GROUP 4 MKT511

  This Melaka trip made me realize that there are some things that I need to change while going for a trip. Firstly, I should plan my trip well. I need to consider the situation that has happened right now, which is the Covid-19 pandemic. There are lots of best places that I cannot visit as they were closed due to the pandemic. My trip is going to be more fun if I decided to go there before the pandemic started. Other than that, I should learn more about the history and culture of the place that I have visited. I want to have an enjoyable trip and at the same time, learn new things about the places instead of just travelling without any objectives. Then, I can tell other people what I have been learning while travelling. These are the things that I would like to change for my next trip.

     After the trip, I just realized that I am now in love with Melaka. There are several things that I have learned from the trip, especially their cultures, foods, history, and popularity. Before this, I heard that people here are not kind to outsiders and even to each other. Also, I often heard that Melaka’s people like to curse and use harsh words but as soon as I met some of the locals, they were so nice to me. Besides, Melaka is very popular for its history. When I am in Melaka, I can imagine and feel the history spirit. Some places that I have visited like A Famosa and Flor de la Mar have given me a lot of information about the rise and fall of Melaka. Overall, everything in Melaka is more wonderful than other places that I have visited. To be honest, I do not want to go back home but I have to, and I will never forget everything I went through while in Melaka.

      Malacca is the historical state of Malaysia, rich with heritage buildings, ancient landmarks and colonial structures. It was here that colonial forces first made contact with Malaysia, which eventually shaped the country into its current economic and political system.  Today, in Malacca, you can still see the imprints of British, Dutch and Portuguese forces left behind in forts, museums, churches and towers. Visit Malacca for the cultural experience of a lifetime. I assure you that will regret it if you don't have a night walk at Jonker Street.  The weekend night market runs every Friday to Sunday (albeit in a slightly reduced form on Sunday) from the river to the far end of Jonker Street. We highly recommend you try to coincide your stay in Melaka during a weekend as it is hands down one of the best night markets we went to in the whole of Asia. The range of products was varied (so not just your usual tourist tat) plus the food options available were fantastic and very chea

     There are so many interesting places that we can visit at Melaka. Unfortunately, I came to Melaka during the pandemic and some of the places are closed. I visit several places but they are all memorable places for me. First, I managed to visit Samudera Museum, which exhibits a replica of Flor de la Mar with 34 metres high, 36 metres long and 8 metres wide. Next, I explored the Historical City of Melaka by gliding along Sungai Melaka with an awe-inspiring 45 minute cruise. At night, I ride the colourful trishaw around Banda Hilir.

     Before I started my trip, I googled what makes Melaka so popular in terms of its cuisine. I have found out that they are so popular with asam pedas. There are a lot of restaurants and food markets that serve asam pedas. Some of them are Asam Pedas Pasar Borong Batu Berendam, Restoran Kota Laksamana, Warong Asam Pedas P.Ramli and others. Eventually, I chose Asam Pedas Power Abg Piee, which they say there are several kinds of asam pedas. Next, I also managed to taste the original coconut shake Klebang freshly made. Coconut shake is a popular drink consisting of vanilla-flavored ice cream and coconut juice and fruit. It is a good choice as Melaka is so hot. Near Klebang, I found Keria Antarabangsa Melaka that cost me only 50 cents each. I also visited the famous Mango Float Royale at Sungai Putat.

     Usually, we all hear the first impression when someone meets a person from Melaka, we hear that they talk loud and harshly. As a human, I cannot hear a one-sided story without seeing it with my pair of eyes. The moment I spoke with one of them, I received the opposite impression which is, Melaka locals are so kind to me. At first, I thought they were only kind to tourists who came to Melaka for vacation, but they also served other locals with the same attitude.      The locals are wholehearted, which makes me feel welcomed. I could not meet a lot of locals as we are in the Covid-19 pandemic, I only met a few of them. When I visited Pantai Klebang, I could see the locals enjoying the sunset with their families. This shows they are some kind of a collectivist society which means they are so close and connected with family members.