Travel Guide to Melaka (Malacca), Malaysia 2024/2025

Malacca, or Melaka in Malay, this tropical city in Malaysia is as welcoming and enchanting as its pleasantly warm temperatures. With fairytale-colored rooftops, lively streets where you can meet different cultures, unexpected graffiti that showcases local life, and night markets that sell all kinds of food, exploring this city will be an exciting testament to different cultures, so read on and start your Malaysia tour!

Why You Should Visit Malacca

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Malacca is a welcoming city, where lively night weekend markets draw crowds even at midnight; a haven of relaxation, where even an aimless stroll through the streets reveals unexpected sights in the form of street graffiti; and also a drawing board where you can witness a living multicultural heritage built by different peoples and cultures, with its rich history, diverse architecture, inspiring street art and abundance of local delicacies.

Christ Church on Red Square

When Is the Best Time to Visit Malacca

With its proximity to the equator and its warm and humid climate, the city of Malacca is a great place to visit at any time of the year. You can choose between the months of June to September or December to March if you want to take a walking tour and explore the city in detail. This is when Malacca experiences the dry season, which means you can enjoy your city sightseeing in warm, sunny weather. The end-of-year celebrations are also an opportunity to witness the different cultures that welcome the new year. Although rainfall tends to increase from April to May and October to November, you can still get a feel for the city's charm by visiting the various museums dedicated to the city's history and culture with empty streets and bargain prices.

Where to Visit in Malacca

Kampung Morten (Morten Village)

Although Malacca is famous for its ethnic and cultural diversity, for authentic Malay tradition and culture, head to Kampung Morten. Also known as Morten Village, it is a village with more than 80 traditional houses where you can catch the details of the traditional Malay lifestyle with old photos, furniture, arts and crafts. Villa Sentosa, known as the Malay Living Museum, is the most famous and its enthusiastic owner will show you his beautiful garden and even the court jewelry that will take you back in time.

Jonker Walk (Jalan Hang Jebat Street)

Located on the west bank of the Malacca River, the bustling street of Jonker Walk is always abuzz with activity. With a large number of traditional Chinese buildings and shops making it the city's Chinatown. It's a good idea to start your visit here on Friday and weekend afternoons so you can catch the night market that takes place here more easily. During your stroll, you can see the spectacular Cheng Hoong Teng Temple and experience the distinctive oriental culture at the Cheng Ho Cultural Museum and the Baba and Nyonya Heritage Museum. If you want to take a break, stop at the riverside café where you can take in the colorful graffiti on the other side of the river while tasting your afternoon tea.

Baba and Nyonya Heritage Museum

Red Square (Dutch Square)

As its name suggests, the Dutch Square, just across the river from Jonker Walk, is built in the Western style. The red roofs of the square, including the lovely clock tower, the elegant Christ Church and the former governor's residence Stadthuys, as well as the rickshaws wrapped in pretty red, have always made this square a favorite with tourists and locals alike. For more space to admire this enchanting square, try to get here in the early hours of the morning. Or spend a few hours in the Stadthuys, a building now converted into a museum, where the interior is quiet and you can immerse yourself in history.

Dutch Square

St. Paul's Hill

It is the ruins of a church on the hill behind Red Square, which can be reached by a short walk along the stone stairs. Before climbing, you can also visit the Melaka Sultanate Palace at the foot, an ancient palace that shows the splendor of the old times. As you climb to the top, you'll notice that the roof of the church has disappeared, so you can see the shadows of the tall old trees, the mottled walls and the stone tablets that record historical events directly on the ground. It's also a place that offers a whole view of Malacca city, both of the beautiful rooftops of the city center or the ancient gate of A Famosa Fort at the foot and the sparkling sea in the distance.

Melaka Straits Mosque (Melaka Floating Mosque)

If you're looking for a different beach experience in Malacca, head to the artificial island of Malacca, about an hour's drive from the city center. The smooth roads and pleasant sea breeze here are perfect for relaxing. Just walking along the waves, you will find the floating mosque, the Melaka Straits Mosque, which, like the Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima, Japan, is built on the shore and can be captured floating at high tide. While you wait for the tide to rise, you can also enter the mosque for sightseeing. When the sun goes down, you can capture the magic of the temple in the bright sunlight.

Melaka Straits Mosque

How to Explore Malacca

For some ideas on how you can experience this city, here's a two-day, one-night itinerary for your reference:

Day 1

Arrive in Melaka city at Friday or weekend lunchtime and head straight to Jonker Walk for an authentic local delicacy. After a short break, explore the street with the Baba and Nyonya Heritage Museum, then visit the Cheng Hoong Teng Temple and Kampung Kling Mosque along the way, try some street foods and discover the graffiti on the street before enjoying dinner and waiting for nightfall and the opening of the weekend market. Then explore the night market and taste a late-night snack.

Day 2

The second day can start with a visit to the Red Square for a photo opportunity with the bright landmark and take a tour of the Stadthuys, followed by a visit to the Melaka Sultanate Palace at the foot of the St. Paul's Hill through the A Famosa Fort, and then up to St. Paul's Hill for a view of the ruins of the church and the whole city of Malacca.

In the afternoon, go to Kampung Morten village sightseeing to learn about Malay local life, and then take a river cruise along the Malacca River to see the giant graffiti on the buildings along the waterfront. If there still have time, head to the Melaka Straits Mosque for a stunning view of the sunset.

Malacca River

How Many Days Is Enough for Malacca

As a city that retains its charm even at night, it is highly recommended that you spend at least one day and one night in Malacca City to fully experience it in a different way than during the daytime. With sufficient time, 2 or 3 days are usually enough for visiting the most popular attractions and experiencing those must-try events. Of course, if you have fallen in love with the city, you can extend your stay to a week to explore each detail and underrated scenery at your own pace.

How to Get to Malacca

One of the most common ways to get to Malacca is to take a flight from the neighboring city of Kuala Lumpur. After landing at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, a 1.5-hour drive you can be in the center of Malacca. If you choose a flight that lands in Melaka City, you can start your city tour even faster after a 20-minute drive.

How to Get Malacca Around

Most attractions in Malacca are within easy walking distance, making it one of the best cities to take a simple walking tour. Of course, if you want to make your trip to this cozy city even more enjoyable, you can take a bike ride along the streets or experience a local trishaw, which is decorated with delicate flowers and small, stylish stuffed dolls.

Local Trishaw with Decorations

Where to Stay in Malacca

For a quicker and easier experience of the city's culture and local lifestyle, choose accommodation along the Malacca River, where you'll find a choice of luxury hotels or local guesthouses. The bustling streets of the neighborhood can also take you to the main attractions within a 10-minute drive. It's also a good idea to stay around the Red Square or Jonker Walk areas for a more direct experience of the different architectural charms of the West and East. Another advantage of living near Jonker Walk is that it is easier to join the city's nightlife, as most of the night markets gather here, especially the grand night market.

Malacca Travel Tips

1. A Weekday Visit Is Always Recommended

This vibrant city is always popular with tourists from all over the world and many neighbor country visitors like to come here for a relaxing weekend. So, if you prefer a quieter environment to sightseeing or want to find a better angle for your photos, try visiting during the weekday.

2. Try to Explore the Back Alleys

As a city with a rich history, there is no shortage of specialty shops worth exploring, but most of them are not as obvious as the boutiques tucked away in a variety of streets and even alleyways. Start your treasure hunt during the day! But don't forget to pay more attention when you visit at night.

3. Take a Cycling Tour Along the Melaka Suburbs

As a port city, Malacca, just across the sea from Singapore, has a great view of the harbor. As well as taking a leisurely stroll, renting a bicycle to ride around the suburbs is also recommended. It is always worth trying to catch the sunset on a bike, accompanied by a warm sea breeze.

4. Bring Rain Gear with You

Folding umbrellas for both rain and shine can be one of your best matches during your Malacca city sightseeing as the tropical climate here can make your tour a bit showery. A pair of breathable sandals is also a good choice so you don't have to worry about getting soaked.

Take Your Malaysia Tour to Malacca With Odynovo

Like a cocktail, Malacca is a city that offers multiple experiences. The rich colors of the architecture, the creative street culture and the fusion of cultures is a great experience for the taste buds. If you'd like to savor this cocktail, get in touch with Odynovo and customize your trip to Malacca.