Suggestion 2: Historical Walk ii

(Route Suggestions for one day tour)

Suggestion 1.1 Historical Walk

Route 2

Suggested for:

This route is designed for tourist or explorer that travel with car or having other form of transportation. Let’s explore the historical site of the city of Malacca~

 

Tips:

The taxi services in Malacca is charged based on trip and not based on mileage and minimum charges is RM20. Travelers have another option which is to take the bus services to travel in the town. But the waiting time for the bus services is not consistent and therefore travelers need to spare a little waiting time while planning for the travel arrangement.

Route/ Bus No.	Destination
5	MELAKA SENTRAL -- DURIAN DAUN -- BUKIT SERINDIT -- PAYA IKAN
8	MELAKA SENTRAL -- MELAKA TOWN -- MELAKA HERITAGE SITE
17	MELAKA SENTRAL -- MELAKA HERITAGE SITE -- MAHKOTA PARADE -- UJONG PASIR
18	MELAKA SENTRAL -- HERITAGE SITE -- TENGKERA -- LIMBONGAN -- POKOK MANGGA
19	MELAKA SENTRAL -- AYER KEROH -- MELAKA ZOO -- DURIAN TUNGGAL
50	MELAKA SENTRAL -- MAHKOTA PARADE
22	MELAKA SENTRAL -- GAJAH BERANG -- TAMAN POKOK MANGGA

More Infor check: http://www.mypublictransport.com/2011/09/melaka-town-bus-routes.html

Scope:

The route of the tour will be traveling to places that may be a bit distance from the Malacca town and to continue with visiting historical spot or building of Malacca.

Morning: (Time suggested to visit is between 8-10 am)

Route 2 Historical discovery journey of Malacca. First destination for the trip today is St. John’s Fort. St. John's Fort is located at the top of the St. John's Hill and it was built by the Dutch in the 18^th century. St John’s Hill is 3km from the centre of the city of Malacca. By taxis, the journey takes 12 to 20 minutes from the city centre.

In the morning, let’s plan the trip to go up the hill and grasp the refreshing hill top air to fuel up our day. This will be a good morning exercise for the trip. You can choose to walk up the hill or drive up the hill. But driving only able to reach the middle of the Hill the rest still need to reach by walking if you want to reach the top of the fort. There are a number of stairs that are linked to the St. John’s Fort up there.

The fort is made of laterite stone and bricks and it has only one entrance. The wall of the fort is about 10-12 feet tall and it is facing both inland and seawards. At the fort, there are canon emplacements which were used to attack the invaders during ancient days. There are sign boards along the stair way that introduce the history of this beautiful fort.

About 11 a.m. to 1p.m.

Next, heading to Bukit Cina. From St. John’s hill to Bukit Cina takes about 5 to 10 minutes journey by car. We are going to visit the famous historical well in Malacca which is known as the Hang Li Po’s Well.

 

Hang Li Po well is located at the foot of Bukit Cina / Chinese hill. The well was built in year 1459 and it is a very historical place for tourist to know the history story of Princess Hang  Li Po who was sent from China to be married to the Sultan of Malacca in the mid-15^th century. For more Information please relate to: The King’s Well (Hang Li Po Well). This ancient well has now been covered up due to safety reason. There are plaque put up besides the ancient well that explain the history of the well. 

After the visit of the well, travelers can then visit the Poh Sam Teng Temple. The Hang Li Po Well is just besides the Poh San Teng Temple. The temple is located at the foot of Bukit Cina / Chinese Hill, next to the Malacca Warrior Monument and Hang Li Poh's Well.The entrance to the temple is free of charge and you can notice there are special ornate and intricate carvings around the temple.  The Bukit Cina hill has been used as a Chinese graveyard since the Ming Dynasty.

The Hill has over 12,000 graves and is rated the largest Chinese graveyard outsides China. While visiting the graveyard please mind your step as the graves are laid in an irregular arrangement.

Afternoon (From 1pm to 3 pm)

Suggest to have lunch at Jonker Street and there are many options of local food delicacies over there such as Hainanese chicken rice balls and Nyonya food. 

Next destination will be Malacca famous Chinese street, Jonker Street. From Bukit Cina to Jonker Street, it takes about 5 – 10 minutes of driving distance.

 

The shops at Jonker Street mainly are shops that was built in the 80^th century. The shops are long in length but short in width which create a very special scene for the shops. This is because during that time the door tax was collected according to the door surface area of the shop lot. So the bigger the door face the more expensive the door tax, therefore the people expand the shop lot by building it in a way that is long in length but short in width. The shops there are mostly more than a century.

Afternoon (3p.m. to 4p.m.)

Church of St. Francis Xavier

 Next visit site is the Church of St. Francis Xavier. From Jonker Walk to the Church of St. Francis Xavier is about 5 to 20 minutes walking distance.

St Francis Xavier Church was built in 1856 and it is a Catholic church of more than a century old. It is still functioning and provides regular mass services. The services mostly are on Saturday night and Sunday Morning and non-believers are welcomed to attain the services. In the Church there is some of human stone statue and one of it is St. Francis Xavier. Need to take note that the parking place might be a little hard to find as the parking lot is very limited. 

Evening (4 p.m. to 6 p.m.)

Next destination is the Malacca Straits Mosque. The mosque is located in the man-made Malacca Island near to Malacca town. The distance from Malacca town to the Mosque is about 15 to 20 minutes.

The mosque is a special scene in Malacca as it is built by the straits of Malacca. The mosque will look like floating on the straits of Malacca when there is high tide. Visitors are allowed to walk around the surrounding of the Mosque but non-Muslims are not allowed to enter the mosque. The location of mosque is rated as one of the best place to view the sunset.

The Mosque has an unique scenic spot and it is just located at the straits of Malacca.

The straits of Malacca is a very important trading spot of Malacca since many centuries ago. Straits of Malacca is as an important part for visitor to know the history of Malacca. Since ancient time, the straits of Malacca is already a very important maritime trade route which is between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and linking the major Asian economies. With the strategic location, the straits of Malacca was an important stop for trading which makes Malacca to be an important trading city.

Evening (6 p.m. to 8p.m.)

Next location will be the Portuguese settlement. From Malacca Straits Mosque to Portuguese Settlement is about 20 minutes driving distance.

Late evening let’s get an icing mango juice and rest by the seaside and lay back and to watch the sunset gradually downing into the horizon.

 

The Portuguese Settlement is the place where the off springs of Portuguese live and stay. The Portuguese center will arrange performance during certain festivals. The people there are mostly Catholic and they  celebrate Easter and Christmas. During Christmas festival almost every houses in the settlement will set up attractive Christmas lighting which turn the area to become an attractive twinkling spot with the lighting decorated outing almost every house and you will be astonished by the Christmas atmosphere.

Beside the Portuguese settlement center, there are a lot of restaurant selling seafood waiting for your arrival. Dinner will be eating seafood by the seaside accompany with the refreshing sea wind and the sound of sea wave.