Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
»
Taxi
Charge around RM15 for a trip anywhere around town with a 50% surcharge
between 1am and 6am.
Need to Know
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Area Code
06
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Location
Melaka is 144km south of Kuala Lumpur.
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Tourism Malaysia
( 283 6220; Jln Mahkota; 9am-10pm)
is located at the Menara Taming
Sari tower; it has very knowledgable, helpful staff. The local
tourist office
(
281 4803;
9am-1pm & 2-5.30pm)
is diagonally across the square from Christ
www.melaka.gov.my
;
Jln Kota;
Church.
History
When Parameswara, a Hindu prince/pirate from Sumatra, arrived at a small Malay fishing
village around 1401, he recognised its potential as a major port to attract merchants from
all over the East. Not only was it located halfway between China and India, but it also had
easy access to the spice islands of Indonesia. A solid foundation for this vision came
about four years later with the arrival of the Chinese Muslim Admiral Cheng Ho in
Melaka bearing gifts from the Ming emperor and the promise of protection from Siamese
enemies.
Chinese settlers followed, who mixed with the local Malays to become known as the
Baba and Nonya, the Peranakans or Straits Chinese. Indian traders also intermarried with
Malays creating the Straits-born Indian community known as the Chitty. By the time of
Parameswara's death in 1414, Melaka was a powerful trading state. Its position was con-
solidated by the state's adoption of Islam in the mid-15th century.
In 1509 the Portuguese came seeking the wealth of the spice and in 1511 Alfonso de
Albuquerque forcibly took the city. Under the Portuguese, the fortress of A'Famosa was
constructed, and missionaries strove to implant Catholicism. While Portuguese cannons
could easily conquer Melaka, they could not force Muslim merchants from Arabia and In-
dia to continue trading there, and other ports in the area, such as Islamic Demak on Java,
grew to overshadow Melaka.
