158. [DIEC] Malacca: weekend getaway
This is a DIEC post dedicated to the extra photos and information I learned while I was in Malacca, Malaysia. I wanted a separate blog post to write about the places I visited and the pictures I took.
Welcome to Malacca, a vibrant little town of Malaysian's oldest history and culture. Whether you're a history buff, a foodie, or simply a curious traveler, this charming port city has a lot to offer. Some of the places I went to had a lot of historical background. I enjoyed taking a stroll around the city and looking at all of the sights.
Photos of Malacca River at night
Historical and Cultural Spots
It was the Portuguese who first occupied Malacca when they captured in the city in 1511, and in 1521, a Portuguese nobleman, Duarte Coelho, decided to build the first church, dedicating it to the Virgin Mary to give thanks for surviving a story in the South China Sea. St. Paul's Church was situated prominently on the hill overlooking the town and the Malacca Straits, within its defensive walls.
St. Paul's Church on top of Malacca Hill
The Portuguese lost possession of Malacca to the Dutch in 1641. The Church being Catholic could have been destroyed by the Dutch, who were mainly Protestant, but contrary to usual practice, they decided to preserve it and reconsecrate it as a Dutch Protestant church, callling it "Bovenkerk" ("High Church"). The Dutch ruled Malacca from 1641-1824, and they used St. Paul's Church for worship until 1753 when they completed the Christ Church in Malacca Square.
Strolling around in the daytime
Look, the tables match my mushroom icon!
One of the shops I stopped by was Vintage Green Cafe @ The Daughter. They have a nice selection of brunch options and ice cream selections. I opted for the French Vanilla Butterfly Pea Sea Salt Flavor. I thought it was an interesting flavor and shared it with a friend.
For food, I stopped by the Jonker Street Kopitiam. They have a great selection of hawker style Malaysian-Chinese street foods and plenty of space.
Walking around Malacca streets is always a treat
Nightlife
The nightlife scene in Malacca is always great. Many locals and tourists sit by the river and take a drink with friends. I had a nice group of people from the hostel I stayed at. I hosted my own little pub crawl in Malacca :)
I absolutely love this sculpture of this bok choy. I have so much joy whenever I see this
Places I Visited:
- Malacca River (Sungai Melaka)
- best experienced at night
- one most interesting and beautiful feature of this historical town
- Pampa Rock Climbing Gym (2, Jalan KSB 2, Taman Kota Syahbandar Kota Syahbandar, 75200 Malacca)
- pretty small rock climbing gym, mostly bouldering
- the routes get switched every month (the route setters come from JB or KL)
- Jonker Street Market (Jalan Hang Jebat, 75200 Melaka)
- only open on Fridays through Sundays from 6:30-midnight.
- Lots of food stalls, people selling stuff & street entertainment
- Bliss Night Club (Mahkota Parade, City Melaka MY, 1, Jln Merdeka, Taman Melaka Raya, 75000 Melaka)
- Things started picking up around 11PM when me and my friend started dancing
- Jonker Street Kopitiam (Seksyen 1, 1, Jalan Kota Laksamana 1/2, Taman Kota Laksamana, 75200 Melaka)
- I had fried radish here. Good vegetarian options actually.
- Vintage Green Cafe @ The Daughter (13, Jln. Bunga Raya, Kampung Jawa, 75200 Melaka)
- loved the vintage decor
- Chinese-run, not halal (they served bacon)
- Church of Saint Paul, Malacca (1935, Jln Kota, Banda Hilir, 75000 Melaka)
- stairway that takes 5-10 minutes to climb
- beautiful overlook of the entire city of Malacca
- The Daily Fix Cafe (55, Jalan Hang Jebat, 75200 Melaka)
- A nice brunch spot with nice decor!
~ marveling at melaka,
<3 K