Malacca (Melaka)

Malacca, or Melaka, was once the greatest trading port in Southeast Asia, the heart of the spice trade, and its rich, layered history has left a UNESCO old town of extraordinary cultural depth. Ruled in turn by the Portuguese, Dutch and British, and home to the distinctive Peranakan Chinese culture, it blends the red Dutch buildings of its central square, old churches and forts, ornate Chinese temples and shophouses, and a colourful, lantern-strung riverfront.

History

Malacca was a fishing village until Parameswara, also known as Iskandar Shah, founded a port here at a narrow point of the strait that could be reached in every season, and with the Orang Laut he made it an international port by requiring passing ships to call; legend says he named it after the Malacca tree under which he rested when a mouse deer drove one of his dogs into the river. The first official Chinese trade envoy, Admiral Yin Qing, arrived in 1403, and in 1405 the Ming court sent Zheng He to raise the port to the status of a country, making Malacca a base of the treasure voyages and a protectorate safe from Siam and Majapahit. Afonso de Albuquerque took the city for Portugal on 24 August 1511, Francis Xavier visited in 1545, 1546 and 1549, and on 14 January 1641 the Dutch East India Company captured it after a long siege and held it into the late 18th century, building the Stadthuys. Under the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 Malacca passed to Britain in exchange for Bencoolen, and in 2008 Malacca City was inscribed with George Town as a World Heritage Site (Wikipedia, Malacca).

What to look for

• The Dutch Square - the red Stadthuys and Christ Church.
• Jonker Street - the old Chinatown lane, and its weekend night market.
• The Peranakan heritage - the mansions and cuisine of the Straits Chinese.
• The riverfront - the lantern-lit river and its boat cruises.

When to go

December to April for the driest weather; the Jonker Street night market on weekend evenings is a lively highlight of food and shopping. It is an easy trip or overnight from Kuala Lumpur.

What to expect

It is a popular weekend getaway, so the centre and Jonker Street get busy, especially at the weekend market; midweek is calmer. It has become quite touristy and, in places, kitschy, with garish trishaws blasting music. Its layered history and Peranakan food, though, are genuinely rich, and it is easily seen in a day or two.

Nearby

Kuala Lumpur is two hours north; the coast and Johor lie to the south.

Key facts