A Peranakan house and antique shop at Jonker Street
We saw a mix of cultures and beliefs when we visited the temples at Jalan Tokong. Our afternoon walk continued through the stretch of Jalan Tokong towards the Jonker Street. This side of Malacca houses some of the old dwelling places dating as far back as the 17th century. It’s one of their versions of our very own Vigan which is also a UNESCO heritage site, an old town heritage site preserved.
Jalan Tokong Stick dolls craft
Aside from the temples at Jalan Tokong, I noticed that the street have a line art shops one after another. We also passed by this shot creating puppets, kites and festival decors. The shop owner was making the frame for this huge decor. It reminds me of how our parols (Christmas Lanterns) were made but this one is designed like a warrior or puppet.
The owner of the Nyonay beaded shoe shop showing his current design
Another thing which makes Malacca popular is the shoes. During the peak of Peranakan culture, the Nyonyas wore elegant clothes even down to their shoes and sandals. The designs were very intricate and unique to each owner that it takes weeks just to make them. We passed by an established shop for beaded shoes and sandals and the owner demonstrated how he makes those shoes. Each pair is very pricey ranging from RM 200 to RM 500 each and can get more expensive.
Nyonya Beaded Shoes for bound feet
I also noticed these small shoes which I thought at first were for children. They were nice and cute but they are also for adults with “Bound Feet”. Foot Binding is an age old Chinese practice for young women and children as they believe those tiny little feet are a thing of beauty.
Jonker Street at day
We finally reached Jonker Street on a turn from Jalan Tokong. Both streets are actually parallel to each other. But the moment we got here, it gets more crowded even at mid-afternoon. I heard that during the weekends it gets more crowded especially during the night market at those times. The street is also open to vehicular traffic.
Mini flour sculptures of animated characters
Jonker Street also called Jonker Walk has a long line of old Peranakan houses and many of the ground levels of the houses have been turned into antique shops. It’s a great place to buy souvenirs here, ref magnets especially. The side streets are filled with vendors selling from candies, dumplings and those cute flour sculptures of animated characters done on the spot.
Wide array of dumplings for sale
I think my only qualm with Jonker Walk is the thick crowd and vehicular traffic merging together. I would have preferred if they closed the street for traffic so it would have been easy to go around and enjoy taking photos. But I have yet to see the night market so I’ll reserve my final judgment on the place whether I like it or not since we were only there for a few hours. At almost 5 in the afternoon, we were on our way back to Kuala Lumpur.
Wheat Molasses Sweet Candy
Hello, there! I’ve been following your blog for sometime now, yours is one of my favorite travel blogs.
My boyfriend and I will be backpacking next week and Malacca will be one of our stops, I’m now more excited than ever for Malacca after seeing this blog post.
Dumplings! Am hungry now. But I have no idea how anyone would think those tiny feet as a thing of beauty. The olden day Chinese have very weird taste.
this shows how deserving you are to get the nuffnang awards. you cover southeast asia and east asia at its best ferdz!
I liked the Jonker Walk, there’s plenty to see and experience and photograph. There wasn’t a crowd when I was there so I was quite lucky, or perhaps no one was out and about because of the horrendous heat + humidity.
Hi Dea! Great to hear from you! I’m glad the post made you more excited on your upcoming trip
Hahaha! Those dumplings made me hungry as well Nicholas. I guess that’s what we can say n ancient tradition to conform what people society say is beautiful
Thanks Dom! Let’s just cross our fingers (ad toes)
Haha. That’s probably the reason Photo Cache! I guess we were just in a hurry when I was there. Didn’t leave time to explore. But I really wish there were no vehicular traffic there.
I loved KL when I was there last April. Don’t know the places I went to though Jonker Street looks familiar.
I really love that mix of old and new.
[...] day after our Malacca visit, we head out to the Kuala Lumpur LRT Station on our way to Genting Highlands. We could use the Van [...]