Malacca (alternatively it can be spelt Melaka in Malay) is located towards the southern part of the west Malaysian peninsula, not too far from Singapore. It is another popular strait settlement in Malaysia, very similar to Penang island in the north. The city centre of Malacca is a historic site that has been listed as a UNESCO world heritage site since 2008. Malacca is quite a tourist hotspot for local and international tourists as it’s known for it’s rich history, food and culture. During a family trip to Malaysia earlier in the year to celebrate Chinese New Year, we decided to borrow a car, book an apartment through Airbnb and make the 6 hour drive down to Malacca from Penang.
This is part one of a four-part Into The Archives series of photo essays, diving into some of my favourite photos from my three day trip.
- Part One – Family roadtrip to Malacca, Malaysia
- Part Two – Malacca’s museums and historic sites
- Part Three – Malacca’s famous Jonker Street Market
- Part Four – Final day in Malacca
We departed fairly early in the morning and only made one pit stop along the North-South Expressway. At this pit stop, I grabbed a shot of the distant mountains with palm trees in the foreground. This is a the typical Malaysian landscape you’ll see on your drive down south. One of the things I enjoy on these drives is the pit stops where I get to have some Malaysian food. Nasi Lemak is one of my favourite breakfast dishes to have in Malaysia.
After a six hour drive, we finally arrived at the Malacca city centre. Our first stop before we did anything was to have lunch at a popular Nyonya restaurant called Nancy’s Kitchen. It’s known for it’s delicious Nyonya or Peranakan cuisine. The food originated from the descendants of early Chinese migrants who arrived at strait settlements like Penang, Malacca and Singapore, and married local Malays. As a result Nyonya food combines the flavours and ingredients from both Chinese and Malay cuisine. Having grown up in Penang as a child, in my biased opinion, it is the best kind of food. It reminds me of home, of what I grew up with. Food at Nancy’s Kitchen didn’t disappoint. We had to wait well over 30 minutes for a table, but it was worth it.
After lunch, we checked into our little Airbnb apartment and had a brief rest before heading out late in the afternoon. The Portuguese and Dutch were some of the early invaders of Malacca, back in the day. As a result, there is definitely Portuguese and Dutch influences in Malacca. One of the popular tourist spot is the called the Portuguese Settlement, located near a swamp land. It was originally a fishing village that attracted local Malacca Portuguese people. Today the area is lined with seafood restaurants, market stalls and a little harbour front. We spent a bit of time exploring the area, then headed back to the city centre.
We initially wanted to try the famous Capitol Satay Celup, but the extremely long lines put us off waiting for a table. Instead we headed to Jonker Street night market. The crowds were thick and there were plenty of street food options. As we had a pretty late lunch we opted for some dessert before dinner to tie us over. Like Penang, Malacca is known for its Ice Kacang, which is essentially shaved ice with various toppings and syrup poured over. We ended up having a late dinner of Satay Celup at McQuek’s on our way home. Personally it was nice to try a popular local dish, but I think I still prefer the traditional Satay sticks dipped in thick peanut sauce.
That sums up our first day in Malacca. Thanks for stopping by today.
J.
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