Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
237
For a taste of Portuguese Melaka, the
Portuguese Settlement
has some open-air food
stalls by the water, where in the evenings hawkers sell an assortment of dishes inspired by
these former colonial rulers, including many fresh seafood offerings. Saturday nights are
best, when, at 8pm, there's a cultural show with music and dancing. Other times it may
be slo w business. ( Jalan d 'Albuquerque off J alan Ujon P asir; dinner fr om RM20-
RM30($5.80-$8.70/£3.60-£5.40) per person; no credit cards.)
Geographer Restaurant and Bar,
located along the popular Jalan Hang Jebat (
&
06/
281-6813
), is v ery accommodating to trav elers. They know which buttons to push to
make travelers happy, so expect icy-cold beer , international comfor t food, local dishes,
souvenirs, Wi-Fi, and ev ening enter tainment, including bands on some nights. They
serve only white meat—the tandoori chicken is r ecommended. Vegetarians ar e w ell
catered to. They're open daily from midmorning till late, as the bar and music swings into
action. Prices range from RM10 to RM40 ($2.90-$12/£1.80-£7.20).
ATTRACTIONS
To get the most out of M elaka, it's best to hav e a bit of kno wledge about the histor y of
the place, which I've explained briefly in the intr o to this section. Most of the preserved
historical sites ar e on both sides of the M elaka River. Start at
Stadthuys
(the old to wn
hall, pronounced “stat-highs”), and you'll see most of Melaka pretty quickly.
Museums
Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum
Called “M illionaire's R ow,” J alan Tun Tan
Cheng Lock is lined with r ow houses that w ere built by the Dutch and later bought b y
wealthy Peranakans; the ar chitectural style r eflects their East-meets- West lifestyle. The
house dates fr om 1896, when thr ee houses w ere combined into one. The entrance fee
includes a guided tour.
4850 Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock.
&
06/283-1273.
Adults RM8 ($2.30/£1.45), children RM4 ($1.15/70p).
Daily 10am-12:30pm and 2-4:30pm.
13
Cultural Museum (Muzium Budaya)
A replica of the former palace of S ultan
Mansur Syah (1456-77), this museum was rebuilt according to historical descriptions to
house a fine collection of cultural ar tifacts such as clothing, w eaponry, and royal items.
The gardens are quite nice.
Kota Rd., next to Porta de Santiago.
&
06/282-6526.
Adults RM2 (60¢/35p), children RM.50 (15¢/10p).
Daily 9am-5:30pm.
Eye on Malaysia
This 60m (197 ft.) obser vation wheel, pr eviously located at Lake
Titiwangsa in KL, was moved to its current location, at the mouth of the M elaka River,
in November 2008. The 12-minute ride takes y ou over the oldest par ts of M elaka, for
bird's-eye views of the town's most historically significant buildings and streets. The Fer-
ris wheel sits atop a 1.6-hectar e (4-acr e) complex that is being dev eloped in phases
through 2009 with a light and sound waterscr een showcase, a M alaysian International
Space Adventure (MISA) museum, and food outlets.
Munara Sungai M elaka, Kota Laksamana.
&
06/284-1888.
www.eyeonmalaysia.com.my. Adults RM20
($5.80/£3.60), children RM10 ($2.90/£1.80). Mon-Thurs 10am-11pm; Fri-Sun 10am-midnight.
Maritime Museum and the Royal Malaysian Navy Museum
These two muse-
ums are located across the street from one another but shar e admission fees. The Mari-
time Museum is in a r estored 16th-century Portuguese ship, with exhibits dedicated to
