets in advance through the website, there’s a separate line for that one.
Where to stay
There are hotel chains in Melaka, as well as mid-range accommodations, boutique hotels, hostels and backpacker’s inn. We booked at Seri Costa Hotel through Agoda (click the Agoda widget at the right side or at the end of this article), which is near the heritage area. It was an affordable accommodation and a good walking distance to various attractions.
The hotel occupies an entire block and our twin room is pretty decent. The interiors are just quite old, especially the bathroom. But overall, it is a great find and I like the location a lot; it is accessible yet quiet enough for you to be able to get a good night’s sleep. Check-in time, by the way, is 2:00 PM.
What to see and do
1.) Taming Sari Tower
Just a block from our hotel and is visible from there is the 110-meter tall Taming Sari Tower. What’s good about this tower is that it revolves 360 degrees. Nothing to worry though, it is safe and it revolves really slowly, so it doesn’t feel dizzy at all. We were glad that we did this first thing as soon as we dropped our luggage at the hotel because it gave us a good view of the city from the top. It also made us plan our route, where we would go next. At the base of the tower, there are shops, eateries and food trucks that can sate your eyes and tummy.
2.) Dutch Square
The Red Square or Dutch Square is probably the poster image of Melaka. The red painted buildings, such as the Stadthuys or the Dutch administration structure, and the Protestant place of worship that is Christ Church, all have Dutch designs and are eye-catching to any passer-by. A tall red clocktower, which is the Tang Beng Swee Clocktower that was built by a Chinese family honoring the man from where the clock tower was named after, is located in front of the red buildings. There’s an “I love Melaka” signage next to it and at the center is found a slender beautiful fountain, which is the 1904-erected Queen Victoria’s Fountain built in honor of the monarch’s diamond jubilee. All these represent the influence of the Dutch, Chinese, and British. If you’re wondering where the Portuguese are represented here, just across the Dutch Square is the Defense of Malacca that faces the river and was part of the Malacca fort built by the Portuguese.
3.) Museums
As a historic city, Melaka is teeming with museums left and right. The most eye-catching is the 34-high carrack at the Maritime Museum, which is a replica of the Portuguese ship Flor de la Mar. Across it, the Royal Malaysian Navy Museum which has a huge naval ship on display outside its building. We also passed by the Malay and Islamic World Museum, Democratic Government Museum, and several others. We entered the Literature Museum, Admiral Cheng Ho Gallery, and the Stadthuys. You have to spend at least an hour to explore each museum.
4.) A Famosa
The fortress A Famosa was built by the Portuguese to protect Malacca. But what remains of this fortress is the Porta de Santiago gate. Still, the gate is a great backdrop for photos because it’s historic walls seem to tell a wonderful story of the past. We entered the small structure where a musician was being surrounded by visiting young athletes.
5.) Proclamation of Independence Memorial
Across the Porta de Santiago gate is the very eye-catching Proclamation of Independence Memorial with its twin golden domes that stand out. The intricately designed building was built in 1912 as a Dutch colonial mansion. The elegant structure was also the venue of the Malacca Club. On display inside this museum are photos and items that take visitors back to the time of the early Malay Sultanate.
6.) Ruins of St. Paul’s Church
No, we’re not talking about the one in Macau. Right at the top of St. Paul’s Hill stood the ruins of the old church of St. Paul. We climbed from A Famosa, passing by the Dutch cemetery and getting to the side of the church. The church was built in 1521, the oldest church structure in Southeast Asia. Although its walls and its belfry are still standing, the church no longer has a roof. Tombstones are found in the inner part of the wall. The area provides a great view of the harbor and the cool breeze was a welcome respite from the scorching heat of the sun. We stayed there for a bit before we headed down the hill to visit the other museums.
7.) Melaka River Cruise
If you’re in Melaka, this is one thing you should do. It gives you a glimpse of the community life in Melaka. Beautiful murals are lovely to look at, foreigners lounging outside restaurants and hotels by the river banks, and traditional Malay houses are just some of the attractions of the cruise, not to mention the interesting bridges. It deserves a separate post so I can detail you the information you need about the cruise.
8.) Jonker Walk
We reached Jonker Walk late in the afternoon as the sun was setting. We decided to eat dinner in the area. Jonker Walk is Melaka’s Chinatown. It would be interesting to explore its streets as there are plenty of attractions within the area. But the night was upon us, so we contented ourselves by exploring the shops near Melaka River.
9.) Pahlawan Megamall and Pahlawan Walk
The Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall is the biggest shopping mall in Melaka, with known brands housed inside its premises. We had our lunch here and the affordable items we saw in some of the shops led to some instant shopping spree. Across it is the Pahlawan Walk Market that has some local stalls selling souvenir items and other goodies. Nearby are Mahkota Parade shopping center and Hatten Square Suites and Shoppes. We also stopped at the Medan Samudera Craft Centre, which was across the Maritime Museum.
10.) Decorated rickshaw
Colorful, cartoonish rickshaws delight locals and visitors alike. We rode one, a Hello Kitty designed rickshaw, and it toured us to various stops around Melaka. And they do this in style because some have a music played while they bring you around, which was how our driver did. It was quite pricey, according to my Southeast Asian standards, definitely a tourist trap, but we rode anyway because it was already too hot to walk and our feet were truly aching. We did it not much on the experience but more for the convenience and comfort.
Melaka is a great place to explore. I wished we stayed for a few more days. I would not hesitate to go back there if given the chance.
I miss Melaka, will go back one day.
Not a place I’ve ever heard of but there’s loads to see there, isn’t there? I’ve always wanted to go in a rickshaw and your hotel reminds me of Harrods in London from the outside!