TRANSPORT FROM KUALA LUMPUR TO MALACCA
From KL Sentral, buses run regularly every half hour to hour to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Malacca. Starting not too early departing Kuala Lumpur around 9AM or 10AM will get you to Malacca by lunch time, 11AM/12PM. Travel time is between 1 hour and half to 2 hours depending on traffic, and bus fare starts at around 10 MYR ($2.50 USD), but we have purchased tickets for as low as 6 MYR ($1.50 USD). We recommend purchasing the ticket from KL Sentral at least the day before; purchasing bus tickets online is now possible through websites like Easybook.com or BusOnlineTicket.com. Online tickets can be cheaper than tickets purchased directly in person at the bus stations.
Arriving at the bus station in Malacca, you have 2 main options, bus or taxi/Grab/Uber.
1. Bus 17 will take you from the terminal station to the Clock Tower and Church in Dutch Square costing 1.5 MYR ($0.39 USD) in 15 - 20 minutes. The bus runs about every half hour.
2. Grab/Uber will reach the town in 15-20 minutes and cost 7-9 MYR ($1.81 - $2.32 USD). Taxis may not be metered, and flat rate negotiation upfront may be necessary. Without negotiation, a taxi driver may ask for 20 MYR (at least that is what my mother paid the driver, but defended to me how nice the old man was).
WHERE TO STAY IN MALACCA
With 24 hours in Malacca, we advise to go straight to the heart of the old heritage town and stay close to Jonker Street.
Layang Layang Guesthouse is a colorful guesthouse with economic priced double rooms, starting at 76 MYR ($19 USD). Layang Layang is a heritage house and therefore a preserved part of Malacca’s colonial history. This is with a shared bathroom located outside of the room, the room itself is basic and depending on your selection may or may not have a window.
Alternatively, a decent midrange hotel that’s located near the Clock Tower and Church within a couple minutes walking distance of Jonker Street is Swiss Heritage Boutique Hotel which is right on the riverfront with rooms starting at 70 MYR ($17.50 USD).
WHAT TO DO
Malacca is a foodie location, and you won’t have a shortage of options from street foods to restaurants as you walk around Jonker Street.
1. For breakfast, eat a Salted Egg Yolk Croissant (20.90 MYR, $5.41 USD) and drink their signature coffee at the Stolen Cup – it will blow your mind away!
2. Visit Dutch Square (Red Square) with Malacca’s iconic Dutch-style Clock Tower and Church.
3. Wander around the shops in Jonker Street and enjoy street food for lunch.
a. Sticky Peanuts 5 MYR ($1.25 USD)
b. Chicken Bun 2.50 MYR ($0.65 USD)
c. Uncle Bing BBQ Corn 8 MYR ($2 USD)
4. Catch sunset at the Malacca Straits Mosque (Grab Ride from Clock Tower each way is approximately 8 MYR, $2 USD).
5. Have a night ride in the light up tuk tuks around Dutch Square (Red Square).
6. Have dinner and drinks with a live band at Bistro Year 1673 Restaurant - 2 main dinner dishes and 2 alcoholic beverages cost 85 MYR ($21.25 USD).
TRANSPORT FROM MALACCA TO SINGAPORE
Be sure to plan the day before and either pick up your bus ticket when you arrive at the Malacca bus terminal or purchase it online again at Easybook.com or BusOnlineTicket.com to get your bus ticket from Malacca to Singapore. Tickets begin as low as 25 MYR ($6.45 USD), but be sure to pay attention to the starting station and drop off station of the bus route. Lower price tickets have drop off locations like Woodland which can be far from your desired location.
For 24 hours, our recommendation is to stay around Bugis and for drop off locations pick Queen Street Bus Terminal, Golden Mile Tower, or Bugis MRT.
Getting around Singapore is very convenient with well-connected metro rails and public buses ranging from S$1-1.5 SGD.
WHERE TO STAY
Staying at Hotel NuVe Bugis, starting at $50 USD, will give a convenient access to Singapore’s Chinatown, Little India, and iconic Marina Bay. Additional with your room, you get a Handy Smartphone which is quite convenient.
For the budget backpacker, I recommend Beary Best Hostel at is located conveniently in Chinatown, and provides a free breakfast for $14 USD.
WHAT TO DO
1. Eat at Hawker Chan in Chinatown, the first Hawker food to be awarded a Michelin Star – for two meals of Crispy Pork one with rice and one with noodles cost S$12.20 SGD ($9.28 USD).
a. Opening Hours: 10AM – 8PM (closed Wednesday)
2. Enjoy the sweeping views over Marina Bay with a serving of afternoon tea at Axis Bar and Lounge. The afternoon tea menus are customized to the season and change month at the Mandarin Oriental. - $42 SGD ($31.83 USD) per person
a. Opening Hours: 3-5PM (Mon-Sun); 12:30-2:30PM (Sat/Sun)
3. Escape the heat and spend time inside the air-conditioned Flower Dome of Gardens by the Bay, a gigantic greenhouse with plants and flowers from all over the world. - S$28 SGD ($21.31 USD) for both the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest
a. Opening Hours: 9AM-9PM
4. Watch the signature light and sound show Garden Rhapsody at the Supertree Grove of Gardens by the Bay at 7:45PM. - FREE
a. Opening Hours: 7:45PM and 8:45PM Daily
5. Watch the Spectra at Marina Bay Sands laser and light water show at Marina Bay at 9:00PM. - FREE
a. Opening Hours: Sun – Thu 8PM and 9PM, Fri – Sat 8PM, 9PM, 11PM.
