All You Need to Know About – Melaka (Malacca), Malaysia

Significance

Malacca popularly known as Melaka in Malay is also known by “The Historic State” of Malaysia which is located near the Strait of Malacca in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula. This place is well known for its great history and heritage. It has a unique culture and is also listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Strait of Malacca is one of the hugest, engaging, and important shipping lanes in the world. The strait has a huge importance in shipping between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean which connects the crucial economies like India, China, and Japan. This has also emerged as a center of Islamic learning. Along with the cultural heritage and economic interest which lies in this state Malacca has became known for tourism.

History

Malacca was founded by Parameswara, the last Raja of Singapura which is now known as Singapore. Before this man arrived in Malacca, this place was a small fishing village inhabited by local Malay people. In the 14th century, the adoption of Islam was increased as may Arab traders traded at the Strait of Malacca. However, Malacca traded further with merchants of all races and religions. Malacca was ruled by many dynasties Malacca sultanate, British, the Dutch and the Portuguese. In the year 1509, the Portuguese entered Melaka looking for China trade and spices. Initially, they got a friendly welcome but soon they were attacked by Malaccans.

Cultural Identity

Malacca has a population of 931,210 as of 2016. Although Malacca has a multicultural population of different countries, continents, and religions it has a Peranakan and Portuguese culture that is still practiced and followed by the citizens of this place. There are Chinese communities; Indians amongst most are Tamilians, Sikhs, and Portuguese too. The languages used here are English, Portuguese, Tamil, Malay, Temuan and also Chinese. The native dress comprises of women wearing loose clothing with long sleeves called baju and men wear loose pants and a cloth tied to the waist. With the passage of time trend and habitats, the lifestyle has changed in the modern era. There are various religious places here which include many mosques, churches, and temples.

Natural Resources

The Geographical area covered by Malacca is 1664km2. It is located on the southwestern coast of the Malay Peninsula. The climate here is hot and humid. The Malacca Island is a man-made island. This island is being made with 4,387 residential units, 4180 units for the development of the commercial sector and also one of the main reason which is to develop tourism. The Malacca Strait is the major trade route of the world. Each year 94000 vessels pass through this strait. It links one of the major economies of the world like China, Japan, India and South Korea. One-fourth of the world’s goods are traded from here including oil, coffee, and China’s manufactured goods.

Local Guides and Tours

Being the World Heritage Site UNESCO, this place has become very popular. Every place and every corner of Malacca has become an attraction for the tourists.

Melaka river cruise is an amazing tour for sightseeing in the city. The cruise offers multi-cultural and historical constitution of the country. The two types of the cruise include recorded commentaries and a tour guide on board. The tour is enjoyable as well as entertaining.

Jonker’s Street is in the heart of Malacca city. It is one of the most famous tourist attractions. Here there are a lot of handicraft shops, multi-cuisine restaurants and a lot more which depicts the culture and heritage of this place. Also, this street has a night market which has become very popular with the people.

Transportation 

To reach Malacca, people can choose the various modes of transportation, in which one is by a taxi or a car. People can hire them from Kuala Lumpur and reach Malacca. The distance is just 150kms. The other way of transportation is by Bus. It is relatively cheaper than driving a car and more comfortable too. Malacca airport is 9kms away from the town. The distance of Singapore to Malacca is 245kms. There are many flights available from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Traveling by train is the slowest of all. Malacca does not have a railway station so the passengers need to take a bus or a car from the nearest railway station which is Tampin. The distance to Malacca from Tampin is about 38kms.

Transportation Cost

For local transportation from Melaka Sentral to Melaka Red House the taxi fare is around RM20+. RM15-RM20 is the usual fare for traveling within 20kms. The trishaw commonly known as rickshaw is efficient and fast which charges around MYR45+ per hour per trishaw. The panorama buses here are comparatively cheaper. They are automated and air-conditioned. Kula Lumpur to Melaka costs RM12-13 by bus and RM25-RM35 from a car. From Singapore to Melaka 25MYR-35MYR by trains and by bus it costs around MYR20.  The ferries are also available for transportation. There is also Melaka river cruise which cost around RM10-RM15.  The traveling in cities, as well as inter-city, is convenient and efficient.

Political Scenario

Malacca the state of Malaysia has a ceremonial head known as Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Malacca is the head of State Legislative Assembly i.e Malacca’s state parliament the executive committee is formed by the ruling party. The assembly here is the highest authority and its members are appointed every five years by the political party in power. The current Yang di-Pertua Negeri is Mohd Khalil Yaakob. He also has the power to choose the chief minister amongst the State Legislative Assembly members. The current Chief Minister is Adly Zahari. The administration of the state and the political interest is looked after by the chief minister’s department.

Economic Scenario

Malacca having an amazing history and fascinating heritage has a great economy too. It has the contribution to the service sector of 46.9%, manufacturing of 43.5%, agriculture with 6.5% construction of 2.9% and others of 0.01%. This state is a land which does not have significant natural resources still runs its economy for over 500 years. It has a GDP growth rate of 3.2%. The GDP in 2013 was of MYR22, 646 million. The state government’s reserve in 2014 amounted to be MYR206.61 million. The rate of unemployment is just about 3500 people in Malacca. This state contributes huge growths to the economy.

Reasons to Select this Destination

Malacca is one of the most mesmerizing and enchanting places of Malaysia in the peninsular region. When it comes to accessibility Melaka is easily accessible to places like Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. There are many easy ways to reach out to this place. The food and cuisine are delightful. It has a blend of the traditional and modern flavors. It has great markets to shop even at night. It has different rivers and islands for people to spend time there. Being the World Heritage site it has the most amazing museums and forts to visit. This place is filled with plenty of such sites. It also has trendy art shops for paintings, jewelry, porcelain vessels, etc. It has a good climate and rich habitat. The merchants enjoy good trade practices from Malacca. Also, it has theme parks, wildlife sanctuaries, malls, resorts, etc to have fun.