Malacca

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• Best Season: The months of January and February have comparatively less rainfall than other months and hence it is the best time to visit Malacca.
• Weather: Malaysia has a tropical climate. The temperatures are more or less same throughout the year, in the vicinity of 26-27°C. The total rainfall is around 213 cm per year. Humidity is high throughout the y

Places to See Around

Melaka Maritime Museum Sultanate Palace Melaka River St Francis Xavier’s Church Proclamation of Independence Memorial Baba Nyonya Museum Wonderland Theme Park & Resort D Paradise Butterfly & Reptile Sanctuary Christ Church Masjid Tranquerah Royal Malaysian Navy Museum Sri Poyyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple Melaka Zoo & Night Zoo Cheng Hoon Teng Temple Crocodile & Reptile Park Hang Jebat Mausoleum Bukit Cina Melaka

Malacca is a quiet seaside city located on the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia facing the Straits of Malacca, about 147 km from Kuala Lumpur. Malacca is a wonderful repository of its cultural heritage. Its colonial past is evident in its Portuguese architecture, where as on the streets, Chinese influence is most visible. Most of the businessmen here are Chinese. Over the centuries, the Chinese and local Malay cultures in Malacca intertwined, eventually producing a completely unique society-a mosaic of different cultures.Malacca rose from a humble fishing village to become a major center of the spice trade forming a vital link between the East and the West. The city was founded in 1400 AD by a fleeing Sumatra Prince, Parameswara. As Malacca was situated at strategically important place- midway along the straits that linked China to India and the Near East-it was perfectly positioned as a center for maritime trade. The city grew rapidly, and within fifty years it became a hub of international commerce, with a population of over 50,000. During this time Islam was introduced in the Malay Peninsula, arriving along with Gujarati traders in Western India.

When the European powers began their colonial quest, Malacca was one of the first cities that caught their attention. The Portuguese under the command of Alfonso de Albuquerque arrived first, taking the city after a sustained bombardment in 1511. The Portuguese were determined to control the East-West trade; so Malacca still retained its importance as a trade center until 1641 when the Portuguese surrendered Malacca to the Dutch. The Dutch who had a stronger foothold over the Indonesia archipelago swung the trade center over to Sumatra. In the meantime, Malacca's trade also declined due to the silting of its port. In 1795, Malacca was given to the British to prevent it form falling in the hands of the French, where the Netherlands was captured during the French Revolution. By the time British took over in 1824, the focus of the trade had shifted from Malacca to Singapore and Penang. Malacca however became the focal point again during the struggle for independence after the Japanese Occupation during the Second World War and the British Colonial period that followed. So when Malaya gained its independence in 1957 it was only fitting that the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed in Malacca, where it all began. In 1989, Malacca was declared as Malaysia's history city.

The airport in Malacca is about 9.5 km north of the town centre, at Batu Berendam, which can accommodate mainly smaller aircrafts.

Traveling by bus is the mode of transportation favored by most people as there are many bus companies making quite a few trips at different times to various destinations in Malaysia every day. It is comparatively cheap too.

If you intend to go by train, then the nearest station is Tampin, about 38 km to the north of Malacca.