Malacca, The Birthplace of Modern Malaysia

If you want to feel the essence and soul of Malaysia then there is no better place for you to go to than the small city state of Malacca. This small city is where the modern country of Malaysia was born and it has a long intriguing history attached to it. This old town rose to prominence in the beginning of last millennia when it became the most important port for the merchants of India, China, Siam and other South East Asian countries who used Malacca to trade their products. The sultanate of Malacca not only became economically prosperous during this era but also militarily strong and had a strong influence on other states that make today’s Malaysia.

In the 17^th century as the region started to become colonized by the Europeans the state of Malacca fell to Portuguese and you will still find the Portuguese architecture in the town. There is a small airport in the vicinity of the town but if you are arriving from abroad then it will be a better option to take a cheap flight to Kuala Lumpur and make the rest of the journey by the super highway built between the two cities through the local transport service that is considered quite comfortable and cheap at the same time. As the city of Malacca is considered as one of the three top tourist spots in the country so there a quite a few world class hotels in the city that may cost a little more than what you expect but they sure provide excellent services to their visitors.

Malacca is another of the places in Malaysia where you can see a lot of cultures and religions co-exist peacefully. There is no better place that the old city center of the town to observe its multi cultural society and its Dutch, Portuguese, Chinese and Islamic architecture. There are quite a few museums in the city center that are worth visiting and will provide you with a deep insight into the history and culture of the region.

For the best shopping experience in the city head to the bustling China Town, there are quite a lot of sights here that are worth a visit including temples and historical restaurants. But the main reason for going to China town is the awesome shopping experience it offers in its old shops but don’t forget to bargain as it can save you quite a lot of your hard earned cash.

What Malacca is famous for other than its historical monuments is its cuisine which you can find in one of the many restaurants in the town, especially in the Melaka district. The food served in these restaurants ranges from the Nonya delicacies to Portuguese Eurasian dishes and Buddhist vegetarian cuisine. If the historical monuments of Malacca are not enough for you then head to the white sandy beaches of Pulau Besar just outside the town. There a number of resorts in the area that provide good quality service but on a little higher price.