MALAYSIA
PENINSULAR MALAYSIA – WEST COAST •• Melaka lonelyplanet.comeach 200m. Although required to use the
meter by law, taxi drivers often need coercing
to do so, and tend to overcharge tourists. It
should cost no more than RM10 to go right
across the central city area, even in moder-
ate traffic. Note that taxis will often only
stop at the numerous officially signposted
taxi stands.Train
KL’s pride and joy is the user-friendly Light
Rail Transit (LRT; %1800 388 288; http://www.rapidkl.com.my)
system, which is composed of the Ampang/
Sentul Timur, Sri Petaling/Sentul Timur and
Kelana Jaya/Terminal Putra lines. Fares range
from RM1 to RM2.80 and trains run every
six to 10 minutes from 6am to 11.50pm
(11.30pm Sunday and holidays).
KL’s zippy monorail (%2273 1888; http://www.klmono
rail.com.my; RM1.20-2.50; h6am-midnight) runs be-
tween KL Sentral in the south to Titiwangsa
in the north. It’s a very handy service linking
up many of the city’s sightseeing areas and
providing a cheap air-con tour as you go.
K TM Komuter (%2272 2828; tickets from RM1), not
to be confused with the long-distance KTM
service (see p449 ), links Kuala Lumpur
with outlying suburbs and the historic
railway station.
KL Sentral station, in the Brickfields area,
is the central transit station for all train travel
in KL. Other interchange stations include
Masjid Jamek (Map p442 ), for transfer be-
tween Star and Putra LRT; Hang Tuah (Map
pp440–1 ) and Titiwangsa (Map pp440–1 ),
for transfer between KL Monorail and Star
LRT; Bukit Nanas (Map p444 ), for transfer
between KL Monorail and Putra LRT; and
Tasik Selatan, for transfer between KTM
Komuter and Star LRT.PENINSULAR MALAYSIA
- WEST COAST
Malaysia’s multiculturalism is best viewed
along the west coast. Nestled against the
Straits of Melaka, the convenient shipping
route has, over the centuries, created a cos-
mopolitan populace, well schooled in English.
Besides Pulau Langkawi, the islands of this
coast don’t compare to those in the east or
in Thailand, but they are always host to great
seafood and an array of cultural adventures.MELAKA
%06 / pop 648,500
Melaka has all the advantages of a metropolis:
seemingly hundreds of cheap fantastic places to
eat and stay, artistic and tolerant locals, diverse
entertainment and nightlife and a colourful
history that you can nearly touch. Yet it’s a
small, manageable place that exudes a calm
that’s only a notch more stressful than a tropi-
cal beach. Melt into the daily grind of dim sum
breakfasts, the call to prayer followed by church
bells down the road, laksa lunches, rides in
crazy and gaudy trishaws, tandoori dinners
and late-night drinks at balmy bars. It’s hard
not to like this town.
Melaka was founded in the 14th century by
Parameswara, a Hindu prince from Sumatra,
became protected by the Chinese in 1405, then
dominated by the Portuguese in 1511, then the
Dutch in 1641 and then finally ceded to the
British in 1795. The intermingling of peoples
created the Peranakan people (also called Baba
Nonya) who are descended from Chinese set-
tlers (see p433 ), the Chitties, who are of mixed
Indian and Malay heritage, and Eurasians born
of Malay and Portuguese love affairs.Orientation
Chinatown is Melaka’s most interesting and
scenic area. Town Sq, also known as Dutch
Sq, is the centre of a well-preserved museum
district. Further to the northeast is Melaka’s
tiny Little India. Backpacker guest houses are
found in Chinatown and around the nearby
and less scenic Jln Melaka Raya.Information
BOOKSHOPS
MPH (Ground fl, Mahkota Parade Shopping Complex, Jln
Merdeka)EMERGENCY
Tourist Police (%285 4114; Jln Kota)IMMIGRATION OFFICES
Immigration office (%282 4958; 2nd fl, Wisma
Persekutuan, Jln Hang Tuah)INTERNET ACCESS
Fenix Internet Centre (Fenix Hotel, 156 Jln Taman Melaka
Raya; per hr RM3) Also has fax and full business services.MEDICAL SERVICES
Mahkota Medical Centre (%281 4426/442; www
.mahkotamedical.com; No 3, Mahkota Melaka, Jln Merdeka)450