We took our return ferry to Mersing from Tioman Island with the intention of heading straight to Malacca (or Melaka in Bahasa Malay), but our luck with buses hadn't improved, as unfortunately the bus was fully booked that afternoon. So, we had to hole up in Mersing over night for the second time (see details of my previous visit - 'unplanned stop') and depart the following morning.
 
Arriving into Malacca was quite a shock, albeit a pleasant one. This town has a completely different atmosphere compared to the rest of Malaysia. It seems even more friendly and oozes with history and variety. Most surprising was the heat, as it seemed significantly hotter than on Tioman, despite being on the West coast. 
 
We are staying at the edge of the old town, virtually opposite the Menara Taming Sari (360 degree viewing tower), just a short walk from everything but where the accommodation prices were more reasonable.
 
I was keen to get stuck into some gentle sightseeing as soon as possible, particularly as I had absorbed the extensive Malaccan history during the 4 hour bus journey. Plus, arriving on a weekend promised the famous night market in 'Jonker Street'.
 
Jonker street, is the centre of all the action in this area and also hosts the weekend night market. There are numerous art and craft shops lining the street with some very nice clothes shops amidst the usual tourist tatt. More importantly, there are numerous food stalls and restaurants where you can indulge in local cuisine as well as plenty more expensive places that cater for tourists. 

 A friend from Tioman was also here, so our Saturday night was spent enjoying a few drinks in the Hard Rock cafe, in true tourist style. The live band was very good as was the wine but I wouldn't recommend drinking here if you are on a tight budget - a beer and a glass of wine set us back 70 RM!
 
We awoke to an ant infestation, wondering whether we had brought them with us, but later realised there was a genuine problem in our guesthouse and we weren't responsible.
 
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Aside from local life, Malacca has, as already mentioned before my tangent, an extensive history as well as UNESCO world heritage status:
 
- Originally - a simple fishing port; 
- First ruled - by the Ming Chinese Dynasty;
- 16th Century: the Portuguese arrived and built a walled fortress;
- 17th Century: the Dutch took hold and destroyed much of the Portuguese heritage.  
- 19th Century: the British added it to their Asian colonial portfolio as a result of some land trading with the Dutch. 
- WWII - the British retreated from the Japanese occupation.
- 1963 - Melaka became part of the Malaysian Union and gained independence along with the rest of the Malay states.
 
The Muzium Rakyat (Peoples museum) has several enlightening exhibits, and we found this would have beem a good place to start to set the scene in terms of the various ethnic communities living in Malacca. The displays upstairs focus on Malay sports/games such as kite making and there is an interesting section dedicated to the extreme 'beauty' practices different cultures have adopted around the world.
 
Elsewhere, the main sights are easily accessible on foot and allow you to sample each turn in Malacca's history:
 
Chinese Dynasty
- Baba-Nonya heritage museum - beautiful but a little disappointing that you cannot take photos.
- Cheng Hoon Teng temple - elaborate temple which claims to be the oldest in Malaysia.
 
Portuguese
- Porta de Santiago - once the main gate of the city fortress.
- St Paul's church - built in 1521 but renamed during the Dutch rule.
 
Dutch
- Stadthuys - town hall and museum.
- Christ Church - the other pink salmon coloured building which resides in the main square.
 
There are a few other points of interest that we found:
 
- River - the houses along the main part of the riverside have been painted with murals depicting the different cultures in this city.
- Swiftlet birdhouse - interesting tour around a house where you can find out about the swiftlet birds nest soup production techniques.
 
Note, some must try foods:
 
- Chicken rice balls, there are at least 3 recommended restaurants in Jonker Street but we enjoyed those at Famosa;
- Stuffed nan and tandoori chicken, try Pak Putra but get there early or the tandoori chicken may be sold out;
- Dim sum, try the restaurant almost opposite Pak Putra;
- Satay celup, try Capitol Satay but be prepared to queue.
 
Malacca is just 2 hours by bus from the capital and, I think, is a must see on any Malaysia itinerary. Even those who come to Malaysia to enjoy the shopping in the cities will not be disappointed with what Malacca offers. 

I'm glad I saved this for last, it's one of the best parts of Malaysia in my opinion.