What is Malacca (Melaka)?
Malacca (Melaka), is a small city located in the southwest of Peninsular Malaysia, the capital city of the Malaysian State of Melaka and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Once a major trading hub for Asia and Europe, Malacca has seen colonization by the Dutch, Portuguese, and most recently, the British. They all left their mark on the town, which you’ll notice as you wander the diverse streets. Full of rich cultural diversity and history, Malacca is a place we’re happy we got to experience, especially on the weekend.
The Best Way to Visit Malacca
By far the best way to visit Malacca is a one or two-night stay over the weekend. The weekend is when Malacca really comes to life. Many of the markets are only open Friday-Sunday, so if you go during the week you will miss the best part of the city.
We took an 8 AM bus from KL Saturday morning, stayed one night, and then took an overnight bus to the Perhentian Islands the next evening. This gave us two full days to explore Malacca which was the perfect amount of time!
One thing to note is that the weekends are also popular for locals and tourists visiting from Kuala Lumpur. Many people just come during the day. It will most likely be very busy. However, it’s still the best time to be there, because you can’t go to Melaka without visiting the Weekend Markets.
How to get to Malacca
The best way to get to Malacca is by bus. If you are in Kuala Lumpur, the bus to Malacca takes around 2 hours and only costs a few dollars. You can find bus schedules on 12go.asia. Many tour companies offer day trips to Malacca too, but I don’t recommend this. You’ll have a hard time enjoying the city when you only get to spend a few hours there during the hottest and busiest part of the day. Plus, at night is the best time to be in Malacca.
The buses in Malaysia are clean and have A/C. They’re comparably nicer and more organized than the buses in Vietnam and Thailand. So, it really is your best option and saves you a ton of money.
A private car or taxi is always an option too, but it is more expensive. After a little research, I’ve seen prices from $50-$150 (USD).
Where to Stay
The best place to stay is in Chinatown, the heart of Malacca. When you stay in China Town you’ll be next to the markets, town center, Little India, and many other attractions. But even if you don’t stay right in Chinatown, Malacca is not a large city and you can get pretty much anywhere in town in about a 20-30 minute walk or less.
There are plenty of accommodation options for every type of budget. We stayed in a super cute budget-friendly Cat Hotel (it’s a Room & Board for locals to leave their cats while they travel). The actual room is pretty basic, but you can hang out with the cats and walk to all the best spots in Malacca, so it’s perfect for a short stay. It also has A/C and the family that runs it is very laid back!
Here are some other spots too:
- Layang Layang Guest House Melaka (Budget-Friendly)
- Gingerflower Boutique Hotel (Between $30-$40 USD)
- Liu Men Melaka (High-end, Luxury)
- 5 Heeren Museum Residence (High-End, Luxury)
Things to Do
Malacca has some of the best and biggest variety of street food we’ve had in all of Southeast Asia, and you’ll get to experience the best of it, too, but ONLY during their Weekend Night Market which runs from Friday to Sunday.
We’ve heard mixed reviews about Malacca from influencers and other bloggers. Some said it wasn’t exciting or was even skippable – but they also didn’t mention the night market, which makes me think they didn’t go there during the weekend – which is a bummer because it’s a lively and beautiful place to be on a Friday or Saturday night!
The most notable market is Jonker Street, but there are a few others that only take place during the weekend, (all links will take you to our Malaysia Google Map that we curated for you):
The Jonker Street Night Market
As I said, Jonker Street Market in Chinatown is the largest market in Malacca and is only open on the weekends. It usually starts around 6:30 PM and goes until midnight. We recommend checking it out on a Friday or Saturday. Sunday was just very slow and had a smaller selection of food vendors.
You will see a massive selection of food – from traditional Malay cuisine to Indian street vendors, and crab burgers to dim sum. There are smoothies, juices, all sorts of desserts, and much more. We had so much fun walking around and seeing such a large variety of food.
Click here to check out our “Trying Melaka Street Food” Reel!
Vintage Night Market
The vintage market also runs from Fri-Sun and goes from 6 PM – 1 AM. Unfortunately, we did not have the chance to visit it. However, our host said it’s a giant market with tons of vintage thrifts, so it’s well worth checking out while you’re there!
Sunday Morning Flea Market
As it says in the name – this is the Sunday Morning Flea Market! The market is in Chinatown, just down a side street near Jonker Street (Google map).
It has a handful of local vendors selling some cool vintage items from old cameras, to magazines, to paintings, etc. This felt like a very ‘Melakan’ experience if that makes any sense. People knew each other; locals were walking around, chatting and enjoying each other’s company. It was a much different experience than the Night Market which is geared toward tourists.
After breakfast at Daily Fix, we walked around for a bit. It wasn’t very busy and the local vendors enjoyed chatting with one another. You can tell it’s something they look forward to every week.
Dutch Square
When you look up Malacca, you will see photos of maroon-colored, Dutch-style buildings. Obviously: this is Dutch Square. It’s conveniently located right next to Chinatown so it will be a short walk for you. The square is a very picturesque area where you can walk and learn the history of Malacca.
The red buildings give the square a unique look, and to make things more interesting: nobody really knows why they are painted red. Historical pictures and paintings show the buildings painted white, and then all of a sudden they became red. There are some theories, but nobody knows for sure.
Walk Along the Malacca River
The river runs through the center of Malacca, and both banks are full of shops, restaurants, and colorful buildings. This is a great place to walk around, eat a meal, grab a drink, do some shopping, etc.
If you’d like to experience a relaxing canal ride, the River Boat tour is priced around 30RM (about $6 USD).
The Floating Mosque
Located south of town is the Masjid Selat Melaka, a beautiful mosque built over the ocean. Unfortunately, it was under construction when we visited (April 2024), but it is expected to be finished soon. It’s a bit out of town, so make sure to check if it’s open before you venture out to it. As always, wear appropriate attire, it is an active place of worship.
Church of Saint Paul
If you head south from Dutch Square and walk up the big hill, you’ll end up at the Church of Saint Paul. The church, now a ruin, is full of old tombstones which gives a fascinating look into Malacca’s past. It also provides a fantastic view over Malacca.
Where to Eat & Drink
All of these places are linked in our Google Map.
The Daily Fix
This place has an impressive breakfast menu and the food is absolutely delicious. They have good coffee and some of the best pancakes I’ve ever had. I had the peanut butter-filled pancakes and still think about them every day. This place gets VERY BUSY so be sure to show up early. We tried getting a table around 11AM the first day we arrived and there was an hour-long wait.
Jonker Street Night Market
Street food at a night market might be my favorite way to eat. The variety, quality, and price of food are unbeatable, and as mentioned before, Malacca’s Jonker Street Night Market is no exception. We have eaten at night markets all over Asia and the food here was arguably the best of any market.
Some foods to find and try: Nasi Lemak (Malaysia’s National Dish), Crab Burger, Takoyaki, and a Quail Egg Stick with Sausage!
The Kappan House Restaurant
Located by the river, this small restaurant has delicious Malay food for a budget-friendly price. This restaurant has a more traditional menu with some local Melakan cuisine. If you look it up on Google, you’ll see tons of well-deserved reviews.
Sin Hiap Hin
This bar is run by an elderly lady who is very proud of her liquor selection. There is only one table and a few seats at the bar, so you might be standing when you arrive. Sit at the bar if you can, so she can give you the rundown of all her liquors.
I recommend letting her pick your drink. Our favorite was the coconut liquor. This isn’t some overpriced, hip, cocktail bar. All drinks are served on the rocks, so don’t ask for a cocktail. She’ll probably offer cold beer too, but it’s a really fun experience to try her liquor selection.
The Old Station Cafe
This cafe has wifi, cute cats, a kind owner, and delicious Kombucha. I’m normally not crazy about Kombucha, but I loved theirs. They had a butterfly pea kombucha that I highly recommend.
The coffee is also delicious. We didn’t try their breakfast, but reviews raved about their bagels, so be sure to try one if you’re hungry.
