The appealing and pleasant city of Melaka is a UNESCO world heritage site, with a rich trading history and multicultural heritage, making it a gratifying place to discover.

I was in Singapore one weekend when I felt the urge to go explore some place I feel like getting lost. Well, I haven’t fully explored the Lion City yet but my feet wanted to go elsewhere. And so the thought of crossing the border came about, the thought of going to nearby Malaysia was so tempting. (You see, Malaysia is just a bus or train away from bustling Singapore).

The next thing I know, I was already inside the MRT on the way to the Woodland Station, the exit from Singapore. With just one light back pack, and one plan – I was already firm with my decision that my weekend will be spent in Melaka – a historical city known for many things beautiful.

From the Woodland, I rode a bus going to the immigration border. (I was amazed by the number of people lined up so it really took quite some time before I finally got out). The next dilemma was to wait for the buses bound for Johor Bahru (entry point in Malaysia side). Since the number of people waiting seems endless, I opted to walk my way and literally cross the bridge going to Malaysia. It was reminiscent of my Samar – Leyte experience when I opted to walk the entire San Juanico Bridge.

It was a 25 minute walk from Singapore side to the immigration center in Johor Bahru, Malaysia (where the number of foreign visitors seem to have doubled as the queue were longer). After passing by and having my passport marked, I immediately went to a money changer, asked for directions as to how to reach Melaka.

I had to take another bus (bound for Larkin Bus Terminal), that took us around 15 minutes to reach. From Larkin, various buses going to different parts of Malaysia can be found. I was able to catch a Melaka-bound bus just in time to leave the terminal. It was an almost 4 hour, non-stop ride. When I arrived in Melaka, I took a cab and asked the driver to take me to the hostel I earlier booked at Bookings.com

I chose to take a few minutes rest before I went out to explore what the city offers during the night. I was glad to find out that the place I am staying at was pretty near to everything – the sites, the night market, food houses and all. Every evening the popular Jonker Street night market is perky with tourists and locals alike. Everywhere that you look around, you’ll get to see cheap finds and an array of delectable food selection. A lot of people says that the best local dishes in Malaysia originate from Melaka. There are a number of many beautiful historical sites in this historical city. Check out my photos below.

Notable attractions include a visit to St. Paul’s Church, previously a church for the Portuguese and later a cemetery during the Dutch occupation. Then, there is the adjacent Porta de Santiago that was built by the Portuguese as a fortress to safeguard the Dutch’s’ attacks. One of my favorite area is where the Stadthuys’ built. This is a lovely building with apparent Dutch traits. Just beside the Stadthuys is the Christ Church. Other famed places are Bukit China, Kampung Keling Mosque, Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, several Melaka Museum and the pretty twisted St. Francis Xavier’s Church.

Then there is the Melaka River which I personally love. One may opt to saunter along the boulevard like walkway or maybe go on a boat trip. Whether you do this during the daytime or nighttime, it’s a great experience. It was a short but awesome trip to this place, I wish to return in the future and satiate myself further with what the city offers.

Don’t be a wasted soul, be ‘juan”derlust… Take it easy ebri’juan’…