Melaka Durian Cendol @ Jonker 88

Right smack in the middle of Jonker Street, this outlet selling various type of desserts (mostly ais kacang and cendol in various forms) and some savoury options eg. laksa, is a popular spot amongst the tourists.



Sitting on those wooden benches, surrounded by antiques, ornaments from yesteryears, and a charmingly ancient ambience.

Being a generally skeptical 'cendol' fan, after countless unimpressive experiences, I find the cendol here a tad, ordinary. But what sets this apart from the other imitators (so to speak) is the gula melaka (palm sugar syrup) being drizzled liberately on the surface of the shaved ice.Very thick, sweet, and prominent, the gula melaka is overwhelmingly delightful, shadowing the lacklustre strips of cendol and red beans.

Wondering if those are valuables ... or nothings.

Durian Cendol
Or indulge in a bowl of sinful Durian Cendol, with the same ingredients as the original one, but with additional durian puree. If only they had thrown in real durian flesh, then the bowl of cendol would be heavenly. A tad artificial, and strictly for durian-lovers only.
Location : JONKER DESSERT @ 88, Jalan Hang Jebat, 75200 Melaka.

LW Nyonya Pineapple Tarts House - 4 branches in Melaka alone

Wondering what to buy back as souvenirs? Or craving for a bite to ease the journey back home? Try Melaka's pineapple tarts, for good measure



Notice the LARGE tart on the top-left corner? It's even listed in Malaysia's Book of Records!
Previously, I've had a rather dismaying experience with pineapple tarts from Melaka. Another outlet (won't name it though, to avoid defamatory suits .... LOL) situated around the area was a household name in producing those sweet, delectable delights.
But lo and behold, the end products were nothing like the fresh ones promoted as samples to fish for potential buyers. Hard and tasteless, we left the boxes of tarts unattended until the next spring cleaning session.
Fast forward a few years .... and I found myself standing at LW, an even more famous joint, with 4 outlets in Melaka alone. Actually, the hugea$$ tart on display kinda attracted my attention. Then realised the other branches also displayed the same gigantic replica, a feat that's rather astounding. And no, it's NOT made from plastic, but do refrain from taking a bite, as it seems that the giant tart has been lacquered, to prevent crumbling and naughty hands. =)
Tastewise; not bad. Not the most out-of-this-world pineapple tarts I've tasted (I'm a fan of a homemade one, that's perfectly crumbly, with strong buttery pastries, and REAL pineapple jam .... cannot disclose the location/contact, sorry!)
Location : LW Nyonya Pineapple Tarts House @ 95, Jalan Kubu. 75350 Melaka
Three branches at : 41-A-1, Jalan Hang Kasturi, 75300 Melaka, 86, Jalan Tokong (Jonker Walk) 75200 Melaka, and 62 Jalan Tokong, 75200 Melaka.

Chicken Rice Ball at Chung Wah Kopitiam

When it comes to food hunting in Melaka, the journey is never considered complete without Hainanese chicken rice ball. Personally, I prefer the Hainanese chicken rice at Kedai Kopi Chung Wah .

The Chung Wah chicken rice is not only popular among the local residents, but especially favorable by tourists as well. In fact, Chung Wah kopitiam (a popular word in Malaysia to describe a typical Hainanese coffee shop) is one of the earliest pioneers in Melaka to offer rice balls.

Chung Wah kopitiam occupies a relatively small business space, and food lovers often need to queue up during public holidays before securing a table. The interior is nothing fancy, but clean and neat. The wooden chair and stone-surfaced table which are typically seen in Chinese families during the olden days, are used in Chung Wah kopitiam to complement your meal.

A Simple Meal of Chicken and Rice Balls
Ordering at Chung Wah is simple; just tell the attendant the total number of people eating, and you’ll be served. Unless requested otherwise, each table is served with 5 rice balls per individual, and a plate of white chicken to be shared. If you are like me, of whom 5 rice balls are not sufficient, you can of course make an additional order.

The rice ball at Chung Wah is smooth and solid. If you use a chopstick to split the rice ball, the halves will still be staying intact in a solid structure, instead of scattering around as seen in some other places.

This is a plate of chicken for two. It’s tender and sufficiently oiled. Sorry but you should never expect roasted or stock chicken in a purely traditional Hainanese chicken rice shop. Some people prefer roasted chicken as they had “bad encounter” with white chicken. But believe me, the white chicken at Chung Wah is so good that, you will never bother to ask for roasted chicken here. Personally, I seldom enjoy white chicken as well, but this one at Chung Wah is good.
Though the white chicken and rice ball are good, but personally I think Chung Wah should be more generous with cucumber. In a plate of white chicken as shown above, there were only 2 pieces of cucumber covered at the bottom.

Where is Chung Wah Kopitiam?
Geographically specified, Chung Wah kopitiam is located at Lorong Hang Jebat. However, not many people know about the road name. The location can be alternatively described as follows:
Opposite OCBC Bank
At the corner of Tan Boon Seng Bridge
Visibly seen at the beginning of Jonker Street
2 minutes walking distance from Hoe Kee Chicken Rice and Famosa Chicken Rice Ball

Menara Taming Sari

Melaka’s latest tourist attraction, Menara Taming Sari (Revolving Tower), is expected to open

to public on 7th Apr 2008 (Monday).

Menara Taming Sari is located at Bandar Hilir, beside Dataran Pahlawan Megamall. This 110m high revolving tower was built using Swiss technology at a total cost of RM23mil. It is the first of its kind in the country with a revolving observation cabin, which provides a breathtaking 360-degree view of the entire historical areas in Melaka city.

The air-conditioned revolving viewing cabin is equipped with 80 seats. It revolves as it rises from ground level to the top of the tower. Each viewing session would last 7 minutes. The tower is expected to serve 3 viewing sessions every hour.

In addition to the revolving tower for visitors to enjoy bird view of Melaka city, the ticketing building will also be fitted with 5 commercial outlets, which includes cafe, restaurant, and souvenir shops

Admission Fees for MyKad Holders
RM10 for adults, RM5 for children below 12 years old, and RM7 for senior citizens above 55 years old.
Admission Fees Visitors without MyKad
RM20 for adults, RM10 for children below 12 years old, and RM17 for senior citizens above 55 years old.
Operating hours: 10am to 10pm daily

A Little Bit of History
Menara Taming Sari was supposed to be built near The Stadthuys (Dutch Square). But, the plan was stopped and relocated, when an ancient Portuguese wall - Middleburg Bastion, was discovered on the site

Cheng Hoon Teng Temple Melaka

The Cheng Hoon Teng Temple Melaka is the oldest functioning Chinese temple in Malaysia. It was founded in 1645 by Kapitan China Lee Wei King. Kapitan China was a position created by the Portuguese to act as an administrator of the local Chinese community.
Cheng Hoon Teng, located at the heart of Melaka Chinatown, is a premier historical monument that has survived the ravages of time. It remains the finest of Chinese temples in Malaysia - a fact underscored by an UNESCO award for outstanding architectural restoration. The temple is ranked among the most significant in Southeast Asia, being central to the spiritual aspirations of the Chinese community in historic Melaka.

Cheng Hoon Teng Temple is dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy (Kuan Yin). This temple was constructed by skilled workers from China - master craftsmen, artisans and carpenters, who replicated the designs of the Southern Chinese temple. The building conforms strictly to the principles of Feng Shui, incorporating the fundamental belief that every aspect of life is closely related to attaining perfect harmony with nature.

The Cheng Hoon Teng Temple is featuring one of the finest artworks hardly found in today’s modernized city. The magnificent gilded furniture, idols, carved beams, lacquer work and figures of deities are sure to surprise the visitors. Remember to load your digital camera your sufficient battery power and memory capacity before visiting Cheng Hoon Teng. Visitors often look at the roof to capture the images of unique artworks. When the sky is blue and dramatic, you will have an advantage in your photo.
In the temple, there’s also an altar for Confucius, a famous thinker and social philosopher of China. Prior to any school examination season, there will be a number of parents accompanying their children to pray at the altar, with the wish of doing well in the coming examination.

A rock faces pond with 18 Lohans, followers of Buddhism’s Eightfold Path who have achieved full spiritual fulfillment

Maritime Museum

Museum Samudera or the Maritime Archaeology Museum is located along in Malacca's museum belt. This Maritime Museum is constructed after 'Flora De La Mar', the Portuguese ship that sank off the Coast of Malacca on its way to Portugal. With its hull laden with invaluable treasures seized from Malacca. At the museum, visitor can get a closer look at Malacca from the famed Malay Sultanate of the 14th century to the Portuguese era, the Dutch era and the British era. There are exhibits of foreign ships that had once called at the port of Malacca during the height of its maritime hegemony. This museum brings visitors back to the 14th century during the Malay Sultanate period, as well as the subsequent Portuguese, Dutch and British eras. There are also displays of other ships that docked at the port of Malacca at the height of its prosperity.

Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum

In Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock (neighboring to Jalan Hang Jebat/Jonker Street) of Melaka, there’s a small museum comprising 3 adjacent townhouses called the Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum. Appearing to be similar in design with other old houses in the old Melaka Chinatown, this privately owned and managed museum is showcasing the best of distinctive cultural values and lifestyle inherited by the Baba Nyonya community and family. It’s not exaggerating to consider this small but comprehensive museum as the gateway of your discovery to the Baba Nyonya cultural establishments.

Jonker's Street

The Jonker Street is changing its cloth to play the role of Jonker Walk, on every Friday evenings, Saturday evenings and Sunday evenings from 6.00pm to 12.00 midnight.


once the richman's street is now a living proof of Malacca's rich baba-nyonya heritage. The buildings are immaculately constructed with elaborate carvings on its pillars and walls. The street is also famous for its antique shops.



Wooden Antiques Seen at Jonker Street

Jonker Street is also informally known as the antique street. The antique shops here are featuring artifacts from different periods of colonial rule – Portuguese, Dutch, and British. If you have sufficient time to stroll through the street with eagle eyes, you can easily hunt and bargain for the unique and valuable antique furniture, Chinese porcelain, brassware, cast iron beds, lamps, coins and money notes, as well as the priceless Buddha statues.

Christ Church

Standing exactly as it has always been since 1753, the church is testimony to Dutch architectural ingenuity. Commenced in 1741 to commemorate a century of Dutch rule and took 12 years to complete. Take note of the church's 200 years old handmade pews, its 8 feet long ceiling beams constructed from a single tree without joins, Brass Bible rest which dates back to 1773, tombstone written in Armenian and 'Last Super' in glazed tiles.

St. Paul's Church

Built by a Portuguese Captain by the name of Duarte Coelho, the chapel was turned by the Dutch into a burial ground for their noble dead and renamed it 'St. Paul's Church' from the Portuguese's 'Our Lady Of The Hill'. Saint Francis Xavier was briefly enshrined in the open grave in 1553 before being shipped to Goa, India.

The Stadhuys

Built in 1650 as the official residence of Dutch Governors and their officers, the edifice is a fine example of Dutch architecture.

Preserved in its original structure and form , it now houses the Historic Museum and Ethnography Museum. On display daily are fine traditional bridal costumes and relics from Malacca's glorious past

St. Francis Xavier's Church

Built in 1849, by Reverend Farve, a Frenchman, who later became Professor of Malay in Paris. It stands on the site of an earlier Portuguese church built in 1553.
The Gothic twin towered church is dedicated to St. Francis Xavier is well-remembered for his missionary work spreading Catholicism to South East Asia in the 16th Century..

MALACCA'S HISTORICAL PLACE

A Famosa
The hallmark of Malacca and perhaps the most photographed subject next to the Stadhuys.
Built by the Portuguese in 1511 as a fortress it sustained severe structural damage during the Dutch Invasion.
The British East India Company had set to destroy it but timely intervention by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1808 saved what remains of A Famosa today.