Jonker Street in Melaka is one of the most visited places in the state, and it is undoubtedly the busiest area, especially over the weekends or school holidays. Thousands of visitors from all over visit this lively street, famous for its rich traditional Peranakan culture and heritage.

The best way to enjoy visiting Jonker Street is to walk around this historical area, which is in the core zone of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Alternatively, traditional trishaws (becas) can be hired to take you on a nostalgic journey through this historical site.

Jonker Street in Melaka

Jonker Street has always held a special charm in terms of the diverse European-Asian culture and heritage of this city once known to the world as Malacca. The renowned shophouses in this area are some of the country’s oldest heritage buildings, dating back to the 17th century.

Architecturally influenced by the Portuguese and Dutch, you will see a beautiful eclectic mix of cultures and designs throughout this entire area of Jonker Street.

While the area caters mostly to tourists, art aficionados are also seen here, as some of the best antique curios and furniture are traded here. On the main street, Jonker Walk, quite a number of antique galleries, art houses, and souvenir shops are spread throughout the area.

Walk-in customers know that the prices are well-inflated for unknown buyers, and bargaining or haggling is a common practice here. So do not be afraid to try your bargaining skills, but do be realistic about it, as we are all human after all. Some outlets practice a fixed price, so there is no bargaining.

While most of the action is found along the main Jonker Street, you can also walk one street behind to find Heeran Street, which is also known as the Millionaires Row. Here, you will find the world-famous Baba Peranakan Museum of Melaka. A fee applies to this unique museum; the architecture from the main facade is astounding.This would be the best place to explore if you want to learn more about the amazing Baba-Nyonya Culture and Heritage of Melaka.

If you love classic eclectic architecture, do inspect some of the buildings along Heeran Street as well. The roads are very narrow, so please be extra careful when walking along them.Old buildings showcase a mix of Chinese, Dutch and Portuguese architecture. They are clearly shown throughout the buildings here. Looking closely, you can see the fine, detailed work in these designs. The colours stand out in the engravings and carvings of these pre-war buildings. Architectural works from the Utilitarian era to Artdeco are found along this majestic street.

As most of the shophouses are intermediate, you can step into some of the five-foot ways of the premises and encounter some fantastic architectural workmanship. I took the picture above on one of the streets in Melaka, where neighbouring units were divided by a circular hole in the walls.

Since 2008, Melaka (Malacca) has been awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status, and the government has been paying close attention to the core zone. Many centuries-old buildings have been given a beautiful makeover, especially the facades and main structures.While most of the original businesses have faded away, new ones appear monthly and are often taken over and renovated. Many guesthouses and boutique hotels have also taken over some of the beautiful shop lots, while cafes and souvenir shops seem to be the popular choices around here.

But if you take your time and walk around Jonker, you will notice that some of the original businesses are still operating. As you can see from some of the pictures, most of them are well-maintained, and the best time to witness them in action is on weekdays during office hours.Most of these traders close on weekends, so you would be missing out if you went during that time.

As most old buildings are publicly owned, some have chosen not to do anything; thus, you see the original structures, paintwork and signage, giving the place lots of character. Sometimes, I keep an extra eye out for these types of buildings during my walkabouts here, as you never know what you will encounter.

While Jonker Street is famous for its architecture and heritage, food is also a popular choice here, especially with tourists. A good variety of local food can be found along Jonker Street, while most tend to source from the famous Peranakan or Nyonya food around here.One of the most famous dishes is a local delicacy called Chicken Rice Balls. This dish is prepared in a unique way: cooked rice is rolled into balls and served with portions of boiled or roasted chicken.

There are about four shops that sell this unique dish, which can only be found in Melaka, so choose wisely which shop you patronise. The bigger the shop, the less authentic it is and more for tourists.

Another unique must-try food place is the famous Jonker Dessert Cafe cum museum located along Jonker Walk. Every traveller should try this experience. Famous for the Baba-Nyonya desserts and food, you will not be disappointed.I make it a point to stop here every time I visit Melaka for my fix of Shaved Ice (Ice Kachang), and provided it is on a weekday as it gets really crowded on weekends.

Walking around, you are bound to come across various restaurants, bars, and cafes that claim originality, so there is nothing bad or wrong about them; each has its speciality.
I have tried most of them around Jonker and have no complaints. So let’s relax and enjoy your visit here. For the record, Singaporeans love to make a weekend getaway trip to Melaka, while those from Kuala Lumpur love to do day trips here, especially for the food.

After hours, one of the most popular places along Jonker Street is the Geographer Cafe, which is hard to miss. It is open throughout the day and serves local and international cuisine. At night, beers and cocktails are served in a lively atmosphere, and a live band may perform.There are some other bars around here that are more laid-back, so if you walk around, you are sure to come across them. On a personal note, I would recommend that anyone heading here spend at least one or two nights here to fully experience this UNESCO World Heritage Site of Melaka.

Going on the weekend can be a nightmare as the entire street will be closed for the regular Night Market, so expect throngs of visitors. On the other hand, I prefer to visit from Thursday to Saturday, catching the best of both worlds: the typical day and the weekend crowd.

If you are planning to stay over, I would also recommend trying out the Puri Hotel in Melaka. It is indeed one of the most beautiful boutique hotels, and it is very affordable.

Other options would be to book the popular Heeran House or Baba Hotel there. All these hotels are strategically located around Jonker Street in Melaka.

Conclusion

Again, if you are here on the weekend, look out for the Popiah Seller at Jonker Street. This vendor moves around on a cart and sells the popular spring roll. If there is a crowd around the hawker, be prepared to wait a while. Update 2017: I don’t know if the uncle is still doing this, which I think not.

The central area is situated in the core zone of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Due to the heavy traffic here, it is advised to park outside and walk in on weekends. Trust me, it can get really congested, especially on Saturdays and Sundays. Nowadays, I make it a point to visit Jonker Street in Melaka on weekdays.