Malacca, Malaysia, Part I

Historical Malacca

 I think this is the heart of Malacca - where everything had started. Just like the Lupercale cave in Rome.

This is one of my favourite place. An all-in-one tourist attraction. That is my conclusion about this place. For me, this place is unique. Why? Malacca has many historical sites, places to relax and chill out, lovely restaurants, multi racial heritage settlements, marvelous shopping malls, historical religious sites, museums and theme parks. There are also numbers of activities to do while you're in Malacca such as cruising the Malacca river, sightseeing in the city with trishaw, observe the horizon from Taming Sari Tower and walking down the street at the Jonker Walk. For those who doesn't know or pretending like as haven't been noticed, this place once had been occupied by the Portuguese, Dutch, English and the Japanese. Their legacies are remained in the heart of the city.

What to do and where to go?

• Visit the St. Paul Hill area. Lots of historical places here such as the Porta De Santiago (a sustained gate from the ruined Malacca Fort), the old chapel of St. Paul at the hilltop and museums around the hill. The most famous museum is The Stadhuys, which was erected by the Dutch.
• River cruise from estuary to Spice Garden in Pengkalan Rama
• Visit the Maritime Museum (with Flor de la Mar replica)
• Enjoy colourful Baba-Nyonya settlement and shops at the Jonker Walk and Tan Cheng Lock Street
• Watching Malacca from 360 degree aerial view at Menara Taming Sari (Taming Sari Tower)
• Get the experience of the Medieval Malay Kingdom era at the Cultural Museum (A replica of Malaccan Sultan Palace)
• Walking at the Bukit Cina
• Relax and look for souvenirs at the Hatten Square, Mahkota Parade and Dataran Pahlawan
• Gain the experience at the Portuguese Settlement (Eurasian of Malaccan native and the Portuguese)
• Visit the unique Morten Village (the Malay settlement with restored traditional Malaccan-Malay house design just like the Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka in Kyoto) 

Porta de Santiago, also known as the A Famosa. The British destroyed the Malacca Fort except this gate. There is stairs behind this gate that leads to the St. Paul Church at the top of the hill. The current pedestrian walkway was supposed to be the beach of Malacca.

Independence Memorial Museum, near the A Famosa.

St. Paul Church. Developed by the Portuguese but abandoned by the Dutch because they're Protestant.

Entrance to the Jonker Walk.

A young Malaccan Chinese was selling the colourful chopsticks and pencils as souvenirs.

Various design of hats sold near the museum around the St. Paul Hill.

At one of the corner of Dataran Pahlawan (Warrior Square), the local government developed the Heritage Gallery which is a hub for locals to sell goodies and souvenirs with Malay and Malaysian identities.

Replica of Sultan Mahmud's Palace, the last Sultan of Malacca Sultanate. The local government developed it as a museum.

Cruising through the river give you alternative experience of Malacca. On the right, there is a traditional Malay settlement which is recognized as Morten Village. Just like preserved old street in Sannenzaka in Kyoto, Japan.