Jonkor Walk by Tanyanan Songprasit

Hospitality - Melaka City

Melaka is an urban agglomeration of almost a million people, and along with the capital of Malaysia is one of the fastest growing metropolitan regions in the country in terms of population as well as economy. Dubbed “The Historical State” by locals, Melaka is the third smallest Malaysian state and has the unique distinction of having a capital city that shares a name with the state itself. Melaka is about 147 kilometers south from Kuala Lumpur and 245 kilometers from Singapore; the state also covers an area of 658 square kilometers and is divided into three districts, namely Alor Gajah, Melaka Tengah, and Jasin. Melaka is well-connected to the rest of Peninsular Malaysia and is easily accessible by both land and air.

Although it used to be one of the oldest Malay sultanates, the current head of Melaka is the Yang di-Pertua Negeri or Governor who acts as the head of state. The tourism and manufacturing sectors are the two most important sectors in the state economy to the point that Melaka has adopted as its slogan, "Visiting Melaka Means Visiting Malaysia" ("Melawat Melaka Bererti Melawati Malaysia").

Melaka is steeped in history and bears several places of historical interest, such as the A Famosa Fort – a relic of the Portuguese occupation in Melaka in 1511 – and the Dutch-constructed St. Paul and St. Peter’s Churches, the former being the oldest Catholic Church in the entire country. For those who enjoy the night life, Melaka’s Jonker Street is well-known for its carnival-like atmosphere during weekend nights and thorough spread of antiques during the day.

Due to its strong local and global significance, on the 7th of July 2008, the state of Melaka was inducted as a member of the World Heritage List at a UNESCO ceremony in Quebec, Canada. A fitting appraisal for such a well-endowed state!

Melaka also has several modern shopping complexes; examples do include Mahkota Parade Shopping Centre at Plaza Mahkota (City Centre), Dataran Pahlawan (situated on the historical field of Padang Pahlawan, where the first Prime Minister of Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al Haj announced the independence day of the Federation Of Malaya), and Plaza Melaka Raya.

Culinary enthusiasts beware – Melaka is also well-known for its food! Some notable local delicacies are traditional Malay dishes like ikan asam pedas, sambal belacan and cencaluk. Interesting dishes of the Peranakan include Itik Tim (a soup containing duck and salted vegetables), Ayam Pong Teh (chicken casserole with salted brown-bean sauce which is usually served with potatoes) as well as the famous Nyonya Laksa. The Chicken Rice Ball is another dish popular with domestic Chinese tourists from all over the country. To this sumptuous list a delectable spread of Baba-Nyonya, Portuguese, Dutch, Indian, and British cuisine can be added. Be warned – most dishes are spicy in nature!

The locals are mostly comprised of Malays, Chinese, Indians and Dutch Eurasians. Interestingly, Melaka also possesses an ethnic Portuguese population whom are the descendants of Portuguese colonists from the 16th and 17th centuries. Even to this day, many of the ancient traditions passed down since the Portuguese occupation is still practiced.

Tourist Attractions

Source for this section : Melaka Malaysia Travel

Jonker Street

If you happen to be in Melaka, Jonker Street is a must see! The narrow street, which is located in the Melaka Chinatown, is also known as Jonker Walk and Jalan Hang Jebat. It has several of the oldest houses in the country, dating to the era of the 17th century, therefore it is also unofficially called the Antique Street.  The thin street is famous amongst the locals for selling artifacts of different periods; you will certainly find stuff from various times of colonial rule, i.e. the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the British, being sold here.

Muzium Istana - The Royal Museum

Muzium Istana, or the Royal Museum, is also known as Istana Batu, and it is located in Kota Bharu town in the state of Kelantan.  Kelantan, meaning “Land of Lighting”, is a state with green fields, abundant villages of traditional fishing peoples, and beaches lined with casuarinas.  Located in the northeast corner of peninsula, Kelantan holds numerous exciting opportunities for tourists, including river cruises, river rafting, bird watching, and jungle trekking.

Melaka River by Tanyanan Songprasit

Photo Credit : Tanyanan Songprasit

Melaka River - The Venice of the East

The Melaka River or Sungai Malacca can be seen as the beginning of Malacca history, when it was called ‘Venice of the East’ by the Europeans who traveled to it. Its historical importance also lies in the fact that, during the 15th century, the Prince Parameswara of Sumatra created his Sultanate at the entrance to this river. It was on the east bank, at the bottom of Malaccan Hill (now known as St. Paul’s Hill), where he placed his palace. On its route to the sea, the Melaka River travels pass the town of Malacca; many old villages, along with present day buildings, line its banks. It is of no surprise that for these reasons the river passage was an important route for major trade and commerce.

St. Paul’s Hill (A Famosa)

As you may know, the Portuguese came to Malacca in 1511 and ruled the place till 1641. When they arrived at the shores of Melaka, the first thing they did was build a fort overlooking the river. They named it A Famosa. The A Famosa is one of the oldest European Architecture present in Southeast Asia.

http://midnight-enchanter.blogspot.com/2008/07/ipoh-kl-malacca-food-trail-part-5.html

Photo Credit : Gabriel Sai

Beaches and Islands

Melaka has everything that Malaysia can afford! From mammoth state-of-the-art shopping malls to culturally rich museums and historical buildings to the ingredient Malaysia is known for: Melaka Beaches and Melaka Islands. Here are some the can’t-afford-to-miss islands and beaches in Melaka, Malaysia: