Easy Going Malacca - Warm welcome on wheels

Malacca is a great place to kick off your Malaysia trip if you don’t fancy spending your first few days in the busy capital. Malacca has a fascinating mix of colonial and traditional Malaysian culture which gives it its unique atmosphere. Long before the arrival of the colonial rulers Malacca was a major trading port, so it’s little wonder the Portugese and Dutch picked this city as their strategic base in their quest for Asian expansion. There are several remnants of this period throughout the city which can still be seen today. In our Malacca travel starter pack you’ll be staying in a comfortable hotel in the heart of Chinatown. This module also includes airport transfer to your hotel and two nights accommodation and a guided cycling tour around the city which is a great way to see the city.

Malacca’s also a paradise for food-lovers with restaurants offering more kinds of food you could possibly imagine and street stalls where they’ll cook up a freshly prepared meal that’ll just make your mouth water. The typical Baba Nyonya culture (mix of Malaysian and Chinese) is visible everywhere you look, from the opulently decorated facades and unique cuisine to the distinctive faces on the street.

One of Malacca’s other attractions are the colourful trishaws, the local bike-taxis which you’ll see everywhere in the city. Just let us know if you'd prefer to hail a trishaw rather than do the cycle tour past all the beautiful colonial buildings. Just hail one on the street and hop on.

1. Malacca travel starter pack: charming hotel in Chinatown

This is beautiful, charming hotel very centrally located in the heart of Chinatown and within walking distance of all the sights. The hotel is decorated in the typical Baba-style of the Chinese community that has been living in Malacca for more than 600 years. The historic Baba houses have now been turned into cosy, atmospheric hotels. The basic, tidy rooms have air-conditioning, TV and private bathroom with shower and toilet.

Duration	3 days / 2 nights departs daily	Accommodation	Charming hotel in central Chinatown. Comfort level 3 (see accommodation).
Price	£155 per person - based on 2 people sharing	Includes	2 nights' accommodation with breakfast, guided cycle tour, transfer from KL airport to hotel
Transport	Transfer from Kuala Lumpur airport to hotel	Excludes	All other meals, entrance fees and excursions

2. Malacca travel starter pack: luxury hotel on the coast

This luxury hotel on the coast is just outside the centre but still within walking and cycling distance of all the major sights. The hotel has spacious, tidy rooms and two pools. Rooms have air-conditioning, private bathroom with shower and toilet, TV and minibar. For a spot of exercise there’s a tennis court, squash court and a gym. The hotel also has a free shuttle service to other parts of the city. Kids will be kept amused in the special kids’ pool with slides and special kids entertainment on the weekend. A great hotel if you’re looking for a bit more luxury and comfort.

Malacca travel starter pack - Dine in style

Malacca travel starter pack - Relax at the pool

Malacca travel starter pack - Clean bedrooms

Duration	3 days / 2 nights departs daily	Accommodation	2 nights accommodation with breakfast, guided cycling tour, transfer from KL airport to hotel. Comfort level 5 (see accommodation).
Price	£165 per person - based on 2 people sharing	Includes	2 nights' accommodation with breakfast, guided cycling tour, transfer from KL airport to hotel
Transport	Airport transfer from Kuala Lumpur	Excludes	All other meals, entrance fees and excursions

Malacca travel tips

Best time to travel: Just like the rest of the Malaysian west coast, Malacca is fine to visit all year round.

Food stalls: Malacca is famous for its food stalls, where you can enjoy some excellent food at a very low price. The food stalls at Klebang Beach (Jalan Klebang Besar) serve up some fantastic ikan panggang (grilled fish), and other great food stalls can be found at Glutton’s Corner, at the corner of Jalan Merdeka and Jalan Taman. Try no. 16 Prince Satay Celup! Other food stalls you should definitely try are: Jalan Bukit Baru (Chinese), Jalan Bunga Raya (fish) and Jalan Semabok (fish curry).

Night view safari: Take the no. 19 bus or your own transport (motorway to Kuala Lumpur) to the Ayer Keroh just under 7 miles away. This is where you’ll find the Melaka Zoo where you can go on a night viewing safari by tram. You can also go horse-riding, or slightly more exotic, an elephant ride.

Malacca travel starter pack - Grab a ride

Malacca travel starter pack - Colourfully decorated houses

Mini Malaysia: In Ayer Keroh you can also see the whole of Malaysia in one park in the Mini Malaysia theme park where they have reconstructed 13 traditional houses from all 13 states in Malaysia. The houses are life-size replicas, built by traditional craftsmen and even the interior decoration is authentic. There’s a traditional Long house from Sabah and the Rumah Minangkabau from Negeri Sembilan. Admission is RM4 for adults and RM2 for children. Opening hours are 10am – 6pm on weekdays and 9.30am – 6.30pm on weekends.

Festivals: Should you happen to be around Malacca in June, make sure you don’t miss the Pesta San Pedro festival, or the Portugese festival of Saint Peter in which beautifully decorated fishing boats are blessed and prayers are said for a good fishing season. There is also an annual kite festival on the coast which is well worth a visit.

Boat trip: A fun sightseeing trip is a boat trip from the harbour along the Melaka river past old colonial Dutch houses, boat wharfs and colourful markets on the river banks. This area is also known as Little Venice but that might be a bit of an overstatement. It’s certainly good fun though. The boat leaves every hour between 10am – 2pm as soon as the boat’s full. Tickets can be purchased at the tourist office for around 8 Ringgits. The boat trip takes about 45 minutes. For dinner, head to Jonkers (Jalan Hang Jebat 17), in a beautiful historic setting and the food’s fantastic.

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