Malacca

Introduction

Melaka

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A fascinating blend of Portuguese, Dutch and British influences have made Malacca one of the most popular tourist destinations in Malaysia. Although it's possible to visit as a daytrip from Kuala Lumpur, you are better off spending a night or two here.

Neighbourhoods

• China Town - The China Town district in Malacca is believed to be one of the oldest in Malaysia. Centrally located the area is renowned for its abundant food stalls. While you are here, explore the local area and take some time to sample some of the amazing foods and drinks that are on offer here.

Sights and Activities

Sights

• Stadthuys (Old Dutch: Townhall)- Completed in 1660, one of the oldest Dutch buildings in the east.
• Christ Church - Dating back to the mid 18th century, this is the oldest protestant church in Malaysia.
• Red Square - A central meeting point in Malacca, next to the Stadthuys.
• A Famosa - This tiny gate is what is left of a once mighty Portuguese fortress. Nonetheless, it one of the oldest surviving European architectural remains in Asia.
• St Paul's Church - Wander up the hill to take a look at the ruins of this church overlooking the river, originally built in 1521 by the Portuguese.
• Muzium Budaya - The Melaka Cultural Museum.
• Jonker Street - This amazing street is home to an assortment of distinctive shops each selling their own unique products from clothes to hand-crafted statues.
• Harmony Street - the street with temples of four religions besides each other
• Portuguese Square - Located in the Portuguese district of the city, it is affectionately referred to as 'Mini Lisbon'. Often cultural events are performed in the square.

Activities

• Trishaw tour - To get a quick glimpse of the old city, it is worthwhile taking the tour on the 'King of the Melakan roads'. A half-hour tour for 20 RM which starts from the town hall takes you to the A Famosa, past Merdeka square, the ship Museum and back.
• Melaka river cruise - A 45-minute cruise costs 4RM and starts from the old ship museum and gives a glimpse of both the touristy parts of the city as well as the poorer regions.

Melakan river cruise

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• Jonker Walk street weekend market - To be a tourist in Melaka, one needs to experience the very touristy weekend night market and finish off with a meal at one of the lovely cafes around that area.

Weather

Malacca, like most of Malaysia, experiences a tropical climate with hot and humid weather conditions throughout the year. Average daytime temperature ranges from 30 °C to 35 °C. and nights are faily mostly between 22 and 25 °C.
Although the southwest monsoon from May to September brings a little more rain, there really is not a typical dry versus wet season, just a somewhat wetter period. Heavy showers are possible yearround.

Getting There

By Bus

There is a major bus station located on the outskirts of town. This large bus station has buses to every town in southern and central Malaysia. If wanting to get further north it is possible to catch an early morning bus to Kuala Lumpur then take an afternoon bus further afield. It is even possible to catch a night bus to Thailand by connecting in Kuala Lumpur. Check the Expressbus website for details about companies, routes and schedules and prices.

By Boat

There are boat connections between Malacca and Dumai, Indonesia.

Eat

Newton food court is a nice place to try out various dishes. It is located close to the old ship museum.

The cafes on the by-lane connecting Jonker Walk street to Jalan Tan Tun Cheng Lock and the cafes on Jalan Tan Tun Cheng Lock such as Baba House cafe, Cafe 1511, Coconut House cafe are nice places to eat at.

Sleep

Keep Connected

Phone

See also: International Telephone Calls

Post

Pos Malaysia is the national postal service of Malaysia. Rates for sending a standard letter locally is 30 sen (20 gram) to 40 sen (up to 50 gram). International airmail has minimum rates ranging from RM1.00 to RM2.00, depending on destination. It costs 20 sen to send a postcard or aerogramme locally, or 50 sen to send a postcard or aerogramme to anywhere in the world.

Expedited Mail Service (EMS), branded locally as Poslaju, is available for both domestic and international destinations. Domestic EMS has a next day delivery guarantee. International EMS guarantees mails and parcels to be delivered out of the country by the following day. The time required to arrive at its destination will depend on clearance by authorities and the postal service of the destination country. For most countries, delivery of documents can be done in 3 to 5 days.

Generally, post offices are open from 8:30am to 5:00pm Monday to Saturday, except the first Saturday of the month. They are closed on Sundays and Public Holidays.