Melaka - An Impressive Colonial City

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Melaka, or in German also called Malakka, is located on the west coast of Malaysia and is just 150 kilometers away from the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. Nevertheless, not many Western tourists end up in this truly beautiful city.

During my last stay in Kuala Lumpur, I paid Melaka a visit for two days, and I have to say that I was really positively surprised. It’s no wonder that, alongside Georgetown on Penang, Melaka is part of the UNESCO World Heritage.

Melaka – All Sights In Two Days

All the sights in Melaka are pretty close together, so you can explore the city very comfortably on foot without any problems. Even if you already encounter quite a few sights on a stroll, two days are enough for a stay in Malaysia’s beautiful colonial city.

How to Get To Melaka

The best way to get to Melaka is via Kuala Lumpur. You can fly into one of the two airports, KLIA or KLIA2, in the Malaysian capital. Tickets, prices, and a selection of various airlines can be found at Skyscanner.

From KLIA/KLIA2, a Transnasional or StarMart Expres bus goes directly to Melaka, meaning you don’t have to go to the large bus terminal in Kuala Lumpur first. The journey takes about 2 hours and costs around 25 Ringgit. The buses run regularly every hour, and you can buy the ticket on site at the counters or online in advance at 12go.asia.

Otherwise, more buses run from the Terminal Bersepadu Selatan. This is Kuala Lumpur’s main bus terminal, from where a bus departs to Melaka about every half hour. The price here is between 11 and 15 Ringgit. The journey takes about 2 ½ hours. You can also book directly on site at the counters or online.

Tip: If you’re traveling from TBS to Melaka, then you can take the KTM Komuter from KL Sentral main train station to get there. It’s only a few stops, and the journey costs 2.40 RM. Even if you already have a bus ticket, leave on time because sometimes trains run quite irregularly.

After arriving at the Melaka Sentral Bus Terminal, you can take a taxi into the city. This is also very cheap. A good alternative in Malaysia is Uber. Just install the app. We took it to our hotel and only paid 3 RM.

Note: If you don’t have time to explore Melaka on your own for a few days, we recommend a day tour from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka.

Accommodation in Melaka – Our Hotel Tip

Surrounded by many restaurants, the Heeren Straits Hotel is within walking distance of Melaka’s best-known sights. Since it is located in an old townhouse that has been restored, it exudes a special charm. Depending on the category, the rooms have a balcony or a terrace. However, they are all equipped with air conditioning, a TV, a minibar, a safe, and free Wi-Fi. A delicious breakfast is also offered. A great starting point to explore Melaka.

If you’d prefer to stay in another area, you can find more hotels for your trip to Melaka here.

1. Melaka River Walk

A great way to discover Melaka is a stroll along the Melaka River. This way, you get a first beautiful impression of the city, and along the Melaka River Walk, you can already spot one or two of the city’s sights.

The atmosphere along the river is really relaxed, and especially in sunshine you get stunning views, e.g., of the St. Francis Xavier Church or the many painted houses that make the Melaka River Walk colorful and exciting.

You can explore many parts of the city along the river, passing by the famous Red Square with the “Stadthuys” and the Christ Church. By the way, you can buy fresh watermelons on site, which you can then drink with a straw. A great refreshment.

Directly opposite, so to speak, next to the Hard Rock Cafe, there is a beautifully painted alley, perfect for a few souvenir photos.

But you can explore the Melaka River not only on foot, but also on a Melaka River Cruise. This is especially popular with many Asian tourists. You can take one of these boats about every 30 minutes.

The boats depart from two stations, each at one end of the river. The entire tour takes 45 minutes and leads you past many Melaka sights over a length of 9 kilometers for a price of 15 RM.

2. Red Square, Stadthuys, and Christ Church

The Red Square, also known as the Town Square or Dutch Square, is located right on the Melaka River. It is the most visited square in the city, offering two highlights of the city, the Stadthuys and the Christ Church.

The Stadthuys was the city’s town hall for a long time and was already built in 1650. Today, you can find the History and Ethnography Museum inside, which showcases Melaka’s history over the centuries.

The famous Christ Church also recalls Dutch architecture, just like the Stadthuys, and was built in 1753. The roof tiles were even specially imported from the Netherlands.

The Red Square is not only the starting point for many city tours, but also a gathering place for street performers. Thus, the square can sometimes become very crowded. You’ll also find a small market in the alley next to the Christ Church.

By the way, the colorful bicycle rickshaws, also called trishaws, are very popular with Asian tourists. They drive around Melaka’s sights with loud music, and you’ll see them again and again from time to time. That’s not how I imagine a city tour, but if you like it, go for it.

3. St. Paul’s Hill and St. Paul’s Church

From the Red Square, it’s only a few minutes to another important Melaka landmark: a church from the colonial era. St. Paul’s Church stands on the hill of the same name, St. Paul’s Hill, and was built by the Portuguese in 1521.

Today, however, only ruins of the church remain on the hill, as it was not maintained under the colonial rule of the British and the Dutch, and so decay slowly began.

You can not only take a look at the ruins on St. Paul’s Hill, but also enjoy the view of the city, the Taming Sari Tower, and the sea behind it – the famous Strait of Malacca. A lovely place to take a short break while walking around the city.

4. A Famosa Fort and Sultanate Palace

If you walk down the other side of St. Paul’s Hill, you’ll come directly to the A Famosa Fort. These are the remains of the first Portuguese fort and another landmark of Melaka. You can also check out the ruins from the inside. Often, street musicians sit there in the shade playing guitar – very cool.

Right next to the A Famosa Fort, you’ll find the Sultanate Palace, or rather a replica of it. The wooden building was built based on the original palace and, impressively, entirely without nails. Today, the building is used as a cultural museum, where you can learn about the history of the province of Melaka.

5. Dataran Pahlawan Mall

Right next to the A Famosa Fort and the Sultanate Palace is one of the entrances to the Dataran Pahlawan Mall. Even if you’re not there for shopping, a brief visit is worthwhile because you can pass through the mall in the direction of the Taming Sari Tower (see next point).

It’s also pleasantly cool inside; there are free toilets, and there’s a food court where you can try Malaysian cuisine for lunch.

6. Taming Sari Tower

Not far from the Dataran Pahlawan Mall is the Taming Sari Tower, which you’ve probably already seen from St. Paul’s Hill. It offers a fantastic view over the city at a height of 80 meters. From here, you can see many of Melaka’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The tower is open daily from 10.00 AM to 10.00 PM, and a ride with a view over the city costs you 23 RM.

7. Flor de la Mar

Melaka’s maritime museum, also known as Flor de la Mar, is a replica of the Portuguese ship that sank in 1511 in the Strait of Malacca. You can find the museum right at the end of the Melaka River, where the Melaka River Cruise also departs.

In the museum, you can explore the ship itself, as well as other exhibitions inside, artifacts, or documents from Melaka’s golden era. A great insight into the city’s history.

It is open daily from 9.00 AM to 5.30 PM. On Saturday and Sunday even until 9.00 PM, for an entrance fee of 5 RM.

8. Chinatown and Jonker Walk

If you come back from the Flor de la Mar to the Red Square, you can cross the bridge to the other side of the river and explore Chinatown or the Jonker Walk. Jonker Street is essentially the heart of Chinatown, home to many old buildings.

Here you’ll find some shops selling food, a few restaurants, but above all, beautiful architecture. Jonker Walk is especially busy on weekends.

From Friday to Sunday (each 6.00 PM to 12.00 AM), there’s also the popular night market, where you can try all sorts of Malaysian cuisine. Of course, you’ll also find one or two souvenirs there.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t there on a weekend and couldn’t visit the night market. I’ll definitely make up for that on my next visit to Melaka.

Otherwise, you can always pay a visit to Chinatown, as there are many other sights here. This includes, e.g., the Kampung Kling Mosque. It is one of the oldest mosques in the city and was first built in 1748.

Just like the mosque, the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple is also located on the so-called Harmony Street, where Muslim, Indian, and Chinese cultures blend into each other.

The temple was already built in 1646, making it the oldest Chinese temple in all of Malaysia. Even today, it’s still an active temple and is especially visited by the city’s Chinese community. A visit is well worth it!

9. Nightlife in Melaka

The nightlife in Melaka doesn’t offer too much. But you will still find a few possibilities here.

I can recommend the Jonker Street Hawker Centre for food. It’s located a bit off the beaten path, shortly after the large hotel on the river Casa del Rio Melaka. There, you have a good selection of Malaysian dishes at a low price. Really delicious, definitely give it a try!

On weekends, there is also a big night market in Jonker Street. However, I was in Melaka during the week and couldn’t visit it. I will definitely make up for that next time. There are countless food stalls and some where you can buy souvenirs, etc.

After eating at the night market or at the Jonker Street Hawker Centre, it’s worth taking a little digestive stroll along the Melaka River. In the evening, you’ll find some bars right by the river that create a nice atmosphere and where you can enjoy a beer or a cocktail. I really liked the Reggae on the River, which also offers Thai cuisine.

Another hawker centre called Pahlawan Walk, where you can also try Malaysian cuisine, is located near the Dataran Pahlawan Mall and diagonally opposite the Taming Sari Tower. Here, you can also buy some souvenirs and other gifts.

Conclusion

Melaka is definitely worth a visit! The city is easy and quick to reach from Kuala Lumpur and a great change of pace from the metropolis of KL. Even for a longer stopover in Kuala Lumpur, a trip to Melaka is worthwhile. This historic city with many colonial buildings is impressive and highly recommended.

Melaka: Tours and Tickets

Do you prefer to travel with a guide who knows the area very well? Then we recommend a guided tour with a local. This way you can get to know Melaka in a completely different way. GetYourGuide offers a wide selection of exciting tours for Melaka.

Have you ever been to Melaka? How did you like the city? We look forward to your comment.