Malacca (state) - Malaysian state

Malacca (officially, and in Malay: Melaka), is a state in Malaysia. It is located between Johor and Negeri Sembilan.

Regions

Malacca is administratively divided into three districts: Alor Gajah, Central Malacca and Jasin. Malacca city is the state capital and is located in Central Malacca. The other two districts are mostly rural.

Cities and towns

• Malacca City — the capital city
• Ayer Keroh — the administrative centre
• Alor Gajah
• Jasin

Other destinations

• A'Famosa Resort — theme park resort complete with golf course and safari park located near Simpang Ampat
• Pantai Kundor — nearest beach to Malacca city
• Tanjung Bidara — probably the best beach in the state
• Pulau Besar — resort island, now somewhat dilapidated, off the coast south of Malacca city

Talk

Languages spoken in Malacca are Malay, English, and Mandarin, as well as various Chinese dialects (with Hokkien or the Fujian dialect dominating). Unique to Malacca is Baba Malay, a Malay-based creole with strong Hokkien infuences, spoken by the Peranakan or Baba-Nyonya community, and Cristao or Kristang, a Portuguese-based creole, still spoken by the Portuguese Eurasian community.

Get in

By plane

Malacca International Airport (IATA: MKZ) (formerly known as Batu Berendam Airport is located about 10 km from Malacca.

The airport serves the city and the state of Malacca, as well as northern Johor.

There are no Malaysian domestic flights serving this airport. See the Malacca article for details on how to get to the airport.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport KLIA, (IATA: KUL) is the nearest major airport and is about 1.5-2 hr away from Malacca by car.

Airlines and destinations

• Wings Air, Pekanbaru in Sumatra, Indonesia. Daily services to/from Pekanbaru. (Wings Air are a subsidiary regional feeder airline for Indonesian Lion Air).
• Firefly, Medan in Sumatra. As these services are seasonal they do not always appear on the airlines schedule.

By bus

Many long-distance express buses connect destinations in Malacca with Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and other cities in Peninsular Malaysia.

Most express bus companies start and end their journeys at Malacca's Melaka Sentral bus terminal, located about 3 km from the historic core of Malacca. However, some companies also run buses from, or do pick-ups or drop-offs at other towns and locations in the state, such as Alor Gajah, Masjid Tanah, Jasin and the A'Famosa Resort.

• Transnasional is the largest long-distance bus operator in Malaysia. It links the state with a host of destinations in Peninsular Malaysia like Kuala Lumpur, Seremban, Singapore and further afield. Transnasional buses depart from Malacca (Melaka Sentral), Alor Gajah, and Masjid Tanah.

By car

Malacca can be accessed via the North South Expressway by exiting at the Alor Gajah-Tampin (officially Simpang Ampat), Ayer Keroh and Lipat Kijang (Jasin) exits. Ayer Keroh exit is the nearest to Malacca. Malacca is on the Coastal Trunk Road (Federal Route 5). Those using the Main Trunk Road (Federal Route 1) must turn off at Simpang Kendong or Tampin, Negeri Sembilan, about 40km away from Malacca. Malacca is 150 km from Kuala Lumpur, 216 km from Johor Baru, 90 km from Port Dickson.

By train

Malacca is served by two railway stations, which are Batang Melaka Railway Station and Tampin Railway Station. See Malacca article on how to get there or away.

By boat

There are no ferries from any destination inside Malaysia. However, there are daily ferries between Dumai and Pekanbaru in Sumatra, Indonesia and Malacca. See Malacca article for more details.

Get around

Several bus companies with mostly old and rickety buses operate the local bus network in the state. Travellers will not really need to use them unless they want to go to the airport, catch a train in Tampin or go for a swim in Pantai Kundor or Tanjung Bidara.

Most local buses operate from Melaka Sentral bus terminal in Malacca. However, there are also irregular buses which serve rural villages from towns like Alor Gajah, Jasin, Lubuk China, Masjid Tanah and Merlimau.

Bus companies are most easily identified by the colour of their buses. Although some have route numbers, destinations are usually displayed clearly at the front of the bus.

• Kenderaan Aziz (red and white): Jasin, Merlimau and Muar (connections to towns in Johor).
• Batang Bus (red and white): Batu Berendam airport, Batang Melaka, Durian Tunggal, Machap, Selandar and Tebong.
• Malacca Omnibus Service (MOS) (Yellow and red): Asahan, Jasin, Merlimau, Muar, Nyalas and Tangkak (for connections to Gunung Ledang, Muar and Segamat in Johor).
• Patt Hup Transport (Blue and yellow): Pengkalan Kempas (for connections to Port Dickson and Seremban, Negeri Sembilan), Kuala Linggi (for connections to Port Dickson), Masjid Tanah, Tanjung Bidara, and Pantai Kundor.
  • For Tanjung Bidara: Take any Kuala, Kuala Linggi, Masjid Tanah or Pengkalan Kempas bus and get off at Masjid Tanah. Change onto a Tanjung Bidara/Kem Terendak bus.
• Salira (Light blue and yellow): Tampin (for connections to Seremban and Gemas, Negeri Sembilan) via Ayer Keroh and Durian Tunggal.
• Tai Lye (Dark blue, red and white): Tampin (for connections to Seremban and Gemas) via Alor Gajah.
• Tuahbas (Yellow and dark blue): Batu Berendam airport, Merlimau.

See

Traditional Malacca Malay houses can be seen especially in the Merlimau area about 20 km south of Malacca on the coastal road to Muar and Johor. A unique feature of the Malacca Malay village house is its concrete and attractively-tiled front stairway. Most Malays are very house proud and you can see the effort put into up-keeping and gardening.

The Portuguese Settlement in Malacca is occupied by descendants from the Dutch colonial days. Annually, during the weeks preceding Christmas Day, the settlement is brightly decorated for Christmas. Streets and homes are brightly decorated with colourful lightings and ornaments.

During Chinese New Year which normally falls in the month of January or February, the Chinese community will decorate their homes with brightly lit red lanterns and ornaments. These can be especially seen in Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock (Heeren Street), Jalan Hang Tuah (Jonker Street) and Jalan Bunga Raya.

• Macau Gallery, 2.22136°, 102.256°. Gallery about Macau housed in a historical 2-story British bungalow. Free 2017-05-10

Do

Visit Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock (Heeren Street) where you will see traditional houses dating back to the 17th century. These long and narrow houses were homes of rich families in Malacca. Today, they are mostly shop houses.

Jonker Walk in Jalan Hang Tuah (Jonker Street) is a night market that features products and foods associated with the local Chinese and Peranakan communities. Jonker Walk is only available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings from 6.00pm onwards.

Some interesting places to see are the Zoo, and the Museum district where there is a particularly good (if small) history museum. If one wants to see a taste of modern Malacca, there is a rather modern shopping mall full of Straits Chinese.

During Chinese New Year festival, these old streets (Heeren Street, Jonker Street, etc) are brightly lit with red lanterns.

The Portuguese Settlement in Malacca is occupied by descendents from the Dutch colonial days.

Eat

Peranakan or Baba-Nyonya (Straits Chinese) cuisines are popular among tourists. Most of the Peranakan eateries are located in Malacca Raya and Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock (Heeren Street). Baba-Nyonya cuisines are mostly sweet and spicy. Some will serve Durian Cendol, a sweet traditional desert made from palm sugar and durian.

For eating options outside Malacca, many head to two popular seafood eating areas, namely Umbai and Pengkalan Balak. These places only come alive in the evening.

Umbai is located about 11 km south of Malacca on the coastal road to Muar and Johor. If coming from Malacca, turn right when you see the signboard "Jeti Pulau Besar Pernu" just before Umbai town. A row of stalls selling seafood cooked Malay-style located at the end of the road. Catch a Merlimau- or Muar-bound bus from Melaka Sentral and tell the conductor to let you off at "Medan ikan bakar".

Pengkalan Balak is located about 35 km north of Malacca on the road to Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan. It is located just next to Tanjung Bidara, Malacca's best stretch of beach. Getting is quite complicated - involving a drive to Masjid Tanah and then to Pengkalan Balak - and almost impossible by public transport.

Mid-range

• Bess Kopitiam, Taman Sin Hoe, Bukit Baru. Laksa
• Brother John Kopitiam, Taman Tasik Utama, Ayer Keroh. Kopitiam
• Ikan Bakar Malim, Taman Tasik Utama, Ayer Keroh. Malay food
• Keluarga Ali, KiP Mart, Bachang. Chinese Muslim food
• L.C. Vegetarian Food & Organic Mart, Bukit Beruang. Vegetarian
• Suukee Kopitiam, Ayer Keroh Height, +6062316760. Chicken rice.

Drink

Stay safe

Malacca is a very safe place with a low crime rate. However, you have to watch out for pickpockets in crowded areas and bag snatchers on motorbikes by the roadside.

Always carry your identification papers (passport) with you because there are random checks by the police for illegal immigrants.

Go next

• Kuala Lumpur, 1.5 to 2 hours away from Malacca
• Negeri Sembilan, 1 hour away from Malacca