The delightful backwater town of Melaka is home to an eclectic mix of cultures and historic architecture that continually entice tourists into the region. Over the centuries booming trade, naval conquests and European colonialism have aided the unique fusion of culture and cuisine that characterise Melaka today.

Chinese immigrants were among the first to flood the area, building Taoist temples and laying the foundation for the wealth of Chinese festivals and observances that are still a feature of the city today. Chinatown is now one of the most popular tourist sectors in Melaka.

The Muslim call to prayer is a constant reminder of the importance Islam plays in Melaka. However, the city’s multiculturalism means a variety of religions are practiced here. A thriving Hindu culture is based in Little India; and several festivals in the region include yogic trances and bizarre feats of courage and self-control.

Melaka’s strategic position on the Strait of Melaka has made it a wealthy centre of trade. Though Portuguese settlers were the first Europeans to set up shop in Melaka, most of the colonial architecture that’s still standing was built by the Dutch successors and later expanded by the British.

Residents of Melaka benefit from a staggering variety of culinary treats. Fresh seafood is prepared with Malay and Indian spices, along with a touch of European flair that has outlived its benefactors. Peranakan dishes, a result of Chinese immigrants assimilating into the local demographic, feature Chinese noodles and a long list of sundry spices.

The availability of accommodation, restaurants and entertainment has kept pace with the rise of tourism in this region. Hotels are available in every price range, and there’s a vast array of theme parks, animal sanctuaries and national parkland to keep visitors busy.

It’s not unheard of for Melaka’s visitors to stay much longer than they intended. Despite rapid development and a constant push toward modernity, Melaka has managed to maintain its corner on old-world charm.

Like so many of the world’s important port cities, Melaka began as a minor backwater fishing village. Things changed in the late 14^th century when a Sumatran prince name Parameswara wandered into town. This Hindu prince was something of a renegade who was in the habit of riling governments. When he declared Sumatra independent of the Majapahit Empire, it didn’t bode well with the rulers - who took swift military action.

Fleeing to what’s now Singapore, Parameswara made friends with the local ruler, murdered him and then declared himself the natural ruler. A brief period of piracy against trade ships from Thailand followed until the Siamese military chased Paramswara out of the region.

When the prince landed in Melaka, he recognised the strategic importance of this outpost. Within a few years, Melaka was prospering as a popular port at which to wait out monsoons. It proceeded to become a natural centre of worldwide trade due to its central location between India, China and Indonesia.

The Kingdom of Siam posed a threat to its regional neighbours, prompting Melaka to make friends with China’s Ming Empire in hopes of staving of attacks by Siam. Following an influx of Muslim Chinese immigrants, the entire region of Melaka converted to Islam in the 15^th century. The establishment of the Sultanate of Melaka saw the city become a thriving centre of culture and commerce.

A season of European colonisation followed, beginning with a period of Portuguese occupation. Though the locals initially welcomed the new arrivals, they attacked the Portuguese after only a few days, prompting a full-on assault by the Portuguese and the subsequent colonisation of Melaka.

A harsh reality for the Portuguese followed: brute military strength could subdue the port city, but it couldn’t force neighbouring nations to continue trading here. Melaka’s status as premier trading junction quickly fell to a neighbouring port in Java and Melaka slipped off of the map.

An armada of Dutch imperialists seized the city and assumed its administration in the 17^th century. Melaka later passed into British hands during a war between the Netherlands and France. As a British colony, the port at Melaka was nothing compared to the harbour at Singapore.

Although a flash of industry stoked the rubber market in the 20^th century, it wasn’t enough to put Melaka back on the map. Instead, the city was largely ignored until it was reborn as a centre of tourism. Today, Melaka is a treasury of international architecture and culture, granting it status as one of Southeast Asia’s premier tourism destinations.

Melaka is situated within three degrees latitude of the equator. Temperature highs can easily reach 33°C. While the seasons oscillate between wet and dry, the heat here is static year round. The primary source of relief is the rain; during the wet season temperatures can fall to 25°C. Those who aren’t accustomed to high temperatures should seek shelter from the midday sun until the cooling evening breezes arrive.

The wettest months in Melaka are from September to October. However, while there’s a clean demarcation between the wet and dry seasons across the peninsula, weather patterns in Melaka aren’t extreme. The wet season is when rain is more likely to fall, though the rains are not of a monsoon calibre. A year long average of 82 per cent humidity means any time is prime time for a shower.

The stable weather patterns in Melaka make any time of year a good time to visit. Some services on the east coast of the peninsula shut down during the rainy season, which may affect your plans to tour the country. Burning in Indonesia feeds a notorious haze that hangs over the Melaka region during September and October, a nuisance that many travellers avoid.