Horror! Your next long weekend is about a month away (read: Hari Raya holidays and Merdeka) but you really, really need to get away for a quick break as soon as you can before the stress consumes you. With the limitation of only two days (Saturday and Sunday), where can you go that’s within reach and your budget?
How about this small, friendly city that’s only three hours away from Kuala Lumpur?
Famously known as Malaysia’s historic capital, Malacca was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008. In fact, it is home to a mix of old and new, noteworthy historical establishments and well-preserved shops, blending in with the more modern shopping complexes and new age architectural building designs. And may we add, that Malacca is also home to a plethora of awesome local cuisine!
Like this (the “Chung Wah Chicken Rice Ball”, RM13 onwards):
Or this (the “Jonker 88 Cendol”, RM2):
There are no questions why Malacca is still one of Malaysia’s most sought-after city destinations. The fact that it has Malay, Chinese, Indian, and European heritage has also made Malacca unique and practically thriving in a league of its own. Almost everything and with every turn you make in Malacca would catch your eye instantly as you soak in the colourful sights of the city.
Here’s what you shouldn’t miss when you’re “traveling back in time” whilst taking a stroll down (watch out for the trishaws though!) the streets of Malacca:
1. Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum.
For a small price of RM8 per adult, experience the “Peranakan” life firsthand as you walk into a hall filled with Victorian and Dutch-style Chinese hardwood furniture. The entire townhouse is arranged to look exactly like the typical 19th-century Baba-Nyonya residence. It is open from 10:00am to 12:30pm, and 2:00pm to 4:30pm from Mondays to Saturdays.
2. Melaka River Cruise.
Take a journey down the Malaccan waterway which was once used as a trade and commerce centre for the Malay Sultanate. The 40-minute riverboat ride (priced at RM10 per adult) is accompanied with sights of Malacca’s bountiful past where you will see “kampung”s and old river warehouses. It is open from 9:30am to 11:30 am daily.
3. A Famosa.
Gawk in awe over one of the oldest surviving European architectural remains in Asia. The fortress once consisted of long ramparts and four major towers. One was a four-story keep, while the others held an ammunition storage room, the residence of the captain, and an officers’ quarters. But the “Porta de Santiago”, a small gate house, is the only remaining part of the fortress still standing today.
4. Jonker Street.
When the sun finally sets, only one place in Malacca is lively with sights, sounds, and vibrancy. Jonker Walk Night Market is host to a collection of stalls that has everything you need, or don’t need. We’re talking tasty treats (popiah, fried egg ice cream, fried radish cake, potato on a stick, etc.), trinkets, drinks, and a head-bobbing blend of live music bursting out of pubs and bars along the boulevard. Jonker Street comes to life from 6pm to 12 midnight on weekends.
You know what? With so many things to do and so much to explore, we’re thinking, maybe just one weekend wouldn’t be enough to cover all of Malacca. But hey, who says you can’t go back again? And again? And again?
For more information on accommodations in Malacca go here.
