MALACCA, a World Heritage Site and declared a developed state last week, is also tops with tourists. Despite having a tough time choosing its best attractions, here they are:
1. Find Pokok Melaka
Not many people know where to find this tree. It’s fun to do it. After all Malacca — or Melaka — is named after this tree. Legend has it that a Sumatran prince, Parameswara, found his destiny at a fishing village. While hunting, he rested under a tree from where he saw a mousedeer outwit a dog. That incident so touched him that he decided to call the land Melaka. The tree can be found in Jalan Kota and along the banks of Malacca River, near Jalan Laksamana and at Dataran Sejarah in Ayer Keroh.
>> NEXT: Getting around
2. Take a trishaw ride
Nothing is more fun than taking a trishaw ride in Malacca. Trishaws are not only gaily decorated with bright plastic flowers but they also come with blasting music and air horn! Main pick-up points are Dutch Square, Samudera Shopping Complex and Menara Taming Sari. The trishaw men or fondly called abang beca double up as tourist guides.
3. Hop on, hop off
A quick way to discover the city is to take Panorama Melaka, the hop-on, hop-off tour bus service. Some of the buses have open tops so you get a better view. The journey starts from Hang Tuah Mall and it has 23 designated stops including major tourist spots like Jonker Walk and Dutch Square.
>> NEXT: Malacca cuisine you shouldn't miss and where to find it
4. Flavours of Malacca
Just follow your nose and you’ll find roadside stalls, pushcarts, cafes and restaurants whipping up delicious food. The choices are mind-boggling, from Peranakan and Portuguese food to Malay, Chinese, Indian and fusion fare. Tops on my list are assam pedas melaka (try Restoran Mak Mah in Bandar Hilir and Warung Abg Piee Asam Pedas Power, Gerai Penjaja, Jalan Perigi Hang Li Po), grilled fish (Ros & Abu Ikan Bakar in Pengkalan Pernu, Umbai or Haji Musa Medan Ikan Bakar Segar in Alai) and Cendol Durian (Cendol Jam Besar, Jalan Laksamana or Florence ABC and Nyonya Cendol Medan Selera Datang Selalu, Jalan Bendahara).
[Photo: Durian Chendol (top) and Assam Pedas (bottom) - essential foods to sample during your Malacca trip.]
>> NEXT: Go shopping for a Kebaya and beaded shoes
5. Kebaya nyonya and beaded shoes
Besides scouring for antiques, you’ll have a field day shopping for kebaya nyonya with intricate embroidery and beautifully crafted shoes with manik (beads). One of the best places to look for these crafts is Jalan Hang Lekir. You can also find excellent batik sarongs to complete the traditional ensemble.
[Photo: Shop for beaded slippers and shoes at Jalan Hang Lekir.]
NEXT: Where to get a panoramic view of the city
6. Walk in the main tourist area
You haven’t been to Malacca if you’ve not visited Dutch Square with its iconic, striking red Stadthuys (built by the Dutch in 1650 and today houses the Museum of History and Ethnography), Queen Victoria Fountain (commemorating the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria of Great Britain), Christ Church (built by the Dutch in 1753), Clock Tower (built in 1886 in honour of public benefactor Tan Beng Swee), Porta de Santiago (part of Portuguese fort built by Alfonso d’ Albuquerque), St Paul’s Hill with the ruins of St. Paul’s Church from where you get a panoramic view of the city and the Straits of Malacca. Then, there’s the replica of Sultan Mansur Shah Palace, built without a single nail and Padang Pahlawan where the country’s independence was first proclaimed.
[Photo: The unmistakable red facade of Christ Church (top) and the Porta de Santiago.]
NEXT: Explore temples, mosques and churches
7. Old temples, mosques and churches
Within the core heritage sites are some of the country’s oldest places of worship, such as Cheng Hoon Teng Temple in Temple Street and Sam Poh Kong Temple in Bukit China dedicated to China’s greatest sea explorer, Admiral Cheng Ho, who made five voyages to Malacca. Near the temple is Hang Li Po’s Well, named after the Chinese princess who married Sultan Mansur Shah in 1459. In Tengkera stands the Tengkera Mosque with a pagoda instead of minaret, reflecting the influence of Chinese architecture. In Kampung Hulu is the country’s oldest mosque built during Dutch colonial rule. Other must-sees are two churches — St. Francis Xavier’s Church with twin gothic towers and St. Peter’s Church with a mix of occidental and oriental designs.
[Photo: Cheng Hoon Teng Temple (top) and a statue of Christ encased in glass at St. Peter's Church.]
NEXT: Vibrant streets
8. Jonker Walk and Chinatown
Walking across the Tan Kim Seng Bridge over the Malacca River, you will reach Jalan Hang Jebat (Jonker Walk) and Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock (Hereen Street), all near a maze of narrow streets such as Jalan Tukang Besi (Blacksmith Road) and roads named after Malay warriors Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekiu and Hang Lekir — all friends of the legendary warrior Hang Tuah. You are entering a time warp where you’ll meet goldsmiths, antique sellers, artists, joss stick makers, and more. In a spot called the Old Quarter lies Chinatown, a bustling place especially on weekends when the Jonker Walk open-air night market comes alive. Stalls here sell a gamut of things, from crafts to foodstuff, leaving you heady with the colours and smells of good old Malacca.
[Photo: Shop for antiques at Jonker Walk, or if you are looking to buy something for those at home, we suggest the abundant selection of pineapple tarts found there as well.]
NEXT: Diverse architectural styles
9. See cultural enclaves and traditional houses
With its rich cultural legacies, Malacca is a delightful place to see how the various peoples live and their houses. Splendid traditional houses can still be seen like Malay wooden houses on stilts in Kampung Morten (can also be seen if you take the Malacca River Cruise), Straits-born Chinese homes especially the Malaqa House and Chee Ancestral Mansion at Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, and many homes bearing Victorian, Georgian and Moorish influences. Then there are Little India flanking Jalan Bendahara and Jalan Temenggong, and the settlements for the Chittys and Portuguese.
[Photo: Chee Ancestral Mansion at Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock (top) and get a sense of Malacca's diverse cultural influences by strolling her streets.]
NEXT: Last stop - the zoo
10. The zoo and recreation areas in Ayer Keroh
It can take more than a day to explore this place with its forest recreation area, crocodile farm and mini Malaysia. But the best has to be the Malacca Zoo, set in a forest, near a lake. One of the country’s finest, the zoo is an “open” home for the many animals that thrive in their near natural habitat. Join the Night Safari to see nocturnal creatures.
From looking for the tree that Melaka was named after, to strolling around Jonker Walk, here are the top 10 things to do.
MALACCA, a World Heritage Site and declared a developed state last week, is also tops with tourists. Despite having a tough time choosing its best attractions, here they are:
1. Find Pokok Melaka
Not many people know where to find this tree. It’s fun to do it. After all Malacca — or Melaka — is named after this tree. Legend has it that a Sumatran prince, Parameswara, found his destiny at a fishing village. While hunting, he rested under a tree from where he saw a mousedeer outwit a dog. That incident so touched him that he decided to call the land Melaka. The tree can be found in Jalan Kota and along the banks of Malacca River, near Jalan Laksamana and at Dataran Sejarah in Ayer Keroh.
>> NEXT: Getting around
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