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TRAVEL
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February15
Most of the 600-year-old narrow pathways lead to Jonker Street. This is
the main strip, packed with antique stores, food vendors and market stalls
selling pretty much everything (case in point: I bought an antique lantern
and then a bumblebee costume for my dog). One tip: do your “serious”
shopping in the morning while Jonker is less busy, but return at night to
experience it when it’s alive (and absolutely rammed).
Trying out the all-important grub
Our guide was also able to point out the best street eats – because that’s
also what Malacca is famous for. It’s a real foodie town and, while certain
vendors boast huge queues up the street, we enjoyed brilliant dim sum,
curries, chicken rice and local cakes from whichever stall we opted for.
(Being typical Brits, we wouldn’t have queued for an hour even if David
Beckham was handing out the pork buns.)
For classy local food, we indulged in a wonderful spread at The Majestic’s
own restaurant, The Mansion. The menu is finely tuned towards traditional
Nyonya cuisine, which I found to be surprisingly refreshing. The hotel has
avoidedWesternising the menu and instead stuck to delicious local classics:
zingy satay, simple, beautifully spiced noodle dishes, and light fish curries.
Soothing achy legs at the spa
Despite having just run amarathon (I try to squeeze this fact into every article),
my calves were killingme after a full day of wandering around temples, markets
andmuseums, so it was very necessary to enjoy a heavenly three-hour session
at Spa Village Malacca. According to a yin-and-yang-based questionnaire, it
was determined that I was in dire need of a “warming” Suam Suam Panas
Experience. This involvedme being wrapped in honey and palm sugar, rolled
around in nutmeg rice and massaged with warm oils. I was also treated
to a fermented tapioca face-mask and pandan-coconut hair-conditioning
treatment. Sure, I may not have been conscious for the whole thing, but I can
confidently recommend this to anyone and everyone.
Having been smothered in cake ingredients for hours, it was no shocker
to discover that I was fairly hungry after my session at Spa Village Malacca.
Time to squeeze in an afternoon tea? Always. With part-Malaysian and part-
British treats and an array of tea options, the three of us had a wonderful
time pretending to be civilised at The Majestic’s lounge before hopping
back into the car.
The return leg
The trip back (we set off at 4pm on Sunday afternoon) was very quiet, with
another smooth run down the highway and swift drive-through immigration.
Tip for frugal drivers: stop at the petrol station a few kilometres before the Tuas
checkpoint – you’re allowed to fill up before you cross the border. Having said
that, Joe at Hertz was absolutely right: we’d started out with a full tank and
returned to the Alexandra Road drop-off with just over half left. There was no
need to fill up, despite seven hours of driving. Fortunately, Joe wasn’t there to
gloat. We were able to cruise in, leave the keys with security and head home via
taxi –arrivinghome fromour fun, fulfillingweekendwithplenty of time to force the
dog into a bumblebee costume and take her out for a long, embarrassingwalk.
Make it happen
Hiring a Peugeot 508 RXH HYbrid4 from Hertz Green Traveller Collection
will cost $243 per day (including Malaysia usage) before taxes. There are,
of course, smaller cars for hire at lower prices.
hertz.com.sg
Suites at The Majestic Malacca start from $200 per
night.
majesticmalacca.com
Road-trip selfie!
Quirky home
furnishings don
’
t get
much cheaper than this
Daggers and cake trays
on sale, side by side
Antique gems
amongst the fun
market tat