Melaka is a small historical coastal city in the south of Malaysia. In the 16th century, it was the most important trading port in Asia and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Melaka Strait, combined with Georgetown, Malaysia. The influence of the Dutch and Portuguese is still seen in the architecture around the city and you’ll find the influence of the Chinese, Indian, and Malay in all of the delicious food.
Many tour sites offer day trips to Melaka but I think to truly experience all there is to offer [plus more time to try all the food], it makes for a better weekend getaway from Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. This mini-guide will help you make the most of your visit to Melaka, Malaysia.
Keep reading 👇 for my Mini Guide to Exploring Melaka!
Things to Know Before You Go
Climate: It’s hot and humid year-round but April-May and October are considered dry seasons when there is generally less rainfall.
Language: The most common languages in Melaka and Malaysia, in general, are Malay, Mandarin, Tamil, and English.
Phrases in Malay:
Place “Selamat” in front of any of these greetings for morning, afternoon, evening, or night.
Morning: Selamat pagi
Afternoon: Selamat tengah hari
Evening: Selamat Petang
Night: Selamat Malam
How are you – Apa khabar
Goodbye – Selamat tinggal
Please – Tolong
Thank you – Terima kasih
How much = Berapa
Yes/no = Ya/tidak
Where is the toilet = Di mana tandas
Money: Malaysia Ringgit (MYR). ATMs are located all over the city in Malay and English. Many hotels, restaurants, and stores take VISA and AMEX cards but all street vendors are cash only.
A quick conversion for you to remember:
$1 USD = 4.30 MYR
$5 USD = 21.50 MYR
$10 USD = 43.02 MYR
$20 USD = 86.04
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Cons of SafetyWing Travel Insurance
- Not as many travel insurance perks as other companies
- No coverage for personal electronics
Read this post The Best Travel Insurance for Every Type of Traveler for an in-depth review of the top 3 travel insurances.
How to Get to Melaka
🚌 Bus: The buses around Southeast Asia are the most budget-friendly way to get around. There are buses coming from northern Malaysia (Penang), day trip buses from Kuala Lumpur, and from the south in Singapore.
As a solo female traveler, I felt safe on all of the buses I took and found them to be very clean. Be mindful that not all buses are the same, there are sleeper buses and then shorter city-to-city buses that usually have a bit less room. The drivers usually don’t speak any English.
Getting Around
The historical town of Melaka is quite small and safe to walk around day and night. If you’re visiting something a bit further out of town, staying somewhere further, or maybe your feet just hurt, there are some other options:
🚙 Grab: Grab is the Asian version of Uber/Lyft and is a great way to get local prices and avoid negotiating with taxi drivers.
Where to Stay
The Mio Boutique Hotel Melaka is located a 10-minute walk from the historical city center. It’s an easy and safe walk around the area and at night, plus it’s also only a 10-minute drive from the Melaka Sentral Bus Station.
The hotel offers free water, has good WiFi, and is right next to a 7-11 to reload your SIM card, grab some snacks for your bus ride, or any toiletries you may have forgotten. For a budget-friendly hotel (rooms and dates range from $ 10-$20 USD/night) the Mio Boutique Hotel Melaka is clean and safe.
Where to Eat
Download this map 👇 for all the best places to eat during your visit to Melaka!
Jonker Night Market
The Jonker Night Market is a fantastic night market. Unlike some night markets in SE Asia that are full of cheap clothes and trinkets, the Jonker Night Market is 90% food! There are skewers, buns, noodle dishes, seafood, traditional Malay and Chinese dishes and snacks, and lots of juice, coconuts, and sweets to try. Come with an empty stomach and order something small from multiple vendors as you walk or stand nearby. Most places don’t have seating, but there are some sections that have the smaller plastic tables and chairs known around SE Asia.
Keep in mind that the night market is only open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. There are a few really great restaurants [check out my guide above] but they close around 5pm because the vendors start setting up around 5pm and are officially open from 6pm until midnight.
Dutch Square
If you’ve ever seen a picture of Melaka, it’s likely been of the Dutch Square. The famous large Christ Church building, Clock Tower, and the historical Stadthuys. These beautiful brick-red buildings surround the Queen Victoria Fountain.
The square is buzzing with families gathering, street performers, and bicycle carriages decked out in My Little Pony, Spider-Man, and Despicable Me. These three-wheeled carriages blast music from Eminem to local bops to take you on a bumping ride around the city.
It’s very insta-worthy but can be quite busy. If you want to snap a picture with no crowds and don’t want to wake up early – come at golden hour. The crowds seem to disperse at sunset to head over to Jonker Night Market.
Graffiti Street Art
Wander down the backside of Jonker Walk and along the riverside alleyways and you’ll find floor-to-roof colorful street art.
Melaka Straits Mosque
The Melaka Straight Mosque is a beautiful pink mosque located on the man-made island of Melaka. It’s a bit of a trek to get to but is one of the most beautiful mosques I’ve seen in Malaysia so far. The large pink domes sit in contrast with the turquoise water of the Melaka Straits. I arrived right before the call to prayer which was a serene experience. All of the local women who were heading into prayer were welcoming and wanted me to watch the experience to understand more of their religion and culture. If you are going to enter, you do need to cover up but they do have garments for you to use for free.
Historical Sites
There are a few noteworthy historical sites to check out. Baba & Nyonya World Heritage Museum, A Famosa, St. Paul’s Church, and the Church of St. Francis Xavier Melaka.
Is Melaka on your travel list now? Check out more of my posts below about living in and traveling around SE Asia!
