1. Porta De Santiago (A Famosa) 

Porta De Santiago (A Famosa) which translates to ‘The Famous’ in Portuguese is one of the few oldest surviving remnants of European architecture in the whole of Asia. It was built in 1511 under the command of Alfonso de Albuquerque. The fortress was built to consolidate their gains in Malacca after they defeated the armies of the Malacca Sultanate. At that time, the Portuguese believed that Malacca would someday become a vital port which links Portugal to the spice trade from China. The Porta De Santiago (A Famosa) that we see today was once made up of long ramparts and four major towers. One of the towers was a four-storey keep while the other housed the residence of the captain, officers’ quarters and an ammunition storage room. The fort changed hands in 1641 when the Dutch successfully drove the Portuguese out of Malacca. After the Dutch got their hands on the A Famosa, they placed their company logo, the ‘VOC’ coat of arms about the gates of Porta De Santiago (A Famosa). ‘VOC’ is the abbreviation of Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie.

Even today,if you look at the Porta de Santiago, you can still see the VOC coat of arms on the shield carried by the soldier on the right side of the logo. The Dutch then handed the fort over to the British in the early 19th century. The English, being wary of maintaining the fort gave orders to the British Governor of Pahang to demolish it. The fort was saved by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1810 as he stopped the demolishing and saved what we see today. There are many other attractions around the Porta De Santiago (A Famosa) such as the Islamic Museum of Malacca, the Architecture Museum of Malacca, the Malacca Sultanate Palace and the St Paul’s Church. With so many places to visit, do consider staying over at any hotels in Malacca. There are many hotels to choose from so do not worry about the accommodation here.

2.  Al-Khawarizmi Astronomy Complex

There’s an annual Astronomy Day Celebration at Al-khawarizmi Astronomy Complex , held in the month of April and May. So if you are in town, do not miss the chance to participate in the activities organize by the complex for the celebration! This RM 20 Mil complex has much to offers! There are 3 main buildings in the complex, namely the Observatory, the Planetarium and the Training Centre. There are exciting activities in the Observatory and the Planetarium where you can experience the Night Sky Observation and 3D show respectively. Despite the heavy cost for construction of the complex, the entrance fee is kept to a minimal of RM 1.00 per entry. Movie tickets are sold at separate cost range between RM 1-3. For movie schedule and ticketing, kindly refer to the website stated above. Do note that the complex is managed by Muslim scholars where descent dress code is advisable.

After quenching your ‘astronomy thirst’, there are much more to see in Malacca. For pets and animal lover, Zoo Malacca is not to be missed. It is the second largest zoo in Malaysia, housing to more than 1,200 animals of over 200 different species. The rare endangered Sumatran Rhinoceros and Gaur can also be found in the compound. Zoo Malacca is easily accessible via bus terminal and its located just 13 km from MalaccaCity. You can also experience house and elephant rides during the weekends. For more educational activities, you can also visit the Maritime Museum where you can experience the busy trading zone where the world’s traders meet.

3. Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum 

Baba Nyonya is also known as Straits-born Chinese or Peranakan are of Chinese noble descendants which adopted the Malays culture. The interesting unique blend of cultures is born after the intermarriages between the Chinese and the local Malay. The exceptional culture can now be seen and indulge in the renowned Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum. Established in the year of 1896,the museum illustrates the adoption of the lives and traditional of Baba Nyonya in Malacca.The privately owned museum run by the Babas and Nyonyas of the town is wonderfully designed from inside and out. It enables you to learn every bit of the history and culture of Baba Nyonya.Aside showcases the ethnic of the local blend; the museum displays valuable century old Baba Nyonya traditional costume, wood-work art and antique furniture. Each displayed items in the museum has its own story to tell.

The heritage has been a unique attraction for both local and international tourists with its other attractions in the state; St. Paul Hill (A’Famosa) and St. John Fort as the surviving gate of Portuguese in Malacca. The nearby attraction; Portuguese Square is a delightful route to stop for meals and drinks.

4. A’ Famosa Resort

A’ Famosa Resort Malaysia is located in Alor Gajah, Malacca, Malaysia, near the Simpang Ampat exit on the North South Expressway.It was named after the 16th century Portuguese fort of the same name which was once stood near the harbor of Malacca city.

The logo of the resort also incorporates a stylized silhouette of the fort’s gateway in the background.

A’ Famosa is situated on 1,300 acres (530 ha), the bulk of which is a 27-hole golf course, a water theme park called Water World, a zoo called Animal World Safari, a Cowboy Town, a Resort Hotel, and several blocks of condotels and villas.

The 150-acre (61 ha) A’Famosa Animal World Safari is a wildlife safari that is home to more than 100 species of the animals, featuring a Walk-through Area, Chicken Farm, Monkey Island, and a truck drive through the Safari park itself. The park also hosts a number of animal shows, such as an “elephant show” and a “bird show”.

The A’Famosa Water World covers an area of 20 acres (8.1 ha).

The 5-acre (2.0 ha) A’Famosa Cowboy Town features a various entertainment outlets, such as restaurants, a shopping village, etc. There is also a nightly carnival which consists of an animal musical parade, dancing and fireworks.

The accommodation available at A’Famosa Resort consists of a resort hotel with balconies. This facility offers self-contained studios, 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom units, and villas ranging from three to five bedrooms.

5. Menara Taming Sari

Opened to public in the year of 2008 April, Taming Sari Tower Malacca, so far is the one and only gyro tower in the country. The name is adapted from Sari Keris, a mythical weapon is said to has the possessive power belongs to the local legendary warrior Hang Tuah. The structure design of the tower follows the shape of the Keris. The tower is 110 meters in height revolves 360-degree that manages to provide a panoramic and interesting view of Malacca state within 7 minutes. The 7 minutes ride will host a great sight of the town such as St. Paul’s Hill, Melaka River Cruise, St. JohnFort and Portuguese Square

Apart from that, the tower is built with advanced Swiss technology that could absorb earthquakes measuring 10 Richter scales and able to accommodate 66 people at a time. The Menara Taming Sari ticketing building is fitted with 5 commercial outlets that are facilitated with a cafe, restaurant and souvenirs shops. In addition, the nearby local attractions