Re-discover Malacca

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan

                  / KUCINTA SETIA

Many Singaporeans visit Malaysia but they usually bypass Malacca in preference for Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. Malacca or Melaka is one of the hometowns of many Malaysians working in Singapore. In this report, Malacca and Melaka are used interchangably to refer to the same State.

There are a few reasons why many Singaporeans have shunned Malacca.

Firstly, after Malacca or Melaka (in Malay) was officially declared as one of the UNESCO Heritage Cities in 2008, taxi fares have spiked. A ride on a Melaka taxi from Melaka Sentral, the interstate bus terminal, bazaar and market, to any part of a bigger Melaka costs 17 Ringgits even for a very short distance ride. An hour taxi hire costs 40 Ringgits and a one-day taxi hire to visit the important tourist destinations of Melaka costs 300 Ringgits. Unless one  travels in a Melaka friend's car, the expensive taxi is the best transport to get around Malacca. Buses are not as bus stops do not exist in Malacca although nice public buses are available.

Secondly, tourism promotion of Melaka as an ideal, safe tourist destination has reduced after 2010 when Malacca celebrated 750 years of foundation as the federal government focused tourism promotion on Kuala Lumpur, Johor and East Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah in the international travel markets.

Thirdly, private enterprises that reclaimed land from the Straits of Malacca in cooperation with the Melaka State Government have left many new buildings vacant. The lack of property investment promotion outside Malaysia has led many business tourists to give Melaka a miss.

Despite the problems that Melaka tourism face, there are plenty of reasons to re-discover Malacca as a new emerging tourist destination.

Firstly, Malacca's medical infrastructure offers the best deals for medical treatment outside Bangkok. If one does not have the money to fly to Bangkok or Singapore for medical treatment, many tourists will choose Malacca. The three private medical hospitals of Malacca including Mahkota Medical Centre can arrange free-shuttle bus services from Malacca International Airport to their hospitals for passengers arriving from Indonesia and elsewhere by plane. If anyone is arriving by coach, consider staying in Aenon Retirement Villa in Bukit

Rambai, Malacca, which offers budget lodging with delicious healthy food and free access to Internet. Car-shuttle service and food are included in the total cost of booking which can cost 665 Ringgits for three persons for three nights. There are too few budget stays in Melaka city centre.

Secondly, visit Malacca International Airport or formerly Batu Berendam Airport to see the airport watch tower which directed the plane of the first Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman  to land from London on 20 February 1956 to announce Malaysia's independence from the Royal Crown. It went under modernization from April 2006 to 2009 and the new terminal was opened in May 2009 and officially renamed in February 2010 as Malacca International Airport, the cleanest airport of Peninsula Malaysia. It can accommodate B737 and Airbus A320 aircraft.

On 1 January 2013, Indonesia Air starts direct flights from Pekanbaru to Malacca and it is the fourth airline to operate from Malacca after Melaka Air (the State's airline), Wings Air and Sky Aviation of Indonesia. The airport has direct flight links with Penang, Medan and Pekanbaru.

Thirdly, visit Malacca as it is the first heritage city of Peninsula Malaysia. Visit Christ Church, constructed in 1753 housing hand-crafted church benches and many interesting artefacts. In the forefront are many beautiful plants that form memorable images. The fountain of Christ Church is the most beautiful fountain in the region.

Fourthly, visit Jonker Walk which covers Jonker Street along Jalan Hang Jebat. It is very popular on weekends and Fridays. It is developed by Datuk Gan Boon Leong, "Mr Asia" /"Mr Malacca" of 2010 as a corridor of a myriad of Melaka traditional shopping cultures and sarabat stalls. The famous Singapore drama serial Little Nyonya was filmed in Jonker Walk. The Melaka communities are nostalgic. Years-old commemoration banners decorate Jonker Walk and other important spots of Malacca.

Fifthly, visit Menara Taming Sari or the Eye of Malacca near Mahkota Parade (the largest shopping centre) and Submarine Museum. They provide perfect images of Malacca as an interesting recreational destination.

Lately, the area covering the Eye of Malacca and Pirate Ship Wild Adventure has been renamed Melaka River Wild Adventure Theme Park.

Sixthly, if one is a fan of mosque architecture, Malacca has many interesting mosque of different designs. Kampung Kling Mosque built in 1748 has Chinese characters carved on the side roof of the mosque. Recently, Masjid Selat Melaka was opened as the largest mosque in Malacca. It drew many Muslim tourists.

Finally, if one wants to spend one more day in Malacca, consider visiting Cheng Ho Cultural Museum opened by the International Zheng He Society (Singapore) to know about the life of Admiral Cheng Ho and the artefacts that his subordinates left behind and the Chinese technology exported to Malacca in the course of Sino-Malay cultural exchanges of trade, commerce, agriculture, fishery and industry. Cheng Ho Cultural Museum is located along Lorong Hang Jebat, next to Hotel Puri. For more information, visit www.chengho.org/museum.

Alternatively, travel to Aenon Health Care after the junction of Tampin and Malacca to admire the beautiful mountainous scenery of Malacca (you cannot see it elsewhere) or undergo budget serious illnesses treatments here. For further information, visit www.aenon.org.my.

In general, although it may take up to 4 days to explore Malacca, a trip up there can be a memorable one with unexpected surprises.