An Itinerary for Melaka (Malacca), Malaysia
18 mins read

An Itinerary for Melaka (Malacca), Malaysia

A One-Day Time-Travelling Itinerary

Melaka, Malaysia is a post-colonial tropical gem that offers a quaint respite from the buzz of Kuala Lumpur. It’s a great stop on the way from Singapore to KL. Famous for its excellent food and varied architecture, the city has a long and complex past as a major trading port. Today, Melaka is a lively mix of cultures, and has a number of enjoyable sites for the visitor.

To get the very best understanding of the culture and history of this city, follow Leap of Faith Chloe’s below itinerary – we’ll see some great religious sites, eat a bit, and understand why UNESCO named the entire city a cultural heritage site. We’ll also be traveling back in time, un-peeling Melaka as we go. And we’re going to do a full loop, so let’s get started!

CHLOE’S TIP: Is it Melaka or Malacca? Well, it’s actually both, just depending on how you anglicize it. And to be more accurate, it’s Melaka City, because the whole state is Melaka. But say “Melaka” anywhere in the region, and people know you mean the city.

CHLOE’S BIG TIP: Normally, I don’t preference this, but Melaka is best visited on THURSDAY through SUNDAY. These are the nights the Jonker Street Market are open. Fridays and Saturdays are the best. You won’t want to miss that market!

MORNING: Jalan Tukang Harmony Street

Start on Jalan Hang Jebat – it’s better known as Jonker Street. During the day, it’s a quiet, unassuming Chinatown street, but when we circle back at night, that’ll be different. For now, though, you want to start anywhere on the street, and walk one cross-street over east to the next block, Jalan Tukang. Literally anyone can point you over.

Jalan Tukang is better known as Harmony Street, because it is home to several religious buildings. You’ll head north up the street (away from the river; if you hit the beautiful street art right there by the river, turn around and head back the other direction!)

Harmony Street Banner, Melaka, Malaysia

You’ll pass two important religious buildings: the Sri Poyyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple, and the Kampung Kling Mosque. The Sri Poyyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple caters to the neighborhood’s Hindu community, and is not open to tourists. The Kampung Kling Mosque, however, is a lovely spot, having served the Islamic community in Chinatown since the 1740s. Visitors should be dressed appropriately (long pants for all, sleeves to the elbows, no midriffs or low cut tops, and headscarves on ladies), and remove shoes before entering any buildings.

As you walk past these two sites of worship on the way to Cheng Hoon Teng, think about the centuries that have passed with these religious buildings standing side by side, peacefully coexisting and serving their congregations. Public events at each are open to members of other faiths, and charity groups from each congregation work together during times of need. It is inspiring to think about.

You’ll walk all the way up to where the street begins to turn, and you’ll see the very large and imposing Buddhist temple, Xiang Lin Si. It will be mostly empty of tourists, and has a very austere interior. The second story balcony offers some good views of Harmony Street, however.

MORNING: Cheng Hoon Teng Temple

Across the street from the Xiang Lin Si Temple is our goal: the stunning Cheng Hoon Teng Temple. You will see a main gate, though there are some side openings as well you can pop into. This temple is a Three Doctrines Temple, meaning that you will find Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism all practiced here together. Since many of the Chinese immigrants and their descendants practice all of these faiths, along with Chinese folk religion, this temple is a one-stop spot for all of the community’s needs.

Temple construction began in the 1670s by a notable Kapitan (community leader of the Chinese immigrant population), and subsequent additions by later Kapitans flushed it out. Cheng Hoon Teng is thus the oldest functioning temple in all of Malaysia. You wouldn’t know it looking at it though – UNESCO honored the temple in 2003 with an award for exemplary renovation. And it shows.

The temple is almost entirely constructed of wood, decorated with shiny black lacquer and gold paint. There are statues of Buddha, Confucius, and several Chinese gods and spirits. The amount of artistry is dizzying – the walls, columns, and every other available inch is decorated. The result, however, is not overwhelming because the temple was constructed and decorated with strict adherence to principles of feng shui. The result is harmony.

CHLOE’S ADVICE: This temple is VERY busy, as it is the main temple for this Chinatown community. You will see many, many people making offerings and praying. There’s a lot of incense, though not in enclosed spaces. No one minds you visiting, but don’t be in the way. Shoes don’t have to come off, but be careful where you step. Be respectful to the many elderly who can’t move as quickly.

When you’re all set, head back down Harmony Street until you hit the Kampung Kling mosque. At that intersection, hang a right, and go one block to Jonker Street.

Here, you’re going to want to stop in at the Daily Fix, my favorite go-to cafe/restaurant in Melaka. It is the only place I eat breakfast in the city, and it’s ALWAYS packed. It’s hidden away inside “The Cookie Bar”, but you’ll see signs and a Grab pickup spot.

They are open 9am-11pm, and they offer the best variety of Melaka-Western fusion food, in a perfect setting, with great prices. I don’t normally give food recommendations, but for those needing a break from noodles or rice, this is your spot. At the very least, get a lime juice to go – you will need it in the heat!

Keep heading down Jonker Street to the river, and cross the bridge. You’ll see a Hard Rock on your left, and our next stop in front of you – the Red Square.

LATE MORNING: Red Dutch Square

After centuries as a port for diverse Malay, Indian, Thai, Arab, and Chinese sailors, the city came under the rule of a powerful Islamic Sultan at the end of the 14th century CE. We’ll talk about him later. The Portuguese, under the infamous Albuquerque, came in as colonial masters (1511-1641), only to be followed by the Dutch (1641-1824) and the British (1824-1957). All of these identities can be felt here in the Red Square, named after… well, look at the pictures!

The Red (or Dutch) Square consists of numerous buildings built at various points. It is actually one side of the very large fort complex, largely gone now, that spanned the area around the hill behind over the centuries. This is the best place to take a beca (brightly decorated rickshaw) ride if you are interested. We’re going to make our stops and travel backwards in time, starting in the Red Square with Christ Church.

Christ Church here in Melaka is labeled for ease of finding, and can be seen in countless instagram shots. It was built in 1753 CE by the Dutch when they grew tired of using the church up on the hill (which we’ll get to). It was a Dutch Reform Church at that time, and is marked by the heavy, thick walls and faces that were common in Dutch colonial architecture at that time. It was originally white, but was painted red by the British sometime in the late 19th/early 20th century (accounts vary).

The British converted the Church into an Anglican Church after an 1824 CE Treaty made Melaka British owned; today Christ Church is the oldest Protestant Church on the Malay Peninsula. Once you walk through the giftshop to the inside, you can see the austere interior common in Anglican churches. There are some interesting touches – the floor is tiled with old graves and stones from ships’ ballasts, and the walls have some thought-provoking mortuary plaques.

When you’re back outside, chill by the British fountain, if you can avoid the tourists and the wild becas, before heading to the Stadthuys. This Dutch colonial building dating from the mid 17th served as the administrative capital of the city for a few hundred years. Walk up the stairway, and you’ll find city’s History and Ethnography Museum.

CHLOE’S ADVICE: By now, if you’ve been following along, it’s the hottest hours of the day. Avoid the sun by ducking into that History and Ethnography Museum to learn more about Melaka’s past. The museum is well curated, with lots of informative exhibits about Melakan culture on the first floor, and its colonial history on the second. All the signs are in English, and there is great AC. A video show near the entrance compares historical photos of notable Melakan locations (including Kampung Kling Mosque) compared with the present day. It’s a worthwhile little stop for an hour.

AFTERNOON: St. Paul’s on the Hill

Follow signs from the top of the Stadthuys stairs/museum entrance to St. Paul’s Hill. You’ll pass several museums along the way (this whole area is littered with them, and quality varies highly). Keep climbing up, and you’ll eventually find the staircase to St. Paul’s – St. Francis Xavier will be looking down at you as we go further back in time.

St. Paul’s was a Portuguese Catholic Church built in 1521 CE, making it the oldest church in Southeast Asia. It was part of Portugal’s Catholic expansion in the region, and served as a base for many missionaries. It’s location, on the central hill of the Portuguese fort city, meant it was both safe and also symbolically aloft from the local population.

St. Paul’s most famous face was St. Francis Xavier, one of the men responsible for the foundation of the Jesuit order in Catholicism. Amidst his famous travels through Goa, China, India, and beyond, Melaka became a home base, and St. Paul’s was his center. He started St. Paul’s College there as a center of Jesuit learning, the first modern “school” on the Malay Peninsula. He’s commemorated with a statue watching over the city. He was even briefly buried here (now he’s in Goa, long story, y’all).

The church itself is in ruins. It became a Dutch Church when the Portuguese were kicked out, but with the construction of the Christ Church you’ve already seen, St. Paul’s was left to ruins. All that remains today are some very cool memorial stones with excellent 16th century carvings, and a whisper of stone and moss. It’s still an excellent opportunity to bear witness to the story of one of the most important Catholic figures of all time.

LATER AFTERNOON: A Famosa, and the Sultan’s Palace

Head around the back, and down the hill, and you’ll hit the A Famosa fort, which is actually just a gate. We’ve just gone back in time again, now to the beginning of the Portuguese period, when the heavy stone walls were built surrounding the fort and administrative center. This remaining gate was constructed in 1511 CE, and has some neat cannons around it you can sit on. The fort was entirely destroyed except for this last gate, which was saved by Stamford Raffles during his administration of the British Straits colonies (Penang/Melaka/Singapore). This is the oldest touch of European history in the city.

Just to the side of the A Famoso gate is the reconstruction of the Palace of the Sultan of Melaka. The Melaka Sultanate, which ruled from about 1400-1511 CE, was an Islamic kingdom with great merchant reach. This is the furthest back in time we’ll go, and helps us to understand the power of Islam in Malaysia. From this Sultan’s palace, Islam spread through the peninsula.

Head into the Palace after paying the small entrance fee, and enjoy the vast wooden reconstruction. You’ll take your shoes off, and walk through the cool, dark wood rooms featuring a number of exhibits which do a decent job showing what court life was like, and how traders would have interacted with the Sultanate. Here’s where all the lessons you learned in the Stadthuys come to life! The highlight of this museum is the many costumes which are on display, a lovely counter-balance to an architecture-heavy day.

EVENING: Melaka Straits Mosque

We’ve left the past behind us, and this evening will be all about the 21st century! If you’ve been timing this right, you’ve hit around 5pm, and it’s time to recoup a little. Go back to the riverfront and enjoy a fresh watermelon drink by the water, or check out some of the nearby cafes and chocolate shops. About an hour before sunset, grab a cab to the water and visit the Melaka Straits Mosque.

The Melaka Straits Mosque is an excellent example of modern Islamic architecture. Constructed by the government in 2006, the mosque is a blend of Middle Eastern elements (like that giant dome) and Malay touches (including the massive candle minaret). The stained glass windows add color and a natural element in their bright, flowery motifs.

You can visit the mosque; Muslims are, of course, welcome to pray. Visitors, if dressed appropriately (same as Kampung Kling Mosque above) can walk around inside. The interior is cheery and serene. All must take their shoes off.

What’ makes this mosque so neat is that it’s built on a man-made island over the water; when the tides are high, the mosque appears to float. This reminded me a lot of the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca – the mosque almost seems to levitate, and shares a close bond to the waters as the sound of the waves echoes around it.

But you’re going to want to head to a sandbar to the left of the mosque, about 100 feet away. You’ll see it – the rocky face juts out into the water, and there will almost certainly already be tourists there. Climb over to this sandbar, and take a seat.

The view of the mosque is perfect to catch the setting sun, and they light the mosque up in bright colors. The effect is pure magic. Make sure you rest, enjoy the sunset, and contemplate the complex history you’ve learned about that has brought Melaka to this point.

LATE NIGHT AWESOME: Jonker Street

When it’s dark and you’re done, grab a cab back to Jonker Street (there are plenty in the parking lot outside the mosque, especially around the time of the sunset call to prayer). You’ll have to be dropped off at the end of Jonker Street if you took my advice and visited on a Thursday through Sunday.

The Jonker Street Market is a great example of Southeast Asian street market culture. You’ll find lots of souvenirs, as well as a lot of tech accessories, toys for children, cosmetics, and home goods. But you’re in it for the food, baby. The sweet, sweet coconut milkshakes, or mango blends. The fried squid, sausage, meats, and treats. The spiral potatoes covered in goop. The buns, teas, and ice creams. Depending on the night, it’ll be packed, but that’s the fun. There’s even a stage at the northern end with live entertainment.

So end your night with something yummy on a stick and a cool, fruity drink. There are lots of bars and restaurants along the street, and most of the shops stay open too if you want to get off the main thoroughfare. It’s all pedestrian and there’s enough security, so you feel very safe, but it’s got a wild edge to it that makes it fun.

This is the perfect way to end a day of working through Melaka’s history, learning how Chinese, European, and Islamic forces have created this UNESCO-hailed cultural hotpot. We’re back where we started – both on Jonker Street, and in the 21st century.

Did I miss your favorite Melakan site on my itinerary? Sound off below!

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