Discover Malacca

Discover Malacca (9 July, 2005)


B. Melayu

Malacca is a historic state on the coast to the south of Kuala Lumpur, Malacca is regarded as the cradle of Malay civilization, for it was through Malacca that the peninsula experienced its most glorious and powerful Malay kingdom, the Sultanate of Malacca, which flourished in the 15th century. Today Malacca Town, recognised as a historic city, was inscribed by UNESCO in 7 July, 2008, together with the George Town World Heritage Site, titled the Historic Cities of the Straits of Melaka.

The state of Malacca is bordered by Negeri Sembilan in the north and Johor in the east. The historic city of Malacca is also the capital of the state of Malacca. With an area of 1,652 square kilometers, Malacca State is one of the smaller states in Malaysia. It has a population of about 600,000.

History practically lives in Malacca. As you explore its streets, you will discover the oldest mosque, the oldest temples and forts in the country. Many of the heritage sites in Malacca have been well preserved, although many have been given an overzealously make-over.

Map of Malacca

Sights in Malacca

Selected Hotels in Malacca

Rivers in Malacca

Map of Towns in Malacca

Category of sights in Malacca

List of places in Malacca

Where to stay when in Malacca

As a custom, I suggest only hotels that I have personally stayed before and have experienced its hospitality. In Malacca, that would be The Majestic Malacca. A selection of articles to help you get to know Malacca better.


Entering Malacca by way of Johor through Jambatan Sungai Kesang. (16 September 2016)

Getting into Malacca Town

Visitors to Malacca usually come by road. The city centre is located approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours from Kuala Lumpur depending on traffic. Although Malacca does have an airport, but it does not handle any regular scheduled flights. If you are self-driving, use the North South Expressway (E2), and exit at the Ayer Keroh Interchange (Exit 231). From there, take the Ayer Keroh Highway - you don't really need to know the highway by name, just look for signage for Melaka - and it will take you right down to Malacca Town.

I list here the distance and expected toll on the North-South Expressway to Malacca, as of April 2009. It is 80 km from Seremban (toll RM9.30), 146 km from Kuala Lumpur (RM20.60, from Damansara), 349 km from Ipoh (RM46.10 from Ipoh Selatan), 513 km from Penang (RM62.90, from Juru), 606 km from Alor Setar (RM74.30 from Alor Setar Selatan) and 651 km from Kangar (RM77.50 from Jitra). If you are coming from the south, Malacca is 224 km from Johor Bahru (RM27.70 from the Causeway, RM39.90 from Tanjung Kupang). The time taken to reach Malacca is approximately 2 hours from Kuala Lumpur, and 2.5 hours from Johor Bahru.

Getting Around Malacca

The old city of Malacca is small enough that it is possible to cover most of the sights on foot. For the fun of it, you may also want to try taking the Malacca trishaw for a joy ride. Remember to negotiate the fare in advance of boarding.

A display of offerings at the Chitty Museum (10 July, 2005)


Devotees carry milk during the Dato Chachar Festival on a procession through the streets of Malacca (3 May, 2009)


The interior of Baba House (10 July, 2005)


Jalan Laksamana, Melaka, in the morning (3 May, 2009)


Cultural dance at Taman Mini Malaysia (15 November, 2009)


Street in Malacca (9 July, 2005)

Malacca on Google Maps Street View

List of States in Malaysia

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About this website

Dear visitor, thank you so much for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye and my hobby is to find out about places, write about them and share the information with you on this website. I have been writing this site since 5 January 2003. Originally (from 2003 until 2009, the site was called AsiaExplorers. I changed the name to Penang Travel Tips in 2009, even though I describe more than just Penang but everywhere I go (I often need to tell people that "Penang Travel Tips" is not just information about Penang, but information written in Penang), especially places in Malaysia and Singapore, and in all the years since 2003, I have described over 20,000 places.

While I try my best to provide you information as accurate as I can get it to be, I do apologize for any errors and for outdated information which I am unaware. Nevertheless, I hope that what I have described here will be useful to you.