Of all the threads that constitute the tapestry of Malaysian culture, the state of Melaka (or as it is sometimes spelt, ‘Malacca’) is among the oldest and the most celebrated – as the setting of our legends, a time capsule of heritage, and one of the nation’s most popular tourist destinations.

The state that would come to set kingdoms and empires against one another for centuries, was itself founded by a king fleeing an empire at the turn of the 15th century. According to the tale known by most Malaysian children, the weary king found a spot to rest under a tree, somewhere near the mouth of the Malacca River, and founded the port city as he took the sighting of a gutsy chevrotain as a good omen. 

Melaka’s namesake river system branches from the foothills of the Titiwangsa Range,...

Of all the threads that constitute the tapestry of Malaysian culture, the state of Melaka (or as it is sometimes spelt, ‘Malacca’) is among the oldest and the most celebrated – as the setting of our legends, a time capsule of heritage, and one of the nation’s most popular tourist destinations.

The state that would come to set kingdoms and empires against one another for centuries, was itself founded by a king fleeing an empire at the turn of the 15th century. According to the tale known by most Malaysian children, the weary king found a spot to rest under a tree, somewhere near the mouth of the Malacca River, and founded the port city as he took the sighting of a gutsy chevrotain as a good omen. 

Melaka’s namesake river system branches from the foothills of the Titiwangsa Range, approximately 30km inland, where the border with Negeri Sembilan extends to the Linggi River. The state stretches 60km east, encompassing the Bukit Batu Lebah Recreational Forest, and extending to the border with Johor, marked by the mythical Gunung Ledang and the Kesang River as it flows towards the Straits.

The 16th century A Famosa fort marks the historic centre of the city – but it is just one stop on a picturesque promenade extending 20km up a major branch of the Malacca River system. Necessitated by the volume of visitors that Melaka attracts with its numerous water parks, theme parks, heritage parks, museums, wildlife sanctuaries, and sightseeing destinations, the riverside brick paths enable pedestrians to explore both sides of the Malacca River as it winds its way through the city.

Another notable pedestrian route, one with views of the coastline, begins at the Old Jetty in Malacca’s Portuguese Settlement. This route takes one past the Limkokwing Academy of Creativity and Innovation, past glitzy hotels, malls, and high-rise residences near Malacca Island, to the Melaka Marina, the Parameswara Jetty, up the river past the International Ferry Terminal, through the world-famous Jonker Street, and into the city’s oldest quarters towards the Baba & Nonya Heritage Museum on Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock.

With Melaka’s key points of interest established long ago, the majority of development in the city and the state has entailed providing the infrastructure and facilities required by both domestic and international tourists. Tourism-driven development in Melaka has resulted in land reclamation exercises along the coast, providing more waterfront real estate for new high-rise buildings to occupy, and a convenient road connection to the North-South Expressway (E2) via the Ayer Keroh and Bandaraya Melaka exit (Exit 231).

Although the majority of foreign tourists can be expected to arrive by road or via the Malacca International Airport, by virtue of its location at the point where the Straits of Malacca are at their narrowest, the city also receives a considerable number of medical tourists arriving via ferry from Sumatra.

Melaka’s attractive qualities and established infrastructure have put the focus of development between the two major branches of the Malacca River that flow into the Straits, along a stretch of beach that has been defined in recent years by reclaimed land where property prices can reach RM500 per square foot (psf). 

While Malacca has become a fully-fledged city with high-rises, the majority of homes beyond the city limits are landed and come with ample gardens. Properties farther out from the city centre and closer to the state borders can be found to dip as low as RM150 psf. Some, such as those in Kampung Hilir, near the border with Negeri Sembilan, come with the kind of uninterrupted beachfront views that discerning tourists seek.