This walking tour will plunge you deep into Melaka's history, beginning with the Chinese-Malay hybrid culture of the Peranakans along Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Jonkers Street, and the heart of Melaka's Chinatown, proceeding to the colonial experience in Dutch Square via Christ Church, Stadthuys, and the St. Paul historical complex, finally concluding at the Independence Memorial where the Malaysian Prime Minister declared "Merdeka" from British rule.
This walking tour takes between 3-4 hours, depending on how long you tarry at each stop. Try to undertake this in the mid-afternoon to avoid the searing noontime heat. Dress in light cotton clothing, and bring water, comfortable shoes, and a hat to ward off the worst of the humid climate.
Start your journey at the Melaka Tourist Information Center between Dutch Square and the Melaka River - here, you can get free maps of the area and other notable parts of the city.
- Address: Jalan Kota (near the Tan Kim Seng bridge that connects Jalan Laksamana and Lorong Hang Jebat)
- Operating Hours: M-F 9am-5pm, Sa-Su 9am-4:30pm. Closed on public holidays.
- Phone: +60 281 4803
From the Tourist Center, cross over into Chinatown over the Tan Kim Seng Bridge, over the river that was the historical lifeline of Melaka. In its heyday, Melaka was a busy colonial trading port, filled with ships and other watercraft doing the business of several consecutive empires.
Instead of going straight up Jalan Hang Jebat, turn left immediately upon crossing the bridge, walk about 200 feet west down Lorong Hang Jebat, then turn right at Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, the street formerly known as Heeren Street in the Dutch colonial era. Walk about 450 feet up the narrow street until you reach the Baba Nyonya Heritage Center.
To view the route in its entirety, click here: Map of Historical Melaka Walking Tour
