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If you’re visiting Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, or both, you need to visit the City of Melaka, also known as Malacca,because you will not be disappointed by this unique Malaysian City and all of the fun things to do in Melaka!
Melaka is a colourful and fun city and although it is a big city, the tourist centre is only very small which makes it very manageable compared to the likes of Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
It also means you only need to spend one day or two days in Melaka in order to see it and enjoy it, so it’s a great short trip from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or as a middle point between the two!
There are also day tours from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka like this if you are short on time or just fancy visiting for the day!
Things To Do in Melaka!
Just want to plan the best trip to Melaka?? Check out my here!
So before you go to the article, let me give you a list of the most popular activities in Melaka:
Top-5 tours in Melaka
- 🙋 If you’re short in time, you can take this Ultimate Full Day & Night Car Tour and make the best out of Melaka in just 1 day!
- 🖼️ Experience the enchantment of 3D and get some great vacation photos in the process with a visit to the Malacca Illusion 3D Art Museum
- 😋 Get a cooking class at a local’s home and gain insight and cooking and food styling tips you’d never get from just eating out
- 🎭 Return from Malacca with some truly fantastic photographs after time spent at the Upside Down House, a traditional Malay house that has, quite literally, been turned on its head
Why Visit Melaka?
Melaka / Malacca has a mix of cultures, just like so many other places in Malaysia including Georgetown, another city I love in Malaysia.
There’s big Malaysian and Chinese influence in terms of the locals who live in Melaka and the food, but it also holds a lot of history with different architecture as it was colonised by the Portuguese after it boomed as a port town back in the early 1500s, then it was taken over by the Dutch, and then you guessed it, the British!
There are a number of things to do in Melaka and they don’t take long to do as the tourist centre of the City is so small.
Based on my 2 days in Melaka, here in this Melaka travel blog, are the best places to visit in Melaka and things to do in Malacca which you can easily do in one day in Melaka or two days in Melaka.
Still looking to plan your Malaysia itinerary? Check out this 2 week Malaysia itinerary and fit Melaka into it!
How to get to Melaka?
Kuala Lumpur to Malacca by bus is 2 hours and a very easy journey.
Singapore to Malacca by bus is just 4 hours including the overland border crossing and Malaysia offers a 90 day free visa to most nationalities so it is easy to travel to Malaysia and Melaka from Singapore for a few days.
The bus will drop you off atMelaka Sentral bus station. From Melaka bus station to the city centre you can get a taxi outside the station which will cost about 20RM. Order a grab taxi which is much less expensive at about 7RM, or get local bus 17 from stand 17 from Malacca Sentral to the Clock Tower for 2RM.
What’s really handy is that you can book your Malaysia buses in advance on 12GO Asia to save you time when you get there and so you know you have a confirmed booking!
Kuala Lumpur to Melaka Day Tour
There are also day tours from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka like this if you are short on time or just fancy visiting for the day!
Related Post: If you’re going to KL before or after Melaka be sure to look at these unique things to do in Kuala Lumpur!
Things to do in Malacca
1. Jonker Night Market in Melaka
This has to be the top Melaka Attraction and top of the list of things to do in Melaka! Jonker Street is one of the main tourist streets in Melaka and on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening, it turns into a night market full of food stalls, clothes stalls and so many other things!
I won’t lie to you, it gets busy! But it’s worth it and a great way to spend the evening in Melaka so do try and plan your trip to Malacca for a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night for one of the best night markets in Malaysia!
Look for the best flights to Melaka here!
I use Skyscanner to book all of my flights! I’m a huge fan of Skyscanner because I love how easy it is to compare different dates and routes to help me find the best flight at the best price!
Open Skyscanner by clicking here and search for the best flights as you read this post.
2. Street Art in Melaka
The Street art is what makes Melaka so colourful and will give you lots of photo opportunities on your Melaka trip.
Lots of street art can be found around the River and it’s all in perfect condition too, this is what makes Malacca one of the best places to visit in Malaysia!
Visit Melaka must be taking care of it as they know the street art is now one of the topplaces of interest in Malacca and it’s become so famous for it!
As well as looking along the river be sure to head off into some side streets around Jonker Street to find the best street art in Melaka and add street art hunting to your list of things to do in Melaka!
Just want to plan the best trip to Melaka?? Check out my here!
3. Best Cafes in Melaka
When it comes to what to do in Melaka, adding to the fun and colourful charm, the cafes in Melaka are really good! There is a mix of local cafes and restaurants and also fancier cafes that could be taken straight from London or Melbourne!
My favourite cafe in Malacca was Navy Navy thanks to their awesome breakfasts and smoothie bowls and Geography Cafe for their good local Vegetarian food.
For more ideas of things to do in Malacca and what are the best cafes in Melaka, have a look at my friend Rose’s cafe guide to Melaka.
Do be prepared for a queue and wait though at one of the fancier places, especially around breakfast and lunch on the weekend!
4. Visit Cheng Hoon Temple in Malacca
Cheng Hoon Temple is just off of Jonker Street and worth a quick visit is one of thethings to do in Melaka.
There are a few Buddhist Temples in Melaka but this is famous and on my list of Malacca things to do as it is the oldest working Buddhist temple in Malaysia and I read on a sign there it’s the oldest temple in South East Asia.
It’s very pretty from the outside and inside.
5. Museums in Melaka
For more ideas on things to do in Malacca, I really recommend going to a museum. There are many different museums in Melaka, I saw a Stamp Museum, Kite Museum, Architecture Museum and Democratic Government Museum, I feel like these are more niche museums.
In terms of more popular museums and interesting places to visit in Melaka, there’s the Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum which is recommended highly, the Maritime Museum which I went to as part of my things to do in Melaka.
I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the history of Malacca as a port city and the colonisation of the Portuguese, Dutch and British.
There is also Cheng Ho Cultural Museum which is about theChinese Ming Dynasty admiral, Cheng Ho (Zheng He) and one of the best museums to visit in Melaka.
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6. Eating ALL the Food in Melaka
Above all, one the best things to do in Melaka is to enjoy its food!!
As I mentioned above there’s the Jonker Night Market in Melaka offering lots of street food, there are also some really nice cafes whether you want a cake and coffee or local food, especially Nyonya food in Malacca which is a mix of Malaysian and Chinese I believe!
However, there are also lots of picky bits to try which are sold along the street and especially JonkerWalk every day and all day!
For example, Portuguese tarts are on offer, Cendol which is a shaved ice dessert is served all over Malacca and seems like one of the best foods to try in Malacca and so many Durian products from Durian puffs to Durian ice cream!
Another really popular food in Malacca is their Chicken Rice Balls!
I’d say in your one day in Melaka, for things to do in Melaka, instead of eating in for lunch, just head down the street and pick up lots of different foods!
7. Take a Crazy Tricycle Ride in Melaka
This is where Melaka get’s even more fun and colourful and this is probably at the top of most peoples list of things to do in Melaka!
There are themed tricycles in Melaka which have been totally covered and now resemble Hello Kitty, Pokemon and Frozen Tricycles, it’s crazy! Well actually if you think it’s crazy in the day, you should see them at night as they light up and have music blaring from them!
You really do not need a tricycle to get around and see all the Malacca attractions however these are basically an attraction in themselves!
Day or night you can get a crazy tricycle ride in Malacca however if I was you, I’d wait until night time and do this as one of the things to do in Melaka at night and get one back to your Melaka Hotel after a long day of walking so this is one of the fun things to do in Malacca!
If you’re travelling with Children visiting Melaka from Singapore with Kids would be a lot of fun as it’s very child friendly.
8. River Boat Ride in Malacca
The tourist centre of Melaka is split by a river and a river boat cruise is something you can do if you need more ideas of what to do in Melaka.
Boats run all day and evening, I heard an evening boat ride is extra special and I can imagine it is as the cafes and restaurants along the river are open and lots of lights turn on by the river.
9. Walk Along the River
Another great way to see more of Melaka by foot is to walk up the river.
You’ll pass lots more street art and nice cafes and it’s a good way to get away from the crowds of Jonker Walk in Melaka, especially if you visit Melaka on a weekend where it get’s very busy.
The footpath up the river goes quite far however I felt like it got a bit industrial after walking for a bit and there are not many things to do in Melaka up there, so you can walk as far as you want and then turn back or cross the river on one of the many bridges and walk back the other side.
Have you booked your flight to Melaka yet??
I use Skyscanner to book all of my flights! I’m a huge fan of Skyscanner because I love how easy it is to compare different dates and routes to help me find the best flight at the best price!Open Skyscanner by clicking here and search for the best flights as you read this post.
10. Church of St Pauls in Mekala
Finally, another one of the popularplaces to go in Malacca and things to do in Melakais to the Church of St Pauls, or the ruins of the Church of St Paul’s to be precise.
I liked walking here as it isn’t far from the river and the Clock Tower where Christ Church is however it is a bit hidden and once you’re there it opens out into the Fort and you’ll end up seeing much more than just the Church.
St Paul’s ruins are up a hill with a fair few steps but there’s a good view and you can even see the sea!
Just want to plan the best trip to Melaka?? Check out my here!
Best Accommodation in Melaka
There is lots of accommodation in Melaka; hostels, homestays, guesthouses and hotels. I would really recommend staying near the river and near Jonker Walk Street as you’ll be in a great location and it will make it even easier to see Melaka in just one or two days and do all of these things to do in Melaka!
Highly rated hostels & guesthouses in Melaka are:
Ola Lavanderia, Nomaps Hostel,La Vie En Rose, Relish the Moment.
Highly rated hotels in Melaka are:
The Rucksack Caratel Hotel, Gingerflower Boutique Hotel, Mynest Homestay, Styles Hotel.
For more of the best hotels in Melakahave a look on Booking.com here!
TRAVEL TIPS
🏘️Book your accommodation
Booking.com will help you to book accommodation in advance and check availability on the days of your trip
🧾Get your tickets and guided tours
with Viator and GetYourGuide to get the most out of your journey
I hope this helps you plan the best things to do in Malacca!
To SEE my time in Melaka, have a watch of my YouTube video here!
- For more of my posts on Malaysia see:
- Things To Do in Georgetown!
- Travellers Guide to the Small Perhentian Island of Paradise!
- How Much it Costs to Visit the Perhentian Islands!
- All Malaysia Posts
