Jonker Street

If you happen to be in Melaka, Jonker Street is a must see! The narrow street, which is located in the Melaka Chinatown, is also known as Jonker Walk and Jalan Hang Jebat.  It has several of the oldest houses in the country, dating to the era of the 17th century, therefore it is also unofficially called the Antique Street.  The thin street is famous amongst the locals for selling artifacts of different periods; you will certainly find stuff from various times of colonial rule, i.e. the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the British, being sold here.

Jonker Street Melaka Malaysia

The artifacts include valuable and one-of-a-kind antique furniture, along with Chinese porcelain pieces, special brass objects and cast-iron beds.  Also of interest are unique lamps, treasurable coins and aged money, as well as Buddha statues of a priceless nature.  Antique freak or not, Jonker Street is a “must visit” for anyone eager to become knowledgeable of Melaka.

Tips for Travelers

Since June 19th of the year 2000, the Melaka State Government introduced a concept known as “Jonker Walk”.  This aims at flaunting the rich cultural heritage of the place.  According to the concept, the evenings of every Friday, Saturday and Sunday (from 6:00 pm to 12:00 midnight) the locals at Jonker street line up along the street to set up and maintain their stalls to display and sell products associated with or reflective of the real cultural artifacts of the place (such as souvenirs, antique copper coins, local ethnic food and traditional dishes, along with unique arts and crafts).

Apart from these special hours when the bazaar is packed with visitors, Jonker Street has another specialty and that is food!  The street is also known to dish out some of the best cuisines in the town.  There is a good variety of shops and cafés selling a great assortment of food and beverages, like the Geographer Café (which is located in the very middle of the street and is especially a favorite among foreign visitors since it has popular live bands on Friday and weekend nights!).  Then there is a great shop, Jonker Dessert, which is located opposite to the Geographer Café and is well known for its delicious Baba Nyonya delicacies.

You should consider staying in a hostel located on Jonker Street.  The name of the hostel is “Number Twenty”.

Approximate Touring Time

You won’t feel like you have to leave the place anytime soon, so it is advised that you take out 3 to 4 hours from your schedule to visit Jonker Street.

Nearby Attractions

There are plenty of attractions nearby Jonker Street.  A few of them are:

• The Stadhuys
• Christ Church Melaka
• Melaka River Cruise
• The Maritime Museum
  

Visiting Hours

Visiting times depend on what you plan to do!  As an a antique-freak or a bargain shopper, you may want to try to go in the morning, because then the crowd is pretty thin and you can do some serious shopping!

If you want to see the indigenous hustle and bustle of the street, then come on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 6.00pm to 12.00 midnight. You will definitely see it for yourself!