Leisurely Malacca & Tea

Delve into the history of multi-cultural Malacca by pausing at characteristic attractions and reflecting on their significance over tea at a traditional Malay restaurant. The Portuguese were the first colonialists to rule Malacca, which they prized for its location for the spice trade. To enhance your understanding of that early maritime trade, you will see a replica of the Flora de la Mar, a 16th-century Portuguese-built ship that sank off the coast while carrying riches plundered from Malacca. The Dutch ousted the Portuguese in 1641 and soon constructed their administrative center in what is now called Dutch Square. The buildings still stand as a reminder of that early, often oppressive Dutch influence. The heavy Chinese influence will be apparent at Bukit Cina, a massive Chinese cemetery with graves dating to the Middle Ages. As a counterpoint, you will pause at the modern Straits Mosque, which rises above the water next to a manmade island just off the coast.

HIGHLIGHTS

• View Malacca at a comfortable pace that allows you to really take in its highlights.
• Pause at a replica of a 16th-century ship that the Portuguese built when they ruled Malacca.
• See a modern mosque and an ancient Chinese cemetery with graves from the Middle Ages.
• Behold the original 17th-century Dutch administrative center in the heart of Malacca.