Kristang culture
An old Portuguese language and traditions.
Song GK — CC BY 4.0 · Sharon Hahn Darlin — CC BY 2.0 · Sharon Hahn Darlin — CC BY 2.0 · Sharon Hahn Darlin — CC BY 2.0 · Jonashtand — CC BY-SA 4.0
A quiet seaside neighbourhood home to about a thousand Kristang people, Malaysians of mixed Portuguese and Malay descent whose ancestry goes back to Portuguese rule in Malacca between 1511 and 1641. They still speak Kristang, an old Portuguese-based creole. Two Catholic missionaries founded the settlement in the 1920s on coastal land to bring together a scattered community, most of whom were fishermen. Its street signs carry Portuguese names, and at its centre is a square known as Portuguese Square. Daytime is quiet; the evening is when it comes alive, as the seafood restaurants on the square open and grill fish, squid and prawns in the local style, with folk dance shows on some weekends. The square has bars, and not every restaurant is halal-certified, so ask before ordering. Its best-known season is the Feast of Saint Peter around 29 June, when fishing boats are decorated with flags and flowers and the square fills with visitors, along with December, when the houses are lit up. Come by taxi or ride-hailing app, as the walk from the town centre is long.
An old Portuguese language and traditions.
The square's restaurants at night.
Decorated boats in late June.
Ujong Pasir, on the coast about two kilometres southeast of the old town
Hang Li Poh's Well (King's Well)The oldest well in Malaysia, dug in 1459 by the followers of the Chinese princes20 minutes walk
Bukit ChinaA wide green hill east of the old town, tied to one of Malacca's best-known stor22 minutes walk
Proclamation of Independence MemorialAn elegant museum in a white building crowned by two golden onion domes, built i22 minutes walk
A FamosaAll that remains of the oldest European fortress in Southeast Asia is a single s23 minutes walk4.3
Melaka Sultanate Palace MuseumBefore the Portuguese arrived in 1511, Malacca was the capital of a Muslim sulta24 minutes walk4.3Not all of it; some restaurants serve non-halal dishes and the square has bars, so ask each restaurant before ordering or look for a halal certificate.
In the evening, especially at weekends, or during the Feast of Saint Peter in late June, when you should expect crowds.