Things To Do In Malacca – Budget Travel In Malaysia

Visit Malacca, Malaysia to experience a city steeped in history with a multicultural heritage. Traces of its Portuguese, Dutch and British colonisation are still evident. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and an absolute must-visit between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Despite its size, Malacca (sometimes spelled Melaka) is a thriving city filled with culture, food, history and art. It is an underrated destination and the perfect destination for travelers arriving from Kuala Lumpur or Singapore.

During our stay in Kuala Lumpur, we met other travellers who were moving in the opposite direction to us. They had travelled north from Singapore and most of them had stopped off to visit Malacca. As we were heading there next, naturally we asked for their opinion. The general opinion about Malacca was that it was a pretty, but small, city in which we would only need to spend one or two nights. As we had booked for 4 nights, we figured we’d have some time to chill!

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How To Get To Malacca From Kuala Lumpur

Buses run regularly from Kuala Lumpur to Malacca so there is generally no need to book ahead. Buses leave from ‘Bandar Tasik Selatan’ (map) and cost from 10 MYR. The journey takes around 2 hours to reach ‘Melaka Sentral’ (map). From here, it is approximately a 45 minute walk into the main tourist area. We decided against a Grab cab this time and went for the local bus. The number 17 bus (which helpfully departs from the number 17 platform) takes around 10 minutes to reach ‘The Stadthuys’ which is right in the heart of the old town.

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Things To Do In Malacca

Steeped in history and filled with street art and architecture from the Dutch, Portuguese and British colonies, there is more than enough to keep you busy in Malacca. Here are the Malacca attrations we visited.

Cheng Hoon Teng Temple

This 17th century temple features traditional Chinese architecture and is one of the oldest temples in Malaysia. It is free admission and it is definitely worth visiting, not only because the temple is very beautiful, but because it is in a very interesting area, with lots of street art and a mosque. Map.

Jonker Street

At the heart of the tourist area in Malacca is ‘Jonker Street’ (map). Every weekend, it is host to the ‘Jonker Walk Night Market’ when the streets are filled with stalls and hawkers selling bargains to the masses. There is also plenty of street food available and even live music in the streets.

Unfortunately, our visit to Malacca was during the week so we missed this famous night market. However, the street is lively at all times with coffee shops, restaurants, local souvenirs and much more. There’s still the odd antique shop remaining from the street’s past. Be sure to wander into the side streets. This whole area deserves your attention, not just Jonker Street. There are some real gems to be found here.

Melaka River Park & Cruise

For some reason, we left this to the last night and when I went to buy tickets, I discovered that there were limited boats because of ramadan. I almost decided not to go. I’m glad I didn’t miss it.

The boat ride lasts around 40 minutes and takes you from the tourist area up to the spice gardens and back again (you can begin the ride from either point). I chose to do the ride at night time to see the riverside all lit up and it really was beautiful. I definitely recommend doing this at night time. There is audio explaining the significance of some of the bridges and buildings you pass but the sound quality is not great.

I would recommend doing this boat ride at the start of your visit to Malacca as I discovered on this boat ride that there was a whole lot more of Malacca I had not seen. Map.

Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum

This is a museum dedicated to Malacca’s culture and history in a reconstructed palace. The building is very impressive but we felt like we’d done just one too many museums. The gardens were much more enjoyable and were well-maintained. Map.

Menara Taming Sari

Menara Taing Sari is a rotating observation deck that reaches 80 metres from ground level, offering great a great Malacca viewpoint. The ride only lasts for around 9 minutes and it is very expensive by Malaysian standards (27 MYR) but I still recommend it. It is not fast and gives you a great 360 view over the city. Map.

Riverside Walk

Whilst many opt for the boat ride option to see the colourful riverside art and buildings, a riverside walk is also a great way to spend a relaxing day in Malacca. Plus, this way you can stop in any of the many cafes or bars along the way. There is some great street art on the riverside and some great bridges that are lit up at night. From Jonker Street, turn left after the Hard Rock Cafe (map).

St Paul’s Church / A Famosa / Dutch Graveyard

This historic area also includes a Portuguese fort – A Famosa – (map) and a Dutch graveyard (map). It’s a short, steep climb to the top of St Paul’s Hill where you can explore the ruins of St Paul’s Church. We spotted a couple of hornbill birds up there and also one crazy busker! Map.

Stadthuys Museum

Believed to be the oldest Dutch building still standing in the East, the ‘Stadthuys Museum’ (map) is known for its red exterior and its clock tower. It is located in the centre of Malacca. Inside you will find exhibits relating to the local history. There is also an education museum in the gardens which is included in the admission fee (10 MYR). Also in the ‘Dutch Square’ is the ‘Christ Church Melaka’.

Street Art

Like many Malaysian cities, Malacca has its fair share of street art. Whilst it is not as well known as George Town or Ipoh, there are still some great pieces to be found. Most well-known are the pieces by the river but wander through the streets of the old Chinatown to discover many more examples.

Trishaw

Now, I’ll be honest in saying we did not take a trishaw. It just isn’t something we would do. But I’ll give these guys credit; they certainly put a lot of effort and pride into their vehicle.

On first sight, I thought this was the campest mode of transport you could imagine. At night time, when they are all lit up and start playing cheesy pop music, their cheesiness is doubled.

They are popular though, even if they are amusing to look at. Apparently, you can ask drivers to give you a tour of the city and show you some lesser known areas.

Is Malacca Worth Visiting?

We were told that we would only need one night, maybe two, to see all that Malacca has to offer. I’m sure if we rushed around and did everything in one day, we could have crammed it all in, but what is the point of that? We had four wonderful nights in Malacca and we could have stayed longer. On the final night, the boat ride showed me areas we had not yet explored and the day after we left, the night market was due to start.

I would definitely give yourself at the very minimum 2 nights, but would recommend at least 3. It is a very pretty city and one we in which we enjoyed slowing down and relaxing. We LOVED Malacca, so much so, Joanna became the face of its 2019 tourism campaign. :p