What You Will Do
Approximately 90 miles (145 kilometers) south of Kuala Lumpur, Malacca is home to an impressive range of buildings and landmarks telling the stories of Malaysia. Instead of finding your own way there in a rental car or hopping on a crowded tour bus, take the stress of getting to this UNESCO World Heritage-listed city out of the equation and enjoy this private sightseeing tour complete with private transport provided by your driver/guide. Visit highlights like A Famosa Fortress, St. Paul’s Church ruins, and a range of historic mosques and temples.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Itinerary
1
Stadthuys
15 minutes
The Stadthuys is a historical structure situated in the heart of Malacca City, the administrative capital of the state of Malacca, Malaysia in a place known as the Red Square. The Stadhuys is known for its red exterior and nearby red clocktower.
The Stadthuys (an old Dutch spelling, meaning city hall) is a historical structure situated in the heart of Malacca City, the administrative capital of the state of Malacca, Malaysia in a place known as the Red Square. The Stadhuys is known for its red exterior and nearby red clocktower. It was built by the Dutch in 1650 as the office of the Dutch Governor and Deputy Governor.
When Malacca was handed over to the British in the 19th century, the Malacca Free School was opened in the vicinity of the Stadthuys on 7 December 1826, by missionaries residing in the state, in response to a letter dated 19 April 1825, signed by a J. Humprey, J. W. Overee and A. W. Baumgarten, which called for an English institutional education to be built in Malacca. The school which the British provided free education to residents was eventually renamed Malacca High School in 1871 upon a takeover by the British government, and moved out to its present site at Chan Koon Cheng Road in 1931.
Situated at Laksamana Road, beside the Christ Church, the supposed oldest remaining Dutch historical building in the Orient, is now home to the History and Ethnography Museum. Among the displays in the museum are traditional costumes and artefacts throughout the history of Malacca, which makes it Malacca's premier museum.
2
A Famosa Fort
15 minutes
"Porta de Santiago" redirects here. For the gate in Segovia, Spain, see Puerta de Santiago (Segovia).
A Famosa (Malay: Kota A Famosa; "The Famous" in Portuguese) is a former Portuguese fortress located in Malacca, Malaysia. It is among the oldest surviving European architectural remains in Southeast Asia and the Far East. The Porta de Santiago, a small gate house, is the only part of the fortress which still remains today.
The name is often mispronounced /eɪ/ Famosa, even among Malaysians, as though the Portuguese definite article a were the English letter A. A more authentic pronunciation would be /ɑː/ Famosa.
In 1511, a Portuguese fleet arrived under the command of Afonso de Albuquerque. His forces attacked and defeated the armies of the Malacca Sultanate. Moving quickly to consolidate his gains, Albuquerque had the fortress built around a natural hill near the sea. Albuquerque believed that Malacca would become an important port linking Portugal to the Spice Route in China. At this time other Portuguese were establishing outposts in such places as Macau, China and Goa, India to create a string of friendly ports for ships heading to Ming China and returning home to Portugal.
The fortress once consisted of long ramparts and four major towers. One was a four-story keep, while the others held anammunition storage room, the residence of the captain, and an officers' quarters. Most of the village clustered in town houses inside the fortress walls. As Malacca's population expanded it outgrew the original fort and extensions were added around 1586.
The fort changed hands in 1641 when the Dutch drove the Portuguese out of Malacca.[1] The Dutch renovated the gate in 1670, which explains the logo "ANNO 1670" inscribed on the gate's arch. Above the arch is a bas-relief logo of the Dutch East India Company.
The fortress changed hands again in the late 18th century when the Dutch handed it over to the British to prevent it from falling into the hands of Napoleon's expansionist France. The English were wary of maintaining the fortification and ordered its destruction in 1806. The fort was almost totally demolished but for the timely intervention of Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore, who was sent on sick leave from Penang to Malacca in 1807. It was Captain William Farquhar, tasked with the destruction of the fort and town, who decided to save two of the gateways to the fort, including the Santiago Gate, as well as the Stadthuys, church and jail.
3
St. Paul's Hill & Church (Bukit St. Paul)
15 minutes
St. Paul's Church is a historic church building in Malacca City, Malaysia that was originally built in 1521, making it the oldest church building in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. It is located at the summit of St. Paul's Hill and is today part of the Malacca Museum Complex comprising the A Famosa ruins, the Stadthuys and other historical buildings.
The original structure was a simple chapel built in 1521 dedicated to the Virgin Mary and known as the Nossa Senhora da Annunciada(Our Lady of the Annunciation). The chapel was built by a Portuguese fidalgo or nobleman, Duarte Coelho, as an act of gratitude following his escape from a storm in the South China Sea.
The chapel was deeded to the Society of Jesus in 1548 by the Bishop of Goa, João Afonso de Albuquerque, with the title deeds received by St. Francis Xavier. The chapel was then further enlarged in 1556 with the addition of a second floor, and a belfry tower was added in 1590. The chapel was then renamed the Igreja de Madre de Deus (Church of the Mother of God).
A burial vault was opened in 1592 and many people of distinction were buried there, including Pedro Martins, the second Bishop of Funay, Japan.
4
Jonker Street
30 minutes
The Jonker Walk is the Chinatown street of Melaka, Malaysia located along Jonker Street (Malay: Jalan Hang Jebat).
During the Dutch Malacca, servants and subordinates of Dutch colonialists used to live at the nearby Heeren Street. However, as the Dutch left, it became noblemen's street. Rich Peranakans started to live and did business within the street area, giving the street a deep-rooted ethnic and cultural flavour.
The road starts from across Melaka River near the Stadthuys. The road is filled with historical houses along its left and right sides dating back to 17th century. It also has shops selling antiques, textiles, foods, handicrafts and souvenirs.
5
Christ Church
15 minutes
Christ Church Malacca is an 18th-century Anglican church in the city of Malacca City, Malaysia. It is the oldest functioning Protestant church in Malaysia and is within the jurisdiction of the Lower Central Archdeaconry of the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia.
The Dutch conquest of Malacca from the Portuguese Empire in 1641 saw the proscription of Roman Catholicism and the conversion of existing churches to Dutch Reformed use. The old St. Paul's Church at the summit of St. Paul Hill was renamed the Bovenkerk (Upper Church) and used as the main parish church of the Dutch community.
In 1741, in commemoration of the centenary of the capture of Malacca from the Portuguese, the Dutch burgher community decided to build a new church to replace the ageing Bovenkerk. The foundation stone was laid by the Malacca born Captain of the Malacca Burghers, Abraham de Wind, on behalf of his father, Claas de Wind, a prominent Burgher who had been the Secunde (Deputy Governor) of Malacca. The church was completed 12 years later in 1753 and replaced the Bovenkerk as the primary Dutch Reformed Church in Dutch Malacca.
With the signing of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824, possession of Malacca was transferred to the British East India Company and in 1838, the church was re-consecrated with the rites of the Church of England by Daniel Wilson, Bishop of Calcutta and renamed Christ Church. The maintenance of the church was taken over by the Government of the Straits Settlements in 1858.
Originally painted white, the church and the neighbouring Stadthuys building was painted red in 1911 and this distinctive colour scheme has remained the hallmark of Malacca's Dutch-era buildings since.
The church is built in Dutch Colonial architecture style and is laid out in a simple rectangle of 82 feet (25 m) by 42 feet (13 m). The ceiling rises to 40 feet (12 m) and is spanned by wooden beams, each carved from a single tree. The roof is covered with Dutch tiles and the walls were raised using Dutch bricks built on local laterite blocks then coated with Chinese plaster. The floors of the church are paved with granite blocks originally used as ballast for merchant ships.
The original Dutch windows were reduced and ornamented after the British takeover of Malacca and the porch and vestry were built only in the mid-19th century.
6
Mini Malaysia & ASEAN Cultural Park Melaka
30 minutes
The Mini Malaysia and ASEAN Cultural Park (Malay: Taman Mini Malaysia dan ASEAN) is a theme park in Ayer Keroh, Malacca, Malaysia. The park showcases the traditional houses from every state in Malaysia and also from every country in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Mini Malaysia Cultural Park was opened on 17 July 1986 by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, followed by the Mini ASEAN Cultural Park on 3 September 1991 by him.
Mini Malaysia
Perlis Long Roofed House
Penang Long Roofed House
Kedah Long Roofed House
Perak Long Roofed House
Selangor Long Roofed House
Negeri Sembilan Long Roofed House
Malacca Long Roofed House
Johore Five Roofed House
Kelantan Long Roofed House
Terengganu Five Roofed House
Pahang Long Roofed House
Sabah Traditional House
Sarawak Traditional House
Mini ASEAN
Traditional House of Thailand
Traditional House of Philippines
Traditional House of Brunei
Traditional House of Indonesia
Traditional House of Singapore
Traditional House of Vietnam
Traditional House of Myanmar
Traditional House of Cambodia
Traditional House of Laos
7
Cheng Hoon Teng Temple
15 minutes
The Cheng Hoon Teng Temple (also called as the Temple of Green Cloud) is a Chinese temple practising the Three Doctrinal Systems of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism located at No. 25 Jalan Tokong, Malacca City, Malaysia. It is the oldest functioning temple in the country.
The temple site was founded since the era of Dutch Malacca by the Chinese Kapitan of Tay Kie Ki @ Tay Hong Yong in 1645. Additional structures was then constructed in 1673 under the led of Kapitan Li Wei King @ Koon Chang with materials imported from China. The temple served as the main place of worship for the local Hoklo (Hokkien) community. Kapitan Chan Ki Lock construct a main hall for the temple in 1704.] In 1801, the temple structures was renovated under the led of Kapitan Chua Su Cheong @ Tok Ping who is the father of Choa Chong Long, the first Kapitan of Singapore, with the addition of additional structures.
In 1962, then abbot Seck Kim Seng ordained Houn Jiyu-Kennett, a Zen nun from England and the future founder of the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives, at this temple. The temple was awarded a UNESCO award for outstanding architectural restoration in 2003.
The temple is situated close to Jalan Tukang Emas, also known as "Harmony Street" because of its proximity to the Kampung Kling Mosque and Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple, covering an area of 4,600 m. Featuring a magnificent main gate along Jalan Tokong, the temple consists of a complex of several prayer halls with a large main prayer hall dedicated to the goddess of mercy, Guan Yin. Additional smaller prayer quarters were added later. One of these is dedicated to the Buddhist gods of wealth, longevity and propagation, while another houses ancestral tablets. One of the main features of the temple is the seven-metre red flagpole facing the left wing of the main prayer hall, which houses the remains of two of the three Kapitans who contributed to the construction of the temple. Across the road is a traditional opera theatre which forms a part of the temple complex. The building conforms to the principles of feng shui where the complex is laid out to ensure a view of the river and high ground on either side.
8
Kampung Kling Mosque
15 minutes
Kampong Kling Mosque is an old mosque in Malacca City, Malacca, Malaysia.
The Kampung Kling Mosque is situated at Jalan Tukang Emas (Goldsmith Street), also known as "Harmony Street" because of its proximity to the Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple and Cheng Hoon Teng Temple.
The original structure built by Indian Muslim traders in 1748 was a wooden building and in 1872, it was rebuilt in brick. The mosque is one of the traditional mosques in Malacca, which still retains its original design. The architectural design of the mosque is a cross between Sumatran, Chinese, Hindu, and the Malacca Malay. The minaret, ablution pool and entrance arch were built at the same time with the main building. The kampung kling mosque is named based on the place where Indian traders dwell in that place called Kampung Kling.
The minaret resembles a pagoda. The mosque also has a blend of English and Portuguese glazed tiles, Corinthian columns with symmetrical arches in the main prayer hall, a Victorian chandelier, a wooden pulpit with Hindu and Chinese-style carvings, and Moorish cast iron lamp-posts in the place of ablution for pre-prayer cleansing.
The Department of Museums and Antiquities completed conservation works on the mosque in the 1990s.
9
Malacca River
15 minutes
The Malacca River (Malay: Sungai Melaka) which flows through the middle of Malacca City in Malacca, Malaysia, was a vital trade route during the heyday of Malacca Sultanate in the 15th century.
The river starts from the foothills in the neighbouring state of Negeri Sembilan and feeds into the Strait of Malacca. A USD$100 million (RM350 million) infrastructure project to revive and rejuvenate the river which is the central to Malacca as an historic city was carried out. This has included construction of a tidal barrage, restoration of buildings and bridges, dredging, concrete riverbanks with river walkways. Land reclamation projects have extended the river mouth further into the Straits.
10
Melaka Straits Mosque
15 minutes
Malacca Straits Mosque (Masjid Selat Melaka) is a mosque located on the man-made Malacca Island in Malacca City, Malacca, Malaysia, which was opened on 24 November 2006 by the Supreme Ruler of Malaysia Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed Putra Jamalullail. It was built using the mix of Middle Eastern and Malay craftsmanship and looks like a floating structure when the water level is high.
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