Authentic kampung charms
Tucked away in a traditional kampung, a 10-minute walk to sights, Apakaba Homestay offers an authentic village stay in the middle of the city, creaks and all.
Apakaba won’t be eveyone’s cup of teh tarik, but we were charmed by the lovely leafy garden and welcoming home filled with a lifetime of memorabilia.

Here you can immerse yourself in Melaka’s rich culture and become part of an extended local family for a day or two experiencing laidback village life. The unassuming green-painted wooden family home, built in 1912, presents a mix of simple but clean and cosy fan or air-con rooms with both en suite or share facilities. Rooms are decently sized but a tad dark, thoughmismatched homely decor brightens things up: think framed pictures and patterned bed linen (there’s a quilt, but no top sheet).
Bathrooms are mixed, some older style and a little stained, others more modern, but all are clean and have hot showers and Western-style toilets.

Help yourself to a hot drink or snack from the well stocked pantry or make yourself at home relaxing in the shady garden amid local fruit trees, cats, rabbits and roosters. A home-cooked local breakfast is included and the friendly family can organise barbecues on request. Bikes are available for rent too.
The authentic experience and friendly personal touch is what makes Apakaba Homestay a good flashpacker pick. Alternatively Emily Travellers Home closer to the shopping malls is another friendly option, but only has cold-water showers.
Address: 28 Kampung Banda Kaba, Melaka
T: (06) 283 8196; (012) 798 1232;
Email: homestay@apa-kaba.com
Web: http://www.apa-kaba.com
Coordinates (for GPS): 102º15'13.63" E, 2º11'29.6" N
See position in Apple or Google Maps: Apple Maps | Google Maps
Room rates: Under 60 ringgit
What we were quoted as a walk-in.
| Dbl fan share bathroom | 50 ringgit | 50 ringgit |
| Quad fan share bathroom | 80 ringgit | 80 ringgit |
| Triple air-con share bathroom | 90 ringgit | 90 ringgit |
| Dbl air-con private bathroom Twin: 90 ringgit. | 100 ringgit | 100 ringgit |
| Triple air-con private bathroom | 135 ringgit | 135 ringgit |
Reviewed by
Sally Arnold
Sally spent twelve years leading tourists around Indonesia and Malaysia where she collected a lot of stuff. She once carried a 40kg rug overland across Java. Her house has been described as a cross between a museum and a library. Fuelled by coffee, she can often be found riding her bike or petting stray cats. Sally believes travel is the key to world peace.
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