Experience A Magical 48 Hours in Melaka Itinerary- Step by Step Guide

Ahh, I was in Melaka, finally! I have wanted to visit this beautiful historical city for so long. And I finally visited this beautiful historic city. At first, I was worried about whether I would get to see the best tourist spots in Melaka in 48 hours. But I did it! And if you want to do the same, my A Magical 48 Hours In Melaka Itinerary is just for you.

As part of my magical 48 hours in Melaka itinerary, I visited some of the best places in Melaka and tried out the best cuisines. My Melaka itinerary will help you check out all the best sites in the city in just 48 hours.

Before diving into this magical itinerary, let me tell you that Melaka is also known as Malacca. Melaka is the government accredited spelling, whereas Malacca is still used by many businesses and organizations. If you find any companies using Malacca on your visit to the city, don’t be shocked. However, in this Melaka itinerary, I will use Melaka.

Now, let’s just get down to what we were here for. A magical 48 hours in Melaka itinerary- your perfect escape to the most beautiful city in Malaysia. Also, you can read another article The 14 Top-Rated Places to visit in Melaka, Malaysia That Will Amaze You

Melaka Itinerary-Day-1:

How To Reach

You can reach Melaka from Kuala Lumpur by bus, trains, taxis or cars. It is only a 1.45 to 2.30-minutes ride from KL depending on traffic. However, as we travelled from Shah Alam, we got there by driving for 2.5 hours.

By Bus: If you are on a budget itinerary, you should plan your journey from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka by bus. At first, you have to head to the KL Sentral Station from your hotel using any transportation method of your choice. After reaching KL Sentral, take the KLIA Transit to Bandar Tasik Selatan Station(BTS), a train station. The cost of transit will be around RM 6.50.

You have to follow the signs from the train station, and you’ll reach Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) Bus Station within 5 minutes. You can also go to TBS via KTM Komuter and LRT, but KLIA Transit is more comfortable, according to me.

Upon reaching the bus terminal, collect your bus boarding pass if you have already bought the ticket online. If you haven’t bought the ticket, you can purchase one at the station. The price of a ticket might be anything between RM 13-15.

By Train: If you want to go to Melaka via train, you must know that there’s no train station in Melaka. You’ve to get on a train from KL Sentral to Tampin, the nearest railway station to Melaka. The cost of a train ticket is around RM 20-30.

After reaching Tampin, you can get on a bus from the bus station at a 1km distance or take a taxi. Train timings might be delayed for various reasons. So, I’d suggest not to choose the train as your method of transportation if you have a strict itinerary to follow and as train tickets are pricey.

By Taxi or Car: If you want a hassle-free journey from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka, you can hire a taxi that might cost you around RM 250-300. If you don’t have a fixed budget to follow, you can do it. But I don’t suggest it if you are travelling solo.

There’s no point in spending so much money when you can reach your destination by bus for only RM 13-15. If you have your car, you can drive to Melaka from KL. If you take your car, it’d be easy for you to check out the attractions at a distance.

Private Transfer Between Kuala Lumpur to Melaka: Travelling from Kuala Lumpur, Johor, or even Singapore to Melaka is easy and comfortable when you book a private transfer. Private vans and cars operate daily from the mentioned locations to offer comfortable, stress-free travel for those who want to experience all that historic Melaka has to offer.

Where To Stay

There are many budget hostels, hotels, and Airbnb homes in Melaka. I stayed in an Airbnb house. However, staying in any of the heritage hotels in Melaka will give you a broader insight into the city’s ethnicity. The location, interior, and exterior of these hotels are perfect for tourists.

Imperial Heritage Hotel

Imperial Heritage Hotel is located in Jalan Merdeka. It has some of the top attractions of the city Jonker Street, The Stadhuys, Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum, Christ Church Melaka, Malacca Clock Tower within a few minutes walking distance. You can stay here for RM 103 per night.

Jonker Boutique Hotel

Jonker Boutique Hotel is a heritage building situated right at the beginning of Jonker Street and Temple Street. Many famous eateries are located near the hotel. You will find some of the most famous local foods like Chicken Rice Balls, Chendol, and Peranakan cuisine near the hotel. You can stay here for RM 243 per night.

Try Asam Pedas for Lunch

Asam Pedas is a must eat food in Melaka. So, I decided to start my Melaka itinerary with it. The word Asam Pedas means sour and spicy. It is a sour and spicy curry that can be eaten with white rice and different types of fish. The best place to try Asam Pedas in Melaka is the restaurant Asam Pedas Pak Man near Melaka’s downtown area.

Asam Pedas Pak Man

Location: No 51, Jalan Knmp 2a, Kompleks Niaga Melaka Perdana, 75450 Ayer Keroh, Melaka, Malaysia

Opening Hours: Thursday – Tuesday | 7:30 am – 8:00 pm (Closed on Wednesday)

Walking Around Dataran Pahlawan

After lunch, I walked around the Dataran Pahlawan megamall. It is the most significant lifestyle megamall in Malaysia. You will find international fashion brands, international/local food, beverage favourites, entertainment centres, and karaoke in the mall. Many excellent restaurants inside the mall serve delicious international and local cuisines.

Location: Jln Merdeka, Bandar Hilir, 75000 Melaka, Malaysia

Opening Hours: Everyday | 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

Sunset Seeing At Pantai Klebang

The Pantai Klebang Beach in Melaka is most famous for its beautiful sunset. So, after the river cruise, I decided to give the beach a visit. No matter how long you choose to visit the beautiful historical city, you must pay a visit to the beach during sunset.

The Klebang beach is located a 15-minutes’ drive from Melaka city. It has dunes and gives a feeling of the desert. Here, you will notice the most beautiful colour-changing of the sky when the sunsets. Even though the beach looks like a desert, it offers a serene feeling. The best time to visit Pantai Klebang beach is during sunrises or sunsets.

Maritime Museum

Melaka is mainly known as a historical city. And it would be pretty awkward if you came to a historic town and didn’t visit a museum. So, as a part of my Melaka itinerary, I saw the most visited museum of the city, the Maritime Museum. It is the replica of a Portuguese carrack named Flor do Mar.

It gives an enlightening look back into the city’s past. The museum had only one phase when it started in 1994. In 1998, the second phase of the museum was opened. Maritime Museum gives us an outlook on the political history of Melaka. Some ship models are also on display at the museum.

If you want to know more about the kinds of ships and their functions, Maritime Museum is a place you shouldn’t miss visiting.

Location: Jln Merdeka, Bandar Hilir, 75000 Melaka, Malaysia

Entry fees: Adult- RM3 Children- RM1

Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday | 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (Closed on Monday)

Peranakan Cuisine for Dinner

Every tourist must try the Peranakan cuisine in Melaka. It is a mixture of Malay and Chinese flavours that you won’t find anywhere else. You will discover Peranakan cuisine in Nancy’s restaurant. Also, Peranakan cuisines are cheap.

But Peranakan cuisine is not halal as the dish contains pork. Nancy’s restaurant is also non-halal. So, if you are a Muslim, you can head to any other halal-certified restaurant for dinner. I’m sure you’ll easily find a halal restaurant nearby.

Nancy’s Restaurant

Location: No 13, Jalan KL 3/8, Taman Kota Laksamana, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia

Opening Hours: Friday – Sunday | 11:00 am – 3:30 pm, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday | 11:00 am – 5:00 pm (Closed on Tuesday)

Day-2:

The 2nd day of our Melaka itinerary started by parking our car in the Dataran Pahlawan parking area.

Chicken Rice Balls for Breakfast

Chicken Rice Balls are my favourite Malaysian breakfast. You can savour these nasty nuggets any time of the day, even as snacks. These balls contain chicken and vegetables inside the rice balls.

Fun At A’ Famosa Resort

If you are looking forward to a fun filled visit to Melaka, you must visit A’ Famosa Resort. A’ Famosa has a 27-hole golf course, a water theme park called Water Theme Park, a zoo called Safari Wonderland, a resort hotel, a night entertainment Old West and some beautiful villas in its 1,300 acres of land.

The most attractive thing to tourists about A’ Famosa is the water theme park. It covers an area of 20 acres and is the largest water theme park in all of Malaysia. It has slides, pools, and activities for people of all age groups.

Also, if you pay a visit to the resort, take a walk around A’ Famosa Old West. There are restaurants and shopping villages in that part of the resort. And if you visit the resort at night, you would be lucky enough to see a beautiful night carnival which consists of an animal musical parade, dancing, and fireworks.

Pro tip: An ancient fortress in Melaka, built-in 1512, is also known as A’ Famosa. If you love consuming history, you can visit the fort instead of the resort.

Location: Jalan Kemus, Simpang Ampat, 78000 Alor Gajah, Melaka, Malaysia

Opening Hours: Everyday | 24 Hours

Lunch

Tired after swimming in A’ Famosa? You must already be hungry. For lunch, I decided to have some local Malay foods. So, I had Nasi Ganja Melaka for lunch. Nasi Ganja is a famous food in Malaysia, also known as Nasi Kandar. It originated in Penang. This dish contains rice with fried chicken, curried beef spleen, cubed beef, lamb, fish roe, fried prawns, or fried squid.

St. Paul Church

St. Paul’s Church is the oldest church building in Southeast Asia. It was built in 1521 and is located near the A Famosa fortress. So, if you visit the fort, don’t miss the chance to see the church and vice versa.

Location: 1935, Jalan Kota, Bandar Hilir, 75000 Melaka, Malaysia

Opening Hours: Everyday | 24 Hours

Dutch graveyard

The Dutch graveyard is near St. Paul’s Church. It consists of the graves of 5 Dutch officers and 33 British officers and their spouses.

Jonker Street Night Market

Jonker Street is primarily famous for its beauty during the night. I absolutely loved the rendezvous of the night street. It has a well-organized wide array of stalls, polite hawkers, and a lively street party-like atmosphere.

The night market only takes place every Friday and Saturday night. So, if you want to enjoy the beautiful ambience of Jonker Street night market, plan your trip to Melaka on a Friday or Saturday night.

Location: Jalan Hang Jebat, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia

Opening Hours: Friday – Sunday | 6:00 pm – 12:00 am (Closed on Monday – Thursday)

Day-3:

Pancakes for Breakfast

The most famous pancakes in all of Melaka are pandan pancakes. The best pandan pancakes in Melaka are available in The Daily Fix Cafe. Besides pancakes, I also tried pasta and coffee.

The Daily Fix Cafe

Location:  55, Jalan Hang Jebat, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia

Opening Hours: Everyday | 9:30 am- 5:30 pm

Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum

Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum showcases the history of Peranakan culture in Melaka. The Chinese people who came and settled here in Malaysia are known as Baba-Nyonya or Peranakan. In Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum, you will see how two cultures blended in so well.

The history of the museum dates back to 1985. After living here for four generations, the Chan family opened it as a museum. The museum is still under the authority of the Chan family and is managed by them. It often remains busy with tourists. So, if you don’t want to miss out on any corner of the Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum, you should book a tour at least one month before your trip.

Location: 48-50, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia

Opening Hours: Friday – Sunday | 10:00 am – 12:30 pm, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm (Closed on Monday – Thursday)

Entry fees: Adult- RM16, Children (5-12 years old)- RM11 (Additional RM4 for adults booking a guided tour)

River Cruise On Sungai Melaka

The most exciting part of my Melaka itinerary was the Melaka river cruise. You can watch beautiful scenarios of the city on this 45-minute river cruise. If you have time, take the river cruise during sunset. You will get to see all the best attractions of the town through this river cruise.

The boats leave from Melaka River Square Jetty or Spice Garden Jetty. During the 45-minute boat ride, you’ll explore many awe-inspiring sights and the vibrant heritage of Melaka. You’ll come across some fascinating bridges of the 16th-20th century and catch glimpses of an old church of the Portuguese era and the oldest Malaysian village.

Opening Hours: Everyday | 9:00 am – 11:00 pm

Melaka Straits Mosque

My Melaka itinerary ended with visiting Melaka Straits Mosque. Melaka Straits Mosque is known as Masjid Selat Melaka in Malay. The right time to visit this mosque is at dawn or dusk. When the water level is high, it starts floating. The mosque is an architectural mixture of Middle Eastern and Malay craftsmanship, which was completed in 2006.

Location: Jalan Pulau Melaka 8, 75000 Melaka, Malaysia

Opening Hours: Everyday | 5:00 am – 12:00 am

Best Time To Visit Melaka

Now that I’ve shared my Melaka itinerary with you, you might want to know the best time to visit Melaka. If you decide to copy my Melaka itinerary, you don’t need to worry about when to visit Melaka, as these attractions aren’t affected by seasonal changes.

However, if you don’t prefer to visit the historical city in the rain, avoid going there during the last few months of the year. May-July is the driest month in Malaysia, so you can plan your Melaka itinerary during these months.

Best Restaurants in Melaka

I have already mentioned about a few food items and restaurants in my itinerary. But I’m giving you a few more restaurant options below so that you can choose your comfort restaurant and food all by yourself.

Halal Restaurants in Melaka

Non-halal Restaurants in Melaka

My 48 hours in Melaka Itinerary was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If you follow this Melaka itinerary, I am sure that you will have a fantastic experience too. If you have already visited Melaka, let me know which places you saw and which foods you tried. If I am lucky enough to revisit Melaka, I will surely try them out.