Melaka Travel Guide

Malacca's attraction is its cultural heritage, around which a substantial tourism industry has grown. If you're visiting, a little knowledge of history will help you appreciate all there is to see.

Malacca was founded around 1400 by Parameswara, called Iskander Shah in the Malay Annals. After he was chased from Palembang in southern Sumatra by invading Javanese, he set up a kingdom in Singapore (Temasek), and after being overthrown by invaders there, ran up the west coast of the Malay peninsula to Malacca, where he settled and established a port city. As the site was in a favorable spot to take advantage of the two monsoons that dominated shipping routes, Malacca soon drew the attention of Arab and Chinese traders, both of whom maintained very close relations for trade and political advantage. It was the early Arab merchants who introduced Islam to Malaysia. After Parameswara's death in 1414, his son, Mahkota Iskander Shah, converted to Islam and popularized the faith throughout the area.

During the 15th century, Malacca was ruled by a succession of wise sultans who expanded the wealth and stability of the economy; built up the administration's coffers; extended the sultanate to the far reaches of the Malay peninsula, Singapore, and parts of northern Sumatra; and thwarted repeated attacks by the Siamese. The success of the empire drew international attention.

The Portuguese were eyeing the port and formulating plans to dominate the east-west trade route, to establish the naval supremacy of Portugal and promote Christianity in the region. They struck in 1511 and conquered Malacca in a battle that lasted only a month. After the defeat, the sultanate fled to Johor while the Portuguese looted the city and sent its riches off to Lisbon.

The Portuguese were the first of a chain of ruling foreign powers who would struggle in vain to retain the early economic success of the city. The foreign conquerors had a major strike against them: Their staunch Christianity alienated the locals and repelled Arab traders. The city quickly became nothing more than a sleepy outpost.

In 1641, the Dutch, with the help of Johor, conquered Malacca and controlled the city until 1795. Again, the Dutch were unsuccessful in rebuilding the glory of past prosperity in Malacca, and the city continued to sleep.

In 1795, the Dutch traded Malacca to the British in return for Bencoolen in Sumatra, being far more concerned with their Indonesian interests anyway. Malacca became a permanent British settlement in 1811, but by this time had become so poor and alienated that it was impossible to bring it back to life.

Today, Malacca is a sleepy backwater. The historic heart of town is distinctive with narrow one-way lanes hugged by old colonial-style shophouses built by the Dutch and British and later inhabited by wealthy Chinese and Peranakan (Straits-born Chinese) families. The buildings that stand out, however, are the bright red structures, a church and administrative buildings built by the Dutch during their rule. Just steps away are the remains of a Portuguese fort and church, and also close by you'll find English churches as well.