Malacca Heritage Centre, Melaka State, Malaysia

4sstaley 5:00 PM Jan 22, 2020

Perfect spot for sightseeing
We are travelling from Kuala Lumpur and on our way stop in Pink Mosque (Putra Mosque) located near the scenic Putrajaya Lake and of the famous landmark in Putrajaya and one of the most modern mosques in the world. Malacca is the oldest Malaysian City that is rich heritage & perfect spot for sights seeing. We found Jonker street fascinating. It is the centre street of Chinatown, loads shops, crafts outlets & restaurant. They also have night market on Friday & Saturday. Apart from rich history, Malacca is also known for foodie – local people or Malaysian from other places & tourists came to have the famous/best chicken rice balls.

4Josefina S 5:00 PM Feb 11, 2014

Worth the trip
Went here last Feb 7, 2014. Malacca or Melaka is around 2 hours from KL, this historical city centre has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 7 July 2008. Conquered by the Portuguese, you can still see their influences up to now. The old palace, large buildings left by the Europeans, many private houses and shops from nearly a century ago, put up by Chinese traders. Many of these have elaborate details and beautiful European designs. How to get there: From Kuala Lumpur, you need to find the nearest LRT station. Get off at the station Bandar Tasik Selatan (Ampang Line). This will bring you directly to the Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS). TBS serves south bound trips to Malaca/Melaka, Singapore, Johor Bahru, Mersing, Segamat, Pasir Gudang, Muar, Kluang, Bahau, Pontian, Batu Pahat, Kubang, Kota Tinggi. The whole place is amazing. Brand new, fully air-conditioned, convenient, comfortable, very nice bus station. They have lockers for luggage storage, ATM machines, convenience shops, restaurants, money changer. Line up at any of the ticket booths there. We bought our tickets to Melaka Sentral from Transnational and it costs 10 ringgit per person. Our platform is downstairs and the bus is relatively new. What I like about it most is the wide legroom they have. Perfect for the long trip ahead. Melaka Sentral (bus terminal in Melaka) Once you arrive at Melaka Sentral, if you're staying for a day make sure you buy your tickets back to KL. Last bus to KL departs at 10pm. Price is somewhat higher going back. For transnational bus, it's 13.60 ringgit. Then go to Bus No 17, we paid 1.30 ringgit and told the driver to drop us off at the Christ Church. You won't miss this red church just in front of the Hardrock Cafe. From there, try to visit the Tourist Information Center just across the clock tower and ask for their Old Melaka Heritage Tour Guide. This is a a good start for those who have no itinerary yet. The guide will help you discover 12 historical sites within 2.5 hours of walk. This guide will bring you to the Dutch Square, St. Paul's Hills, Porta de Santiago, Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum, Proclamation of Independence Memorial, Stamp Museum, Islamic Museum, Middleburg Bastion, Melaka River, Sri Poyyatha Vinayagar Moorth Temple, Kampung Kling Mosque and Cheng Hoong Teng Temple. Trickshaw Ride But if you're like us who are a little lazy to walk, you can also rent a trickshaw -- the most colorful, noisiest trickshaw I ever saw. Prices are not fixed here. You have to haggle. And since it was kinda hot and humid and we're a little tired to do the walking, we hired one that brought us to Stadhuys, Melaka tree, People Museum, A Famosa, St. Paul Hill, Independence Memorial, Sultan Palace, Museum Muslim, Taming Sei Tower, Flor da Lamar, River Cruise and Water Wheel for 40 ringgit, 2 persons. The ride is not that smooth and it's a little tight especially if both of you are on the heavy side but it's worth it if you're tired and it's really hot. Other places to do/see/visit: Some places to visit are the Heritage sites, Baba and Nyonya Peranakan Museum, an actual Peranakan heritage town house and is a great example of Peranakan culture, Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, oldest Chinese temple in Malaysia, Christ Church built between 1741 and 1753. On the floor of the church you will find Dutch tombstones. It is the oldest protestant church in Malaysia. Dutch Square, a beautiful square around Christ Church and the Stadhuys. The Tang Beng Swee Clock Tower, it looks Dutch, but it is not built in 1886. Jonker Heeren and adjacent streets, the residential heart of Old Malacca just west of the Malacca River, with its narrow winding streets, beautifully decorated houses, tiny shops, temples and mosques. The Harmony Street (officially Temple street or Jalan Tokong), so called because it contains the prayer houses of Malaysia's three main faiths - the Cheng Hoon Teng Chinese temple, the Sri Poyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Hindu Temple, and the Kampung Kling Mosque. Malaysian Navy Museum, across the road from the Maritime Museum Malay and Islamic World Museum Porta de Santiago where you will find the remains of the old Portuguese fort A Famosa. Saint Paul's Church up the hill. Originally built in 1521 by the Portuguese and became a fortress in 1567. Used to be known as Nossa Senhora da Annunciada (Our Lady of Annunciation). It has been used as a burial ground for the Dutch. You can still see the tombstones on the walls of ruins of the church. Stadthuys - completed in 1660. It is a reproduction of the former Stadhuis (town hall) of the Frisian town of Hoorn in the Netherlands which existed from 1420-1796. Nowadays, it houses the Museums of History and Ethnography and one of the oldest Dutch buildings in the east. Stamp Museum, Jalan Kota Youth Museum/Melaka Art Gallery, Jalan Laksamana. Jonker street, the centre street of Chinatown with antique shops, clothing and crafts outlets as well as restaurants. The best part of Jonker Street is the night market on Fridays and Saturdays that sells everything from tasty treats to cheap keepsakes. Where to eat: We tried Mamee Jonker House along Jonker Street and tried their Mamee Mamak Mee Goreng, Mamee Chef Curry Laksa, Mamee Pasta Bolognese, Hainanese Chicken Rice and their cheesecake. All delicious. We also tried the famous Durian and Yogurt puff along Jonker street where you put the whole puff in your mouth. We also tried their traditional Cendol and tried their famous chicken rice balls at Restoran Famosa Chicken Rice Ball also along Jonker street. We also tried their reflexology massage along Jonker street for 38 ringgit per person. We super like it. Going back, we traced our steps back to Christ Church and waited for the same bus. But after 30 minutes, there's no bus in sight. Since we have to leave at 9pm, we had to hail a cab. This is something that I cannot really understand why in Melaka, you always have to haggle for the taxi fare. They have a meter but they don't use it. The driver just tell you how much they are willing to bring you to your destination. I think the local govt should look into this. It's a major turn off actually for tourists to haggle the price when all you want is to enjoy the place. The driver asked us to pay 20 ringgit to Melaka Sentral bus station when we only paid 1.30 for the bus ride. But since we might be late for our trip back to KL, we instead asked if he can bring us there for 15 ringgit which he gladly agreed. Anyway, it's culture shopping at its best. I love colors, the history, the smell, the food, the vibrance of Melaka and everything is so worth it. I will definitely recommend the place to everyone.