Malacca or Melaka is the third smallest state in Melaka and poised in the South West of Malaysia. Melaka is a historic city in Malaysia and has witnessed many Malay empires and later occupied by many foreign countries from all over the world like Portuguese, Dutch and English.
Melaka was once just a small fishing village. She was founded by a Srivijayan Prince from Palembang, Parameswara. Parameswara landed in Melaka in 1400 and found that it is a port with a very strategic position. Its location at the main entrance of Malaccan strait is very ideal and suitable for traders all over the world during that time. Due to her strategic location, Melaka had become as an established port for trading and even for a religion spread.
In 1511, Melaka was occupied by the Portuguese. Portuguese wanted to control East-West Trade, hence Melaka was conquered by Portuguese until 1641. Dutch took over from Portuguese after 1641 until 1824 when British came to Melaka and took over. Due to this different influences from many conquerors, Melaka has absorbed different kind of influences in her people’s cultures, foods, costumes and even in linguistic. In 2008, UNESCE has declared Melaka as a UNESCO world heritage site and until today, Melaka is still Malaysia’s historic city.
Due to her function as the biggest port in her early years, Melaka had also brought in influence from other countries like China and India. Melaka is the birthplace of the Malaccan Baba Nyonya culture and Chetti culture. Baba Nyonya is a mixed of a marriage from local Malay people with Chinese. Chetti is a mixed of a marriage from local people with Indian. Malaysian Eurasian culture, stemming from Portuguese communities who settled and intermarried locally was also born from Melaka. Visiting Melaka today is to engage in the flow of rediscovering her colorful past in historical monuments and ruins, and to experience the constant creation and unfolding of the new.
Today, Melaka has become the most visited place in Malaysia. In 2013, Melaka has received 13.5 million of visitors in spite of the earlier estimated arrivals of 13 million. The state government has expected the number of visitor will increase to 15 million in year of 2014. Chief Minister of Melaka, Datuk Seri Idris Harun said the government would ensure that hotels and homestay lodges in the state get 20,000 rooms ready over the next three years to meet the growing demands of the tourism sector.
Kapal Dagang Dari Seberang
Sarat Muatan Kayu Meranti
Dari Jauh Tuan Puan Datang
Orang Melaka Sedia Menanti
Among the attractions in Malacca, below are the top 10 attractions in Malacca:
- A Famosa
- Masjid Selat
- Malacca Sultanate Palace
- Stadthuys
- Menara Taming Sari
- Taman Mini Malaysia
- Baba and Nyonya House Museum
- Air Panas Gadek
- Jonker Street
- Pantai Klebang
Below is the list of the top 11 type of food to eat in Melaka. These dishes represent Melaka as a whole as there are a wide variety of Chinese, Indian, Malay and Nyonya (a combination of Chinese and Malay culture) styles of cooking. This gives you an overall taste of the best Melaka has to offer.
- Chicken Rice Ball
- Nasi Lemak
- Nyonya Laksa
- Satay
- Asam Pedas Fish
- Sambal Belacan & Cencalok
- Ikan Bakar
- Nyonya Kuih
- Cendol Gula Melaka
- Klebang Coconut Milkshake
- Laksa Nyonya and Laksa Baba
For more details about Malacca, please download this application into your mobile: Destination Melaka either from App Store or Google Play.
DESTINATION MELAKA
Details also can be found from tourismmelakaofficial.blogspot.com.
” Melaka World Heritage City UNESCO ”
” Visit Historic Melaka Means Visit Malaysia”
References:
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2014/01/19/15-million-tourists-expected-in-malacca/
http://www.gomelaka.my/top-food-in-melaka/
https://latitudes.nu/introduction-to-malacca-malaysia%E2%80%99s-historic-city/
http://nyghmalacca2014.blogspot.my/2014/11/baba-and-nyonya-performance.html