Melaka

The Settlement Hotel: A Refreshing Retreat in Historic Melaka

Posted on April 6, 2017

I love hotels that evoke a genuine sense of place. After a few days in Singapore, I crossed the border to Malaysia to visit one of my favorite heritage cities, Melaka, to check in at The Settlement Hotel, a new boutique stay housed in a repurposed white-painted commercial building – a blank canvas for the owner’s private collection of Malaysian artworks and antiques. Like Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong, this  marries the classic and contemporary, exuding the eclectic charm of the UNESCO WorldRead More→

Melaka, Malaysia: Indian Peranakan Heritage of Kampung Chetti (Chitty Village) [SP]

Posted on January 15, 2014

Most travelers to Melaka or Penang may be familiar with the predominant Baba Nyonya or Peranakan culture of the Straits Chinese who flourished in the trading settlements. However, the heritage city is also home to other creole cultures, which evolved from the intermarriage of foreign traders with the native people some 500 years ago.Besides the Kristangs or Eurasian Malays of the Portuguese Settlement, there are the Chetti (also spelled Chitty) people, who are descendants of Indians traders from Tamil Nadu,Read More→

Melaka, Malaysia: Kristang Heritage of the Portuguese Settlement [SP]

Posted on January 9, 2014

The Portuguese Heritage Museum at the Portuguese Settlement showcases Kristang history and traditions The Portuguese Settlement – sometimes called Mini Lisbon – is a Kristang community in Ujong Pasir, five kilometers from the city of Melaka, Malaysia. The Kristang creole people arose in Melaka between the 16th and 17th centuries when the city was a port and base of Portuguese colonial rule. Portuguese men married native Malay women. The Kristang stock was later enriched by intermarriages with Dutch, British, Chinese andRead More→

Melaka, Malaysia: Taman Mini Malaysia Cultural Village [SP]

Posted on January 8, 2014

An Iban longhouse at Taman Mini Malaysia, a cultural park in Melaka The Taman Mini Malaysia is a cultural park located a few kilometers outside of Melaka city center, near the town of Ayer Keroh. This is the perfect place to visit if you are interested in traditional architecture, and have limited time, like most travelers, to extensively tour Malaysia. Artisans from every state oversaw the construction of the houses to ensure their authenticity.Each of the homes represents the architecturalRead More→

Melaka, Malaysia: A’famosa Resort – One-Stop Holiday Destination for Family Fun! [SP]

Posted on December 30, 2013

Feeding endangered Malayan tigers at Safari Wonderland in A’famosa Resort, Melaka, Malaysia! Named after the famous 16th century Portuguese fortification in the World Heritage-listed city of Melaka, A’Famosa Resort is surrounded by rolling hills and lush countryside and is rated one of the region’s foremost leisure and holiday destinations. Established in 1992, this expansive real estate development has been dedicated to becoming the one-stop destination for leisure and business for over the past twenty years. A sprawling integrated resort, A’famosaRead More→

George Town & Melaka: Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca

Posted on May 12, 2011

Stadthuys (Red Square), Melaka If the Philippines has Vigan, Malaysia has the World Heritage cities of George Town and Melaka. Having the opportunity to visit Singapore frequently for business trips has afforded me leisurely side trips to Peninsular Malaysia from time to time. My favorite getaway is Melaka, a former settlement of the British East India Company which still retains much of its colonial, small town charm. It is a city that wakes up the senses: the architectural textures ofRead More→