Sunday, January 8, 2012

History of Melaka River

Since I was in Malacca for a day trip with my mum last Monday, I would like to share some history of the Melaka River with you guys.

Melaka River was once dubbed as "Venice of the East" by the European Seafarers. It signifies the emergence of Malay Sultanate of Melaka, it marks the beginning and ending of each war, it was one of the main factors attracted foreign colonizations and it was the place where Melaka bean.

The Melaka River plays a vital role in the development of Melaka. At the beginning of the 15th century, the Hindu prince Parameswara of Sumatra settled and established the Sultanate near the mouth of this river. His palace was built on the east bank of the river, at the foot of St Paul's Hill.

In addition of being an important conduit for trade, the river is also an important source of fresh water. The river enabled access to the interior and provided a means for local produce to be brought down to the market.

Today, the river function as a tourist attraction spot for Malacca, whereby one can board a boat and take a 45-minute cruise down the river. This allows visitors to recall Malacca’s history while enjoying the rustic scene of leftovers from Malacca’s past. Covering a distance of 10 kilometres, the boat ride takes you all the way down to the infamous Kampung Morten (an old local settlement). All you need to do is just pay RM10 for the river cruise.

Night View of Melaka River

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