Malacca is known for its harmonious blend of cultures and numerous historical sites, and Jonker Street is the perfect place to see it all come together.
The diversity of Jonker Street traditions and city attractions is a testament to Malaysia’s colorful history and rich multicultural society. Its main attraction, the Jonker Street Night Market is held every Friday and Saturday. So, if you want to visit the night market, you must plan to visit Malacca on Friday or Saturday.
Plus, this event center is a haven for vintage fashion lovers, vintage collectors, bargain hunters and Instagram foodies.
- Jonker Walk Night Market
This night market, also known as the best night market in Malaysia, takes place every Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday night. Jonker Street Night Market has a variety of stalls, polite vendors and numerous bargains. You can also find live music in the area. All visitors will enjoy a party atmosphere.
As the main attraction, there would be many food stalls offering different kinds of food. Delicious street food would be available at the jonker night market, with piping hot grilled meats on wooden skewers as well as Chinese delights such dim sum, popiah and bak zhang.
You can also find handcraft stalls and boutiques here. Some stalls even have unique souvenirs and couple-handcrafts.
- Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum
The Baba-Nyonya Heritage Museum houses three wonderful collections of 19th century Baba-Nyonya citizens. From the exterior to interior, the museum’s unique three-storey structure makes it stand out.
From the entrance hang two red lanterns with messages of luck and household names. These lanterns are framed by Greco Roman column. Elegant features include a collection of gold-leaf fixtures and wood furniture.
The Chan family is the most wealthy family in the area and owns the museum privately. The museum offers tours that will explain Peranakan culture, lifestyle, and history. The guide will give information about traditional cuisine, dress styles and culture during the tour.
- Cheng Ho’s Cultural Museum
In 2006, Cheng Ho’s Cultural Museum opened. It shows the life of Cheng Ho (Zheng He), an admiral during Chinese Ming Dynasty. Cheng Ho was a major contributor to Malacca when he brought Princess Hang Li Po (the Emperor’s daughter) to marry the Malacca Sultan around mid-15th century. This was the catalyst that led to the birth of Baba Nyonya Culture.
The museum was believed to have been built 600 years ago in order to store goods from Cheng Ho’s travels. The Cheng Ho Cultural Museum displays evidence of cultural exchanges among Chinese and local ethnicities. Also, you might find Chinese treasure vessels, tea houses, navigation tools, and other useful items.
- Cheng Hoon Teng Temple
The oldest Chinese Temple in Malacca is Cheng Hoon Teng Temple. It dates back to 1646. This temple was constructed using only Chinese materials. It incorporates crafts and designs from ancient Chinese beliefs. It also includes Chinese artisans and builders.
In the main temple hall, you can also find a gold Guanyin effigy. There are also small chambers in the temple that are dedicated the the ancestors and the deceased. Incense and luxury papers would be given to the deceased ancestors to make them feel better in their afterlife.
Locals called it the “Merciful Cloud Temple”. It was a popular spot for Buddhists to pray Guanyin and worship Guanyin, the Mercy Goddess. Feng Shui Principles are the reason Cheng Hoon Teng Temple is so impressive. Each dark woodwork craving has its own meaning.
After its restoration, the temple received an Award of Merit from UNESCO for Asia-Pacific Heritage Conservation in 2001.
- Kampung Kling Mosque
Kampung Kling Mosque is one of Malacca’s oldest mosques. It still retains its original design. This mosque was constructed by Indian Muslim traders in the Dutch colonial period of 1748. The mosque uses a mix of styles from different cultures. Architecture of the mosque incorporated elements from Sumatran, Chinese, Hindus, and the Malay community.
Unique to the mosque is its use of both Chinese ceramic tiles as well as European and Portuguese glaze tiles in its interior design and roof. In the courtyard behind Kampung Kling Mosque, there is a fountain-like pool that can be used for ablutions. Cast iron lamp posts are also available made from Moorish Moorish Metal.
Kampung King Mosque is open to non-muslim visitors. You can only enter the mosque’s porch. Before entering, female visitors will receive a veil to cover their hair.
When it comes to Malacca, the first thing that comes to mind must be Jonker Street. This is the landmark of Malacca and one of the must-visit places when you come to Malaysia. If you are still wondering how to get to Jonker Street, you might as well choose SGMYTRIPS. They provide Singapore to Malaysia taxi, including Malacca and they also have pick-up.
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