Malacca
Five centuries of Malay, Portuguese, Dutch and British rule along one slow river, with a runway eight kilometres from the old town.
- Arrival
- Malacca International · MKZ
- To the town
- The airport lies 8 km north-east of the town
- Private jets
- At MKZ, 07:00 to 19:00, no fuel on site
- Best time
- January to February
The city
Three empires on one river.
Parameswara, a prince from Sumatra, founded the port in 1396, and it changed hands three times in four centuries: Albuquerque took it for Portugal in 1511, the Dutch in 1641, the British in 1825. Each left something standing near the river: a fortress gate, a town hall, a church. The old centre has been on the UNESCO list since 2008.
The Baba Nyonya, descendants of Chinese traders who settled here, gave Malacca its shophouses and its kitchen. The heat is constant, around 31 to 33 °C in every month, and it rains all year; January and February are the least wet, before the showers build from March.
- St Paul’s Hill The ruins of the Portuguese fortress on the hilltop, and the Porta de Santiago, the gate that survived it.
- Dutch Square The Stadthuys and Christ Church, built under the Dutch in the 18th century, facing each other across the square.
- Jonker Walk and the river The main street of Chinatown, with Cheng Hoon Teng temple close by, and boats on the Malacca River after dark.
Arriving
A small airport, a short drive.
Malacca International, at Batu Berendam, sits 8 km north-east of the town on a single runway of 2,135 metres. For a year and more, until Scoot came back in October 2024, it handled private jets only.
- Jakarta 1 h 45
- Bangkok 2 h 00
- Perth 5 h 35
- Beijing 6 h 05
- Amsterdam 13 h 35 long-range jet
When to go
January to February.
The Straits climate barely changes: 31 to 33 °C by day, humid air, and water at 28 to 30 °C. There is no dry season, but January and February are the least wet, at just over 100 mm. Rain peaks in October and November, with more than 220 mm each.
- 31° J 114 28°
- 32° F 107 28°
- 33° M 166 29°
- 32° A 208 30°
- 32° M 173 30°
- 31° J 162 30°
- 31° J 171 30°
- 31° A 181 29°
- 31° S 196 29°
- 31° O 225 29°
- 31° N 227 29°
- 31° D 168 28°
Where to stay
A mansion, the riverbank and a tower.
Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.
- The Majestic Malacca A Straits Settlement mansion of the 1920s, restored and turned into a hotel in the heritage town.
- Casa del Rio Melaka On the river, drawing on Portuguese, Arab and Straits Chinese styles, with suites that look across to St Paul’s Hill.
- Hatten Hotel Melaka Suites with views over the city, and an infinity pool, spa and lounge on the twelfth floor.
Where to dine
One dining room of note in town.
No MICHELIN Guide covers Melaka. The one table we list is the dining room of The Majestic Malacca, named among the town’s fine-dining restaurants by FoodAdvisor Malaysia.
- The Mansion Signature restaurant, The Majestic Malacca Kristang and Peranakan The Majestic Malacca, Jalan Bunga Raya
Elsewhere in Malaysia
More reasons to come.
Flying to Malacca?
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A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.