Melaka a perfect getaway for tourists tired of Singapore’s set pieces and Kuala Lumpur’s bustle

by Ateesh Tankha

There were originally three Straits Settlements: Malacca, Penang and Singapore. While Singapore has become a First World island nation and Penang has become a major electronics manufacturing hub, the modern-day Melaka in Malaysia has become a quiet backwater kept alive by tourist trade. This is especially ironic when you consider that Melaka was a major trading centre as early as 15th century, and was thriving when the islands of Penang and Singapore were still uninhabited. Since then, however, other cities have eclipsed Melaka as centres of commerce and, except for a brief revival in the late 19th century on account of a rubber boom, Melaka had to wait till the 1990s to be repositioned as an easy weekend getaway for both locals and travellers in the vicinity.

After Melaka’s elevation as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2008, the town authorities have done a good job in preserving and presenting its diverse past. Portuguese churches and battlements compete with Dutch houses and administrative edifices for prominence; English mansions and Peranakan (Straits Chinese) shophouses challenge each other on the banks of the Melaka River. But where is the true Melaka? The answer lies not in any one location, culture or remnant. It is to be found in the cross-pollination of ideas, tastes and styles that have endured over the centuries and given the melting pot that is Melaka its unique flavour.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the local cuisine. First among these is the Nonya (Peranakan) fare. Less spicy than Penang, the Melaka Peranakan dishes are no less delicious and flavourful. For the discerning gourmand, no trip to Melaka is complete without a visit to eateries like Nancy’s Kitchen, Kocik Kitchen and Hoe Kee Chicken Rice Ball. The Lemak Nenas Prawns, Nonya Laksa, Tofu with Minced Chicken and the ubiquitous Chicken Rice Balls are not to be missed. Equally delectable but with a bite that reveals its Indian ancestry is Kristang cooking. Deriving its name from the eponymous creole that mixes Malay with archaic Portuguese, this cuisine fuses Indian spices, Malay curries and Portuguese dishes. Melba at the Hotel (Hotel Majestic) and Restoran de Lisbon are the two best options to savour minced fish croquettes, semur (beef stew), sambal kambrang (sautéed prawns in sambal), asa (baked seabass) and soy limang terung (brinjals in soy and lime), before finishing off the meal with a kek sugee (sooji halwa).

For those who would like to enjoy a western take on staple Malay preparations, Geographers’ Café, Sid’s Pub and The Daily Fix offer ramen, sambal pizzas and fusion burgers. And if you happen to visit over the weekend, there’s Jonker’s Walk, a street that comes alive at night, where you can sample radish cake, oysters in garlic, satay, durian tarts, shaved ice cendol and charcoal ice cream.

The remnants of historical buildings provide another insight into the forces that have shaped Melaka. The earliest traces are to seen in and around Bukit China (Chinese Hill), where 12,500 graves across 25 hectares stand testament to the over 500 years of Straits Chinese residency in Melaka. Worth visiting nearby are the Poh San Teng and Chen Hoon Teng temples, the latter being the oldest Buddhist temple in Malaysia and noted for its woodwork.

Closer to the main town are the ruins of the Portuguese fort of Porta de Santiago.

This is the ideal spot from which to make the trek up Bukit St Paul to visit the evocative remains of the church.

On the other side of Bukit St Paul is the Stadhuys, a Dutch townhall dating back to 1650, and the adjacent Dutch Square with its blood-red shops and cafes. It is the most popular pick-up spot for a nocturnal ride on a trishaw, with its psychedelic lights, papier-mâché replicas and blaring loudspeakers.

Last, but not the least, one has to immerse oneself in the local culture to experience the beauty of this resurrected town. While signs of Peranakan culture are everywhere — and The Baba & Nonya Heritage Museum, Malaqa House and Tham Siew Inn Art Gallery are must-see — it is generally believed that the Chettis, descendants of Straits Indians who married Malay women, are the oldest ethnic group here. The Chetti Museum and Sri Subramaniam Thuropathai Amman Temple are worth visiting. There’s a thriving Malay culture to be experienced in places like Villa Sentosa and the syncretic Masjid Kampung Kling, with its multitiered Hindu Meru roof, Moorish tower and the Dutch and English tiles that adorn its floor. The proximity of this mosque to the Buddhist Chen Hoon Teng Temple and the Sri Poyatha Venayagar Moorthi Temple has prompted the locals to rename the area Harmony Street.

Melaka is the perfect getaway for the tourist who is beginning to tire of the setpiece attractions of Singapore or the expansive bustle of Kuala Lumpur. It achieves the marriage of preserved tastes and traditions with evolving aesthetics and comfort — the best a place can offer.

The writer is a traveller who divides his time between Singapore and India.

Travelling By Air For The First Time? Keep This Check-List Handy

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