Malacca - Asia

The 600-year-old seaport of Malacca, perhaps the most interesting city in Malaysia, is enjoying a well-deserved renaissance as a tourist center.

It was the birthplace of the Malay sultanate created by Prince Parameswata in the late 14th century. Long a meeting place for traders from India, Java, China, the Middle East and Europe, this fascinating Malay/Chinese city has been occupied at various times during its long history by the Portuguese, Dutch and English. It has retained a legacy from each of these foreign conquerors.

The city is located on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, approximately halfway between the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur and the island state of Singapore.

Because of its strategic location on the Straits of Malacca, separating Malaysia and the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the city controlled the spice trade passing between the Pacific Moluccas and the European Mediterranean.

Sea routes passed through the Malay archipelago into the Bay of Bengal and on to the Arabian Sea. The powerful rulers of Malacca were able to set the spice prices in Europe. It was a port of worldwide significance.

City sights

In spite of the remnants of colonial powers, the Chinese influence on the city is predominant today. There are a number of extraordinarily colorful Chinese temples, including Cheng Hoon Teng in Chinatown, which is the oldest in Malaysia.

Close by, on the same street, you'll also find the 240-year-old, pagoda-like Kampung Kling Islamic Mosque and Sri Poyyatha Vinyagar Moorthi, the oldest Hindu temple in Malaysia.

There are a great many other interesting buildings, including an impressive old fort called "A Famosa," of which only the gate (Porta de Santiago) remains.

There is an interesting sound-and-light show in the evenings at the fort. The later show is in English. It goes on a bit too long for its own good, but most seem to like it anyway. You do learn a lot about the local history in the course of the evening.

A great museum nearby is a replica of the Sultan's Palace.

There's a Portuguese settlement just a short distance from the center of town where they still speak an ancient Portuguese dialect called "Cristao."

Try some Portuguese-style seafood or Portuguese bean soup while you're there. Tony's Santa Maria Restaurant in Portuguese Square has been recommended by local friends.

In another part of town, you may want to try a meal in a famous collection of Chinese and Malay eating houses called "Glutton's Corner." Ask your hotel for directions.

Be sure to visit the Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum, which offers a particularly fascinating look at the Malay/ Chinese part of the city's history that predated the foreign influences. I have escorted a number of groups there, and the young lady guides in this museum have impressed us with their knowledge and humor.

Bukit China is a huge Chinese graveyard that contains more than 127,000 graves and the Temple of Sam Po Kong. The views from there are magnificent.

The boat cruises on the Malacca River are not terribly exciting. Many of the top tourist attractions are near the 17th-century Dutch Stadhuys (Government Office Building). This complex is now a very worthwhile museum.

Close by is the red clock tower and Christ Church, built by the Dutch in 1753. Climb the steps up the nearby hill and visit the ruins of St. Paul's Church. It was built by the Portuguese in 1521 but later renamed by the Dutch. St. Francis Xavier was originally buried there and his statue graces the grounds.

Malacca is highly regarded by antique shoppers, and Jalan Hang Jebat is the street at the center of this area.

A walk through Chinatown can be most interesting. You'll see the small shops of the local craftsmen -- gold and silversmiths, rattan weavers, woodworkers and more. I particularly like the old Chinese shop houses with their intriguing calligraphic decorations.

Places to stay

My favorite hotel in Malacca, by a wide margin, is the relatively new Ramada Renaissance, located right in the center of the city.

It has lovely guest rooms, a fine pool area and terrace and three excellent restaurants. The Chinese restaurant is highly regarded locally and the Taming Sari Grill Room (Continental cuisine and great seafood) is thought to be the best in the city. The Ramada is a splendid place to stay and only moderately priced.

The Malacca Village Resort, about 20 minutes out of town, has distinctive Malaccan/Malay architecture, three restaurants and horseback riding and is adjacent to an 18-hole golf course. It's a good place, but I'd rather be in town, since walking tours are so rewarding.

Other hotels in town worth mentioning are the City Bayview Hotel and the Merlin Melaka. Both cost a bit less than the Ramada but are not as nice.

There are three restaurants outside of the hotels that I can recommend.

Ole Sayang is very popular with both locals and tourists. It's a hobby with the millionaire owner and his wife, and both are usually on premises.

The Restoran Peranakan is just out of town on the coast road. It has outdoor dining and a very good cultural show with music, pageantry and dancing.

A number of local friends have recommended lunch and a tour at the Nam Hoe Villa Museum & Restaurant, which I have not visited.

Taking the train

Malacca could be done as a fairly easy day trip from Kuala Lumpur (less so from Singapore), but it is recommended that you stay over at least one night. Two days in Malacca can be quite rewarding.

One of the best ways of traveling to Malacca is to take the train from Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. World Express, in Singapore, or Mandarin Tours, in Kuala Lumpur, can arrange for you to be met by a local tour guide at the railway station at Tampin and shuttled down to the coastal city. The train is clean, comfortable, relatively quick and quite moderate in cost,

Buses, in my experience, particularly from Singapore, can be much less comfortable.

COPYRIGHT 1994 Martin Publications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group