Malaysia | Finding hidden treasures in Malacca

Sometimes you arrive at a place and you instantly feel at home. Malacca was one of those places. We spent 3 nights in Malacca, but could easily live here for a while.

The Dutch influences and history certainly had a role in making us so at home in this place. Malacca has  Dutch street names, houses and buildings that look similar to the Dutch building style and also the cosy small streets and shops reminded us to the Netherlands.

Malacca as a stop over

Malacca is only a 1.5-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur ( keep in mind that traffic can be really busy sometimes and makes the trip a bit longer )

There are many really comfortable bus company`s that run from Kuala Lumpur Airport and Kuala Lumpur City straight to Malacca. From the bus terminal in Malacca, it’s easy to catch a taxi to your accommodation.

Because of it’s close location to Kuala Lumpur, Malacca could be a great stop over destination instead of the hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur.

Route map from Malacca / Melaka to Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Route map from Malacca / Melaka to Kuala Lumpur International Airport

 

Where to Stay in Malacca

We booked Hotel Star Moon ( click for more info and pics! )  which we booked via Agoda.com. Although the pictures on Agoda are not the best, this hotel deserves a big time recommendation!

The staff is really helpful and friendly, the hotel is clean, cosy and small ( so are the rooms ) and the location is perfect. A short walk from the hotel brings you to a little square where you will find the most delicious street food at night for a very low price.  If you don’t like street food too much, don’t worry, there are also a few nice restaurants in the neighbourhood to choose from.

What to do in Malacca

The rest of the highlights are at a 15-minute walking distance from the hotel. If you walk in the direction of  Malacca’s city centre and the Jonker Street you will come across some beautiful historical houses and buildings, many of them with Dutch influences.

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Drink and Eat at Jonker Street

Joker Street is the main street of Malacca with lots of café`s, restaurants and shops nestled in old historical buildings, which are absolutely stunning. We didn’t even go on a shopping spree, but just looking around in all the old buildings is an attraction alone.

During the Weekends you will find the night markets at the Jonker Street, which are normally packed with people, but feel kinda cosy.

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Explore Malacca`s rich history

If you walk all the way up till the end of The Jonker Street, you will cross a canal and arrive at the Dutch Square, where you find the Stadhuys ( town hall ) Museum and the Church to name a few. From here you can walk around for hours and discover more history of Malacca. Make sure you get a map at your hotel or visitors centre as there are so many little tiny streets that you can get lost easily 😉

We spent 3 days in Malacca, but could easily have spent another few days.

If we go to Malaysia again or fly via Kuala Lumpur in the future, we would definitely count in a few days in Malacca for a stop over.

→ Want to stay at a unique and traditional Malaysian place rather than a hotel? Check out AirBnb via this link and get FREE travel credit when you book your first trip!! ←

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14 Comments

  • Hi Neni,
    Haha, Yes, Malacca does like in a few things really just like the Netherlands.
    We loved the mix between European and Asian cultures!
    Hope you have a lovely day!
    Jo

  • Wow, seeing the first pictures I thought this was in the Netherlands. Some place I never heard of. Must be interesting to be there and see those influences of Europe and Asia clash.

  • The Dutch building style made Malacca such an interesting place! Jonker Street looks so lively at night! I lived in Malaysia for 10 years but have never been there. Looks like I need to go back for a visit!

  • Hi Iga! We did exactly the same when we were in Malacca.. Extended our stay as it was so nice over there! Nice to hear my post brought back good memories 🙂
    Jo

  • Ahhh, I loved reading your posts so much, Malacca was one of my favourite Malaysian Destinations and your post brought back such great memories. Beautiful photos! I too felt instantly home when I arrived and even extended my stay as a result. It doesn’t seem to have changed much since I was there.

  • Hey Mike!
    Me too! And I also love how they refurbished these beautiful buildings on the inside! Malacca is definitely a fascinating place to visit and with my husband and I being Dutch, it was extra fun 😉
    Jo

  • Instantly connected with Malacca the minute saw your pictures – have come out so nicely! Jonker Street looks so colorful – I could easily spend a lot of time over there. Surely going to reference back when we plan our trip to Malacca.

  • I love how these old colonial countries still retain buildings, streets, culture from that era. I’ll be honest I don’t know too much about the Dutch East Indies. It sounds a fascinating place to visit.

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