The Streets of Malacca, Malaysia
Malacca City (Bandaraya Melaka or Kota Melaka in Malay) is the capital of the Malaysian state of Malacca. Once one of the world’s most important trading ports, Malacca, Malaysia is now a popular tourist site that draws travelers from all over Asia.
Walking the streets of Malacca, Malaysia provided familiar images of shophouses and the street art that I encountered while visiting Penang, Malaysia. However, This UNESCO World Heritage site had plenty of unique historical landmarks and street scenes of its own to offer.
I found Malacca to be a fairly clean city and many of its historical sites were well-kept. Below, the “Red Square” and the 18th-century Christ church can be seen. Crews were in the process of planting flowers in the square while I visited.
Malacca is full of shophouses throughout the city. These shophouses demonstrate varying degrees of dilapidation and renovation, similar to what I found in Penang, Malaysia. Many interesting shops, cafes, and restaurants can be found in these shophouses. These structures make for very interesting walks through town, as they are full of character, color, and texture
Obvious efforts have been made to maintain the historical integrity of many of these shophouses. It is also obvious that they love their antiques in Malacca. I came across several antique shops, as well as restaurants and cafes that utilized antique furnishings and decor.
Malacca, Malaysia has its share of historical landmarks to explore. Pictured below are the remains of St Paul’s Church. Built in 1521, it is the oldest church building in Southeast Asia. Also pictured is a cannon in front of the A Famosa fortress. A Famosa is a Portuguese fortress built in 1512. It is among the oldest European architectural remains in Southeast Asia.
My personal favorite place to visit in Malacca, Malaysia is the river walk. The river walk is full of colorful street art and bridges. It is a great place to relax and have a beer while enjoying the surroundings. There were also many places to find a bite to eat while sitting by the river.
Pictured above is a replica of a Portuguese galleon named the Flor de la Mar. The Flor de la Mar sailed in the waters near Malaca, Malaysia in the 1500s and was shipwrecked in 1511. The replica serves as part of the maritime museum in Malacca.
As night falls upon Malacca, Malaysia, it transforms as its streets and storefronts begin to light up.
Jonker street in particular comes to life on the evenings of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with its street market and carnival-like atmosphere.
Below, the Malacca Straits Mosque (The Floating Mosque) was opened in 2006. The mosque has the appearance that it is floating when the water level is high.
Below, the sun sets over the Malacca Straight as ships pass with their cargo.
Malacca, Malaysia is an entertaining and unique place to visit in Southeast Asia. Although it can be quite touristy at times, I enjoyed learning about its rich history, discovering its interesting and beautiful architecture, as well as relaxing on its river walk. In addition, Malacca is a relatively short and easy bus trip from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. As such, I can recommend it as a brief part of a travel itinerary through Malaysia.
That river walk is definitely a nice place to stroll. Gorgeous pics as always, although that mannequin one is a little too real for my tastes. You’re braver than I am. 😉
Hi Eric. Agreed on the mannequin. I try to take photos that I find beautiful and/or interesting. That one falls into the interesting category, although a bit creepy ?
Beautiful pictures!
Thanks Lisa ?
Beautiful photos Skip. I enjoyed this post, and it confirms for me that we must return to Malaysia and continue our explorations there. Our time there was cut short by Covid so we never did get to Malacca.
Thank you Alison. I do hope you can make it there. We plan to be in Southeast Asia for some time. We will probably be passing through Malaysia quite a bit during that time. The three month Visa on arrival makes Malaysia a good place to slow down when we need to. Maybe or paths will cross. Safe travels.
Wonderful information. We’re in KL and plan to visit Malacca in a couple of weeks.
Hi Steve and thank you. Malacca is a pretty easy bus ride from Kuala Lumpur. Let me know if you need any info about getting there. Safe travels.
I love reading about your traveling adventures.
The pictures are beautiful and really capture the culture and life in Malacca.
Hi Marissa. Thanks for taking the time to stop by and leave a comment. The reason I created this site was to have a creative outlet for sharing my travels with friends and family from home and to inspire others who may be considering travel of their own. So it’s good to get feedback like this. I hope you and your family are doing well. Happy holidays.