We had a wonderful day trip to Malacca! Our guide was knowledgeable, friendly, and shared fascinating insights about the city's history, culture, and local attractions. They made the tour enjoyable, informative, and well organized. A special thank you to our driver, who was punctual, courteous, and drove safely throughout the journey. The vehicle was clean and comfortable, making the trip relaxing from start to finish. We truly appreciated the excellent service and hospitality. We highly recommend this guide and driver to anyone planning a trip to Malacca. Thank you for making our visit such a memorable experience!
About Activity
What's Included
Includes
- Bonus photostop of Middelburg Bastion (Dutch fortress restoration)
- Bonus photostop of Flor De La Mar (Portuguese shipwreck replica)
- Admission to St. Paul's Hill (St. Paul's Church) and A Famosa Fort
- Bonus Johor side trip to Malaysia's King Bukit Serene Johor Bahru Palace
- 300+ miles in 1 day (inclusive of all highway tolls, parking fees, gas)
- All border paperwork + Guaranteed drive-through lane usage at the Malaysia border
- Lunch (choice of BBQ buffet lunch OR sustainable local vegetarian set lunch)
- Admission to Dutch Square and Christ Church
- Admission to Melaka Port Customs Museum
- Fully-guided tour (accompanied by English-speaking guide)
- Bonus photostop of St. Francis Xavier Church (Leaning church of Melaka)
- Bonus photostop of Queen Victoria Fountain (British commemorative monument)
- Entry tickets to Melaka River cruise (or Melaka Trishaw ride subject to conditions)
- Admission to Hang Jebat Mausoleum and Melaka Straits Mosque (public areas)
- Full day private transportation by executive minivan
- Guaranteed 2 staff (1 driver + 1 English-speaking guide) to share workload for the day
- Admission to Jonker Street and Cheng Hoon Teng Temple
Excludes
- Alcohol and beverages
Departure & Return
Departure Point
- Traveler pick up offered
Itinerary
Begin with an early morning pickup at your Singapore hotel. Our trained driver will meet you at the hotel driveway to check your documents before escorting you through immigration via the Malaysia drive-through border (no standing-in-line). After clearing immigration, your English-speaking guide will settle you into the comfortable seats of your private, air-conditioned minivan to enjoy the 3-hour chauffeured drive to Malacca - a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was once the country’s busiest trading port. IMPORTANT: The order of sightseeing stops may be rearranged depending on actual Malacca city traffic, crowd management, and weather conditions to optimize time usage.
Upon arrival in Malacca, one of the first stops will be Melaka Straits Mosque, also known to locals as Masjid Selat Melaka. Built in 2006, the mosque is a beautiful blend of Middle Eastern and local Malay design. The minaret is designed to look like a lighthouse, which is a fitting tribute to its location by the sea. This mosque is also known as a floating mosque, as during high tide, it appears to be gracefully suspended over the water. Note: Guests who wish to enter the mosque may do so briefly, provided it is not closed to the public (ie: outside prayer times). Otherwise, guests may be respectfully requested to only take photos from the outside.
Next, you will hop onboard a scenic river cruise that will sail you into the heart of UNESCO Malacca. Spanning 10-kilometer, Malacca river was once dubbed the "Venice of the East" by European seafarers as it was a prominent port of entry for traders from Europe and Asia during the late 16th century. Note: In the event that the river cruise is closed (ie: weather/safety reasons etc), a 30-min Melaka Riverside drive + 15-min Melaka Trishaw ride will be offered as a replacement.
Situtated near the Melaka Straits Mosque is the Flora De La Mar, or translated as Flower Of The Sea in English. This is the site of a replica of the Portuguese ship that sank off the coast of Malacca on its return trip to Portugal in late 1511, carrying with it treasures from Malacca.
Next, you will be first be brought to Dutch Square. Dutch Square is distinguished by a group of bright, terracotta-red colonial Dutch buildings, built between 1650 and 1750, with louvered windows and chunky doors with wrought iron hinges.
Next to Dutch Square is the famous Christ Church, built as a place of worship by the Dutch in 1753, about a century after they took over Malacca from the Portuguese. When the British occupied Malacca, it was turned into an Anglican church with a weathercock and bell added to show the direction of the wind.
Queen Victoria's Fountain is an ornate Victorian marble addition, erected in 1904 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.
Tan Beng Swee Clock Tower was built by a wealthy Straits Chinese family in 1886 in honour of Tan Beng Swee, a rich Chinese merchant.
Stadthuys was built by the Dutch in 1650 as the office of the Dutch Governor and Deputy Governor.
Next, you will walk to the top of St. Paul's Hill, which sits the iconic statue of St. Francis Xavier next to the famous St. Paul’s Church. Plenty of engraved Dutch tombstones are laid against the walls of this roofless church, originally built in 1521. From the church, you can take in breathtaking views of the Straits Of Malacca.
From a vantage point, you will have a good view of the Straits Of Malacca. The Straits of Malacca is 800km long, and it connects the Pacific Ocean to the east with the Indian Ocean to the west. It is also one of the most important shipping lanes in the world, with over 94,000 vessels passing through each year, carrying about 25% of the world's traded goods.
A short walk down from St. Paul's Church leads to the overgrown remains of the Dutch Graveyard. It was originally used as a Dutch graveyard in the late 17th-century when the VOC (Dutch East India Company) was still in control. The graveyard was also used by British while they were in Malacca.
Walking down from the Dutch graveyard, you will arrive at A Famosa Fort, which is the oldest surviving structure in South East Asia. It was built in 1511 using laterite stones by Alfonso de Albuquerque, the man who led the Portuguese invasion into Malacca. The fort used to surround the whole St. Paul's Hill. However, what remains of the fort now is just a gate.
From A Famosa Fort, you will have a vantage view of a replica of the old Malacca Sultanate Palace. The building is a modern reconstruction of the palace of the Malacca Sultanate, which was founded by King Parameswara in the 1400s.
From A Famosa Fort, you will have a vantage view of Proclamation Of Independence Memorial. The building used to house the Malacca Club - a meeting place for members of the British colonial society to socialise. The building was later converted into a memorial in 1985 to commemorate Malaysia's independence from the British.
A short walk from A Famosa Fort, you will see a replica of the old Middleburg Bastion. After conquering Malacca in 1641, the Dutch constructed the bastion which is strategically located at the mouth of Malacca River to strengthen the existing city defence left behind by the Portuguese.
Next to the Middleburg Bastion is the Melaka Port Customs Museum, which was originally built as a warehouse in the 1890s and used to store imported commodities such as rice, sugar, textiles pending determination and payment of customs duties. It was converted into a museum in 2006 by the Royal Malaysian Customs Department. Note: In the event that the Melaka Port Customs Museum is closed (ie: Mondays/operational reasons etc), a visit to the Melaka Villa Sentosa Heritage Museum will be offered as a replacement.
Next, you will visit Jonker Street, which is flanked on both sides by souvenir and snack shops. You will be spoilt for choice to buy something to remember this tour of Malacca. You can take iconic photos with the Chinese Pixiu animal statue.
Opposite Jonker Street is St. Francis Xavier Church, a twin-spired neo-gothic leaning structure that was built in 1849, in honour of St. Francis Xavier, a prominent 16th-century Catholic missionary also known as the "Apostle of the East".
A short walk from St. Francis Xavier Church is Hang Jebat Mausoleum, dedicated to a warrior felled by misplaced loyalty and tragic circumstances. Hang Jebat began his career as one of Malacca’s most legendary warriors during the 15th century.
The 3 main race/religion of Malaysia is Malay (Islam), Chinese (Buddhism), Indian (Hinduism). Buddhism is therefore practised by 19% of the Malaysia's population. The Cheng Hoon Teng Temple was originally built during the Dutch era, and it is also the oldest functioning temple in Malaysia.
Islam is therefore practised by 64% of the Malaysia's population. The Kampung Kling Mosque is originally built in 1748, and it has an unique mix of Sumatran, Chinese, and Malay architecture. The minaret also resembles a pagoda.
Hinduism is therefore practised by 6% of the Malaysia's population. Built in 1781, Malacca's Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple is the oldest functioning Hindu temple in Malaysia.
Around lunchtime, you will stop for lunch. Choose between a BBQ buffet lunch OR Malaysian set lunch made with sustainable vegetarian ingredients.
After visiting Malacca in the afternoon, you will brought back to your air-conditioned vehicle for a side trip to the famous Bukit Serene Johor Bahru Palace, the state residence for the current National King of Malaysia. This palace is also locally known as the Laman Mahkota Istana Bukit Serene, representation by a majestic arch and a giant crown, which is both a cultural emblem and a picturesque backdrop for memorable photographs.
Next, listen to the deforestation commentary by your English-speaking guide as you pass by the massive palm oil plantations.
After 4 hours, you will arrive at the Singapore border, where you will again be escorted by our driver through immigration via the drive-through border (no standing-in-line), before your tour finishes with a free Singapore hotel drop-off.
Language Offered
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
Reviews
We had a great day exploring the fascinating history of Malacca. Our guide, Aiman and driver Ahjie were very professional . We enjoyed the stories, the fabulous locations and delicious food.
We were a little disappointed with this tour. The guide and driver were very nice and the car (from Singapore) was very comfortable. However, we really didn't learn all about the history of Malacca from our guide. It was like he had a checklist of places we were supposed to see and made sure we saw them but didn't elaborate more.
This tour was one of our very best experiences while visiting Singapore. Vickie was a superb driver, her car was immaculate and comfortable. Aiman was friendly and knowledgeable. He had a great grasp of the history of the colonial city and made sure we visited some other locations that were of particular interest. He also selected terrific restaurants for authentic Malaysian food. Can’t recommend this tour more highly!
We were well taken care of by our driver Kim and our tour guide Iman. Iman was a well spoken, friendly, knowledgable, and savvy tour guide. We absolutely would not have had the same experience without him. He highlighted not only history but wildlife food and shopping venues specific to our interests. He took excellent pictures of our family at all the best spots in Melaka. The pace was just right for our family. When we needed breaks, he stopped for us without pushing us to move forward. Our family was so happy with hum that we are excited to come back and do the Kuala Lumpur tour with him. Thank you so much Iman for an unforgettable experience.
Our driver Alvin Ang was great and did a wonderful job as a tour guide. He gave us the history of Singapore and drove us to Santosa Island and other sites for 6 hours. Highly recommend him.
Excellent day trip from Singapore <> Melaka. Our tour guide Shan and chauffeur Sean were very professional and made the trip smooth and efficient. Would definitely recommend them.
We were picked up on time at our hotel and went over the border to pick up the guide. Both the driver and the guide were fantastic and very friendly and made the experience stress free. It is a long day but well worth it.
A wonderful day to see Malacca (Melaka) from Singapore. It is a long day (starts at 5am, ends in early evening) but worth it for those who enjoy seeing another country in quick order. It is a UNESCO cultural city that is small enough, easy to get around, full of history as well as inviting. It was wonderful having our own driver and guide who catered to our needs.
Driver and the guide was excellent. The van was very small for 10 people. It was packed like " Sardines". Going from Singapore to Malacca is little hectic. I will avoid going from Singapore. We have all passport info to the tour operator and coming back, we were stopped at Singapore border. No one told us to take the hotel information and return ticket information with us. So we were stopped for 45 min and all had interviews. some had the paper work on cell phones and after a big deal, we were let go. Viator need to inform people to bring all info on this trip.
Iman (our tour guide) and Vicky (our driver) were amazing! We felt totally pampered right from hotel pick up to drop off! Iman was knowledgeable and charming, teaching us many facts about Malacca history. He also ensured all paperwork was completed for us for border crossings. The vehicle transportation was extremely comfortable and Vicky was an adept driver! The tour itself definitely left us wanting more time in Malacca!. Do not hesitate to book this tour and hopefully you get Iman!
Great day out of Singapore to Malacca. The vehicle was really comfortable making the long journey easy. The guide gave me plenty of information and helped to take lots of good photos. Highly recommended.
Great tour. The car was very comfortable, so the length of the journey was not felt. Kudos to the guide Putri
Great day trip to Malacca. We were picked up in a very comfortable vehicle from our hotel in Singapore. The driver did the border process and we picked up our local guide along the way. Visited the main attractions of Malacca including a cruise. We decided npt to visit the museum included in the tour. In hindsight we would have liked the opportunity to visit the upside down house instead ( at the time we didn't know that one could visit). Our guide was very nice and attentive. He even bought us water as it was such a hot day and we had left our water bottles in the car not realizing we would not be picked up by the car until hours later. Lunch included in the tour was great.
Enjoyed the tour of this beautiful, historic city. Start time of 05:00 made for a long day but we enjoyed the upgraded van as the seats were excellent and allowed a nap on the way there and back. Putre was our guide and she was excellent. Friendly and informative.
Brilliant , Fantastic Day…Malaka is delightful. We were very lucky to have Jo as our guide and Tony our driver. Jo was full of interesting information and made us really enjoy the tour. He was very attentive , we felt like VIP’s and had such a great time . The food was spectacular! Malaysia will be our next holiday. THANKYOU Jo and Tony❤️😍🫶😘
Interesting place but our guide was on his schedule. We covered lots of territory yet when we wanted to stop at two places that were listed as options on the tour guide told us no. We were under the impression we could make some adjustments. Instead he insisted on going places and continued to tell us all about the Muslim religion even though part of the group was practicing. So we heard many of the same things over and over. The country is very rich and and we would have to see some of the Arts and museum that we missed. Frankly we couldn't get a bathroom break without asking multiple times. Our driver and transportation was lovely. It's a long trip from Singapore and traffic can always be an issue fortunately we only ran into a bit on the way back. I would recommend this trip only if you're clear with the guide and he will allow you to see the museums.
I am very happy I booked a private tour. A bit more in price but totally worth it. We were able to set our own schedule and leave Kuala Lumpur when we were done with dinner. Our driver Ken was a very safe and thoughtful drive. He was waiting outside the hotel for us when we went out. Our guide Iman was awesome, he provided great information about the areas and some great history.
Overall great trip for people who want to see melacca and only have a short time. Guide Aiman and our driver were great and got us from Singapore to Malacca and back safely and quickly. They made getting through the borders easy and quick as possible. Melacca was an interesting city with a lot of colorful sites. It is an expensive tour but they made it a great experience if you want to see Malaysia and are short on time.
It was a long but reasonably well organised day. I won’t be forced into writing a long review cxxxxx
It was not a bad experience but it is significantly overpriced. The tour guide Putri was quite good.
Had a fantastic day! Both the guide Simon and the driver were super informative and easy to get along with. My friend and I learned so much in a short period of time, and got to see a ton of history. Highly recommend!
Iman was our guide Vincent was the driver Very knowledgeable and enjoyed the thorough experience Recommend to all
Tour was very good. Morning start allowed for easy crossing to Malaysia. Crossing back on a Sunday afternoon was about an hour due to traffic. Aiman guide was very knowledgeable and helpful. Buffet lunch at a Holiday inn was mediocre. Expected a better setting and meal for the price we paid.
Excellent and worthwhile day trip from Singapore. The tour was very structured, and normally I would have preferred a bit more flexibility to explore. However, given my limited time, this was a great way to see a snippet of Malaka. The tour guide was fantastic, very knowledgeable about the history and so eager to answer our questions. Noted that a previous reviewer complained about the food, but I could not disagree more! I am vegetarian, so requested vegetarian meals. The guide took us to the most charming French bakery for breakfast, which had delightful coffee and kouign amann. It was better than a highly recommended bakery I went to in Singapore the following day. For lunch, the guide took us to Botanist Cafe, a fully vegetarian Malaysian restaurant. This would have been EXACTLY where I would have chosen to eat had I been picking! It was classic Malaysian dishes, all made vegetarian. Absolutely phenomenal, and one of the best meals I had on my Singapore-Malaysia trip. So I guess I'd recommend asking for vegetarian meal options!
Lovely guide and driver. We enjoyed the different experience with lunch at the Korean Restaurant. Iman was very knowledgeable about the history and culture of Malacca which we appreciated.
Our driver met us at our Singapore hotel right on time. He then drove across the border to Malaysia where we met our tour guide, Aiman. The tour company contacted us the prior day via WhatsApp to get a copy of our passports in order to expedite the border crossing. Since we departed Singapore at 5 AM, the border crossing was relatively uncrowded. After a two hour drive, we arrived in Malacca (English spelling) and had a traditional Malaysian breakfast. We were able to see many sites, including Famosa Fort, St. Paul's Hill and Cathedral, Dutch Square, and Chinatown Jonker Street. We went on a Monday so unfortunately many of the museums and churches were closed. The Melaka (Malaysian spelling) River Cruise was a great way to see the central part of the city. Our visit ended with a buffet lunch at the Ibis Hotel. The border crossing on the way back took significantly more time due to the traffic. Malacca is definitely worth a visit...a charming little city in contrast to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
The trip was very good. The guide and driver did their best to provide us with a memorable trip and even went out of their way to do so. Only negative is that the lunch was not great. Otherwise highly recommended
This was an amazing trip. Our very capable driver Vincent collected us from our hotel and soon after crossing the border we collected Putri, our guide for the day. Her knowledge of the history of Melaka was excellent and we learnt so much from her. The included buffet lunch was very good and the river cruise was interesting. Yes it was a long day but we knew that from the start and we felt it was well worth it. My Sister and I thoroughly enjoyed the day and would highly recommend it.
It is a beautiful old town. We really enjoyed the trip. Thanks to Ms Putri who was our tour guide for the day.
I enjoyed being shown around by my friendly and knowledgeable guide, Elmo! So much history and beautifully preserved architecture. Learned all about the various churches, temples and mosques. A memorable experience.
We had a great time! our guide Putri was fantastic! we did a private tour. Highly recommend this option. This history of Malacca was amazing! Putri was very helpful in describing the sites and history of the city and of Malaysia! Yes the ride in the Van to get there is long. and the rode is very bumpyat times, but that is not any fault of the driver or tour. Just the way it is. i would recommend not doing the boat cruise and perhaps touring the replica Portuguese ship instead? the cruise was just OK. the Food on the tour was fantastic. Thanks again Putri for making the day special!!!!
Our tour guide and driver were great. Melaka was underwhelming and the total cost of the tour was too much. The high price is due to the cost of Singapore in general - everything is overpriced! Would have been much cheaper to fly to and stay in Kuala Lumpur and then get the tour to Melaka.
We had a wonderful visit. Our tour driver Joe was on time, we felt safe on our ride to and from Malaysia. Our tour guide Putri was well versed on the historical and cultural aspects of this unique city. Recommend highly.
Putri gave us a wonderful day walking through historical Malacca, carefully explaining all the sites.
Very interesting city to see, a lot of history. Would like more information from the tour guard though. Lunch at the hotel was nice. Very enjoyable river cruise on Melaka River. Drive- thru border was great, but traffic on the way back took hours .Overall a great day trip.
We appreciated the expedited border crossings and the comfortable drive to/from Melaka. Our guide, Elmo, was personable and well informed.
We were a family of 4 adults, my parents both being beyond 75 yrs old and we were in our 40-50s. We all enjoyed the tour very much. Amir our guide was very knowledgeable (my Dad finally met his historical match) and our drivers Mr. Yee and Henry were prompt and swift! No issues at the border and lunch buffet at the hotel was nice. The van was super comfy and AC was a life saver! Traffic was rough coming back but hey, what can you do? Thanks for a memorable day trip to Melaka! (Don’t forget the TP and insect repellent).
Timely and efficient, a stress-free way to visit Malaysia on a short timeline. We opted for Malacca instead of Kuala Lumpur, and I feel that we were able to learn and enjoy the country thoroughly with a shorter travel day. Would recommend.
Nice to explore a new place. Good guide and driver made the trip worthwhile. Though vegetarian lunch had prawns in it
It was a wonderful day tour to the historic city. The boat ride was a memorable time and was the highlight. We truly enjoyed the tour. Please thank you the operator for the transportation arrangements. They did a wonderful job.
We knew that this was going to be a long day of travel and it certainly was. The car was very comfortable no problems there. Malacca was very interesting, lots to see and we enjoyed the history. But the travel, traffic and 20 minute hold up with a border control officer coming back into Singapore made it a long day.
We’re grateful being provided a small private tour. The trip was magnificent and efficient, felt amazed with the drive through system at customs’ checkpoint. Thank you JE Travel, especially mbak Dian and Mr Yee for giving us a memorable tour to Malacca.
Nice historical city many thing to learn about the city with the knowledgable tour guide and the Malacca Straits is the most to visit place in a lifetime.
Dian is the greatest guide I ever knew! She is so friendly, has a lot of knowledge, and super patience! She brings us to go to all historical places! We got local lunch on hotel buffet that was really good! I thought I can’t eat some of Malay food but turned out that all the food was amazing! The river cruise also a must thing to do! So relax and can see the history of old malacca. Would recommend!!
We had a wonderful day. The driver and guide made the trip comfortable, enjoyable and informative. Loved it.
I had only read about the Malacca Straits in school, I didn’t realize there was so much history in Malacca. Malacca was very different from the glitz and glamour of Singapore. It was very easy to do this trip.
Very informative and friendly. So glad we didn't try to navigate the Singapore/Malaysia border crossing ourselves. That alone was worth the expense. Had a very nice walking tour around Malacca, river cruise, then free time to wander Chinatown on our own for shopping. Called the day off with an excellent lunch.
Visiting Malacca at the very first time after this age. Departed from Singapore at 6am and arrived in Malacca at around 9am. Guide was on time and manage the whole itinerary well. She made sure we had a safe walking tour through the whole Malacca Heritage Site with detail story. She even give us bonus explore heritage site that's not mentioned in the itinerary during our spare time waiting for the lunch time. Definitely will recommend this tour to my friend and family
JE Travels is a very efficient way to see the facinating historical city of Malacca from Singapore. We were picked up right on time in a new vehicle by our driver and a tour guide. Using drive through immigration at the Malaysia border we were in Malacca in 3 hours. Our guide provided a walking tour of the old town, a canal cruise through the old harbor, and treated to a unique Malaysian desert. After some free time for lunch and a little shopping, we did the trip back. It was a long day - 11 hours - but if if you are time limited it is the best way to do it. I set it up directly with JE Travels on their website -- very professional.
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