Introduction To Melaka

The small state of Melaka is where the history of modern Malaysia finds its roots some 600 years ago. This was where it all began. Thus Melaka (or Malacca as it was known to the Westerners back then) is Malaysia’s Historical State. The state of Melaka itself is fairly small, squeezing into an area not more than 1650 square km but it is the oldest state in terms of history.

What gave Melaka its prominence and importance in the early days was its port. It was a major stopover for ships plying the lucrative Spice Trail from China in the East to Portugal in the West. But up until the 14^th century, the port town of Melaka was not much more than a sleepy little fishing village. But at this time it was discovered by a Hindu prince called Parameswara who started off Melaka’s new designation as a place to trade exotic spices. In fact, by the time of Parameswara’s death in 1414, Melaka had established itself as one of the busiest trading ports in the region.

Parameswara converted into the Muslim faith and set himself up as the first sultan in Melaka. Thereafter, a succession of sultans followed who gradually expanded the Melaka empire to almost the entire Malay peninsula. The Melaka empire lasted about 100 years. Its last sultan was Sultan Mahmud Shah. In 1511, the Portugese conquered and colonised Melaka, because it wanted to control this important part of the Spice Trail. Thus the Portugese became the colonial masters of almost the entire Malay peninsula. Portugese rule remained until 1641 when the Dutch came and took Melaka by force. Then in the next century, the Dutch ceded Melaka together with the rest of Malaya to the British who colonised until Malaya achieved its independence on 31st August 1957. On 16th September 1963, the British granted independence to neighbouring Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore. These states immediately joined Malaya to form a Federation of States. Thus, a new nation was born called Malaysia.

Today, Melaka remains an interesting destination for tourists all over the world, steeped in history, culture and tradition. It also offers some lovely beaches and fun-filled activities aside from the obvious historical sites that are its main attraction.

Things To See & Do In Melaka

The capital of Melaka state is Melaka town. It is a pretty small town which makes exploration by foot inherently possible. Walking through its narrow pre-war roads, looking at its age old houses (some of which were built by the Dutch), it seems like history comes alive in Melaka. I grew up in one of these Dutch houses. My family stayed there for many generations. From end to end it’s easily 50m (about 150 feet) in length. There are many bedrooms, two staircases, a well, three living rooms, a dining room and a kitchen. My family had about 30 people staying there when my father was growing up in those pre-war years.

In the town center, you can see particularly interesting architecture and sights such as St Paul’s Church and the ancient town square.It’s in the town square that you’ll find the Stadthuys, distinctive Dutch-style buildings made with red bricks that are known to be one of the oldest European design structures in Malaysia.

The Stadhuys - 17th century styled Dutch buildings with distinctive red brick designs

The most famous historical structure in Melaka is the A Formosa, which are the ruins of the fort the Portugese built to defend the town.

The Most Famous Attraction in Malacca - the 15th century Portugese fort, A Formosa (you can see part of it behind my kids)

Nearby, you can also find other museums including the Democratic Government Museum, The History & Ethnography Museum and the Literature Museum. Away from the square, there are even more attractions for museum lovers, including the Maritime & Naval Museum. This is a unique museum in that it is in the shape of a life-sized mock Portugese battle ship housing fascinating pictures, paintings and models showing various parts of Melaka’s history. It’s a must see! Then there’s also the Cheng Ho Cultural Museum, named after Admiral Cheng Ho, who led the first Chinese contingent to sail to Melaka. These were my ancestors who became known as the Baba and Nyonya, the earliest Chinese settlers in Malaya (see my page entitled ‘About Me and My Country, Malaysia‘).

Also near the square are the ruins of St Paul’s Church which offers some fine vistas over Melaka. Another church worth a visit is St Peter’s Church which is almost 300 years old (and still used) and Christ Church, built by the Dutch, which is Malaysia’s oldest Protestant church.

The imposing Sultanate Palace is also a good place to visit in the town. The building is over 500 years old, as is the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, the second oldest Chinese temple in Malaysia.

Outside of Melaka town, there are one or two attractions worthy of a visit – most interesting of these is Tanjung Bidara (’Tanjung’ means Bay in the Malay language) which has a very nice beach and the best in Melaka (there are a couple of nice resorts here too).

Another little town is Ajor Gajah which houses the Museum Of Culture & Tradition – it’s also well worth a stroll through this charming little place.

Otherwise, there’s Pulau Besar, an independent island that’s a short boat trip away from Melaka. In Ayer Keroh you will find the Melaka Zoo and Hutan Rekreasi (a park).

Hotels, Guesthouses & Other Accommodation In Melaka, Malaysia

Melaka has most of its available hotels and accommodation within the main town, although one or two places can also be found at Tanjung Bidara which is the main beach resort in the state.

Below are some of the most popular hotel choices for your stay in Melaka:

Renaissance Melaka

Equatorial

Bayview Melaka

The Majestic

Holiday in Melaka

Everly Resort

Accordian

Seri Costa

The Legacy

Hotel Orkid Melaka

Straits Meridian

Puri

Naza

Typically, there are a mix of two to five star offerings with the Renaissance offering top class five-star lodgings.

Restaurants, Café’s & Places To Eat & Drink In Melaka

If you are in the mood for some of the excellent local cuisine available in Melaka, you have many options. Some seafood based specialities are served up by Restoran Nasi Ayam and Restoran Famosa. Also offering local dishes are the 88 Café and Hoo Kee Chicken Shop.

Your options for Chinese dishes are also pretty good – Chicken Rice Ball Restaurant is favoured by locals for decent, cheap fare while most of the traditional places listed above also offer Chinese cuisine. One Chinese dish that is famous and unique to Melaka is Chicken Rice Ball. As the name suggests, it’s Chicken Rice in the shape of a little ball. Simply delicious!

The best place to get Indian food is Sri Lakshmi Restaurant, but a couple other choices are available including the Vazhai Elai.