STATE OF MELAKA - HISTORICAL CITY

Portuguese Square

Built in 1984, the Portuguese Square will remind you of a tiny town in Portugal. The square is a great place for relaxation and dining. There are restaurants, food stalls, pubs and a mini-museum. Towards the evenings on most weekends, you will see plenty of visitors and tourists packing the pubs for food, concerts, and traditional Portuguese dances (performed on Saturday evening, weather permitting). It is a colourful and fun place to be!

Proclamation of Independence Memorial

The Proclamation of Independence Memorial is a great place for those who want to get an in-depth view on the events leading up to the country? Independence Day. There are many artifacts, dioramas, and documents that chronicle our struggle for Independence.
The exhibits are displayed in chronological order and are divided into several sections. They cover the period from the Malacca Sultanate until Independence from British colonial rule in 1957.

Items of old currency are also on display, as well as the table that Malaysia? first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman used during the declaration of ?erdeka? In front of the building at the courtyard is the Merdeka limousine.

St. Francis Xavier's Church

St. Francis Xavier, the great missionary to the East, arrived in Malacca in 1545 and served the sick and the children there. He left shortly afterwards, but came back to the town in 1547, when a military victory was attributed to him. He travelled to many countries and stopped by Malacca whenever he was around the region. His fame spread far throughout Asia.
In 1574, the saint died in a ship before he could reach China, a place that he was anxious to Christianize. People found his body perfectly incorrupt, and sailed it to Malacca. People in Malacca were in deep mourning at the funeral. On the day of the funeral, the saint, after his life on earth, performed a miracle and stopped a plague that had been causing many deaths every day.
The body of St. Francis Xavier was later shipped to Goa in India, after parts of the relics were stolen or taken by different people. Today, most of his remains still rests in the Basilica of Bom-Jesus in Old Goa. He is the patron of the Indies and is called "the apostle of the East".
The present St. Francis Xavier Church was completed in 1856.

St. Paul's Church

Built by a Portuguese captain by it name of Duarte Coetho, the chapel wi turned by the Dutch into a burial ground for their noble dead and renamed it 'St. Paul's Church from the Portuguese's "Our Lady Of The Hill".

St. Francis Xavier was briefly enshrined in the open grave in 1553 before being shipped to Goa, India.

The Baba and Nyonya Heritage

Baba and Nyonya are Chinese of noble descendants that have adopted much of the Malay culture into theirs. They are also known as 'Straits-born Chinese' or 'Peranakans'. The public can now view the heirloom unique to this heritage at the Baba & Nyonya Heritage Museum (a private museum) run by the Babas and Nyonyas of Melaka at Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock.

The Stadthuys

Situated in Melaka city.
The Dutch Square is famous for its red-painted buildings. It has a display of many unique Dutch mansonry and architectural skills. The Stadthuys, in the Dutch Square, was built in 1650, it is a typical Dutch building with a clock tower. It was once an official home to the Dutch Governors. It has been preserved in its original Dutch architectural form. It is also a historic museum and houses some interesting display of traditional bridal costumes and relics, and others. There are within the square, the Queen Victoria's fountain built in 1901 and Melaka Clock Tower built in 1886.

Seri Tanjung Homestay, Masjid Tanah

Experience the real kampung way of life at Seri Tanjung Village. Twice winner of the National Beautiful Village competition, Seri Tanjung offers accommodation for visitors under the Homestay concept. The village is in Alor Gajah District, approximately 24km away from Melaka Historic City. Visitors will stay with host families, the villagers of Seri Tanjung. As such, visitors will experience the essence of village life in Seri Tanjung, an experience which is becoming a rarity nowadays.

Visitors will surely be struck by the beauty of living in harmony with nature, with traditional houses tucked loosely among coconut trees and a variety of greeneries. Accommodation provided are either traditional, modern or a combination of both. All the rooms are provided and managed by their respective owners. This means each accommodation would offer a different experience. During your stay, you will be able to observe and participate in the activities organized by the villagers, such as poultry, husbandry and farming.
There are also a number of ponds for freshwater fish, run commercially by the villagers. From time to time, visitors will be able to observe some traditional recreation such as gasing (top spinning), congkak (traditional Malay Game) or seni silat (Malay Martial Arts).

Noodles


Wantan Noodle
Kedai Makanan & Minuman Wantan Mee - 40, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock (Heeren St.).
Opens : 7.30am - 2.30pm. Closes on Wednesday.
This popular dish has an apparent difference. It is prepared with abig blob of vermillion red chilli sauce that goes on the plate beforeanything else. This vinegarish chilli sauce gives noodle adistinctive Malaccan flavour.

Taiwanese Noodle
Hing Loong Taiwanese Noodle, No. 11-J, Jalan Bachang.
Opens : 7.35am - 6pm. Closes every 2nd & 4th Thursday.
Fresh noodles made in a secret recipe, serviced with choice ofstewed beef, pork ribs, pig s trotters or minced chicken.
1. Taiwanese Noodle minced chicken noodle
2. Wantan Noodle
3. Duck Mee
4. Pork ribs noodles
5. Mee Goreng
6. Mee Kahwin

Hee Kiaw
Teo Heng at Wang Food Court, next to Grand Continental Hotel
This noodle dish is only found in Malacca. It is noodles with an assortment of fish derived toppings such as fish balls and fish cake slices, seasoned with dark soy sauce and chilli sauce.
Mee Kahwin
Restaurant Ming Huat (shop opposite turning to the Portuguese Settlement).
Opens : 9.30am-3pm. Closes on Friday.
The fusion of noodles is the result of marrying (kahwin) mee rebus with Indian rojak. The result is an explosion of sweet, sour and spicy, enriched with curry powder and crushed peanuts. The concoction consist of noodles, bean curd, potatoes, boiled egg and crunch fritters, onion crisps, raw cucumber and yam bean. Don’t forget to eat it the Malaccan way – with a dash of vinegar and kicap manis.

Rice
Hainanese Chicken Rice Balls 
Hoe Kee Chicken Rice Shop (next to old Chung Kiaw Bank), 4, Jalan Hang Jebat (Jonker St).
Opens : 7.30am-4pm. Closes last Wednesday of the month.
This is a Malaccan specialty. Rice boiled in chicken stock and some chicken oil and salt, flavoured with ginger, garlic and shallot and make into rice balls then served with boiled chicken pieces and garnished with cucumber and spring onion, and chilli sauce.

BBQ Pork Rice
Bunga Raya Lane (first sta l, day only, at night, the Fried Oyster man takes over).
Opens : 11am-3pm. Closes fortnightly either on Wednesday or Thursday.
Charcoal roasted meat that is golden-crusted, crispy, tender and juicy, tasting of sticky sweet caramel, aromatic and full of flavour. Served with white rice and side dishes such as kangkung, tofu, egg, dried meat and Chinese sausages.

Icy Delights


Cendol 
Nyonya Cendol : No 1 Kopitiam (across from Hoe Kee Chicken RiceShop). Jalan Hang Jebat (Jonker St).
Opens :11.30am-6pm. Closes on Tuesdays.
This traditional Nyonya cendol is made of homemade jade-green cendol that is absolutely creamy, with aromatic palm sugar syrup.
Clock Tower Cendol : Stall opposite the Clock Tower.
Opens daily : 10am-6pm.
This Indian style cendol is typically pale green in colour and not as creamy rich as the Nyonya version. Mashed red beans is optional.
1 Tutti Fruitti (left) & Red bean ice with milk
2 Nyonya Cendol

Homemade Ice-Cream
Tai Chong Hygenic Ice Cafe 39, 42G & H, Jalan Bunga Raya.
Opens : 11am-8pm daily.
A trip to town is not complete without popping by for a bowl of syrup and palm sugar-drench ais kacang or homemade vanilla icecream with peach slices.
Ming Chong Hygenic Ice Cafe 43, Jalan Bunga Raya (directly opposite Tai Chong).
Opens : 11.30am-7.30pm. Closes 1st day of CNY.
Used to be popular for its Pak Poh Ice (similar to ice kacang) and ice balls, the menu and ice shaver have not been replacedsince 1928. Rojak is a specialty here. Malaccan-style rojak tosses together bean sprouts, kangkung, tofu puffs and shreddedyambean with a dressing of crushed peanuts and prawn paste.
Tai Bak
Jalan Tengkera (opposite ACS / Wesley Church).
Opens : 10am-6pm daily.
A Nyonya dessert in danger of extinction is like a sweet noodle made of rice, tapioca and wheat flour shaped comes in pink and white served with ice and light syrup. Can also add black jelly or read beans and palm sugar syrup.

Satay


Satay Celup
Capitol Satay Celup, 41, Lorong Bukit Cina.
Opens : 5.30pm until last customer leaves. Closes on Mondays.
Satay celup or satay steamboat only found in Malacca, are assortment of raw and semi-cookedseafood, meat and vegetables on skewers that are dunked into a boiling pot of water and eaten withsauce that is similar to the ubiquitious satay sauce but has different ingredients. Though Jalan Ong Kim Wee abounds with many satay celup shops but this place is said to be the best, as the sauceis thick and aromatic.


Hainanese Pork Satay
Jonker Street Satay / Sun May Hiong Satay House, 135, Jalan Hang Jebat (Jonker St).
Opens : 11am - 6pm (8pm on Saturdays). Closes alternate Tuesdays.
This famous satay of old Jonker Street offers a selection of pork, chicken, liver and intestine on skewer, with the usual sideaccompaniment of ketupat rice, sliced onions and cucumber. This aromatic meat has a crisp, slightly burnt edge served with atangy, sweet and spicy concoction of crushed peanuts, aromatic roots, spices, shredded pineapple and belimbing.


Malay Satay
Ngah Satay (opposite the three-storey flats in Bukit Baru).
Opens : 6.00 - 10.30pm. Closes 2nd & 4th Mondays of the month.
For halal Malay-style satay, this is the place to go. This satay is well marinated that it is good without its sauce.

Nyonya

Bibik Neo Nyonya Restaurant, No. 6, Ground Floor, Jalan Merdeka, Taman Melaka Raya.
Opens : 11am-2.30pm / 6-9.30pm. Closes on Mondays.
One of the many nyonya restaurants in town, this place provides home cooked dishes such as Pongteh, Ayam buah Keluak Masak Assam, Geram Asam and Itik Tim. You can also try egg with cincalok, stamed ladies fingers with sambal belacan and otak-otak.
1 Curry Debal
2 Steam ladies finger with sambal belacan

Seafood
Medan Ikan Bakar Umbai / Pernu.
Opens : daily 5.30pm to midnight
From town, take the road from Ujong Pasir to Padang Temu. At the end of Padang Temu, turn right and follow the road for the next few kilometers. There is a big signboard just before the turning into the jetty (turn right in front of Esso petrol kiosk). This place consists of a row of shops located next to the jetty to Pulau Besar. Choose any one that catches your fancy. Make your selection from various kinds of local fish, shellfish, crab, squid and prawn and decide how you want them cooked – apart from shellfish that is fried with chilli paste, most seafood and simply grilled over open charcoal. Grilled otak-otak and nasi lemak is also available here.

Local Kuih
Warung Kuih Kampung, 202, Jalan Ujong Pasir, (opposite the Police HQ)
Opens :daily 3.30-7.30pm
You can get a variety of kuih and dishes (more than 30) from binka to kuih koci to ondeh-ondeh, popiah, nasi lemak bungkus, nasi kunyit, kway teow goring, kuih keria and more.
Warung Kuih Keria Haji Jalil (small stall in Limbongan, opposite beach).
Opens : 2-6pm. Closes on Fridays.
The plump and luscious kuih keria, a local doughnut made of potato and flour that is deep fried and plunged in hot melted palm sugar for a caramelized effect is especially good here. You can also try out the kuih rengas, fried bananas and fried sweet potatoes.
1 Malay Kuih
2 Putu piring

Besar Island / Pulau Besar

Pulau Besar is located about 3 nautical miles off Pengkalan Pernu at Umbai, 10km south of Melaka town. Those in search of fresh air, sandy beaches and tranquillity will be entranced by the unspoilt natural beauty of the island. It also abounds with intriguing legends and sacred graves and shrines. There is an island resort with beach chalets, a yacht club and a host of sea - based sporting facilities. The island is ideal for swimming, fishing, snorkelling, camping and picnicking. Pulau Besar is the largest of eight islands off the coast of Malacca, Pulau Besar covers an area of approximately 133 hectares and is said to resemble the shape of a pregnant woman. In fact, the island has long been associated with intriguing legends and myths.

 

The most famous of these has it that several hundred years ago, a beautiful and kind-hearted princess of the Sultanate of Malacca fell in love with a fisherman from Sumatra. When the fisherman had to return to Sumatra, he promised the princess that he would return to marry her.

A few months later, misfortune was to befall the happy couple when the boat the fisherman was on, capsized on its way to Malacca after being caught in a raging storm. The young fisherman was to go down with the ship.

All this time, the princess had been waiting patiently for the fisherman's return. She was soon to discover that she was pregnant. Hearing no news and in total desperation, she threw herself into the sea. Legend has it that her body miraculously floated to the site of her lover's capsized ship and remained there. This is said to account for the shape of the island of Pulau Besar.

Another legend is about the shrine of the seven princesses The seven maidens were said to have been on their way to Pulau Besar from India in order to deepen their mysticism. Alas, their ship was also to sink along the way. The graves of the seven princesses were buried on the island and can still be seen until today.

There is a cave called "Yunos Cave". It is believed that in ancient times, warriors came to the cave to learn the art of mysticism. It was also used for the training of the art of 'silat', a form of martial arts.

And then there is the famous Batu Belah or Split Rock. When looking at the rock, you should bear in mind the story behind it. It tells the tale of a young apprentice who did not obey the teachings of his master who told him never to misuse his power. He choose not to heed this advice. Before he could repent, his master took out his sword and sliced the rock he was sitting on. The apprentice was to fall between the cracks, after which the rock was to mysteriously rejoin, trapping the apprentice forever.

How to get there

There are regular bus services to Umbai from the Jalan Tun Ali Terminal in Malacca town. From the Pengkalan Pernu jetty, a boat then transports you to the island. The journey to Pulau Besar from Umbai by speed boat takes 15 minutes. A 45 minutes boat service is available from the Shahbandar jetty in Malacca

Pulau Upeh

Pulau Upeh formerly known as 'Liha Das Pedra' meaning places of stones. During the Second World War, Pulau Upeh was used as a look-out point for invading battleships in the Straits of Malacca. It is also believed that this island was a pirates stop-over and hide-out.

Hawksbill Turtle

Hawksbill Turtle (Pulau Upeh), One of the Earth's rare species, the Hawksbill turtle is a medium-sized marine turtle with a hawklike beak and a thorny shell. Brown and lightly striped, these turtles find their ideal resting ground on the island of Upeh. The egglaying season is from March to June but visitors can expect to catch sight of at feast a few turtles every night throughout the year.

source: cuti.com.my