Getting to Melaka and Back - Malacca Part 9

Bukit Jalil Bus Terminal

Getting to Melaka from KL used to be quite easy! You just head to Puduraya Bus Station (Hentian Puduraya), along Jalan Pudu, northeast and a leisurely 20-minute walk from Bukit Bintang. You didn’t even need to make advance bookings. A bus leaves KL every 30 minutes during rush hour; every hour on most times, and 1 ½ hours during the dead hours! But since the on-going renovations of Puduraya Terminal that started April 2010 – and one that would supposedly take 4 months, it has been a different story.

Puduraya services most interstate buses, from KL to most places in Peninsular Malaysia (except for 2 destinations – Jerantut and Kuala Lipis). Even buses bound for Singapore and Thailand leave from Puduraya! The few ones that travel to Cameron Highlands will wait for passengers right across the station (since most buses that head to the Hills seem to leave from a Bus Terminal at Titiwangsa).

PUDURAYA BUS TERMINAL

Puduraya was opened in 1976 by a former Prime Minister, and after 30 years, it underwent renovations in 2006. It is thus puzzling why another major renovation was scheduled just 4 years after its last refurbishments. Puduraya has bus platforms at the ground level, while the 2^nd floor is home to bus ticket stalls, a hotel (Hotel Puduraya), a post office (which I never saw), 2 left luggage centers (that meticulously checks what’s inside your bags), restaurants, news and fruit shops. Since it was temporarily decommissioned, all bus services have been transferred to a makeshift bus terminal in Bukit Jalil If you’re not familiar with KL trains, it can be quite an exciting little adventure in itself.

Melaka Sentral

TAKING THE WRONG TRAIN

In one of my rides to Bukit Jalil (which is an area known for their gold courses), I took the wrong train as it was heading to the right direction. However, I forgot to consider the fact that there are 2 stops headed in the same direction. I took the Ampung Line, instead of the Sri Petaling Line! I had to get off at Miharja, back track to a common station and took the correct Sri Petaling line to Bukit Jalil! If you’re not in a hurry, it’s fun finding your way around.

Anyway, I will have a separate post on taking the train to Bukit Jalil for emphasis – and nice photos!

BUKIT JALIL STATION TO BUS TERMINAL

Once you get yourself to Bukit Jalil, you will see the gargantuan National Stadium, which was an impressive sight! Head to the nearby road, and cross the street, then walk to your right. You shall pass through a small bridge. Once you see the equally impressive Hockey Stadium, just across it, you find the Bukit Jalil Bus Terminal. Walk towards the tented atrium, and find the stalls that book buses for Melaka. There are probably 3 which should include Delima Bus, Metro Bus and if it’s still operational for Melaka trips, the Transnasional (Malaysia’s biggest and most reliable consortium of buses) which was my bus the first time I visited Melaka!

I got a ticket from the Delima Bus at 12.50 ringgit (It used to be 8 ringgit 3 years ago). The trip will take 2 hours and terminates at Melaka Sentral. Like most interstate buses, Delima Bus is new, smells new, with comfortable seats and an AC! My bus pulled out from the station at 9:30 AM. Then I somehow went off into a restful nap! By 11:30 AM, I was in Melaka!

Delima Bus to Melaka

MELAKA SENTRAL

Melaka Sentral is a well planned bus terminal where shopping could be had. Pashminas are cheaper here than in KL, and there are even DVDs on sale – titles that aren’t found in the capital, probably because it is relatively closer to the Singapore border! The terminal is divided into 2 areas: the interstate bus terminal (for the long distance buses) and the intercity/local bus terminal for buses that ply around the state of Melaka. Direction? Just ask the locals!

Melaka Sentral

This is the Melaka Sentral's Interstate Bus Terminal wing, a circular atrium where you can wait for your bus.

GETTING TO THE CITY CENTER

Once at the local terminal, which is really just a walk to the other side of the covered building. I spotted Bus no. 17 (green bus, non-AC) conveniently marked “Town Bus Service”. For just 1.50 ringgit (prepare exact change because they won’t give your change back ), I slipped my bus fare at the collection box located just beside the driver. I took the seat in front, while munching on my 1 ringgit fruits. Though the dragon fruit is my current favorite, I specifically enjoyed the huge slices of the juicy and sweet “Star Fruit” (which locals call “belimbing”). Manila folks are used to the smaller and very sour variety of “balimbing”.

P.S. If you’re headed to the shopping complexes like Mahkota Parade and Dataran Pahlawan Megamall, then take Town Bus no. 50!

Melaka Sentral is 4.5 kilometers from the city’s historical center, the Stadthuy area!

1 ringgit fruits: papaya, guava, watermelon, dargon fruit, star fruit, etc.

What are these? Any Malaysians help? They were exceedingly sweet, I eventually threw them away.

Star Fruit, the big, juicy and sweet variety. They are also called Carambola or balimbing (in Manila), and belimbing in Malaysia.

Town Bus Service no. 17 at a cheap 1.50 ringgit!

GOING AWAY FROM MELAKA

Later that day, I waited for the same commuter bus along Dataran Pahlawan Megamall. This took me quite awhile, I was almost tempted to take a taxi instead. Fortunately, even a taxi was nowhere in sight. I belatedly found out that the “Town Bus Service” is conveniently parked just right across Mahkota Parade (a complex of shopping malls opposite Dataran Pahlawan Megamall). It was headed straight to Melaka Sentral. For just 1.50 ringgit again, I paid for myticket! Barely 3 years ago, this same bus took 1 hour as it roamed the different areas of Melaka before terminating at the terminal. It was a very cheap tour around town, but it took forever. This time though, it only took 15 minutes!

Once at Melaka Sentral, I looked for Transnasional’s ticket counter but it was closed. They really must have decommissioned their Melakan trips – I am not sure! I settled with a “Metro Bus Express” which didn’t look as new as the Delima. I just missed Delima by a couple of minutes, and I refused to wait for the next hour. Since Metro Bus Express was boarding, I snatched my 12.50-ringgit ticket, and settled comfortably. While the gentlest rains washed the lands, my bus was breezing through Malaysia and I fell in deep slumber!

I shall awake once KL beckons.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

Bus no. 50 to Melaka Sentral waits in front of Mahkota Parade - 1.50 ringgit.

FAST FACTS:

Buses from KL to Melaka fare – 12.50 ringgit per adult

Local bus fare from Melaka Sentral to City Center – 1.50 ringgit

Panorama Melaka fare – 5 ringgit and 2 ringgit per person per day

Metro Bus Express Schedule of Melaka-to-KL: 8:30 AM, 9 AM, 10, 11:30, 12 PM, 1 PM, 2:30, 3, 4, 5:30, 6 PM, 7 PM (last bus to KL) at 12.50 ringgit per person

Duration of travel from KL to Melaka: 2 hours

Melaka has opened a hop-on, hop-off bus service called “Panorama Melaka” which takes tourists to most of the attractions in town. The red bus charges a flat rate of 5 ringgit a day, while the blue bus charges 2 ringgit a day! They run at 10-minute intervals. However, this service is only made available from a ridiculously short 7 AM to 12 Noon. By the time most day tourists get to Melaka, the service would have already “retired”.

Melaka to KL Bus Schedule of Metro Bus Express

Puduraya Bus Station (Hentian Puduraya), underwent renovations since April 12, 2010. This photo only courtesy of wikipedia's two hundred percent.

Christ Church and the Stadthuys (Red Square) - Melaka Part 2

Christ Church is Melaka’s number 1 tourist attraction! And the Stadthuys, otherwise known as the “Red Square” is its most visited town square! London has Trafalgar Square, Melaka has Stadthuys! To tourists who don’t know where to start their city visit, this should be your first stop!

From KL, my Delima Bus took 2 hours to reach Melaka Sentral. Upon arrival, I hopped on Town Bus no. 17 (green), and paid my 1.50 ringgit fare ($0.30 or PhP21.50). The terminal is 4 ½ kilometers east of the city center (Heritage Trail). We slid past shops and buildings until we were plying Jalan Laksamana, heading towards the Red Square. I told the bus conductor, “Stadthuys!” And he nodded with disinterest. The shops and convenience stores turned into a row of uniformly painted red buildings. I knew I was close! These newly painted “red” buildings were to harmonize with the Dutch heritage so proudly flaunted in Melaka! After all, the Dutch were their lords for 183 years!

I got the nod from the conductor so when the bus made its stop, I jumped from my bus and into the magnificent Red Square – the Stadthuys! There were multitudes of tourists, and the atmosphere invoked a festive party of anonymous strangers! In spite of myself, I gasped from the scenery before me! It was just beautiful – like trotting ever so gently back in time! And it’s not even my first time here!

Jalan Laksamana

Jalan Laksamana - Once you see the red buildings, its 50 meters ahead from Stadthuys!

To my left was Christ Church, the path leading to it was lined with trishaws gaudily decked with a kaleidoscope of plastic flowers.

Christ Church was built by the ruling Dutch empire in 1741 to commemorate the centenary (100 years) of the capture of Malacca from the Portuguese. This was to take over the Portuguese-constructed St. Paul’s Church (then called Bovenkerk) up the hill as the primary place of worship for the Dutch. Originally painted in white, the building was painted red in 1911 – the distinctive color scheme which has become a hallmark for the Dutch regime!

Photography isn’t allowed inside, but what we see isn’t as spectacular as I’d have expected. The wooden pews and frieze of “The Last Supper” were hand crafted, but the more interesting bits were the tombstones bearing inscriptions from Portuguese as well as Armenian traders. One of which we share here:

“ I, Jacob, grandson of Shamier, an Armenian of a respectable family whose name I keep, was born in Persia near Inefa, where my parents now forever sleep. Fortune brought me to distant Malacca, which my remains in bondage to keep. Separated from the world on 7th July 1774 A.D. at the age of 29, my mortal remains were deposited in this spot of the ground which I purchased.”

With the change of hand, Christ Church was later consecrated as an Anglican Church, as it is now. The weathercock atop the bell tower is a British addition!

Since photography wasn't allowed inside... this photo only courtesy of wongfookyee.com.

There's a stall at the right side of the church hall selling candles and religious items, including a local recording called "Back to You volume 1 - Day by Day". An american lady's exuberant praise recommending this recording called our attention. Though we're not overly religious, we were curious, so for 10 ringgit (or was it 15?) we got ourselves a copy. The CD has 7 tracks, mostly sung in English, and composed by Lawrence Quek and Terence Khoo. One track ("Thank You Jesus For Your Love") was attributed to "the late Tony Khoo", sung in Chinese. Though appreciation of the arts, like music, is a subjective experience, this wouldn't be among my favorites, although it is a decent recording that's heavy on reverb much like a Karaoke number.

Bicycle rickshaws

The Stadthuys (which literally means “town hall”) – or the Red Square – was built 9 years after the Dutch started their rule in 1641. This became the office of the Dutch Governor and his deputy! These days, it is home to the Museum of History and Ethnography – the city’s premier museum. If there is a single museum worth visiting in Melaka, this would be it! However, if you only have a few hours on a day tour, would you rather spend them indoors?

The cobbled lane between Christ Church and Stadthuys have souvenir shops that cater to the wealthy tourists. This isn’t your place for souvenir items – if you’re scrimping! But it’s nevertheless a pleasant stroll to take.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

The Clock Tower

Stadthuys

The Red Square

Souvenirs for sale!

Part 1 - Overview: A Little History of Melaka - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2010/08/melaka-giddy-with-delight-in-new-old.html

Our first ever Melakan visit here - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2007/12/fascinating-malacca-malaysia.html

Up next: Jonker's Street and Melaka River

Map of Central Melaka