Melaka

Midway between the capital cities of Singapore and Kuala Lumpur and at the mouth of the Strait of Melaka, a crucial shipping route connecting the Indian and Pacific oceans, Melaka has been a centre of trade and cultural exchange for more than 600 years.

Established at the beginning of the 14th century, Melaka (also spelt Malacca) was set up by a renagade Hindu Prince by the name of Parameswara (also known as Iskandar Shah). He originally hailed from Palembang on Sumatra, which, at the time was a part of the waning Srivijayan empire. The Srivijayans were slowly being conquered by the growing Majapahit Empire and when they took Palembang, Parameswara packed his bags and headed to Temasek (modern day Singapore).

Parameswara spent the next five years in Temasek, before fleeing (this time at the hand of the Siamese) and setting up shop in Melaka. While legend has it Melaka takes its name from a Melaka tree that Parameswara saw a mouse deer under, more sensible people believe its name comes from the Arabic word mulaqa which means 'meeting place'.

Ever since Parameswara arrived, Melaka has been a meeting place. Merchants from the Middle East, China, India, Southeast Asia, and even Europe have been drawn here, and everyone at some stage has wanted to control this important port city.

Control has changed hands many times since Parameswara's time. Portuguese sailors conquered it in 1511 and turned the city into a walled fortress, hoping to take control of the spice and silk trade. From that point, and for the next 400 years Melaka remained under European influence – the Dutch rose to power in 1641, followed by the British in 1824. With the exception of four years of Japanese occupation during WWII, Melaka remained a British colony until Malaysia gained independence in 1957.

It was also an important hub of immigration and Chinese, Indian, and Portuguese settlements can be visited, each with their own traditional culture and cuisine. Melaka is the centre of Peranakan or Baba-Nyonya culture – a group created when Chinese immigrants married Malay women and adopted local traditions.

Today, Melaka is a modern city, but one swathed in old-world charm. Its rich heritage has left behind a bounty of relics including Portuguese fortresses, Dutch town halls, Chinese temples and Catholic churches. Dotted around the city's historic quarter, many have been painstakingly preserved as museums of history or culture.

This wealth of attractions makes it one of Malaysia's top tourist draws attracting both package tourists on daytrips from Singapore along with a steady flow of backpackers and independent travellers making their way through Malaysia. Along with Georgetown in Penang, the city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.

A popular weekend escape for city-dwellers from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, much of the tourism here is of the pre-packaged variety – tourists come to shop for antiques and stay in resorts in the suburbs. Melaka is largely tout-free and backpackers and independent travellers taking advantage of Melaka's many good guesthouses are unlikely to get hassled – you're not the target market here. Enjoy the break!

Orientation
Melaka is a mid-sized town, but the area that is of interest to travellers is quite compact and the main sights and attractions can be easily taken in on foot or perhaps by trishaw. The town in split in two by the Sungai Melaka (Melaka River) but in many places, especially at low tide, it has more the appearance of a dirty canal than a river. While we're talking about the river, keep an eye out for the many monitor lizards that swim in it.

On the south side of the river lies the historic quarter, which contains many of the sights and attractions -- including Dutch Square, Christ Church and The Stadthuys.

On the north side, you'll find Chinatown, bisected by Hang Jebat (Jonker's Walk), and loaded with Perenakan shophouses, temples and "antique" shops. Its also on the north bank that you'll find the bulk of Melaka's guesthouses and restaurants. This is Melaka's backpacker district.

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