Malacca City is the capital city of the Malaysian state of Malacca. The Seri Negeri, the State Administrative and Development Centre which houses the Chief Minister's Office, the State Secretary's Office and the Legislative Assembly Hall are located in Malacca City. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with George Town of Penang on 7 July 2008.
Geography
The city of Malacca is located on both sides of the Malacca River near its mouth into the Strait of Malacca. The historic central area of the city is located near the old coastline, includes St Paul's Hill with the ruins of the Portuguese fortress, A Famosa and the Dutch Square on the right (eastern) bank of the river, and the old Chinatown on the left (western) bank. The modern city has grown in all directions from this historic core, including to the south (because the present coastline of the Strait of Malacca is somewhat farther down to the south than its original location due to land reclamation). The "Chinese Hill" (Bukit Cina), where a large old Chinese cemetery is located, was formerly located to the northeast of the town, but now is surrounded by the city on all sides. Malacca river winding its way through the old town and the city centre.
Tourism
Most tourist attractions are concentrated in its small city centre which encompasses Jonker Walk which houses Malacca's traditional Chinatown that exhibits Peranakan architecture. A Famosa Fort, St. Paul Hill are among the tourist attractions located in the Bandar Hilir, old city area. There are also numerous shopping centres located nearby. The Malacca Straits Mosque is located here. There are numerous islands which include Pulau Upeh near Klebang Beach (currently undergoing reclamation works) and Pulau Besar.
Transportation and access
Currently Malacca City is accessible via highway, railway, or Federal route/coastal road. Malacca City is approximately 130 km from Kuala Lumpur and 200 km from Singapore. People who wish to go to Malacca by train should board the Singapore-bound train in Kuala Lumpur Sentral and alight at Tampin station, where shuttle buses to and fro places such as Jonker Street, Melaka Sentral and AEON Bandaraya Melaka Shopping Centre are available.
It was reported recently that under the 10th Malaysia Plan (RMK10), KTM is planning to reconnect the railway line from Tampin to Malacca City then Batang Melaka. The station will probably be in Batu Berendam (near the airport) or Melaka Sentral. There was a railway line from Tampin to Malacca City before World War II but was dismantled by the Japanese troops to build the infamous Death Railway in Burma. The railway line was never re-built after the British returned.
Twin cities
The City of Malacca has a twinned city status with six cities, they are:
Lisbon, Portugal (16 January 1984)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (15 April 1989)
Hoorn, Netherlands (8 November 1989)
Valparaiso, Chile (23 June. 1991)
Nanjing, China (2001)
Yangzhou, China
Sights
European settlement
A Famosa fortress (Porta de Santiago)
Christ Church
Stadthuys (Dutch administrative buildings)
Saint Francis Xavier Church
Portuguese Settlement
St. John's Fort (Kota Senjuang)
Ruins of St. Paul Church - Saint Francis Xavier was temporarily buried here; tombs of many Dutch dignitaries remain there
St. Peter Church
St. Theresa Church
Victoria Fountain
Chinese settlement
Bukit Cina cemetery
Cheng Hoon Teng temple
Geok Hu Keng temple
Poh San Teng temple
Jonker Street
Indian settlement
Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple
Malay settlement
Hang Jebat mausoleum
Hang Kasturi mausoleum
Kampong Morten
Kampung Kling mosque
Tranquerah mosque
Malacca Straits Mosque, a modern mosque on the shore of Malacca Island
Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum
Climate and weather
Malacca’s weather is hot and humid throughout the year with rainfall, the intensity of which depends on the time of the year. Malacca features tropical rainforest climate, under the Koppen climate classification. The relatively stable weather allows Malacca to be visited all-year-round. Temperatures generally range between 30°C - 35°C during the day and 27°C - 29°C at night. It may get cooler after periods of heavy rainfall.
Generally, Malacca annual rainfall is below average of Malaysia annual rainfall. Usually, it rains in the evening after hot and humid afternoon. Malacca enjoys much sunlight during the day so it’s always warm and inviting to walk around the city. Ensure you wear light clothing, as the humidity can high and sunglasses are also quite useful.