This ancient city is the capital of Melaka, and has a rich and exciting history populated by stories of conquest, capture and triumph.  The modern day has seen it evolve into Malaysia’s premier tourist destination, with heritage architecture and historic sites featuring high among its most popular attractions.  Whether you’re a solo traveller, one of a pair, or a proud parent, Melaka is a diverse city seething with life that will captivate you for weeks on end.

Thanks to the constant influx of tourists, many of Melaka City’s best tourist locations are designed to cater to families, meaning you don’t have to stress about the little ones.  One of the most famous is A Famosa, a theme park named after the ruins of a 1500s Portugese fortress; it includes sections like Safari Wonderland, Water Themepark, Old West, the Freeport A’Famosa Outlet for shopping, a spacious golf course, and a range of leisure activities.  Other great family attractions are Zoo Melaka, which offers night-time safaris, and Melaka Wonderland (think Disneyland in Malaysia).

For more refined exploration, try visiting the city’s collection of historical buildings.  Stadthuys, formerly a Dutch townhall, now converted into multiple museums, is a good starting point; from there, check out locations like St. Paul’s Church, the beautiful Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, hillside Bukit Cina and the opulent Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum.  The collision of British, Dutch, Chinese and Malay cultures make trawling through the city’s history a fascinating experience.

There’s also plenty of dining and shopping to be done.  With so many gastronomic influences, there’s a varied mixture of eateries in every corner of the city; from wood-panelled Chinese restaurants to Indian diners and classic Malay cuisine, there’s something to suite every palate.  Browsing shopfronts is a great way to burn off the calories, so after eating we recommend taking to the streets and checking out places like Jonker Walk, which incorporate night markets, food stalls and bustling energy in the city’s biggest Chinese diaspora.

Feel inspired to visit Melaka City?  Lock in your booking with Club Wyndham.