Exploring Malacca: A Journey Through History, Culture, and Delicious Food
After a trip to Ibao, a holiday season visit to Malacca, Malaysia, provides a rich experience full of culture and cuisine. Malacca offers a delightful blend of history, delicious food, and romantic scenery.
Getting to Malacca
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From Taiwan: You can reach Malacca via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur.
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From Singapore: A bus ride takes approximately 4 hours.
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From Kuala Lumpur: A bus ride takes about 2 hours.
A Historical and Cultural Melting Pot
Malacca is Malaysia's oldest and richest small town, a captivating blend of Portuguese, Dutch, British, and Chinese cultures. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, it was a vital trading point between East and West. While many have heard of Malacca, its rich history is often unexplored. This city, though small, holds 500 years of Southeast Asian history.
Culinary Delights: A Taste of Malacca
Tea and Snacks
Coconut milk tea is a must-try. The rich tea flavor is beautifully complemented by the coconut. Banana cake, a local snack, is also worth exploring. It has coconut and is usually served next to restaurants, with a stunning view of fishes.
Curry and Local Dishes
The lasagna is served with chili sauce on the side, allowing you to control the spice level. The curry is described as rich, sweet, sour, and featuring unique spices. The curry isn't very spicy itself. The spiciness is from the chili. A tofu bun with rich soup is another tempting option. Chicken curry is also a popular choice. Small, appetizing dishes, similar to Japanese pickled vegetables, add to the culinary adventure.
Refreshments
The heat in Malacca calls for ice cream. The ice cream is fresh and not too sweet, with visible pieces of fresh fruit.
Exploring the City
Transportation and Accessibility
Malacca's surrounding sceneries are all around the airport. The city is easily accessible, even without a car. Taxis are affordable and convenient for exploring further afield.
Local Culture and Products
Malaysian brands are praised for incorporating their own characteristics and culture into their products. The time we came here, two days later is the new year of Malay people. There are night markets held every five to six weeks. The night market is especially lively.
Cafes and Modified Cuisine
Cafes housed in old buildings offer traditional snacks with modern twists. Toast with matcha and black tea, and a "more civilized" fried rice are examples. A mocha with kaya cheese cream is highly recommended. The cream is whipped, but cold, and the mocha is wrapped in bread, giving it a crispy texture. The mocha itself is not too sweet.
Steam and Retro Theme Park
A hotel featuring a 9x8 size is quite a unique find. The steam (likely referring to some sort of steamed bun) features a mix of chili, chrysanthemum, and other flavors. There's a retro theme park that resembles Da Daocheng in Taipei, with old-fashioned cafes and new cafe specifications.
Local Cuisine
Mami Mio is recommended as a Malaysian version of scientific noodles (instant noodles).
Yongjian Ma Liujia
A stage theater that showcases historical stories of Malacca with lighting effects, music and dance.
Walking by the river
Walking on the street at night is relaxing and comfortable. Taking a walk by the river is also an option.
Night-time Restaurant
A restaurant that opens only at night, but the food sold out fast, is worth trying.
A Taste of India (or Pakistan?)
The staff recommended mango lassi which is made with fresh mango and fresh yogurt. Chicken cheese kappa is a popular dish with a whole piece of cheese inside. While the restaurant may be Pakistani, not Indian, the flavors are remarkable. The chicken cheese kappa offers a blend of spices, balanced by a yogurt sauce.
Final Morning and Traditional Breakfast
The last morning involves a plan to return to Singapore in the afternoon, with time for a traditional breakfast and souvenir shopping at the airport.
Three-Color Milk Tea and Coconut Candy
A local breakfast includes three-color milk tea (coffee and Milo), which is sweet but a Malaysian specialty. Coconut candy is another treat.
Chicken Rice and Closing Thoughts
The most famous dish in Malacca is chicken rice pudding, this time trying a place near a department store in Malacca Central, recommended by a Singapore colleague. It has a light soy sauce and sesame oil flavor. They also ordered stir-fried water which consists of stir-fried juice and sugar water.
The chicken rice had a strong flavor of ginger and scallion. The chicken rice chili tastes like it improves the overall taste. Cucumber-wrapped chicken is another dish to explore.
The trip concludes with a soymilk with coconut sugar, vermicelli with tofu. The weather is always sunny. Malacca has a comfortable pace, making it a worthwhile destination near Kuala Lumpur. The food is homestyle and there are homemade coconut candies.