How to easily plan a day trip to the city of Melaka from Singapore or Kuala Lumpur
Melaka Day Trip
Melaka is a relaxed city built around the Melaka River and it is the perfect place to visit on a short trip from Singapore or Kuala Lumpur.
Melaka was historically important for trade and commerce, due to its strategic location on the Strait of Malacca, a major shipping route in South East Asia. The UNESCO listed city centre is small and easy to get around and showcases a mix of cultural and architectural styles from centuries of being an important trading port. Great food, fun street art and some interesting museums all showcase the multicultural heritage of this historic city and make Melaka a great destination for a day trip.
How much time do you need to visit Melaka ?
An ideal amount of time for a visit to Melaka would be one day and one night or an entire weekend. However, you can take a day trip to Melaka from either Singapore or Kuala Lumpur quite easily, though you will be spending a few hours on transportation. This guide will help you understand how to get to Melaka from either city and includes sample itineraries for a day trip, so you can get started on planning a visit to the city of Melaka in Malaysia.
Table of Contents
Visit Melaka from Singapore
Visit Melaka from Kuala Lumpur
How to visit Melaka from Singapore
Distance from Singapore to Melaka
The distance from Singapore to Melaka is 240 kilometres or about a three hour drive. However, you also need to account for the time it takes to cross the border at the checkpoint on your way out of Singapore and into Malaysia and whether there are any traffic delays. The border crossing tends to be quite busy in the mornings, so your trip is likely to take closer to four hours in total from Singapore to Melaka. Make sure you bring your travel documents to cross the border !
How to get to Melaka from Singapore on the bus ?
Almost all visitors to Melaka from Singapore arrive by bus or car since there is no airport or train station in Melaka itself. There are about a dozen coach bus companies running a daily service between these two cities, ranging from basic budget service to VIP luxury coaches. The more expensive bus services will drop passengers at hotels in the centre of Melaka, which can be helpful, since the Melaka Sentral bus station is 4km or a 45 minute walk from Dutch Square in the centre of town.
How long is the bus trip from Singapore to Melaka ?
Many people choose to visit Melaka from Singapore on the bus, and the journey should take around 4 hours, if there are no delays. If you choose a public bus or a tour group, you will still need to clear the border checkpoint and there will be a service station stop half way to Melaka, which also adds to transportation time.
Keep in mind that many bus services (especially the budget ones) will only wait about 20 minutes for you at the border checkpoint, and you will have to wait for the next bus service if you are delayed crossing the border.
While some bus services will bring passengers to the Melaka Sentral bus station, others will drop passengers at various hotels around the city centre, which can be more convenient. Keep in mind that the bus station is located just north of the city centre, so you may want to get off at one of the hotel stops instead, if your bus service offers that option.
One day trip to Melaka from Singapore
While it is possible to visit Melaka in one day from Singapore, you will be spending close to 8 hours on transportation, which may leave you feeling rushed while visiting the city. A much better option is to stay for at least one night in Melaka, this way you only have to take one bus journey per day and Melaka is a great destination for a weekend trip from Singapore !
Melaka is also a popular stopover point for travellers who are on their way from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur and have some extra time to explore the country of Malaysia. However, you can still enjoy the city on a day trip and the sample intinerary below will show you what you could realistically do in one day.
Example Itinerary for a Melaka Day Trip from Singapore
8:30 AM – Depart Singapore on the Bus
12 Noon – Arrive in Melaka
12:30 – Start your visit in Dutch Square and have lunch near Jonker Street
2pm – Take a cruise of the Melaka River to see the street art and historical buildings
3:30 – Stop for a coffee, snack or ice cream
4:00pm – Visit a museum or walk around for photography or shopping
5:30 pm – Have dinner or a street food snack before the bus home
6:30 pm – Bus back to Singapore
10:30 pm – Arrive back in Singapore
Visit Melaka from Kuala Lumpur
Distance from Kuala Lumpur (KL) to Melaka
Melaka is around 150 kilometres from the centre of Kuala Lumpur, which is around a two hour drive by car. You can also take a train from KL Sentral to Pulau Sebang/Tampin station, around 38 kilometres away from Melaka, and then transfer to a bus or take a taxi for the remaining distance. Most visitors will arrive by car or bus, as that is the most simple and easy way to travel.
How to get to Melaka from Kuala Lumpur on the bus ?
There are bus services to Melaka departing from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan in Kuala Lumpur around every 30 minutes during the day. These buses will drop you off at Melaka Sentral station, and from there you can take a local bus or taxi for the remaining 4 kilometres to reach the centre of town. If you are with a family or larger group, you could consider taking a taxi or private driver service from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka as well.
How long is the bus trip from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka ?
The bus trip from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka should take around two and a half hours depending on traffic conditions.
One day trip to Melaka from Kuala Lumpur
It is much more reasonable to take a day trip to Melaka from Kuala Lumpur than it is from Singapore, as the shorter distance means you will only spend around 4 hours of your day on transportation and there is no need to do any border control crossings, since both destinations are in Malaysia.
However, if you have the time and budget, choosing to stay for one night or an entire weekend in Melaka will mean you have time to visit more places of interest around the city and also experience evening activities like a night time river cruise or visiting the Jonker Walk night market, it you time your visit for a Friday or Saturday evening when the market is on.
Example Itinerary for Melaka Day Trip from Kuala Lumpur
8:30 AM – Depart Kuala Lumpur on the bus or by car
10:30 AM – Arrive in Melaka
11:00 AM – Walk around the Dutch Square area in the centre of town, take pictures and get oriented, the Tourist Information Centre is also located there
12:30 – Have lunch near Jonker Street and see the historical buildings and shops in the area
2pm – Take a cruise of the Melaka River to see the street art and historical buildings
3:30 – Stop for a coffee, snack or ice cream
4:00pm – Visit a museum
5:30 pm – Rent a bicycle or hire a taxi and make your way to the Melaka Straits Mosque to take pictures at sunset (check what time the sun will be setting during your visit)
8:00 pm – Have dinner or get some food before the journey home
8:30 pm – Depart for Kuala Lumpur
10:30 pm – Arrive back in Kuala Lumpur
Melaka is a great choice for a day trip or a weekend break from Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. If you would like more details about any of the suggested activities on the itinerary, check out this post about the 10 best things to do in Melaka.
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