Malacca, The Historic City

By Arshveen Seelan

Whenever you hear the name Malacca, we will be reminiscing our early secondary school days. Having learnt the presence of Malacca during form 2 in History, many students will associate Malacca as an historical state. Growing up in this Historical City, i have personally seen the changes along the years in this wonderful place.

During my early age, i could still recall the moments i have had with my family every weekend at the historical spots in this city. At the current rate of the state government's emphasis on tourism, and the added on status, UNESCO Heritage Site, it is almost impossible to see locals going out of their home on weekends to spend time with their family like how it was when i was a kid.

The capital is Malacca City, which is 148 km south east of Malaysia's capital city Kuala Lumpur, 235 km north west to Johor's largest city Johor Bahru and 95 km north west to Johor's second largest city Batu Pahat. This historical city centre has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 7 July 2008.

One of Malaysia’s most eagerly sought-after destinations, the small city-state of Melaka (Malacca) lures droves of visitors to its namesake historic port city, where they are quickly steeped in an intoxicating multicultural world of heritage architecture and great eateries that sums Melaka to its grandest of grandeur that can be seen through the eyes of an tourist.

The state capital, Malacca Town, is strategically located between the two national capitals of Malaysia and Singapore, and connected with excellent roads and highways. The offshore Pulau Besar, Pulau Upeh and the exclave Tanjung Tuan are also parts of Malacca. Two of the most important museums in Malacca are the Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum and the Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum.

Malacca is well-known for its food; Malay dishes include ikan asam pedas, sambal belacan and cencaluk. Belacan, a Malay variety of shrimp paste, is prepared from fresh shrimp of a species known as keragu in Malay.Nyonya-Baba cuisine is a fusion of Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, Indian, British and Malay cooking with most dishes being spicy in nature. Peranakan dishes include Itik Tim, Ayam Pong Teh as well as the famous Nyonya Laksa. Chicken Rice Ball is another dish popular with domestic Chinese tourists. The originality in the taste of the local food there is not to be seen elsewhere. Now being away from my hometown, writing this article itself has tempted to eat all this dishes at ponce.

Modern Melaka was swept up in the sudden economic boom that blew across Malaysia in the 1990s. Massive land-reclamation projects, which tapered off during the ensuing economic downturn, pushed the historic waterfront so far inland, however, that it endangered the traditional livelihood of the Portuguese fishing community.

Malacca has a rich seam of heritage, but many argue that this is under threat from those twin fruits of development: commercialization and modernization. Nevertheless, Melaka remains one of Malaysia’s most rewarding tourist experiences. Proud of its multicultural heritage, plentiful museums and assorted cultural attractions, Melaka is a tourist habitat par excellence. Beyond the city, there are worthwhile beach excursions to Pulau Besar and Tanjung Bidara, plus the wildlife and theme-park attractions of Ayer Keroh.

Melaka is known for its people friendly citizens. Wherever you walk past, you will see the Melaka folks smiling and giving their customary Melaka welcome. As a tourist, you will feel the rich ambience and heritage beauty of the city. Whether its’s A’Famosa or the Portuguese Settlement, there are some special elements which makes Melaka stand out.

From what i have seen throughout the years, whoever who lives in Melaka will embrace it’s historical elements. According to Malathy whose parents are originally from India, she feels that she belongs to this place and she will treasure it for a lifetime. She also claimed that she is happy to welcome the tourists and make them feel like at home.

There are certainly many tour packages offered for trip to Melaka. Whether you are a foreigner or a Malaysian, there will be lots of travel opprutunities offered by Travel agencies. Melaka is one of the tourist hotbeds of Malaysia. It is also known for its nightlife. There are many clubs and eateries that can be deemed as one of the best in Malaysia.

If you’re planning out for a holiday, Melaka is certainly one of the best choices. Historical one side, entertainment on another side, things will never get better than this! My Malacca! Your Malacca! Our Malacca!