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We Didn’t Expect to Fall in Love With Melaka 🇲🇾

Jason & Jordan

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We didn’t expect to fall in love with Melaka, Malaysia 🇲🇾

After experiencing the madness of Jonker Street, we wanted to spend the next couple of days exploring beyond the famous night market and find out what the rest of Melaka was really like.

And honestly… this city completely surprised us.

From walking along the beautiful Melaka River and exploring the historic centre, to discovering the city’s wildlife, trying more local food and seeing Melaka from above at night, there was so much more here than we expected.

Melaka ended up being one of those places that just grew on us the more we explored — colourful streets, fascinating history, great food and a completely different atmosphere once you get away from the crowds of Jonker Street.

If you're planning a trip to Melaka (Malacca), Malaysia, we hope this travel vlog gives you a good idea of what there is to see beyond Jonker Street.

Let us know in the comments — would you spend a few days exploring Melaka, or visit as a day trip from Kuala Lumpur?

🇲🇾 MALAYSIA SERIES
Watch our previous episode where we experienced Jonker Street Night Market for the first time, and follow along as we continue travelling through Malaysia.

New travel videos every Sunday.

Thanks for watching,
Jason & Jordan ❤️

Chapters:
00:00 We Didn’t Expect This From Melaka
00:52 Melaka River & Wildlife
03:04 Exploring Historic Melaka
08:55 A Coffee Stop in the City
10:38 Trying More Malaysian Food
13:18 Seeing Melaka From Above
15:58 The Next Morning
17:03 One Last Walk Around Melaka
19:45 Our Final Thoughts on Melaka

#Melaka #Malaysia #MalaysiaTravel

20 Comments

@JasonAndJordan Creator 5 days ago Pinned

Melaka completely surprised us! 🇲🇾❤

After the madness of Jonker Street, we loved slowing things down and discovering another side of the city.

What do you think — would you stay in Melaka for a few days, or visit as a day trip from Kuala Lumpur? 👇

@dannysrsly 1 day ago

Melaka so vey tourist to visit and also famous to get some pizza here!!🥰

@TrudyHeseltine-mb4fn 2 days ago

How lucky you were to see the Otters…..soooo chuffed for you!

@maryziggy8802 5 days ago

I can understand why you love the place. It's gorgeous. Thanks for the vlog

@2StylesofTravel 5 days ago

We just subscribed! We’re in Malaysia right now too, so this really caught our attention. We had no idea there was so much to see in Melaka beyond Jonker Street. The river, historic center, local food, and seeing the city from above all looked like great ways to experience more of the city.

We’ve found that some of the places we expected the least from have ended up being some of our favorites, so we completely understand how Melaka grew on you.

@nickloong 5 days ago

Ya. Melaka gives out a romantic vibe, especially after sun down. Enjoying a cuppa coffee along the river with your partner and taking in the views and breeze is such an awesome feeling. 😊

@zinibrahim1026 5 days ago (edited)

Went to Netherlands last month. Delighted to see a signboard in town with signage "Stadhuis". Turns out it means Town Hall.

@keangwooichoo6138 5 days ago

Glad you guys like melaka. Some people find it very touristy

@awaleahmed8698 5 days ago

I visited last year and I really loved it.

@PlanetDoug 5 days ago

I think I can confirm that you were very lucky to spot the river otters AND monitor lizards that were actually eating a fish. I spent months in Melaka, walking and cycling along the river constantly, and I saw a group of otters just one time. Never saw them again after that first sighting. Most people never see them and have no idea that the river otters have returned to the Melaka River.

And though I saw the giant monitor lizards dozens of times, I never saw them hunting or eating a fish. Feels like that is quite a rare thing to capture on video as well. The river otters were eating fish when I saw them, just like in your video. But the monitor lizards were generally just sitting motionless or lazily swimming. I never saw one eating a fish like that.

@keangwooichoo6138 5 days ago

Thanks for visiting melaka

@makkienleong6865 4 days ago

Melaka also has a lot of good food.

@keangwooichoo6138 5 days ago

St paul's hill (bukit melaka)

@awaleahmed8698 5 days ago

Check out Andulisia Arabic restaurant some nice chicken Shawrma. Say hello to Said the owner 😀

@PlanetDoug 5 days ago (edited)

I noticed that lots of people have pointed out in the comments that the Dutch didn't actually colonize Malaysia. In fact, they only took over the city of Melaka, after defeating the Portuguese in a war in 1641. The rest of the peninsula was not under the control of the Portuguese or the Dutch. In fact, even the name Malaysia didn't formally exist until 1963.

But it's an understandable mistake to make. Malaysia has had such a long series of names and forms that it's difficult to keep them all straight. It's so easy to call the place Malaysia when in fact you're referring to a time in history when it was actually divided up between the Federated Malay States, the Unfederated Malay States, plus the Straits Settlements. And then there was the brief Malayan Union after World War II. I think in 1948, the British formed the Federation of Malaya under that name. And then in 1957, they achieved independence from the British as the Federation of Malaya.

And it wasn't until the Federation of Malaya merged with North Borneo (now Sabah) and Sarawak and Singapore in 1963 that it finally took the name of Malaysia. And even that wasn't the end of it because Malaysia as we know it today didn't take final shape until 1965 when Singapore became a separate country.

At least that's how I've come to understand the history. There are probably more details in there that I've overlooked or gotten wrong. A local Malaysian can correct me. 😂😂

@hjsalmanhjmohdrashid204 5 days ago

Visit Hard Rock Malacca

@MojoZ20 5 days ago

to be a bit more precise, the Dutch didnt quite colonise "Malaysia", just two port cities along this straits, namely Malacca and Pangkor Island, off Ipoh city.