Malacca, The Venice of the East

Two hours south of Kuala Lumpur, Malacca (Melaka) offers an invitation to an experience sometimes overlooked by those who want to discover Malaysia. Listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, this town is decorated with history from the Dutch, Portugese and British colonisation fused by the influence of traditional Chinese cuisine.

The journey starts from the moment you step foot at the TBS Bus Station that presented itself as an airport. The bus transport option came in plenty but we chose one that fits right in our schedule.

Arriving at the foot of Jonker Street, the sumptuous smell from the restaurants around filled the air, as if it was their way of welcoming the visitors.

People start to form a queue outside the iconic red restaurant. By lunch time, the lines were long and assuming it was only going to get longer, we immediately fell in line outside the Restoran Famosa - Chicken Rice Balls. I did not know what Restoran Famosa was about, but a queue outside is always a good sign.

The town proper was all within walking distance so I went on a stroll discovering its cultural side.

Aside from the European influences that makes Malacca significant in Malaysia’s history, the Chinese ascendancy is still very much alive not only in its architecture, but in traditions and religion.

The Jonker Street Night Market is only open during weekends but when it does, it is very festive. Before the sun sets, the street closes for vehicles and merchants hurriedly hoisted tables and tents. It was an organised chaos and it was exciting to see how the streets transformed at night.

The market offered a variety of arts, crafts, clothes and souvenirs. But those were all topped by a sensational street food experience from Taiwanese sausages, to rice cakes, to an overwhelming selection of dimsums, peculiarly flavoured ice creams, tea. Name it, they have it.

As the night crawled and engulfed the town, the street became more lively, pubs and bars surrounding the street start to be filled. The energy through out was eclectic and the exuberant vibe was just so contagious that by merely just being there felt like it was such a delight.

Known to be The Venice of the East, a lot of Malacca’s character is owed to its meandering River flowing through the city and eventually separating into a few canals where a lot of the hotels are nested. The night was also the perfect time to traverse the smooth river flow and cruise in a unique sightseeing experience. The river reflects a lot of the light bouncing from the city, as if the surface of the water was shining. Either on foot or by the boat, it was beguiling enough to resist checking out the restaurants and shops on the way.

We walked a little bit further until finally settling in for an alfresco dining under the heavily starred sky and right beside an unobstructed view of the river, all these while galloping on a Malaysian staple, Nasi Lemak.

While Malacca can be enjoyed in a day, there were plenty of reasons to stay for at least a night. The Hotel Hong gave us an inexpensive comfortable night with the same kind of hospitality your family would offer.

We got the chance to personally meet the very kind owner of the hotel and has treated us to some Curry Empanadas for breakfast before driving us to catch our bus to Kuala Lumpur. His whole family even rode the van with us to bid us farewell as if we were one of their own. The kindness, the hospitality and warmth of the people you meet always truly tops off whatever experience a place offers. These interactions are the ones that often times fuel my desire to go out there. More than the food, more than the sight and photos, its the people and listening to their language of hospitality.

Leaving Malacca the following morning had me sighing deep. The moment you step foot at this town, the bliss grows and leaves you melancholic at the end of the trip. For the past weeks, I have been chasing for a moment to relax, watch other people's pace and eat and walk in a calm, un-overwhelming but awe inspiring ambiance. I’ve found my chase in Malacca.

*Pictures imported from the old blog format.