Tours

Malacca is so rich in architectural heritage that it is tantamount to a chronicle of the rise of the European Age. Save the French, just about every major European sea power forged a colonial episode in this former maritime gateway of the Far Eastern spice trade. And as the tide of history turned, each empire successively retreated, leaving a church here, a ruin there. Some architectural bequests disappeared in the hands of new owners, but enough survived to make possible an arresting biographical tour of this ancient colonial outpost. Luckily, Malacca has been left with a townscape incredibly suited for exploration on foot. Present-day town planners have wisely taken advantage of this fortuitous physical inheritance by putting in paved walkways and amenities that immeasurably ease and enliven the proverbial 'walk thr ough the past'.

Legacy of Empires

The best spot to begin is Dutch Square. Here, in the center of Dutch colonial administrative and social functions, the old offices of the Stadthuys have been turned into the Museum of History, while the enchanting Christ Church still stands as the oldest Protestant artifact in the country. Nearby, the sprays of Queen Victoria's Fountain, dedicated for her Diamond Jubilee, serve notice of the British arrival. Another British colonial era construct, the Tan Kim Seng Clock Tower, emb odies the rags-to-riches story of a Straits Chinese, or Baba, who prospered from an early rubber plantation on the Peninsula of Malaya. Perahus and wooden barges can still be sighted at nearby docks along the banks of the Malacca River, reminiscent of the great seaport once thriving at the river mouth.

Proceed along Jalan Kota around the base of the St. Paul's Hill, passing the Tourist Police Headquarters, to see what the Portuguese, the pioneer colonists, built here. A' Famosa was one of several gates in the giant fortress that once encircled the hill and sheltered the Portuguese nobility. Up the steps atop the hill, St. Paul's Church was their church and originally named 'Duarte Coelho', or 'Our Lady of the Hill'. Within, an empty grave strewn wit h coins marks the initial resting place of Saint Francis Xavier, one of the original Jesuit missionaries in Malacca. A Statue now stands in his eternal memory. Before your next stop, enjoy some satay in the cobblestone dining area of Restoran Mahligai.

Before the colonialists, Malacca was ruled by Sultans. Their feats and fables are gathered and displayed at the Sultanate Palace, a wooded replica bearing the likeness of ancient Malay palaces. A comparatively recent phenomena, the Independence Obelisk and the Proclamation of Independence Memorial celebrate the arrival of self-rule. Finish up your walk with a stop in Dulukala on Jalan Laksamana.

Jonker Street and Chinatown

The former Dutch enclave begins past the vehicular bridge next to Dutch Square. Heeren Street was home to the upper-crust of Dutch colonial society, while their Peranankan contemporaries occupied the parallel Jonker Street (modern signs refer to it as Jalan Hang Jebat). Now both streets are bustling commercial thoroughfares, where a great many interesting hotels, restaurants, cafes, and merchants of antiques and other trades provide plenty to see and explore. Not to be missed is the Fatimah Antique Store or the Baba-Nonya Heritage Museum. Stop in to the Heeren House Cafe for tea or, if you come early enough, a full English breakfast. The old Chinatown of Malacca started as a row of shacks along the Western bank of the Malacca River, an area adjoining Jonker Street. Numerous ancient Chinese trades, like goldsmiths and makers of joss paper, still thrive in pre-war shophouses. A rare religious monument from the Dutch era, the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple—built in 1646—miraculously survived the various occupations and was recently restored to its past magnificence. Immigrant Chinese sought shelter and kinship in clan-houses such as the Hokkien Huay Kuan which provides an uncommon glimpse into an ancient elaborate tradition. In the 1930s, Chinatown extended across the river to the eastern bank. Linked to the old quarters by the Malacca Bridge, a new commercial center—anchored by a Central Market which has since been torn down—rose from a swampy land site. Jalan Bunga Raya and Jalan Kee Ann are today a bundle of sights, sounds and smells, home to generations of hard-working Chinese enterprises, such as the Madam King Departmental Store, locally the oldest departmental store. A daily Night Market and numerous Open Air Eating Stalls are further shopping and eating opportunities not to be missed.

Cina Bukit Chinese Graveyard

A short walk from the Emperor Hotel along Jalan Munsi Abdullah in a southerly direct ion brings one to the junction of Jalan Hang Li Poh. From there, the Sam Poh Kong Temple can be readily seen, while Hang Li Poh's Well lies within a walled compound on one side of the temple. The stories of the legendary seafaring eunuch, Admiral Zheng He, who brought the Chinese princess Hang Li Poh to marry a Malacca Sultan are told often enough. Along with these two famous visitors to Malacca, millions of Chinese helped build the Malacca we see today over the centuries. Just beside the temple, a series of stepped foot paths lead up to a rare sight—thousands of tombs, some from as far back as the Ming Dynasty, spread out over the hilly expanse in the largest Chinese graveyard outside of China. Somewhere near the peak, the Tan Family Ancestral Memorial Site occupies a spacio us and most auspicious plot. The deceased's descendants are honored for saving Bukit Cina from brazen development many times over. Return next morning with your running shoes for an unhurried jog, but today head back down to Jalan Laksamana Cheng Ho to see what the living Chinese community has to offer. Step into Tan Kim Hock to see and sample Chinese specialty food products , including coconut sweets and interesting pickled items. Or if you want a full Chinese feast, head up to Long Feng Restaurant in the Renaissance Hotel on Jalan Bendahara for an imperial quality traditional meal.