Fun things to do in Melaka

The climb to the top of St Paul's Hill to visit the Church Ruins also gave us the opportunity to gain a "birds eye" view over Melaka. The view towards the Straits of Melaka includes the city, port and the "Flor de la Mar" recreation Portuguese ship that sank off the Melaka coast during 1511.

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These days, the Melaka river is merely a shadow of its former self. At the height of its glory 5 centuries ago, the mouth of the river received and transported goods in boats which came from all parts of the known world. The strategic location of Malaka for trade between the East and the West made it the envy of the Europeans who came one day to take over and which forever destroyed what was there.

Nowadays, the river, which has silted over time, is only used for tourism. Cruise boats can be boarded at the entrance of the river, and for 10 ringgit (adults), one can go up and down the river for a distance of 10 kilometers, in a tour which lasts for 45 minutes to one hour.

Frankly, the river is ugly, with brown water and nothing really picturesque or very attractive along the way. But we can see at least remnants of former warehouses along its banks, which have now been turned into either restaurants, lodges and inns, or bars. This is interspersed with residential dwellings in haphazardly constructed low buildings. We pass several bridges, some old, and some new, and further towards the end in Kampong Morten, we pass a residential area of houses built in the traditional Malay style -- which is a nice area, I think.

About the tour itself. In our case, there was no guide, the boatman was simply steering us along and didn't even bother to point out the "more interesting" sights along the way. As there was no proper information posted at the boarding area or given away in leaflets for the passengers to appreciate more what they were going to see, the boat ride is simply a boat ride -- it could have been anywhere for that matter.

Many local families take this ride, so it's not a simply touristic ride geared for the foreign tourists. A lot of school kids do the tour as part of their excursion.

The Melakans love to spoil their feet -- and for good reason too, as the massage in foot reflexology parlors which abound in the neighborhood of Jonker street -- not only simply relaxes the said feet but releases tensions elsewhere in the body and improves circulation through pressure on the right points in the feet. At least that's what they say -- and I totally agree.

An hour of massage -- 40 minutes for both feet and 20 min for the head and back -- after a day of walking around the usual touristic sites -- is sheer pleasure. Have one in any of those parlors -- the prices range from around 10 to 15 dollars. I had mine in one of those located at the restaurant street just off Heeren street, the first one on the right. Place had a relaxing ambience (comparing with the others -- the interior of these places is quite visible from the street), and the therapist (the lady at least) was really good (trust me, i know what good massage is -- i'm a massage addict!).

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Many people go to Melaka to eat, walk, take pictures and to buy! What can you buy in Melaka?

Many things!!

For one, you can get some local stuff like the dried food -- mee sua (noodles), gula melaka (coconut sugar). Usually we go to this store for them: Chop Chua Soon Huat. We find their prices reasonable and the selection is great. You can also get other stuff like the kueh kueh (local desserts). Walk around and try those samples and buy only when you think you like them. Those freshly baked cakes/pastry are very nice but you have to be selective as there are many stores selling them.

Walk around the jonker street area and you will surprise yourself with many stores that sell things like knives, nets, net-bags etc. We usually relate such stores and products as our 70's things. So such stores are nostalgic.

In the Jonker Street you'll find lots of shops selling what is called "antiques". In most cases there are no antiques, and if there are then you have to have a special certificate to take the goods out of the country if you buy anything.
The street is known to be very expensive but it seems like every tour organizer take their groups here.

The words "Selamat Datang" on the picture means "Welcome" in Bahasa Malayu.

The Melaka River can be seen as the beginning of Malacca history, when it was called ‘Venice of the East’ by the Europeans who traveled to it. Its historical importance lies in the fact that, during the 15th century, the Prince Parameswara of Sumatra created his Sultanate at the entrance to this river. It was on the east bank, at the bottom of Malaccan Hill (now known as St. Paul’s Hill), where he placed his palace. On its route to the sea, the Melaka River travels pass the town of Malacca; many old villages, along with present day buildings, line its banks. It is of no surprise that for these reasons the river passage was an important route for major trade and commerce.

You can take an informative river cruise down the Melaka River, which takes 45-minutes . It is said to be a good bargain and the 10 kilometer Melake River Cruise takes off at the mouth of the river, at the Dutch Square, and it travels all the way to Kampung Morten.

Highlights include several important bridges and the old homes and warehouses that are built on both sides of the river. The last stop on the cruise is Kampung Morten, a very old village. It is a national heritage site and is home to traditional Malay architecture.

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Malaysia's oldest traditional Chinese Temple, the Cheng Hoon Teng, is located in Melaka. It has been awarded the honour of outstanding architectural restoration by UNESCO.

Cheng Hoon Teng was founded in the 1600s by the Chinese Kapitan Tay Kie Ki alias Tay Hong Yong. During the Portuguese and Dutch eras, Kapitans were appointed chiefs or headmen of the various ethnic communities.

In its early years, besides serving the community's religious needs, the temple also functioned as the official administrative centre and a court of justice for the Kapitans.

Located at the heart of Melaka, Jonker Street is a narrow alley which was once a wealthy street filled with rich colonial residents. Today it has become a paradise for antique collectors, featuring unique pieces that date as far back as the 17th century.

Jonker Street is part of Melaka’s old Chinatown. While Jonker Street is known worldwide for its rare and priceless finds, during weekends (around 6pm) the street is transformed into a busy, carnival like affair. The Jonker Walk night market is a weekly affair for locals where they assemble stalls and display products to sell.

Another thing that has made Jonker Street famous is its food choices. This street is considered the most popular food and entertainment district in Melaka. Jonker Street is full of shops and cafés that you’ll enjoy during the daytime, while food hawkers come out at night.