#21 Melaka Tengah, Melaka




District: Melaka Tengah, Melaka
Towns in the district: Bukit Baru, Bandar Melaka, Ayer Molek, Batu Berendam, Bukit Rambai, Kandang Klebang & others
Last time I was there: It's my wife's kampung!

The story:
Ah, Melaka. So near, yet so infamous for its traffic lights. Whenever we crave a quick getaway from KL, we’d usually drive straight past it to Muar -- yes, even though Melaka is my wife’s kampung.

But one weekday in 2023, our hati suddenly terbuka. It was the state holiday (Governor’s Birthday), and we thought -- why not chase some asam pedas and history?

The drive down was smooth. And miracle of miracles -- from Simpang Ampat onwards, the traffic lights were perfectly timed. Green after green. A rare Melaka blessing.

Breakfast was at Faizal Mohd Yusof Roti Canai Special in Limbongan -- roti canai with kari kambing and kari ikan siakap (plus sotong). Solid start. Alhamdulillah.




In town, traffic was surprisingly kind. We parked near Jonker Walk, strolled around, then spontaneously hopped on the Melaka River Cruise -- our first time, after all these years. It was pleasant, informative, and thankfully, no unpleasant river smell like the old days.




Lunch took us to Kafe Arang in Kampung Hulu -- nasi ketum ayam (basically nasi kandar, and surrr) and asam pedas ramen that passed my wife’s strict standards. We prayed Zohor at the beautiful Masjid Kampung Hulu, over 300 years old and still standing strong.



Of course, no Melaka trip is complete without the legendary Klebang Original Coconut Shake. By then, the heat demanded it.



Heading home? That’s when Melaka returned to form. From Cheng to Alor Gajah -- red light, move 500 metres, red light again. Classic.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

#10 Hulu Selangor, Selangor

Image
District: Hulu Selangor , Selangor Towns in the district: Kuala Kubu Bharu , Serendah , Batang Kali , Kerling , Rasa , Ulu Yam , Bukit Beruntung , and others  Last time I was there: November 2024 The story: One of my favourite drives is heading north through Hulu Selangor -- a route filled with lush greenery and a relaxed, old-town vibe. I still remember my first visit to Kuala Kubu Bharu : smooth roads, scenic hills, and that unmistakable small-town charm. The “new” Kuala Kubu was actually rebuilt in 1926 after the original town was destroyed by a dam burst -- a story that adds even more character to this peaceful place. Our first stop was Taman Tasik Milenium , a serene lake park that locals adore. With its cool breeze and picture-perfect scenery, you’d be tempted to say, “Macam New Zealand!” If it wasn’t 80 km from home, we’d be here every weekend. For sure! But the true gem of the trip was Ampang Pecah , a tranquil dam site with cascading waters and breathtaking views -- the...
Read more

#11 Bentong, Pahang

Image
District: Bentong, Pahang Towns in the district: Bentong Town , Karak , Bukit Tinggi , Manchis , Telemong Last time I was there: June 2025 The story: We’d never really explored this part of Pahang before, so a spontaneous day trip to Bentong it was. The mission: food and a bit of history. First stop -- the legendary Lemang To’ki , serving lemang with rendang every single day. It lived up to the hype -- the lemang , rendang , and ayam bakar were all superb. Then it was on to Bentong Gallery , housed in beautifully restored century-old shophouses once owned by Loke Yew , offering a free, fascinating glimpse into the town’s past. We also visited Masjid Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah , and since it was durian season , naturally -- we had to indulge. Heading home, we made a stop for coffee up in the hills of Janda Baik -- and since it was a weekday, we had the place almost entirely to ourselves. A delicious, easy-going day out in Bentong.
Read more

#9 Alor Gajah, Melaka

Image
District: Alor Gajah, Melaka Towns in the district: Alor Gajah , Masjid Tanah , Kuala Sungai Baru , Lubok China , Rembia Last time I was there : December 2022 The story: We were in Port Dickson that day when I decided to drive further down to Melaka . Oh yes, indeed. So we took a slow and steady drive on the coastal route via Pasir Panjang , all the way to Pengkalan Balak . We got down at the beach area and enjoyed the view quite a bit while having some keropok .   Then on the way back up, we turned on Google Maps and decided to have lunch at an asam pedas place near Kampung Kuala Linggi .  After a stopover for Zohor at the local masjid, we stumbled upon an old Dutch fort called Fort Supai ! We were literally the only ones there, so it was a little creepy-- but the views of the Straits were fantastic.  It was eerily beautiful. Armies used to launch cannons from here, and now it’s just there, standing silent with a thousand and one stories to be uncovered. Then we dr...
Read more