Highlights & Hidden Gems of Malacca

• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Want to see the best of Malacca? We got you covered. But as you can expect from a Withlocals experience, the real excitement is its hidden gems. Join your favorite local and get a feeling of the city's real vibe on a tour that has it all, so you can say: I experienced the real Malacca!

Destination

Malacca, Malaysia

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

3 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Melayu, 中文

Included

• Private Guide
• Ticket to the Observation Deck of the Shore Sky Tower
• Local Drink or Snack
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Entrance to Attractions other than mentioned

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 2 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at In front of the museum - Malacca to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. City Highlights

   See from The Shore Sky Tower, Dutch Square, St. Paul's Church, and other landmarks and must-sees of the city. Your local host will take you to the main spots in town so you can get the perfect overview of what makes Malacca so unique

4. Hidden Gems

   Along the way, your local host will show you treasures hidden in plain sight that only the locals know about. Get to know the city through a different perspective, the local way, and discover places and stories that not many tourists experience

5. Magical Storytelling

   Behind every landmark and every stop, there’s a story, and your local host is ready to tell it all. Get ready to listen to incredible stories, one-of-a-kind insights, and fun facts only a knowledgeable local would know!

6. Special Treat

   Follow your host to one of their favorite eateries for a snack or a drink beloved by the locals. Take a break and catch up with your new local friend and get the answers to all your travel questions

7. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Junayd

(About local Joseph)

7 July 2025

My wife and I had a wonderful time with our guide Joseph, who was exceptionally knowledgeable and very kind. We covered more with him in ~3 hours than we would have by ourselves in 6! Joseph was extremely engaging, patient and also is great at taking photos! He was incredibly understanding when we had to delay the start of our tour by 2 hours due to transport issues, and still provided an amazing info-packed tour with stops along the way for snacks and time for us to pray. Would recommend to anyone who really wants to understand the history of Melaka. Thank you Joseph!Amazing Tour

Babette🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Joseph)

6 July 2025

What a great experience. The tour with Joseph was a pure delight. We experienced a lot of hidden places and buildings we absolutely wouldn’t have found by ourselves. Joseph is a very nice guy and a very knowledgeable tourguide. Being a little bit early to our appointment, we were surprised for Joseph already being there and we started our private tour right on the spot. exactly as we wanted it he told us a lot about the history of Melaka and about the interesting melting pot of cultures and religions. Seeing the different buildings and temples through his eyes was very interesting because we got to see details we 100% would have missed when visiting those spots by ourselves. Also visiting little workshops with old handcraft like the shoemakers was extremely interesting. Tasting some local sweets and enjoying new flavours was another highlight. After that walk in the old city he took us for a bicycle ride along the river which was very enjoyable because we got to see more of the waterfront which is quite interesting due to the colourful buildings, very old neighbourhoods (e.g. kampung morten), mangroves and some nice street art. All in all it was an extremely pleasant day with Joseph. He never gave us the feeling to be on the clock but simply was very proud and very knowledgeable about his hometown, which made this a pure delight to be his guests for this event. Thank you so much for this opportunity. We cannot recommend enough to book Joseph as a personal guide for this tour. It’s more than worth the money. Greetings from Germany, Babette and MarkusGreat Experience with Joseph!

Iain🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Joseph)

3 July 2025

Michael is a charming individual who walked us round Malacca for over 4 hours. He was keen to share his deep knowledge of the fascinating history of this lovely town. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with him and learned so much.COMPREHENSIVE TOUR

Geraldine

(About local Jason )

28 June 2025

Nous avons fait un tour la ville avec Jason. Une superbe découverte de l’artisanat local, des locaux, de la culture et de la cuisine… un véritable plaisir de partager ce moment avec lui. Souriant, authentique et genereux, nous recommandons vivement ce tour .Une belle decouverte

Jean-Baptiste🇫🇷 France

(About local Joseph)

24 June 2025

Merci à Joseph pour ce super trip, qui vous emmènera dans les petits coins locaux, de bon conseils en terme de balades, d'histoire et pour les foodies également ! Merci Joseph Nous recommandons Joseph

Ann🇧🇪 Belgium

(About local Joseph)

24 June 2025

No rush, no tourist traps, just a very very nice guy passionate about the city of Melaka with just enough historical details and lots of good food tips! Just a FUNtastic way to discover Melaka

Luke🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Joseph)

24 June 2025

Our family of five had a fantastic evening exploring Malacca with Joseph. His deep knowledge of the area and clear, engaging communication truly enriched our visit. We especially appreciated how he connected with our children, sharing insights about Malacca in a way that was both fun and age-appropriate. It made the experience all the more memorable for all of us. If we pass through Malacca again, we wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to Joseph and spend more time exploring the city with him.Night Tour Of Malacca

Amy🇸🇬 Singapore

(About local Joseph)

23 June 2025

Thank you, Joseph for taking us around Melaka. For your insights about the history as well as insights about hidden gems. With you, we did see a different side of Mrlaka!A different site of Melaka

Rosie

(About local Jason )

11 June 2025

We had the best time with Jason, he really shaped our whole experience in Malacca. He was super knowledgeable, knew lots of lovely locals and was so easy to get along with - he went above and beyond to shape the perfect tour for us. We are super grateful that we had this experience with him, tried so many things we would've missed otherwise! Amazing experience

Michael🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Joseph)

6 May 2025

Joseph is a well prepared and informed guide. He always was listening and responding to our requests. My wife and I enjoyed very much the three hours with Joseph. Time really flew by. We learned much about yesterday’s and today‘s life in Malacca and came in contact with several inhabitants and craftsmen of the historical city. My advise: go to Malacca and spend some valuable time with Joseph. You‘ll never regret!Malacca at its best

DD🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Vanessa)

11 April 2025

Vanessa was a joy from the off and gave us an awesome walking tour of the colonial and Chinese parts of town. Her passion for and interest in the history of her home town gave depth and a comprehensive understanding of Melaka. She held the interest of our teen son and had answers to almost every question we threw at her. We saw all the key sights on our list and she had insights into the town’s history you won’t find in a guide book! Ask her about the clock tower! So pleased we didn’t book a car-based tour. Pleasure to have met you, Vanessa; you are the highlight of our trip here. Thank you. Can’t recommend highly enough!

Daren

(About local Joseph)

5 April 2025

What an incredible tour! Joseph was great, with lots of local knowledge and a real passion for his country and culture. Thoroughly recommended Fantastic tour

Robin🇸🇬 Singapore

(About local Joseph)

2 April 2025

Joseph was a very knowledge and obliging tour guide, taking the four of us on a 3 1/2 hour walking tour of historical, cultural and culinary aspects of Malacca. Two of us were from Singapore, so although somewhat familiar with the history of Malacca, it was still a valuable enhancement to our knowledge of Malacca’s important role in the S E Asia region and beyondA Malaccan Education

BEATRIX

(About local Vanessa)

31 March 2025

We had a very nice walk through the wonders of Malacca thanks to our guide Vanessa. She adapted fully to our needs and those of our children, making the experience a nice moment to remember. Thank you !!Wonderful time in Malacca

Frans

(About local Vanessa)

20 March 2025

Vanessa is young, educated and enthusiastic young Melaka woman. We had a lot of fun and she was afraid of our Dutch directness. We learned some historic facts and we tasted lovely food, for us unknown. Fun and educational

Adrian

(About local Joseph)

7 March 2025

We gad a fabulous few hours with Joseph - managing to see so much. He is both knowledgeable and very passionate about the Malacca culture . Thank you - we both really enjoyed it and would highly recommend Our Morning with Joseph

k.luedemann

(About local Joseph)

28 February 2025

Mit Joseph hat es viel Spass gemacht. Wir haben eine Menge über Malakka erfahren und einen äußerst sympathischen Guide. Sehr gerne empfehlen wir ihn weiter! Tour mit Joseph

louisekdennis

(About local Joseph)

24 February 2025

Joseph is a true asset to your company. He had a thorough knowledge of Melaka and its wonderful history. We learnt and experienced a lot. Thoroughly recommended. Josephbis a Gem

Dr. Andreas🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Joseph)

11 February 2025

What an interesting town with so much history Joesph helped us find all of it in a mixture of culture & experiences and individual wishes Whst a wonderful Malecca

Matthew🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Vanessa)

27 January 2025

Vivian was an absolutely delightful guide. About Melaka's history and culture, she was smart, informative, and accessible. Most impressive was her ability to match our energy. She talked just the right amount, let us wander just the right amount, give us food and drink choices at just the right times, and left us feeling like we had made a friend. Highly recommended! A delightful tour with a delightful person

Sarah🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Joseph)

19 January 2025

Great tour around the main sites of Melaka. Joseph is a very interesting guide. We did a cycle tour along the river and went to the Villa Sentosa. It was very enjoyable. We really enjoyed Joseph’s tour Melaka tour

Siobhan

(About local Joseph)

18 January 2025

We loved our walking tour around Malacca with Joseph. He was super knowledgeable and also a lovely guy. Throughly recommend! Very informative and insightful tour

Meaghan

(About local Jason )

18 January 2025

From the moment we met Jason we knew we were in for something completely different - we just let Jason immerse us in the local culture and food - we went and tasted things I would never had been gain to do and was so pleasantly surprised. Thank you so much Jason for making our stay the Melaka a treat 😊“The Local Way”

Daniel🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Vanessa)

13 January 2025

Vanessa took us on a lovely tour of many of the sights around Melaka. We started with the major sights and taught us all about the history of the city. We then went on to see more of the hidden gems of the back streets. Showing us street art, explaining its meanings and then taking use to a lovely cafe. It was also lovely to chat to Vanessa about her life and ours back home. She spoke great English and obviously a very clever young lady. Thank you for a great tour and the highlight of our time in Melaka. A veriety of sights in Melaka with Vanessa

CHIN GANG DENNIS

(About local Joseph)

4 January 2025

The tour was awesome. Joseph has made our 3 hour Malacca historical tour a memorable experience. He is knowledgeable and the routes he brought us illustrated the diversity of culture and religion. It is heartwarming to learn that in such a small town different communities live together harmoniously for centuries. Joseph is patient and will pay attention to our needs and requests along the way. We have a terrific Kopi session at one of the old coffee shop that brought memories of my childhood.

Kirsti🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Joseph)

3 January 2025

I had a wonderful personalized tour with Joseph. He was easily contactable, flexible when I had to reschedule the date, and adapted the tour for my ankle injury. The itinerary included the historical sites, must try snacks, showing me some of the last traditional handmade shops, a lovely tea and toast break, cycling down alleyways and the riverfront, and ended at the Baba Nyonya heritage museum which I highly recommend. I feel I got a real sense of Melacca and learnt a lot along the way. I'd definitely recommend to do this tour to anyone coming to this lovely city. Malacca magic

Barbara🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Vanessa)

30 December 2024

Vanessa accompanied me in the history of Melakka und the multicultural background. She told about the various Chinese, Indian but also Portuguese, Danish, English influences that make up the current social structure and the characters who influenced the city's history. Vanessa also pointed out the historical and cultural connections. Very interesting! Moreover, she made me try several local specialities in very special places. The gems of Melakka. Vanessa was very flexible and attentive to my every wish. The 3-hour tour flew by in a flash. The gems of Melakka

xxxxxx

(About local Joseph)

26 December 2024

Karol

(About local Vanessa)

21 December 2024

We enjoyed our private city tour with Vanessa. She gave us a real feel for the city -its history and culture - and took us down some interesting back streets which we would never have found ourselves. Vanessa was also really helpful in providing tips about further places to eat and to visit and kept in touch with us after the tour. Interesting toir wurh a helpful guide

Michael🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Vanessa)

5 December 2024

Vanessa is an impressive person. She is a practicing criminal lawyer, former parliamentary attaché, and very involved in the Malacca and broader Malaysian communities. She provided a completely bespoke tour to meet our compressed schedule. We were interested in the rich history of Malacca as a trading port over centuries, with traders from China, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Britain (among others) passing through, and all leaving traces we can see today. We would highly recommend Vanessa for those seeking a cultural/historical experience, accompanied by some pit stops for local food and drink. Local Knowlegde, high flexibility

Matei🇺🇸 United States

(About local Joseph)

13 November 2024

Joseph took me on both the food and historical tours of Melaka on back to back days. He was knowledgeable, had fun little pop-quiz questions about the sites we visited along the way and was easy to share stories with. He was gracious with his time as well and spent an extra 30 minutes with me on each tour, never felt rushed. He also answered questions on where to get certain foods, souvenirs and which neighborhoods to visit outside of the scope of his tour. I would recommend doing the bike portion of the tour if you are comfortable with biking through a city environment. You can get out and see more. For example we saw an artisan in Morten Village who made miniature houses from different regions of Malaysia, definitely a highlight. Really enjoyed Joseph's tour in many ways, would highly recommend.Great historical and food tour with Joseph

Olga🇸🇬 Singapore

(About local Joseph)

11 November 2024

A perfect combination of exciting stories, breathtaking views, yummy food and meeting nice people along the Malacca exploration with Joseph. I especially appreciate that the tour had a personal touch, so that you not only see Malacca (and Malaysia) through someone's eyes, but also learn something about yourself through the city exploration. A big thank you, Joseph!My best guided tour experience so far

Claudia

(About local Joseph)

9 November 2024

Joseph is a really knowledgeable and patient guide. Our tour ran well overtime as we kept asking question and Joseph truly helped us to get a better understanding of the city and its culture.Excellent local knowledge

Betsy

(About local Joseph)

7 November 2024

Joseph was a fantastic guide in every way. Having grown up not far from Malaka, he was extremely knowledgeable and explained to us extensive aspects of the history and culture of the city as well as of Malaysia. We were delighted that he even offered to lend us bicycles so that he could guide us to areas of the city not easily accessible by foot. We can't speak highly enough of him and of the Withlocals network of guides. An amazing way to explore Malaka!

Tania🇧🇪 Belgium

(About local Vanessa)

24 September 2024

I knew the history of malacca beter than our guide Vanessa. A lot of useless information and not at all enjoyable. I would not recommend this experience.Horrible

Tim🇸🇬 Singapore

(About local Jason )

9 September 2024

I recently had the pleasure of experiencing a private tour of Malacca with Jason as our guide, and it was absolutely unforgettable! From the outset, Jason was incredibly friendly and genuine, instantly putting us at ease. His deep knowledge of Malacca’s history was clear, and he shared fascinating stories that brought the city’s rich past to life. What made this tour special was the perfect blend of historical exploration and cultural interaction. Jason took us to various historical sites but also made sure to introduce us to local businesses, from charming cafes to jewelry shops and even traditional lantern makers. These interactions gave us a real feel for the local culture, and Jason’s thoughtful approach allowed us to appreciate both the old and new sides of Malacca. Throughout the tour, Jason was patient and accommodating, especially when we wanted to stop frequently for photos. His professionalism ensured we had a relaxed experience at our own pace. One of the highlights was discovering Jason’s passion for vinyl collecting—something we, as music fans, really connected with. He even shared stories about his own vinyl-themed bar, which made the tour feel even more personal and unique. By the end of the tour, we didn’t just leave with a deeper appreciation for Malacca’s history and culture; we also felt like we’d made new friends, including Jason and the locals we met on our tour. It was an enriching experience that we’d eagerly repeat on our next visit to Malacca. Highly recommend this private tour for anyone seeking an authentic, personal touch to their Malacca adventure!Amazing wholesome experience

sacha🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Joseph)

18 August 2024

We had a superb tour with Joseph - he was very knowledgeable about all the history of Malacca and told us about things we would never have known if we had just walked on our own . He showed us hidden streets as well as the main attractions and some places we would not have found Execellenr guide in Malacca

Tara

(About local Joseph)

15 August 2024

Joseph crafted a well-thought tour through Melaka. His thoughtfulness started with making a suggestion to have it later in the day to beat some of the heat. I enjoyed being at St Paul's in the evening seeing it lit in the night and also with less crowds. He shared fascinating history, weaving it into our walk through the town. He took us to a local eatery with tasty authentic food. Really appreciate his flexibility and accommodating our last minute booking. A fascinating and enjoyable tour of Melaka

Nicholas🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Vanessa)

31 May 2024

Ben

(About local Joseph)

24 April 2024

Joseph is a friendly, knowledgeable person and speaks perfect English. He knows a lot of interesting people around town, from artists to street food vendors, in places you would never find yourself. We asked him to combine his food and heritage tours for us and he created an almost 7-hour tour for us, with more food than we could eat, stops at fascinating craftsmen, a comprehensive show-and-tell of the city's past, including a river cruise. We loved every minute of it and really enjoyed his company. Thank you Joseph, you made our day! Ben and ConnyAmazing Guide, Amazing Tour

Nuno🇵🇹 Portugal

(About local Joseph)

3 April 2024

Christine🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Joseph)

19 March 2024

We really enjoyed our walking tour with Joseph - he was patient, informative and engaging - we saw lots that we wouldn’t have found on our own. Thanks Joseph for making our time in Melaka special.Fabulous Tour

Sarah

(About local Joseph)

9 February 2024

We enjoyed an insightful tour with Joseph. Joseph was a charming, thoughtful, obliging and knowledgeable man. We learned the origins of Malacca, how it got its name, and how it came to be. We particularly enjoyed the panoramic, roof top views of the city and some of the places we visited with Joseph. We went off the beaten track just off Jonker street, and met some of the local trades specialists. Malacca with Joseph

Karla 🇧🇪 Belgium

(About local Joseph)

28 January 2024

Joseph was a great guide to show us around Malacca. We learned a lot about the history of Malacca and the people living here. He als took us to some very typical authentic little places where we tasted the local food and we ended the tour with a dessert: the best Cendol! Thank you Joseph!Interesting private tour

Sam

(About local Joseph)

10 July 2025

Joseph was a great guide. The food was delicious and the discussion was interesting. A great way to see the historic centre of Malacca and go to some places you wouldn’t find on your own as a tourist Great way to see Malacca

Tricia and Mark🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Joseph)

9 July 2025

Joseph arrived early which was great picking us up from our hotel. He is very knowledgeable about the local history as well as the food we tried. Highly recommend Joseph as very friendly and interesting and a fabulous food guide.Great food tour

Diana🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Joseph)

2 July 2025

Joseph was a patient thoughtful guide on what was for some of our group their first visit to Malacca. He was very informative and did not rush is through the various sites we visited . We learnt a lot and were glad to have taken the tours with him Thoughtful introduction to Malacca

Jeroen

(About local Joseph)

30 June 2025

We booked the tour to get to know Melakka from a different angle. Joseph was a great guy that understood what we wanted to see and eat. We saw places of Melakka we would have never found much less have eaten. The tour was supposed to take 3 hours but we ended up having an almost 4 hour tour! We definitely are a great experience richer! Thank you Joseph!Great tour with superb food and host

nicholas🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Joseph)

2 June 2025

Wonderful experience to go with a local Joseph who took us all over downtown Malacca / down Junker street and tasted foods that I would not have tried before. Do not be eating breakfast before going on a tour ! A must to enjoy Malacca Nicholas P

Wilma🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Joseph)

6 May 2025

This foodtour with Joseph is one of the best things we did in Malaysia! He took us to several best local foodspots we would never try if Joseph didn’t take us there. From riceballs till oysteregg and Chinese herbal thee. Joseph also tells a lot about Chinatown in Melaka where he took us, showed us the tempels and tells about the history. Joseph is so nice! Great foodtour with Joseph!