Malacca is a charming river side city, famous for the gorgeous architecture which reflects it's multicultural heritage. Malacca has previously been ruled by Portugal, Holland and Britain. Then add the Malay, Indian and Chinese cultures to the mix, for a vibrant town with fabulous food! Jonker walk is the heart of this historical town, with fabulous night markets to buy street food, souvenirs, henna tattoo's, then pick up coconut ice cream for the walk home. As you stroll the quaint streets of the heritage town, you can feel the life and charm from years gone by. The Baba Nyonya houses showcase colourful ceramic tiles, pagoda style rooves, open internal courtyards and intricately carved wooden door frames. Baba Nyonya relates to the descendants of the Chinese immigrants during the colonial era of the 15th and 16th centuries. Sadly, the Baba Nyonya homes are now more often than not, converted to high street shopping chains. A river cruise is a great way to explore the old town. The cafes and murals decorate the riverfront, and we loved the charming ornate bridges along the 40 minute journey. A new addition to Malacca is the loudest, most colourful and overpriced rickshaws I have ever seen. At night they light up in neon and blast pop music. The Malacca we visited 12 years ago has been engulfed with sky scrapers, shopping malls, and tourist attractions. The city growth over the next 10 years is expected to be immense . If you can zone out the 'new' and immerse in the 'old', you can still feel the culture of Malacca... but don't dally, it won't last forever. We choose to book accommodation using Agoda, and do our travel research using lonely planet guides.
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