Malacca
If the ultra-modern architecture and forward-looking citizens of Kuala Lumpur symbolize Malaysia's hopes for the future, then the quiet, seaside city of Malacca, about 150 kilometers to the south, is the guardian charged with the reflective task of preserving its past. Five hundred years ago, an extraordinary empire rose and fell here, its power and dreams suddenly caught off-gaurd by the dawn of the Colonial Era.
The city was so coveted by the European powers that the Portuguese writer Barbarosa wrote "Whoever is Lord in Malacca has his hand on the throat of Venice." It was a major port along the spice-route, and its harbor bristled with the sails and masts of Chinese junks and spice-laden vessels from all over the hemisphere. Because the city was originally built of wood, there are no crumbling and stately reminders of the power once wielded by the Malaccan Sultanate, but along shores of the Malacca River the scene has probably changed little.
Portuguese settlement Sloping rooftops of traditional Malay houses still hang over the water, and seem to call out sleepily from the past. The river side is a part of the city that seems to have defied the Portuguese, who captured the city in 1511 and occupied it for well over a century.
The Portuguese influence is visible in the city's architecture. As they did in other colonies, they taxed buildings relative to their width, a policy that accounts for the deceptively thin facades along the colonial streets. A building no more than twelve feet across can easily extend backwards two hundred feet, its hidden interior a linear succession of high-ceilinged rooms and courtyards.
On the streets themselves, however, it is the Chinese influence that is felt most. As they have done for hundreds of years, Chinese merchants advertise the wares inside their shop houses with bright red characters. Open air fruit, vegetable, and fish markets sing with cadences of people bargaining in Mandarin. On the edge of the city is the largest Chinese graveyard outside of China itself, a sprawling zone of fields, trees, and uterus-shaped tombstones. Because of the huge cemetery and the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple (the oldest Chinese temple in Malaysia) there is an entire industry in Malacca that produces goods exclusively for the dead - paper simulacra that families burn as offerings to their lost loved ones. Because the spirits need cash in the next world, piles of multi-colored currency with the word "Hell Note" hang on display in what seems like every other shop. If your ghosts like to travel, you can get them first class tickets on Hell Airlines or, if they are Wall Street types, cellular phones and computers. You can buy a dead person just about anything in Malacca.
Over the centuries, the Chinese and local Malay cultures in Malacca intertwined, eventually producing a completey unique society, the Baba-Nyona. This fascinating microculture reached its height around the turn-of-the-century, and Malacca's Baba-Nyonya Heritiage Museum preserves typical Baba-Nyona household.
ATTRACTIONS
Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum
The Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum, at Nos.48 and 50, JalanTun Tan Cheng Lock, is the ancestral home of three generations of a Straits-born Chinese Baba family. The building is now converted into a stunning museum that preserves the unique legacy of the Babas.
The Babas combine Chinese and Malay culture, a result of marriages between early Chinese settlers and local Malay women. Over the years, a distinct culture called the Baba Nyonya or Peranakan culture emerged. Guided tours are between 10am-12.30pm and 2pm4pm.
Sound and Light Show
This multimedia show, presented at Padang Pahlwan, Bandar Hilir, brings Malacca's six hundred years of history to life in a vivid sound and light production. The hour-long show is presented at 8.30pm (Bahasa Melayu) and 10.30pm (English). Admission is RM5 for adults and RM3 for children.
Air Keroh Recreational Forest
Fifteen kilometers east of Malacca is Air Keroh, a vast tract of diverse tropical forest with excellent camping facilities, nature trails, and picnic spots. Visitors can lodge in cabins or enjoy a night in a treetop house.
The Malacca Zoo
The open-habitat zoo sprawls over 22 hectares and has been rated as one of the best in Malaysia. It is home to the rare and endangered Sumatran Rhinoceros as well as many other animals indigenous to Southeast Asia.
Reptile Park
Opposite the zoo is the Reptile Park, which houses most of the dozens of species of snakes to be found in Malaysia.
Mini Malaysia
The traditional houses at Mini Malaysia exemplify the architectural styles of each of the thirteen states of Malaysia. Each of the houses was constructed by a master builder and is furnished with elements characteristic of the culture of each state. Attractions include weekly cultural shows and traditional games.
Mini ASEAN
A unique theme park conceived as a summary of the prominent cultural elements of the countries that make up ASEAN (Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Brunei).
Butterfly Farm
One of the world's most comprehensive butterfly and insect farms, with well over two hundred local species, including the rare Raja Brooke and Birdwing butterflies. The farm also possesses an extensive collection of insect specimens.
Crocodile Farm
One of the largest crocodile farms in the country. There are more than a hundred species found here, including Albino and humpbacked crocodiles. The farm is landscaped to recreate the reptiles' natural environment. Exciting, suspenseful performances by the keepers and the crocodiles are held every Saturday.
