Portuguese Settlement

Here is where the descendants of the Portuguese who conquered Malacca in 1511 live today. The settlement, just southeast of the city centre, consists of tidy rows of mostly wooden houses leading up to the Portuguese Square (Malay: Medan Portugis) and Hotel Lisboa (sorry, unlike its Macau namesake, there is no casino here) on the waterfront. The people here may look Malay, but if you peer into their houses, you'll see the characteristic altar with statues of Jesus and Mary perched high on their walls. Quite a few still speak Cristao (or Cristang), a Portuguese patois. There are also many restaurants for you to sample Portuguese Eurasian fare. The most interesting times to visit are during Intrudu - usually in February - when the you'll get a Songkran-like drenching with buckets of water thrown at you; Festa San Pedro to commemorate the Feast of Saint Peter in June, when there are processions, cultural shows and general merry-making; and Christmas, when the whole settlement is decked in decorative lights.

Getting there

Take bus 17 (destination "Ujong Pasir and Bandar Hilir") from Melaka Sentral