Malacca
in Peninsular Malaysia is also spelled Melaka and is one of the most
interesting parts of the country. Malacca has a varied history, having been
colonized by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British, and as such you will find
influences from all of these former colonial powers in the food, architecture,
and even the language.
The city
also has a large Chinese community known as Peranakan or Straits Chinese which
has led to the Nonya culture which is a mix of Malay and Chinese influences
that has even spawned a completely unique cuisine in the form of delicious
Nonya dishes. As well as food, you can expect a huge number of cultural
attractions in Malacca, and considering its size it has a wide variety of engaging
museums which will be a treat for any history buffs wanting to know more about
the area.
Here I am going to show you some of the famous attractions in Melaka:
Jonker Street
Jonker
Street aka Jalan Hang Jebat is probably the most popular street in Melaka. It
is narrow and the traffic is usually slow here. During the weekends, this
street is closed to traffic after 6pm to make way for the night market where
small stalls are set up on either side.
This is
one of the best places to come to shop in Malacca and you will find a huge
range of goods on sale including souvenirs, a selection of antiques, and local
handicrafts. You can also buy other items like electronics and clothing but one
of the best parts of the market is the food. Just some of the street food
snacks that you can expect to find here include pancakes and waffles, rice
balls filled with chicken, and cendol which is a kind of dessert which is made
with jelly and coconut milk.
Cheng Hoon Teng Chinese Temple
Cheng
Hoon Teng Chinese Temple has the claim to fame of being the oldest Chinese
temple of its kind in Malaysia and dates from the 17th century. The temple is
an important place of worship for the Buddhist Chinese community in Malacca and
a visit here is a great way to learn more about their culture and history. Make
sure to check out the inscription that dates from 1685 and which is dedicated
to Kapitan Li Wei King as well as the statue of Guanyin who is the Goddess of
Compassion.
A' Famosa Fort
A’
Famosa Fort is one of the main attractions in Malacca and is said to be one of
the oldest kinds remaining examples of Portuguese architecture in Southeast
Asia. The fort is now crumbling gracefully but you will still find the main
gate of the fort called Porto de Santiago. A’ Famosa Fort dates from the 16th
century when it was erected to guard against an attack on Malacca and now the
parts that still stand are mostly Dutch reconstructions along a coat of arms
and some inscriptions in Dutch.
St. Paul's Church
One of
Malacca’s most famous churches is Saint Paul’s Church which dates from 1521
when it was built by the Portuguese colonialists. It was used as a fortress in
1567 and then became a church after the Dutch siege of Malacca. It used to be called Our Lady of
Annunciation and it also has a Dutch cemetery attached where you can see some
of the tombstones of those who would have made the journey from the Netherlands
to Malacca in the days of old.
To get
to the church you will need to walk up a small hill which is worth the effort
for the pretty views over the city.
Sultanate Palace
Melaka
Sultanate Palace is a wooden replica of Sultan Mansur Shah’s 15th-century
palace. Set at the base of St. Paul’s Hill it was painstakingly constructed in
1985 using traditional construction techniques and materials, based on accounts
in the 16th century, Sejarah Melayu text.
The
three-storey museum is divided into eight chambers where you can see a variety
of weaponry, decorative arts, traditional costumes, brassware, jewellery and
more. Plus there are three galleries depicting famous legends through dioramas,
including the famous clash between legendary Malaccan warriors Hang Tuah and
Hang Jebat.
Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum
The Baba
& Nonya Heritage Museum is the place to come if you want to learn more
about the Peranakan culture in Malacca. Also known as Straits Chinese, the
Peranakans came from China and settled in Malaysia where they mixed their
traditional culture with Malay traditions to create a unique new way of living
in Malaysia.
You can
see this firsthand at the museum which is located in a typical Baba & Nonya
townhouse which is adorned with gorgeous period decorations and gives you a
glimpse of how people would have lived in the days of old in Malacca.
Stadthuys
Stadthuys
is one of the most famous landmarks in Malacca and you will recognize it
immediately thanks to the color of the building.
The
building dates from 1650 which makes it the oldest of its kind that was built
during the Dutch colonial period and is modeled on the Stadhuis or town hall in
Hoorn in the Netherlands. This used to be the local town hall and residence of
the governor but nowadays it houses the History & Ethnography Museum.
These are some of the places that you should visit when you travel to Melaka. There are also many other attractions that is worth to pay a visit. Some attractions required to pay for entry fees, however the fees are relatively cheap. It wouldnt
