Shopping in Malacca

 Shopping

Shopping in Melaka is a unique experience for everyone. The main shopping area is filled with a variety of merchandise ranging from departmental stores to colourful busy bazaars offering unbeatable bargains.

Prices at shopping complexes are fixed but bargaining is welcomed at smaller retail shops and roadside stalls. The bigger shopping centres can be found in Jalan Munshi Abdullah, Jalan Bunga Raya, Jalan Hang Tuah and Jalan Bendahara.

   Handicraft/souvenirs stores

These can be found in various places in and around Melaka.

   Antiques

Melaka is THE mecca for antique lovers, souvenir hunters and treasure enthusiasts. These shops are plentiful and there are many antiques to chose from. There have been reports of 'false' antiques, so be aware of this when purchasing your chosen pieces.

You can find rare Chinese porcelain from the Sung, Ming or Ching dynasties, as well as 17th-century Dutch and 18th-century Japanese porcelain, Indian brassware, Chinese brass irons and intricately carved Chinese rosewood furniture inlaid with mother-of-pearl can also be found.

Numismatists will delight in gold, silver and copper coins dating back several centuries. Filigree and repousse goldware and silverware which fuse Malay, Chinese and Indian jewellery craftsmanship are especially beautiful.  Silver is fashioned into bolster ends and pillow ends with intricate floral and foliage motifs and belt buckles the size of a dessert saucer. These testify to the prestigious lifestyle and social distinction of Malay, Chinese, Indian, Nyonya and Chitty ladies. The list goes on. Discover other rare pieces yourself. Here is where you can really test your bargaining prowess!

There are some antiques which are to be exported require clearance from the Director-generic of the National Museum of Malaysia. The antique dealers will advice purchasers of the items which need the approval of the above authority. Most dealers will help buyers to fill in official clearance forms and forward them to the museum authority. You are advised to ask if items can be exported before buying any.

   Fabric & Clothing

Malaysian textiles and clothes include the ever popular batik and songket which many visitors take home. Songket is a brocade of silk interwoven with silver or gold threads with beautiful foliage and floral motifs.

There are three types of batiks depending on how motifs are printed on them. The most common is the block-printed batik, followed by screen-pirated ones. The most expensive are those that are painted free-hand. When you buy a piece of hand painted batik, you are buying a piece of exclusive art!

   Pewter, Silverware & Brassware

Bangles, bracelets, brooches, earrings and necklaces, cuff-links and tie pins are the predominant locally-crafted items from silver and pewter. Brassware includes exquisite candelabra, incense burners and oil lamps.

   Screwpine (Pandanas), Rattan & Bambooware

Colourful and practical woven baskets, handbags, drip mats and hats, are some durable items made from rattan and screwpine.

Bamboo is cleverly woven into huge food covers called tudong saji. These are used widely throughout Asia as hoods over servings of food to keep out flies. They come in various sizes and colours.

   Lacquerware

Wood is beautifully varnished with coats of lacquer for a smooth finish. It is usually made into shallow boxes, called bakul siah, to display confectionery and cakes. Ingenious nyonya ladies sometimes convert them to sewing baskets.


   Arts and Crafts

Visit the Karyaneka Handicrafts Emporium on Laksamana Street as they have pretty traditional pottery and handicrafts for sale. Also on sale are lacquer ware, brassware and various items made of rattan, a type of vine-like wood. Lightweight and practical, these hardy items last a long time and the smaller ones would make ideal souvenirs to bring home.

There are also handicrafts for sale in shops along the Laksamana Street where most of the items come from Indonesia, including handsome and well-made modern pottery tea sets.

To buy or look at crafts specially brought in from Sarawak in East Malaysia, head back to Jonker Street for some creative woodwork with engaging carving and colourfully designed mats woven from plants at the Tribal Arts Gallery.

Another great place to get cultural souvenirs is at the Cultural Museum besides Christ Church near the Tourist Office. Cheap and affordable, they make nice gifts for your loved ones back home.

Finally, to get some items with individualistic creativity, Jonker Street has shops that sell items like T-shirts, mugs, key chains and other items you can personalise yourself.


   night market

The night market sold a whole bunch of stuff that we had seen in one or two craft shops, along with food and drink. I hate markets with a passion, and only dire need, money, or wild elephants would get me back to the weekend market in Bangkok, but this market was decidedly different. It was enjoyable, uncrowded, charming, and full friendly locals without a hint of aggression in their sales pitch. In fact, they didn’t have a sales pitch - they just smiled and chatted.