Discover
Discover
Melaka and George Town, on Penang island, grew from more than 500 years of trade and cultural exchange in the Straits of Malacca. UNESCO notes that Asian and European influences gave both towns a multicultural heritage, tangible and intangible, and a townscape without parallel in East and Southeast Asia.
History
History
Melaka reflects the early stages of this history, from the 15th-century Malay sultanate through the Portuguese and Dutch periods from the early 16th century, in its government buildings, churches, squares and fortifications. George Town, with its residential and commercial buildings, represents the British era from the late 18th century.
People & Culture
People & Culture
In both towns, mosques, Chinese temples, Hindu temples and churches stand close together, and Malay, Chinese, Indian, Peranakan and Eurasian communities keep their own food, languages and festivals. For us, the heritage of the Straits is people of different origins learning to share one city.
Living Heritage
Living Heritage
Old shophouses are still homes and businesses, and the street food of Penang and Melaka still carries each community's recipes. The challenge is keeping long-standing communities in place as rents and tourism push residents out.
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