Melaka and around

Thanks to its strategic location on the strait that bears its name, Melaka was a rich, cosmopolitan port city long before it fell victim to successive colonial invasions. Its wealth and influence are now a thing of the past, and the old city's colourful history is itself a major money-spinner for Malaysia's modern tourism industry. The Jerak Warison Heritage Trail is a great introduction to historical Melaka, with its striking Dutch colonial core and bustling, although somewhat manufactured, Chinatown (which houses the oldest Chinese temple in Malaysia).