Evening Walk at Sungai Melaka Riverwalk around Kampung Morten

January 7th, 2008

From my childhood till adolescence, the Sungai Melaka (Melaka River) I grown up with was dirty, smelly, and poorly maintained. However, in recent years, thanks to continuous state government and city council initiative, Sungai Melaka is now given a fresh new picturesque appearance. This is an applauding change for the benefit of Melaka tourism.

5 years back, I wouldn’t agree to take a river cruise at Sungai Melaka, or spend an evening strolling along the riverside. However, now that Sungai Melaka surrounding environment is upgraded, and I’m glad that it’s worth spending some relaxing free time at Sungai Melaka riverwalk without hesitation.

Sungai Melaka conversation exercise is not just confined to the area around Dutch Square and Old Melaka Town historical site, but the whole route of river cruise. One fine Friday evening, I went to the riverwalk at Jalan Bunga Raya opposite Kampung Morten for a stroll. A boardwalk is built along the riverside, by the muddy riverbank. This 380m boardwalk has its entry point situated behind Southern Hospital.

Sungai Melaka is known as one of the very few natural habitats for mudskippers. So, at the boardwalk, it’s pretty easy to spot mudskippers skipping on the muddy ground.

Old Chinese houses and Taoism temple along the boardwalk, opposite Kampung Morten and parted by Sungai Melaka.

Quacking ducks, monitor lizards and birds have also found Sungai Melaka as their home.

Kampung Morten is an award winning traditional Malay village and classified national Malaysian heritage site situated by Sungai Melaka. It is named after an Englishman who donated the land on which the kampung (village) was built, during the late 19th century when Melaka was ruled by the British. It is connected to Jalan Bunga Raya by a bridge called Jambatan Kampung Morten.

Villa Sentosa is one of the biggest houses in Kampung Morten, and as old as Kampong Morten itself. It was built by Tuan Haji Hashim bin Dato’ Demang Haji Abdul Ghani in 1920. Villa Sentosa has now been converted into a private Malay living museum. Guided tours are also conducted for the visitors to view its intriguing collection of costumes, Malay embroidery, furniture, muskets and array of interesting relics.

A Malay house in Kampung Morten which has its roof painted for Malaysia’s 50th anniversary.

The entrance to Kampung Morten from Jalan Tun Ali.

If you bring a kid grown up in today’s urban life to an hour of relaxing riverwalk along Sungai Melaka, I’m sure he/she will learn a lot of valuable lessons which are not found in academic textbook.

GPS Coordinate: N2.20200 E102.25174

Related Previous Posts

• Melaka and George Town Listed as UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Sites
• Melaka River (Malacca River)
• Kampung Keling Mosque Melaka
• The Scenes of Fishing Village at Muara Sungai Duyung
• Map@Melaka - Chinatown

Entry Filed under: Historical Site

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