MALACCA

We are staying in the beautiful Hattan Hotel on Hattan Square. Lovely spacious room includes a separate area with chaise lounge, tea and coffee making facilities and TV although so far it has not been turned on. Below are some of the things that we did during our four day stay here.

River Cruise

Our first full day of exploring started with the 45 minute river cruise. The Malacca River winds its way from Dutch Square and goes past Tan Boon Seng Bridge. Many of the old buildings have colourful murals on their walls. We met Sandy from Brisbane, Australia and chatted along the way. A very pleasant experience taking in the sights on either side of the river.

River Cruise

Two Sandies

Porta de Santiago (A Formosa)

Porta De Santiago (A Famosa) is one of the few oldest surviving remnants of European architecture in the whole of Asia. It was built in 1511. The Porta De Santiago (A Famosa) that we see today was once made up of long ramparts and four major towers. One of the towers was a four-storey keep while the other housed the residence of the captain, officers' quarters and an ammunition storage room. The fort changed hands in 1641 when the Dutch successfully drove the Portuguese out of Malacca. After the Dutch got their hands on A Famosa, they placed their company logo, the 'VOC' coat of arms about the gates of Porta De Santiago (A Famosa). 'VOC' is the abbreviation of Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie.

We wandered through this area. There was a group of young schoolgirls obviously on a school excursion here dressed in their uniforms and white head scarves. They were very polite and eager for their photos to be taken. One group wanted us to do a short survey, Richard obliged. We would our way up the hill where artists have their work for sale. There is a good view of the city from here. 

At the Old Fort

A Group of Schoolgirls

Dutch Square

Stadhuys Square is also known as Dutch Square as it is located next to the two most important buildings from the Dutch era: The Christ Church and the town hall (Stadhuys). The fountain with the statue of Queen Victoria in the middle is an addition from the British era and was unveiled in 1904. The clock tower was originally British as well, but was rebuilt by Chinese in 1886 and the clockwork was replaced in the meanwhile by a Japanese one. A couple of commemorative plaques and inscriptions are visible traces from the Dutch East India company (VOC) and the British Empire. 
There are many tourists here and stalls selling souvenirs.

Menara Taming Sari

Is an 80 metre high revolving tower. The ride offers panoramic views of Malacca including the Malacca Straights and rooftops of hotels and other landmarks.

Viewing from the Tower

Rooftops and the Malacca Straits

Chen Hoon Teng Temple

We visited Malaysia's oldest Chinese temple (1646). Notable for its carved woodwork, the temple is dedicated to Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy.

Inside the Ornate Temple

Trishaw Rides

Throughout the city trishaws and their riders can be seen everywhere. The trishaws are very colourfully decorated. You can hire one to take you on a sight seeing tour or just back to your hotel if you are foot sore. We took one back to our hotel after a morning of sight seeing and walking. We stopped by a maker of tiny chinese shoes worn by chinese when it was the custom to tightly bind the feet of young girls to prevent their feet from growing. This practice has now been banned. At night-time the trishaws are lit with brightly coloured lights and loud pop music can be heard coming from them.

In a Trishaw

Baba-Nonya Heritage Museum

Touring this traditional Peranakan townhouse takes you back to a time when women hid behind elaborate partitions when guests dropped by and every social situation had its specific location within the house. The museum is arranged to look like a typical 19th-century Baba-Nonya residence. Our tour guide, Shirley, told tales of the past with humour. A fascinating hour spent here seeing the house and its furnishings and stories from long ago.

 Jewellery Museum

There are many designs of jewellery displayed in glass closets and wardrobes that depict the life of Straits Chinese in the early days. Classic and vintage furniture items are also on display placed on a corner within the wooden floored gallery.

Exterior of the Jewellery Museum

Friday Night Market at Jonkers Street

Before walking through the night market we ate at the Geographers Cafe. Had a lovely meal of coconut soup served in a coconut which we shared and two delightful dishes, one a vegetable curry and the other mango chicken, also shared. Nice ambience, friendly staff, most enjoyable. We wandered through the markets, lots of cheap rubbish and many food stalls, hot food being cooked in woks and so forth. We eventually wound our way back to the hotel. We leave for KL in the morning. We thoroughly enjoyed our four days exploring Malacca.

A Yummy Dinner

Night Market in China Town

NB ON MALACCA

We enjoyed our four days here in Malacca and staying at the lovely Hattan Hotel from where we could walk to everything was a bonus. Breakfast was plentiful and varied although can't come to curries and rice dishes for breakfast. Hotel staff very helpful. Lots of shops, shopping malls, some high end but also markets and stalls very close by. Four days is enough to see most things.

Breakfast at the Hattan

The Roof Top Swimming Pool