FLEA MARKET: The Jonker Walk.
UNIQUE: The Melaka Sultanate Palace.
HISTORICAL: Porta De Santiago.
RELIC: Ruins of the St. Paul’s church.
ONE OF A KIND: Stadthuys – the oldest existing VOC building in Asia.
MALAYSIA is targetting 28 million foreign tourist arrivals during the Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2014.
The recent showers of accolades on Malaysia by various independent organisations speak volumes for the country’s thriving tourism industry.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the target is achievable by enhancing the growth momentum of the country’s tourism industry through the VMY 2014 promotional campaign.
The year-long campaign not only promotes Malaysia at the international level but also highlights the Tourism Ministry’s pro-active initiatives to ensure the people understand the economic benefits from a successful VMY 2014.
Melaka whose attractions lie in its rich and colourful past will be one of the keys to a successful VMY 2014. This state is renowned as the place where the history of Malaysia began.
From a quiet fishing village back in the early 15th century, Melaka grew into one of the world’s biggest trading empires.
In the 16th century, it enjoyed a reputation as the foremost maritime trading centre in the region. Merchants came from as far as Arabia, China, India and Europe to conduct trade in silk, spices, gold and porcelain.
Today, there are lots more to Melaka in addition to its fascinating stories, legends and historical attractions.
Centuries of multi-racialism have produced varied customs, festivals, foods and languages.
This peninsular Malaysian state, facing the Straits of Melaka, has an area of 1,658 sq km and is divided into three districts — Alor Gajah, Melaka Tengah and Jasin.
With a slogan Visit Historic Melaka Means Visit Malaysia, Melaka has plenty to offer tourists. It is a melting pot of cultures and customs emanating from the various communities that form the demographics of the state.
From historical heritage site to cultural richness, Melaka has been recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as the historic city of the Straits of Melaka, together with Georgetown on July 7, 2008, demonstrating a succession of historical and cultural influences arising from its function as a trading port linking East and West.
Babas and nyonyas
As such, Melaka is where the babas and nyonyas or peranakans originated. They were
descendants of the Chinese who intermarried with the local women.
The babas and nyonyas are said to be very Chinese in spirit and tradition but Malay in form. Also known as the Straits-Born Chinese, they speak the Malay patois which is Malay mixed with Chinese phrases.
A visit to a baba-nyonya house is an unforgettable journey back in time. The house guides will narrate stories and history of this fascinating culture.
Other attractions
Jonker Walk is another tourist attraction steeped in Melaka culture. It is a street well known for its art galleries, antique shops, among them goldsmiths, watch repairers, clog makers and beaded shoemakers, food outlets and many more.
It is truly a place where the cultures and traditions seem to seep into every nook and cranny of the quaint little shops lining this street.
That is not all, because every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 6pm to midnight, the street transforms into a flea market selling all sorts of items.
Recreational activities
The beauty of Melaka’s natural surroundings is a spectrum of its flora and fauna, exquisite parks, breathtaking natural forest and recreational facilities, all accessibly extended to lure you with the promise of a wonderland.
Melaka rivercruise, a must-do activity, will take you along the Melaka River replete with history dating back to the grandiose days of the influential and powerful empire of the Melaka Malay Sultanate.
However, today, the Melaka River, to large extent, serves only as rich reminder of its glorious and bountiful past and of its present development. And what better way to find out than to take a riverboat cruise to trace its history and check out its quaint beauty.
The trishaws in Melaka are of another level — heavily decorated and installed with a sound system. It offers the best way to enjoy Melaka in a slow and laid back manner but for a unique experience.
Fascinating legacies
If history is what you are looking for, Melaka has a plethora of fascinating legacies forming an embodiment of the prosperity, harmony and glorious past of the state then and now.
It is a trail of historical monuments in the heart of
Melaka. The bus will usually drop off tourists in front of the Stadthuys, or the city hall built between 1641 and 1656 — the oldest still existing VOC building in Asia. It was used as the governor’s residence.
From there, exploration continues to the ruins
of St Paul’s Church where along the way you can find some other museums. The church was built on a hill in 1521 by Duarte
Coelho, a Catholic Portuguese captain.
It is only at the foot of the other side of the hill that you will find the Porta De Santiago,
or locally known as A’ Famosa, a prominent landmark, built by the Portuguese admiral,
Alfonso d’Albuquerque,
during the Portuguese invasion in 1511.
Nearby the fort sits the majestic replica of the Melaka’s Sultanate palace. Apart from the unique building design and ornate wood carvings, visitors would also be able to gain insights into the institution of the Melaka Malay Sultanate and experience a true palace atmosphere.
Makan-makan
Melaka is a gourmet’s paradise, featuring cuisine from the rich and colourful diversity of the Malay, Chinese, Indian, Nyonya and Portuguese-eurasians available in posh and exclusive restaurants, roadside shops and open air cafes.
You will never go hungry in Melaka, the home of asam pedas, a dish consisting of fish and vegetables cooked in tamarind juice, tomatoes, pineapples, starfruits and pickled mustard leaves.
Cendol, one of Melaka’s best loved desserts, is a must-try — what more on a hot day! A scrumptious dessert of green bean noodles flavoured with pandan juice (screwpine leaves) and served with shaved ice, thick palm sugar syrup and santan.
Enjoy an enriching experience in Melaka where you will be pampered with Malaysian hospitality that ensures you leave happy and satisfied with cherished memories and desire to visit Melaka again in the future.