- The Melaka River Night View
The Melaka River or Sungai Malacca can
be seen as the beginning of Malacca history, when it was called ‘Venice
of the East’ by the Europeans who traveled to it. Its historical
importance also lies in the fact that, during the 15th century, the
Prince Parameswara of Sumatra created his Sultanate at the entrance to
this river. It was on the east bank, at the bottom of Malaccan Hill
(now known as St. Paul’s Hill), where he placed his palace. On its
route to the sea, the Melaka River travels pass the town of Malacca;
many old villages, along with present day buildings, line its banks. It
is of no surprise that for these reasons the river passage was an
important route for major trade and commerce.
The Melaka River Cruise
There is now a 45-minute cruise that
goes along the Melaka River which visitors find exciting and
informative. It is said to be a good bargain and the 10 kilometer
Melake River Cruise takes off at the mouth of the river, at the Dutch
Square, and it travels all the way to Kampung Morten. The Tan Boon Seng
Bridge is seen along the way, and it is important to point out its
immense historical importance. The Portuguese used this bridge to
capture the state; they divided Melaka in half and cut off
communications in between.
That’s not all as there are two more
important bridges to go! The Chan Boon Cheng Bridge is seen further
along. Constructed in 1908 and rebuilt in 1963, it is a steel bridge
that links the older Chinatown (Kampung Pantai) with the new Chinatown
(around the Jalan Bunga Raya). Later on there is the Ghostbridge of
Malacca, for pedestrians, that links Kampung Hulu with Jalan Kee Ann and
the old Central Market. This pedestrian bridge was originally used for
fishing trade and there are many Chinese restaurants in the area for
this reason. One of the restaurants is now famous because it was used
in Entrapment, a movie produced by Hollywood.
Other highlights of the cruise are the
old homes and warehouses that are built on both sides of the river.
High tide is the only time in which it is available, so visitors should
plan ahead to fit this into their schedule. The Central Market is
nearby and visitors can also see the Jalan Hang Tuah Bridge that links
Jalan Munshi Abdullah with Jalan Hang Tuah. There was a theatre called
the Cathay Cinema, but it is now closed. To the left of it is the
Express Bus Terminal for Jalan Kilang. Buses can be taken to any other
part of Malaysia at a reasonable price and old shops line the street in a
quiet manner.
The last destination on the cruise
completes the trip wonderfully. It is Kampung Morten, a very old
village. It is a national heritage site that is well taken care of and
its beauty lies in the traditional Malay architecture, reflecting older
lifestyles and culture. The Melaka River Cruise is a major tourist
attraction and since it allows visitors to enjoy history in a much more
entertaining way, it is a picture of the Melakan State at its best!
Directions
The Melaka River Cruise is centrally
located and so it is easily accessible from anywhere in Melaka using
just a taxi or a trishaw.
CARDOVA CREATIVE
LOT C 24, DATARAN PAHLAWAN MELAKA MEGAMALL
75000 BANDAR HILIR, MELAKA.
EMAIL : cardova_creative@yahoo.com
TEL : 06- 2845553 HP : 013-2665553
www.cardovacreative.com
LOT C 24, DATARAN PAHLAWAN MELAKA MEGAMALL
75000 BANDAR HILIR, MELAKA.
EMAIL : cardova_creative@yahoo.com
TEL : 06- 2845553 HP : 013-2665553
www.cardovacreative.com
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