Melaka River Cruise: A Delightful Experience

The water glittered in shades of purple, pink and blue, and the boat meandered its way past the décor, buildings and art. It seemed like I was in trance mode with everything bright, beautiful and beaming around me. If I take off the colours, it may seem like am in one of the narrow canals of Venice. But, I wasn’t. I was amidst all the beautiful colours and art of Melaka and cruising through river Melaka.

The UNESCO World Heritage site of Melaka in Malaysia is known for its beautiful colonial buildings and structures which are spread across. Museums, temples and the rich cultural heritage of Malacca is ubiquitous in every corner of this beautiful city. However, beyond these, what left me amazed was the wonderful Melaka river cruise at night.  River Melaka which was used by Portuguese to invade the place in 1500s, also separates Red Square area from Chinatown.

The ideal time to go on this cruise is after sunset, when the lights are lit and colourful. The boat takes visitors on a 45 minute ride of 9 Kms that goes under numerous bridges that connect Red Square area with Chinatown.  Some of these are Pasar bridge (1500 CE), Tan Kim Sen bridge (1862 CE), Chan Koon Cheng bridge (1908 CE) etc. While the oldest one is a wooden bridge, the newer ones have beautiful arches with modern technology and lighting.

Apart from the bridges, the river is flanked by historical structures and landmark buildings which are a testimony to Melaka’s heritage. These include Pre-war buildings, Red building, Bastion Middleburg, Water wheel, Church of St. Francis Xavier, Kampung Hulu mosque, Kampung Morten, Jonker street, Shore Shopping gallery etc. These structures showcase the quaint charm of Melaka as the boat cruises past its vibrant heritage.

Mural art is displayed across the walls of buildings all along the cruise, and that is another highlight of this journey. Many of the trees are lit too in shades of blue and pink. While the cruise would give a different perspective during the day, the night cruise is definitely the more preferred and recommended one.

Travel Tips:

• The cruise boats operate every half an hour between 9 AM and 11:30 PM on all days.
• The charges are MYR 30 for foreigners and MYR 25 for Malaysians.
• Visitors can board from either Dataran Muara jetty or Taman Rempah jetty.

P.S.: I was hosted by Melaka River Cruise on an invitation from Malaysia Tourism board, but the opinions are my own.

A Cruise on River Mandovi...!!

Can we think of Goa, sans the beaches? I dont think many can. From the beaches the farthest that you wish to go are to the churches of Old Goa. Is there tourism beyond these? Panjim with its seductive Mandovi river says there is.

Mandovi bridge as seen from Mandovi river

It is not just the famed beaches and heritage churches that attract the travellers in Goa. A river cruise on the Mandovi has been prominent for ages on the tourist trail in Goa. There are numerous options like Santa Monica and Paradise which offer sunset cruise, sundown cruise, full moon cruise, day cruise etc for one or two hours on the river. There are agents who approach you or you can directly head to the jetty in Panjim and book the tickets.

Pradaise cruise boat

After booking my tickets through an agent I was aboard the Paradise for the sunset cruise. The cruise also has a cultural show with traditional Goan and Portuguese dance performances. I found the music to be quite inviting and found many tourists on the dance floor towards the culmination of the cruise. Snacks for the growling tummies  is also provided but at an extra cost.

Goan dance performance

Portuguese dance performance

I moved to the upper deck which was open to the sky and the once the cruiser moved away from the jetty the views got better. The clouded sky gave us a scare but after a slight drizzle it stopped. The views all around were magnificent. The city lights of Panjim, the distant Mandovi bridge, the returning fishing boats, the tender breeze, the  flying birds and the swaying coconut trees in the distance made it look surreal. The setting sun and the orange sky made it all the more dramatic.

Panjim city as seen from the cruise boat

A jetty by the banks of Mandovi

I kept gazing at the orange sky and the wide mouth of River Mandovi. I could see the Arabian sea far away. Everything and everybody looked distant from the deck. Far far away. For a moment I wished we could sail away into the horizon. It was an evening when I got lost in my lonely thoughts. The captivating vistas without doubt made the sunset cruise a memorable one. As the sun set, the lights got lit up everywhere on the mainland and we made a return from near the mouth of the river. Goan music, goan breeze and the goan cruise definitely makes this a must do on a visit to Goa.

Mouth of River Mandovi

As the boat neared the mainland, I saw a huge crowd queued up waiting for their turn of sundown cruise. Before it turned into a melee, I wriggled through and exited. Now who says Goa is all about beaches and churches?

Signing Note- A memorable evening in Goa need not always be on the beaches, it can well be on River Mandovi...!!

Location- Panjim jetty