Where to stay in Malacca

See

The older part of the city proper has, in addition to the old palace and the large buildings left by the Europeans, many private houses and shops from nearly a century or more ago, put up by Chinese traders. Many of these have beautiful details such as moulded porcelain tiles and painted plaster reliefs on the front. Unfortunately, they tend to be not well preserved and the city government decided to paint all the buildings in the historical district a bright brick red some years ago, as the constant spitting by passers-by was proving a nuisance, which detracts from their aesthetic value. On Tuesdays, many museums, shops and restaurants are closed, especially in the Jonker Street area.

• Cheng Hoon Teng Temple
• Christ Church
• Dutch Square
• Jonker, Heeren and adjacent streets
• Masjid Kampung Hulu
• Porta de Santiago
• Saint Paul's Church
• Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum
• Malay and Islamic World Museum
• Maritime Museum
• Melaka Islamic Museum
• Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum

Do

• Melaka on bike
• Malacca Duck Tour
• Taming Sari Tower

Eat

Besides the usual Malaysian fare, you'll be able to sample some rather peculiar Malaccan food. On top of the list is of course Peranakan or Baba-Nyonya food, which used to be totally uncommercialised and confined to the kitchens of old grandmothers. Now, there is a string of restaurants claiming to serve Peranakan food, but most unfortunately seem to be on the tour bus circuit. The dishes are slightly different from those of the Penang Peranakan. Usual ones include babi pongteh (pork belly in bean sauce, or sometimes a halal variant known as ayam pongteh that uses chicken instead), ayam buah keluak (chicken cooked with a bitter nut) and a whole array of desserts.

Drink

When in Malacca, don't miss the cendol ("chen-dul"), a sweet dessert of coconut milk, lurid green noodles and gula Melaka (Malacca sugar), made from palm sap. Though it's not a drink, it's the ultimate thirst quencher.

Stay safe

Malacca is a very safe place with a low crime rate. However, do watch out for pickpockets in crowded areas and bags snatching on the roadside by motorbikes. Carry your identification papers (passport) with you always because there are random checks by the police for illegal immigrants.