Malacca heritage trail

We went for a short trip before 爸爸 went for his business trip. This is the first time we drive beyond KL to Malacca. It took me such a long time to put up this post as 爸爸 took over 400 photos for such a short trip.

Photo at St Paul's Church.
We saw a couple posing here so we copied the angle.

Stopover at Ipoh for brunch. 弟弟 likes Sungai Kinta as it's the same name as his pet.

Sungai Kinta at Ipoh

We followed GPS and took the long way around. The vehicles heading south along KL-Seremban-Melaka really drive very aggressively. Even though the day started sunny, it turned cloudy and even rained heavily along the KL-Seremban-Melaka stretch.

Finally we reached Melaka town. As we had to skip Mini Malaysia, we went looking for Pantai Klebang where there's a popular store selling coconut shake. One can either have it there (they have a stall just a short distance from the main road after Caltex petrol station), or takeaway from the stall right after Caltex petrol station. We had takeaway and went looking for the beach at Pantai Klebang. It stopped raining when we reach the beach. It might look like a nice stretch of beach in the photos, but actually the area had turned into construction area.

Having coconut shake at Pantai Klebang

I like the way the sea at Pantai Klebang looks different from Penang

It's getting near sunset at Pantai Klebang

Then it's going around Jonker Street (or Jalan Hang Jebat). We walked to Jalan Tengkera to buy putu piring with gula melaka. The heritage buildings are different from Penang's style. They seem to like flower motives here.

Sights around Jonker Street (Jalan Hang Jebat) and Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock

By the time we walked back to Jonker Street, the chicken rice ball shop we wanted to go had already closed so we went to Restoran Famosa Chicken Rice Ball. The chicken rice ball is so-so. Maybe the ones where we saw people queueing up would be nicer. This shop has many props for tourisy photo-taking, so the kids and 爸爸 were snapping away while I stare into space waiting for them after dinner.

Eating Jalan Tengkera putu piring and dinner at Restoran Famosa Chicken Rice Ball

Inside Restoran Famosa Chicken Rice at Jonker Street.

After filling our stomachs, it's taking the Malacca River Cruise. There were many boats going up and down and the canal water splashed us whenever one approaches. I think the Malacca River Cruise takes about 1 hour. Tickets are RM10 each for adults and RM5 each for children.

Around Dutch Square at night.
The trishaws are nicely decorated with lights and flowers compared to the ones in Penang, but we hated haggling so didn't take one.
The Malacca River Cruise ticket counter.

Malacca River Cruise.
Luckily the smell is no better and no worse than taking the Chao Phraya ride or Boat Quay ride. Maybe it's a good day :P

We stay at hangout@Jonker  this trip. It's a no-frills hotel at Jonker Street. This is pretty expensive for no-frills actually but the location is great. Even though no breakfast is served, they do provide coffee/tea and light morning meal of toast with jam/kaya at pantry called Veg Out. It's difficult to find parking near Jonker Street, so we parked at an open carpark opposite Hotel Casa del Rio. Rate is RM5 per entry, but they charged us RM10 as we parked overnight. The parking attendants even have a list of cars that parked overnight and they closely monitor the movement.

The room at hangout@Jonker and Look Out (it means the rooftop)

As the hotel location is pretty near to all the tourisy locations, we just walk to all the attractions for the day here.

The simple map in the brochure from hangout@Jonker

Around Dutch Square or also known as Red Square 爸爸 say 红屋. We are tourist afterall, and for the children to remember where they had been :) Just take a short walk across Tan Kim Seng Bridge and we reached Dutch Square.

Haha just turning around the roundabout while traffic is all over us

Love the colours

Clock Tower and Queen Victoria's Fountain at Dutch Square

Windmill model across the road

Christ Church Melaka. No photos allowed inside, so we just take one at the entrance.

Souvenir stalls outside Stadthuys

Just by Dutch Square, there are some museums. We took the way up from Stadthuys Museums Complex and past Gallery of Admiral Cheng Ho. There seems to be about 5 or maybe more museums here.

Outside Stadthuys Museums Complex and Gallery of Admiral Cheng Ho

We took the stairs to a small path around the museums and finally reached St Paul's Church. It's shady and we can see nice view from there. This is the way going around St Paul's Hill.



St Paul's Church. The path is the photo in the middle (bottom).

There's a open grave of St Francis Xavier at St Paul's Church, and we have a school named after St Francis Xavier in Penang called St Xavier's Institution. There's a St Francis Xavier Church in Penang too, even though the church had been renovated but it has been on the same site in Penang Road for a long time.

Inside St Paul's Church

Pretending to be gargoyles

Interesting wall texture outside St Paul's Church, and the view from there. Have to admit 爸爸 do take better photos nowadays

Next we take the stairs down to Porta de Santiago or A Famosa. It's very hot by now so there's a dark cloud over the children's faces when we take their photos. By now, I think we're sunburnt :( So that's why they sell these hats with wide rims at the souvenir stalls (to shade our precious face as it's hot - truly matahari terik - around here). A Famosa is on the other side of St Paul's Hill. If you take the stairsway from A Famosa to Dutch Square, it seems more difficult way to walk as the stairs is pretty steep (especially for children). Luckily we came from Dutch Square and not the other way round.

A Famosa or Porta de Santiago. Love the beautiful blue sky and white clouds.

Just by A Famosa is the replica of Malacca Sultanate Palace. It's kind of a museum, entry fee is RM2  each for adults and RM1 each for children. Ah, air-conditioning after the hot climb up and down St Paul's Hill and outdoor historic attractions.

Malacca Sultanate Palace.
The combat battle tank is named Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat before entrance to the palace. 

By now we are hungry and glad to have found a shopping mall just opposite the heritage sites. Our plan was to go back to Jonker Street and find Nyonya dishes. But being tired and hungry, and once the children spotted Burger King they say it's going to be lunch at Burger King. OK well...

Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall

By coincidence when we went outside to find where we are, we found that we're just a short distance from Menara Taming Sari. Came all the way here on foot :P Even though it's not planned, we decided to go for this experience since we're already here. Tickets are RM10 each for adults and RM5 each for children with MyKad/MyKid.  

Menara Taming Sari, revolving 'Gyro Tower'.

We saw Maritime Museum from the ride. The breeze made 姐姐 having this pose with her skirt :P

We also saw these vehicles from Menara Taming Sari. Since it's near and 弟弟 requested to take a look, here we are. Not sure if it's a museum, we just go around the grounds.

What museum is this?

Walk across the park beside Menara Taming Sari and we reached Maritime Museum. It's a replica of Portugese ship and it looks unique and interesting. Admission is RM3 each for adults and RM1 each for children. This is admission rate for locals with Mykad/Mykid. It's free for children below 6. It's air-conditioned inside so the children were very happy.

Outside Maritime Museum Melaka

On the replica Portugese ship - Maritime Museum Melaka

Inside Maritime Museum Melaka

It looked like going to rain so we head back to the hotel. LukiIy it's only drizzling, looks like it tends to rain in the later afternoons in Malacca but hot in the morning and noon. We walked along Malacca River on the quayside. Last stop at watermill called Kincir Air Kesultanan Melayu Melaka (too bad I didn't read the notice), and I think the other one is Middleburg Bastion. It's rebuild thus not considered as historical but tourist site.

Kincir Air Kesultanan Melayu Melaka and Middleburg Bastion

After a short rest at the hotel's Veg Out area, we set out again for Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, the oldest functioning Chinese temple in Malaysia. We found it after asking a kind uncle, since we didn't bring along the map. Even passed by Hang Jebat Mausoleum. We took the opportunity for simple prayers at Cheng Hoon Teng Temple and looking around the site.

Cheng Hoon Teng Temple

Finally food stops ahead :) I can't believe the kids walked with us almost the whole day, and only started complaining when we were wondering around to find Cheng Hoon Teng Temple. Their feet hurt so they declined taking photos of the the Indian temple and mosque we passed by.

First food stop at Jonker 88 for durian cendol. 弟弟 had the gula melaka cendol and 姐姐 tried the popular durian cendol. I tried Baba laksa (which is curry version but not spicy) even though I had wanted the assam version called Nyonya laksa. So crowded that we didn't want to order the Nyonya laksa as people are hovering around us waiting for our table. How to eat in peace? After that we went to look for clogs for 姐姐 which she wanted to wear at Ah Kong's house in the future. Didn't get it for 弟弟 since boys look funny with clogs :D So difficult to find size for her as those in her size are not in the design/colour she liked. Finally had to settle for red colour with pink flowers in her size.

Jonker 88 for durian cendol and Peranakan laksa, Nadeje for crepes, dinner with relatives in Seremban.

We didn't know Nadeje Plaza Mahkota is just opposite Menara Taming Sari, and another branch in Mahkota Parade shopping mall nearby. Aih, didn't do enough research before coming. It's nice, but similar to Humble Beginnings in Penang :P

Didn't notice how time flies, the clock in our Myvi went crazy and is 1 hour late (this trip we came with Myvi as it has GPS). That's why we were wondering why the sky is getting dark by 6pm (time on the clock in our car). By the time we take off from Melaka to meet up the children's cousins in Seremban, it's getting late and we were stuck in traffic going into Seremban toll. They waited for us for long time :P We celebrated 大姑 and Uncle Michael's 20th wedding annivesary. Wow being married 20 years! The children spent a lovely time with their cousins and didn't want to go back even it's past midnight :) By the time 大姑 and Uncle Michael brought us to our hotel, it's almost 2am :P

Note: Admission rates for reference only, they might change so check out the official websites (sometimes those are not updated as well).