8 Essential Things to Do in Malacca, Malaysia

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If I were forced to recommend only one destination in Malaysia to visit, I’d find it hard not to choose the coastal city of Malacca. Even compared to the likes of Kuala Lumpur and Penang, to me, Malacca is just quintessential Malaysia. This former colonial city has a little bit of everything: fascinating history, multicultural diversity, great food and plenty of sights.

Visiting Malacca is a great chance to understand what makes Malaysia such an interesting country. The city is such a balance of different things, that you’ll surely find a side to the city that appeals to you. You probably could say the same thing about Georgetown in Penang, but Malacca lacks that city’s hectic nature. Both are also recognised by UNESCO for their immense heritage value, which provides yet another great reason to visit.

Often spelled both Malacca and Melaka, it’s an ideal stop on the route between Singapore and KL, so there’s no excuse not to visit. It’s also possible to visit as a day trip from Kuala Lumpur if you’re tight on time. So, if you’re wondering what to do in Malacca when you’re there, here are the bare essentials of things to do in Malacca.

 

How to get to Malacca

Malacca is located on the southeast coast of Malaysia. The city is almost halfway between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, although a little closer to KL. Buses to Malacca run from both Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, as well as routes from Penang.

You can even get buses straight from KL Airport if you don’t want to waste time getting there. And as I mentioned, a day trip to Malacca from KL is also easy to do.

 

How to get around Malacca

While walking was my preferred option to get around Malacca, you do have other options. You can easily organize light-up rickshaws, taxis and Grab rideshares to take you around the city. If you’re arriving in Malacca by bus, see if your accommodation can provide a free shuttle as mine did. Otherwise, with Malaka Sentral being 3km from Jonker Street, you’ll need a taxi or take the local bus.

 

Where to stay in Malacca

Working out where to stay in Malacca shouldn’t be too hard if you focus in on Chinatown. Affordable places to stay in Malacca are in abundant supply, with Hotel Hong my happy recommendation. Basic and cheap, the staff there were friendly and it was in an interesting area by the local mosque. It helped make my time in Malacca are pleasant one.

 

What to do in Malacca

A mix of cultures has shaped Malacca, giving it an interesting history, cuisine, and architecture to explore. Even better, there are a wealth of things to do in Malacca that let you explore these sides of the city. Consider these eight as your starting point.

 

1. Start at Dutch Square

Dutch Square is perhaps the best place to start a visit to Malacca since it’s at the very core of the city’s historic centre. Lying along the city’s riverfront, this square is both photogenic and historically significant. In the middle of Dutch Square is a vibrant garden and fountain that are certainly nice, but the fantastic Dutch colonial architecture that calls this square home is the real attraction.

Uniformly painted an earthy red colour, it’s unlikely you ever imagined Malaysia looking like this. But Malaysia has plenty of reminders from its colonial past, as does Malacca. It’s just that this collection of reminders has one heck of a look to it.

The three main sights of Dutch Square are the Stadthuys, the Christ Church Melaka and the Malacca Clock Tower. All were built in the 17th century by Dutch colonists, hence the square’s name. The Stadthuys, once the Governor’s residence, now houses an ethnographic museum.

 

2. Climb to St Paul’s Church

Making your way up the side of the Stadthuys, you should see a small set of stairs up the hill a bit. Once on the path here, you’re headed for the top of the hill and the atmospheric ruins of St Paul’s Church. What remains of this roofless church takes pride of place on top of St Paul’s Hill, with views out over much of Malacca. Not an overly tough walk up, the church is a natural stop as you walk the trail of Malacca sights.

Although built by the Portuguese initially in the 1500s, it was damaged, repaired and renamed by the Dutch when they took control of Malacca in the 1600s. For over a century now, the church has been left in ruin, its mottled walls another reminder of Malacca’s complicated past. Further reminders can also be found if you follow the northern path down off St Paul’s Hill, as you’ll pass numerous tombstones and the Dutch Graveyard.

 

3. Explore A Famosa

Before the arrival of the Dutch, Malacca was a fortified Portuguese colony known as A Famosa. Most of the walls and fortifications from A Famosa were destroyed during the Dutch conquest, but Portuguese ruins still exist here and there. Of the fortifications though, only the Porta de Santiago gate has survived. Little wonder then that getting a photo here is one of the more popular Malacca things to do.

 

4. Tour Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum

With all this talk of European colonists, it’s important to remember the people who were there well before them. Before the Portuguese arrived, the Malacca Sultanate ruled here for over a century. When the Portuguese came in the early 1500s, they replaced the recently destroyed sultan’s palace with the St Paul’s Church. And yet visit Malacca today and you’ll see what seems like a very authentic Sultanate Palace.

The truth is though that this palace, the Melaka Sultanate Palace is a methodically reconstructed replica of the 15th century palace. Using historical accounts, this replica was constructed in the 1980s and now houses a museum that celebrates the culture and history of Malacca.

Besides the pretty gardens, the exhibits inside the museum do a great job of presenting the local history, dress and folklore. I’d say it’s one of the more informative Malacca places to visit.

 

5. See the Melaka riverfront

Even though there may be more well-known places to visit in Malacca, there’s no doubt the river is the city’s main landmark. Snaking through the wider city before separating the Old Town from the colonial sites, the Melaka River is hard to miss. Back when Malacca was an influential port city, the river was a contributor to its success. Today though, it plays its part, offering visitors river cruises and pretty scenery.

 

6. Eat at Jonker Street

Without question, no street is more famous in Malacca than Jonker Street. Although much of the time it simply looks like a main street through the Old Town, things change drastically come Friday and Saturday night. You see, that’s when the famous Jonker Street night market is held and the street turns into a sea of people and food stalls.

Of course, given my luck, I managed to miss this essential attraction completely, by arriving at the wrong time of the week. This wasn’t made better by hearing how great it is from the other travellers I met through Malaysia. By all accounts, the Jonker Street night market is a great place to try both traditional local Nyonya cuisine, as well inventive new foods. For an idea of what you’ll find, take a look at these foods on offer.

 

7. Wander through Old Chinatown

But the Old Town of Malacca is so much more than just Jonker Street. Head in any direction from here and you’ll soon find narrower streets, where every house is overflowing with character. Equal parts Chinatown and Old Town, this area shows you yet another side to Malacca’s cultural melting pot. Best of all, away from the bustle of other parts of Malacca, walking through this quieter part of the city lets you soak in all of the details.

Not that the buildings are always in a great state; plenty of these old homes have faded facades and some are abandoned entirely. But that’s character, right? Anyway, the gentler nature here is palpable, with people just going about their day and offering a friendly wave. Malaysia can be a hectic and loud place at times, so walking through here clearly stands out in my mind.

 

8. Visit Cheng Hoon Teng Temple

Among the streets of Malacca’s Chinatown, there are unsurprisingly a few temples that you can visit. And I don’t just mean Chinese temples, as there are mosques and Hindu temples throughout as well. But I have a real fascination with Chinese temples for some reason and in Malacca, the most noteworthy is Cheng Hoon Teng Temple.

Sitting across the road from another temple called Xiang Lin Si Temple, Cheng Hoon Teng Temple has quite the heritage. The temple was built in the mid-17th century and is said to be the oldest Chinese temple in Malaysia. When you look at elements of this temple, it’s incredible that such intricate details have survived like that for centuries.

Another aspect that makes this temple interesting is that serves not one, but three different faiths. Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism are all serviced in this one building.

 

Other places to visit in Malacca

While I’ve touched on the most impressive and important things to do in Malacca, they’re not the only ones. Malacca is home to plenty of other cultural attractions, including lots of different museums. But it also has a fun side, from its Upside Down House to Taming Sari Tower to its Oceanarium. For the most part, though, you’ll be sticking to areas near Chinatown or Dutch Square.

 

Before you go…

With these other Malaysia blog posts, you can learn about other worthwhile places to visit and build out the rest of your Malaysia itinerary:

• 7 Fun Things to Do in Ipoh, Malaysia
• 7 Reasons to Visit George Town in Penang, Malaysia
• 6 Simple Tips for Visiting Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 

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Have you ever had the chance to visit Malacca Malaysia? What other Malacca things to do would you recommend to people thinking of visiting? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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