The Parts of Melaka I Remember

We had decided to head interstate for a little couples’ trip quite some time ago, but, as these things often go, we didn’t actually settle on the destination until we were much closer to our departure date.

After tossing around a few ideas, we eventually settled on one place.

Melaka

It wasn’t exactly a spontaneous decision—we had been planning to go interstate for a while—but the destination itself was very much a last-minute conclusion.

Because of the rather intense weather we’d been experiencing, we initially planned to set off earlier in the day. The idea was to beat the worst of the afternoon heat and avoid spending too much time on the road under the blazing sun.

There was another factor to consider too: I wasn’t exactly a seasoned motorbike passenger.

Being the passenger on a motorbike for a longer interstate journey is a very different experience from simply hopping on for a short ride around town. My body wasn’t exactly accustomed to sitting on the back for hours at a time, so we had to factor in the possibility of making multiple stops along the way for me to stretch, rest, and generally recover from being a human backpack.

So, an early start it was.

For journeys like this, I usually have two places that I mentally consider my “halfway point,” depending on where I’m headed.

If we’re going towards Port Dickson, Seremban, or even A’Famosa, then the Southbound Seremban R&R is usually where I feel like I’ve officially made it halfway.

But if Johor Bahru is the final destination, my halfway marker shifts further south. That would be the Alor Gajah Overhead Bridge, which locals commonly refer to as the Alor Gajah Restoran Jejantas.

There’s something oddly satisfying about having these little mental checkpoints during a long journey. You know that once you reach a certain place, you’ve crossed an invisible line and can tell yourself, Okay, we’re halfway there.

For this particular trip to Melaka, reaching the Alor Gajah area meant we were getting close enough to our destination that the journey no longer felt quite so daunting.

Of course, being on the back of a motorbike meant the journey itself was already an experience. There was the heat, the wind, the traffic, the occasional need to stop and stretch, and the constant awareness that I was very much relying on the person in front of me to get us safely from Point A to Point B.

Still, there’s something rather different about travelling by motorbike.

You’re not sealed inside an air-conditioned car, watching the scenery through a window.

You feel the heat, smell the surroundings, and experience every change in weather firsthand, which, admittedly, sounds romantic until you’re sitting there wondering why the sun seems to be personally targeting you.

But despite the discomfort, we eventually made our way towards Melaka.

And, thankfully, this was only the beginning of our little interstate adventure.

We crashed for the night at Mercury Boutique Hotel, which is within walking distance of the Stadthuys—I’d say around 10 minutes or so. My boyfriend’s desire to bring me to the popular Jonker Walk Night Market was actually the main reason we settled on this hotel.

Jonker Walk Signage

 
On our way to the Stadthuys and Jonker Walk Night Market, we came across the Maritime Museum (Samudera Museum) and decided to have a peek. Mind you, there is an entrance fee for all visitors, although I can’t remember exactly how much it was. The admission fees are tiered, with different rates for citizens and non-citizens.

The museum is housed inside a carrack—a replica of the Flor de la Mar. Inside, you’ll get a glimpse into Melaka’s history as an important trading port, as well as how foreign traders and their influences helped shape the city into what it is today.

As for the night market itself, well... it just wasn’t really for me. It felt very much like a typical biweekly neighbourhood night market, albeit in a much more touristy setting. But hey, at least I managed to walk away with a souvenir—a Mandarin keychain bearing my last name—from one of the nearby shops.

So I suppose the trip wasn’t a total loss.

Christ Church Melaka, Stadhuys

In hindsight, the hotel was worth what we paid for.

The room had decent air-conditioning and a functioning chiller, which was always a plus in Melaka’s heat. There was also a water dispenser conveniently located by the elevator, along with a complimentary set of toothbrushes and toothpaste.

Parking can be a little limited, but most guests seemed to park their vehicles under the bridge opposite the hotel and inform the receptionist. Apparently, doing so allowed them to secure free parking.

If you head towards the back of the area, you’ll find a marketplace, two shopping complexes, and plenty of food options. Just opposite the eateries is the famous Menara Taming Sari as well.

Overall, the location was pretty convenient if you’re looking to explore the main tourist spots around the Stadthuys and Jonker Walk area without having to drive everywhere.

The next day, we moved to Swiss-Garden Hotel Melaka for a longer stay, thanks to an online promotion being offered on Booking.com. Truthfully, that promotion was probably the main reason we decided to stay there in the first place.

At first glance, the hotel seemed pretty convenient. Since it is situated above a shopping mall, The Shore Shopping Gallery, we could simply head downstairs whenever we felt like doing a little shopping or needed to pick something up. No need to drive anywhere or figure out where to park—just take the lift down, and you’re there.

One of the places we checked out was Menara Taming Sari, home to the famous Gyro Tower. The viewing cabin itself slowly rotates while moving up and down, giving you a 360-degree view of Melaka from above. And let me just put this out there: if you have a fear of heights—or heights tend to make your legs go weak—you might want to think twice about this one.

View from Gyro Tower, Menara Taming Seri

The ride itself isn’t particularly long, but being suspended high above the ground while slowly rotating and looking down at the city can be quite an experience if you’re not comfortable with heights. I wouldn’t exactly call it relaxing. Still, if heights don’t bother you, it’s certainly an interesting way to take in the Melaka City from above.

We also took a river cruise along the Melaka River, which was probably one of the more relaxing activities we did during the trip.

The boat ride takes you past various historical sights and buildings along the river, allowing you to see a different side of Melaka without having to spend the entire time walking around under the heat. There’s also a voiceover during the ride introducing the various places and landmarks along the route, which I thought was a nice touch. Just don’t expect to catch every word. Depending on where you’re seated, the narration can easily get drowned out by the background noise from the boat and its surroundings.

Even so, sitting back and watching the scenery drift past was rather pleasant.

By the time we were done with everything, we ended up having a rather late dinner at Chan Mari Chan Muhibah Bistro @ Rumah Melaka.

 

Scenery of Melaka River, Chan Mari Chan

Fish & Chips / Chicken Chop

For what it’s worth, I wouldn’t say the prices were particularly cheap. In fact, they were almost on par with what we’d pay back home, which wasn’t entirely surprising given the restaurant’s close proximity to the river.

Still, when you’re hungry after a long day of walking around and sightseeing, sometimes you just eat.

Seriously, hotels with accessible balconies have a completely different aura at night.

There was one night when I simply couldn’t sleep, so instead of tossing and turning in bed, I decided to sneak out onto the balcony and admire the night view. From up there, I could see Kampung Morten in the distance, quietly nestled along the river. The whole place felt surprisingly peaceful at night.

Scenery of Kampung Morten

 
It was one of those little travel moments that wasn’t planned at all, but somehow ended up becoming one of the more memorable parts of the stay.

Although, in hindsight, there was a slightly amusing realisation: we could have just continued staying at the first hotel. It was already within walking distance of most of the places we wanted to visit, after all.

But then again, if we hadn’t moved to Swiss-Garden, I probably wouldn’t have had that balcony, that night view, or that spontaneous little midnight escape.

So perhaps the hotel switch wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

Of course, no trip is complete without the journey home—and ours wasn’t exactly smooth sailing.

What was supposed to be a relatively straightforward two-hour ride home ended up taking closer to four hours after we got caught in a rather unforgiving downpour.

And let me tell you, there is absolutely nothing fun about being stuck on the road while drenched from head to toe, especially when you’re already starting to shiver from the cold.

By the time we finally made it home, I was exhausted, wet, cold, and more than ready to collapse into bed. At that point, I was half-expecting to wake up the next morning with a raging fever or a full-blown flu.

Somehow, though, my body decided to surprise me. I still find it rather amusing that I managed to drag myself back to work the very next day without the slightest sign of a fever, flu, or even so much as a sniffle.

After spending hours getting drenched in the rain and shivering my way home, I honestly expected my immune system to file a formal complaint.

But nope.

The next morning, there I was—back at work as if nothing had happened.

Perhaps the human body is a little more resilient than I give it credit for. Or maybe I simply got lucky.

Either way, after three days of travelling, sightseeing, walking around in the heat, getting caught in the rain, and surviving that unexpectedly long journey home, I think I had more than earned the right to complain about being tired.