Melaka is a small city located in the south of Malaysia. It has been an important place for trading and colonial fights during the past centuries. Today the historical city center is a charming place to walk around. You can see the different colonial cultures in the architecture of the monuments but also you can immerse yourself in the cultural diversity of the population.
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Table of Contents
- How to get to Melaka
- How long should I stay
- What to see in Melaka
- Where to stay in Melaka
- Where to eat in Melaka
How to get to Melaka
From Kuala Lumpur
There are plenty of buses to go to Melaka (or Malacca) from Kuala Lumpur. Actually it is quite a short drive and it is very cheap. The easiest way to get to the bus station is by taking a Grab or a taxi. The bus ticket is around 2€ per person for one way. If you are looking to book your ticket I advise you to go through 12AsiaGo. It is very easy to use and I’ve never had any problems with the company. You can find a schedule that fits just here.
From Singapore
Since we started our trip to Singapore the logic was to arrive in Malaysia by land. That’s how we decided to take a bus from Singapore to Melaka. Honestly it was not too long. The bus took 5h to arrive including the boarder stop. However be aware that if you cross by land you need to fill an online document to enter in Malaysia. You can scan the QR at the boarder directly or you can do it in advance.
How long should I stay
Honestly a day trip from Kuala Lumpur is enough but if you want to wonder and take some resting time there are plenty of cute cafés to discover as well. We stayed 3 nights and it was a bit too much. I would advise you to stay maximum 2 nights.
Without a doubt I would also recommend to stay during the weekend as the food market is happening during that time. It is a huge market on the biggest street of the town called Jonker Street. You won’t regret it as there are so many delicious food to try out.
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What to see in Melaka
Even tho the town center is small it is very pleasant to take half a day to walk around. You can find different attractions such as :
- The Christ Church Melaka
- My Kiehl’s Heritage
- The Orangutan House
- Malacca Hokkien Huay Kuan
In addition there are plenty of Chinese temples to visit as you wander around. You can also find a lot of cute boutiques to find some souvenirs.
Finally I’d recommend visiting the Masjid Silat Melaka. It is the biggest mosque of the town. You need to take a cab to go there as it is a bit outside but it is worth it. Mind that there is opening hours so you can’t enter whenever you want. Finally remember to bring long sleeves, long pants and a scarf for women.
You can choose to visit Melaka with a guided tour. If it’s something you fancy I found two tours that might be interesting.
- From Kuala Lumpur: historical Melaka day tour with lunch
- From Kuala Lumpur : Private full day tour to Malacca
Where to stay in Melaka
We stayed in funny accommodation. It was a bit out of the city but it was cheap and we slept in a Chinese temple so that was cool. Actually the guesthouse is on the 2nd floor and the 1st floor is the temple but it was nice. If you are on a budget I’d recommend.
Otherwise there are plenty hotels to choose from and here are some that I spotted along the way.
- Rosa Malacca : love the decoration and atmosphere ! The price are very affordable.
- Hotel Puri Melaka : another one with a great decoration and affordable in the same time.
- Liu Men Hotel : This one is very cute and I adore the style!
Where to eat in Melaka
We stopped in a couple of cute cafés around town but there are many more to try out! Here are the ones we liked.
- Locahouz
- Limau Limau Cafe
- Humble Ground Cafe
- Rumah Kechik small house
- 175 Gallery Cafe
That’s all ! I hope these informations will help plan your trip to Melaka and to enjoy every bit of this beautiful town. If you are planning a trip to Malaysia here are some other blog posts that might interest you.