Guide To a Weekend in Melaka, Malaysia
Although I absolutely love living in Kuala Lumpur, I was very excited to get out of the city for a few days. Weekend breaks are the perfect way to explore some of the smaller towns and see if we potentially want to come back and stay for longer.
We found the friendliness of everyone in Melaka outstanding. Our Airbnb host gave us a full tour of the other units and recommended everything to eat, drink and do while in town. We were made to feel incredibly welcome as we walked around the local neighbourhood streets each day. We wandered into local artist Charles Cham’s art gallery and within minutes got talking about politics, Europe and the state of the world. Later a young restauranteur remembered joking with us on the street the day before and made us feel like we were regulars at her family cafe over breakfast and even invited us to a gathering that evening.
Aside from the people, Melaka is a gorgeous town with history, great food and a lovely river to sit next to and relax. If you’re in Malaysia, we recommend stopping for a day or two.
Cost of a Weekend in Melaka
Accommodation: $190
Food/Drinks: $162
Activities: $14
Transport: $20
Total Cost: $386
This was everything we spent from Friday to our return on Sunday. It includes our bus to Melaka, a few taxis, and all our meals and drinks on both Friday and Saturday evenings.
How to Get to Melaka
We were staying in Kuala Lumpur when we headed down to Melaka for the weekend. We took the train to the bus station and then a Grab taxi from the Melaka bus station to our accommodation.
We travelled with KKKL Express. The bus was ridiculously comfortable, with large reclining seats. The driver didn’t run the bus too cold and it’s a short three-hour journey. I’d definitely consider longer bus journeys with KKKL.
Where to Stay in Melaka: Opposite Place
If you’re coming to Melaka for a short break, you definitely want to stay in Chinatown. We could walk to everything we wanted to see and there were plenty of options to eat on the doorstep. This is a must on a short break as we didn’t want to have to get taxis all the time and we had the freedom to come back for a break from the heat whenever we wanted.
Tucked discretely above the lovely Eat at 18 restaurant, we found a delightful retreat at Opposite Place. The old shop house is beautifully appointed with a range of furnishings that make you feel like you’re stepping back in time. We stayed in the front room but there is another unit at the back that looks out over the courtyard.
The room has a gorgeous free-standing bathtub which was like the perfect way to unwind after hiking up the hill to see A Formosa and St Paul’s Church. Or you could lounge on the day bed planning out what the next adventure would be.
Where to Eat in Melaka: Limau Limau
One thing to note about Melaka is that it is small. And on the weekends it does get overwhelmed with visitors. This means that a lot of places will require a booking. However, we stumbled upon Limau Limau as we were eating street food from the famous Jonker Street market. The team here will make you feel like part of the family before you even step inside. So we knew we had to come back. And we’re so glad we did.
Kieron got a Big Breakfast and I had Avocado + Eggs on toast. For me, it’s the little things. A sprinkling of chilli on the avocado. Delightfully fresh sourdough. Eggs cooked just right. It shows a passion for food and care for your customers.
Upstairs they have a private room where they host vinyl tours, showing their interests lie beyond just food. Definitely pop in and see the team when you’re in town, night or day.
What to Do in Melaka: Baba and Nyonya Museum
Melaka has a rich history. A vital trading port, colonised by the Dutch and Portuguese, and a home for new migrants. This restored home gives you a glimpse into all of this. The three terraced lots were purchased in 1861 by the Chan family and they are still owned by their descendants. Each room of the house is filled with antiques from the family or meticulously gathered to display. It shows how the house would have originally been laid out with the courtyards, dressing rooms and hosting quarters. The perfect way to spend a few hours understanding more about the Peranakan families who made Melaka their home.
What to Do in Melaka: Temples
Some of the most notable religious sites in Melaka are clustered on one street: Kampung Kling Mosque (Islam), Sri Poyyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple (Hinduism), Cheng Hoon Teng Temple (Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism), and Xiang Lin Si Temple (Buddhism). These places of worship being so close together has led to people often referring to the road as Harmony Street. But tucked into almost every corner in Melaka is another temple. It’s definitely worth spending a day wandering the streets, popping into each one you come across.
Remember to be respectfully covered and give space for those performing religious rites. This is their holy space and it’s kind of them to let us in to observe.
