3D2N Road Trip: Muar & Melaka Food Hunt from Singapore
If you’re planning a short getaway from Singapore, this is a great option for a Muar and Melaka food trip. Good food, easy drive, and overall very worth it.
Day 1 – Early Start & Muar Food Hunt
We started early at 5:30am, and by 7:00am we had cleared both Woodlands and JB customs. The process was smooth with minimal waiting time. Remember to do QR code clearance before you travel to make it even faster process.
First Stop: Muar
Muar is very underrated for food. It feels more local, less touristy, and prices are very reasonable.
Breakfast at Chukia Mee Hoon Kueh 麻坡厝仔面粉粿
Address: Jln Sakeh, Taman Sakeh Baru, 84000 Muar, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
- Opens: 9am – 9pm
- Around 12 staff, mostly Indonesian workers, so it pretty busy stall
- Total spent: RM27 below
What we ordered:
- Mee Hoon Kueh original RM 7.50 (4/5 stars)
- Mee Hoon Kueh (Tom Yam) Rm 8.50 (4/5 stars)
- Ayam Goreng (must order) Rm 4.50 x2 =Rm9 (4/5 stars)
- Coffee Rm2 (4/5 stars)
- Total spending RM27
What stood out was the variety of chili available for self-service, allowing you to customise the flavours to your liking. The mee hoon kueh is served in a claypot, so it arrives piping hot and stays sizzling — just be careful not to burn your tongue. The Tom Yam soup is a popular add-on for an extra RM1 and is definitely worth trying. The real star of the meal, however, is the ayam goreng, which is a must-order.
Coffee & Hawker Stops at Medan Selera Tiga Tiga Tiga 333 in Muar town
We explored several local spots, including Medan Selera Tiga Tiga Tiga, a typical local hawker centre.
Address: Jalan Ali, Pekan Muar, 84000 Muar, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
I ordered otak-otak, char kway teow, and ice kacang. Overall, the taste was quite average and not really to my liking.
- Char Kway Teow with otak — RM8 (3/5 stars)
- Ice Kacang — RM4.50 (2.5/5 stars)
If you’re driving, a good place to park near Muar town is Wetex Parade — just use your Touch ’n Go card to enter. Parking along the roadside in Muar can be quite difficult to find.
Wetex Parade
- 69, Jalan Ali, Pekan Muar, 84000 Muar, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Right next to the mall, I went to a phone stall, I also got a phone screen protector — RM10 for glass and RM30 for plastic, which is much cheaper compared to Singapore.
If you walk a bit further down the street, you’ll come across the Muar Chang Quan Association. The building is one of the highlights in Muar town, with a lot of history and a very distinctive architectural style.
Drove for an hour to reach Melaka and drove straight to have satay at 12noon.
Sun May Hiong Satay House
Address :50/52, Jalan Kota Laksamana 1/1, Taman Kota Laksamana, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia
Total spending is Rm 24.20
What we ordered
- 8 pork sticks Rm10.40
- 1 pork intestine Rm1.30
- 1 pork liver Rm1.30
- cucumber and onion Rm 1.20
- Passion fruit juice Rm5
- Soursop Juice Rm5
- No GST charges
- 3.5/5 stars
Overall I find the satay sauce is quite watery and not enough peanut, i can taste the sour side may be they use pineapple here. Not to my liking, 3.5/5 stars but the place was full, before 12 noon.
Check-in Melaka
We checked into Swiss Garden Hotel Melaka (approximately SGD 72 per night).
Address T2-4, The Shore @ Melaka River, Jalan Persisiran Bunga Raya, 75300 Malacca, Malaysia
Tips:
- Parking is at Levels 7 and 8
- Inform the staff of your car plate
- You need to change lifts to reach the reception
- Swimming pool is located on Level 9
- There is also a RM4 Melaka hotel tax.
The hotel has a good location, and the rooms are clean and comfortable enough for a short stay. It is about a 15-minute walk to Jonker Street, which makes it quite convenient for exploring the area.
For guests, the water taxi is available at RM10, and parking is free, which is a nice bonus if you are driving.
Dinner in Melaka
Modern World Restaurant (華苑食坊)
- Address:12, Jln KSB 1, Taman Kota Syahbandar, 75200
This is a more upscale, posh restaurant, and prices are slightly on the higher side — but worth it if you don’t mind spending a bit more for a comfortable dining experience. The portion is small only and we purposely choosing small portion, more like a fine dining.
Total spending: RM175.51
Dishes ordered:
- Cod fish – very small portion only RM48
- Steamed fan scallop with minced garlic & glass noodles RM 15 x2 = RM 30
- Iberico Pork ribs 2pcs only 1 portion RM28
- Vegetables with shimeji mushroom Rm30
- Dessert – Double boiled longan peach gum and snow fungus – RM 12.80
- White rice Rm 2.50
- GST and service charges about Rm24
- 4/5 stars
There are quite a number of private rooms available, which are great for groups or special occasions. However, do note that private rooms require a minimum spending of RM600.
After dinner, we went back to hotel and park out car there and walk to Jonker street. From Swiss hotel to jonker street about 15 mins walk.
Jonker Street Walk
We walked around Jonker Street and stopped by 3叔公, which has an air-conditioned space — a nice place to cool down from the heat while browsing for souvenirs.
I bought a bottle of plum juice (RM29.50) to bring home and make my own drink. We also ordered the original cendol, and they even gave a small koiyaki snack for free. The durian cendol is quite popular here as well.
As for the cendol, I found it fairly average — about a 3/5 for me, as the gula melaka flavour wasn’t as rich or fragrant as I expected. However, the presentation is quite impressive — it’s served in a durian shell, which makes it look very eye-catching and unique.
- Cendol Rm 7.80 (3/5 stars)
Day 2
Breakfast
Baba Charlie Cafe
- Address: 631, Jalan Siantan, Taman Siantan Seksyen 2, 75200 Malacca, Malaysia
We had breakfast at Baba Charlie, known for its traditional Nyonya offerings such as kueh, laksa, and nasi lemak. It opens at 8:30am, and we arrived right on time — there were already customers ahead of us.
If you’re planning to visit, it’s best to come early, especially if you want to try their triangular nasi lemak, which is super delicious and one of their popular items and selling fast.
We also picked up some kaya, their house-made chili sauce, and gula melaka to bring back to Singapore.
- Nasi lemak Rm 1.80 x2 = RM3.60 (5/5 stars)
- Popiah Rm 5 (4/5 stars)
- Taukua fishball Small RM 7.90 (4/5 stars)
- soon kueh 3pcs in box Rm 6 (4/5 stars)
- Laksa Rm 7.90 (4/5 stars)
- Total Rm34.85
To bring home :
- Kaya Rm 5.50
- Gula Melaka Rm5
- Sambal Chili Balacan Rm6.60
- Total Rm17
Klebang Beach
After breakfast, we went to Pantai Klebang Beach to try the ATV ride. It costs RM35 for 15 minutes and can fit two people per ride. It was a fun and exciting experience, especially riding along the beach area.
- ATV Pantai Kelebang RM 35
- (5/5 stars experience)
Before 12pm, we went back to our hotel to change and switch to another hotel at Asia One. This was because the price at Swiss Garden went up to over SGD 100 due to the weekend surge, so we decided it wasn’t worth it anymore.
隔壁老王咖啡馆 Neighbour Lao Wang Cafe
- Address Kompleks Perniagaan, 23, Jalan KPKS 3, Kota Syahbandar, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia
Total: RM45.80 (including drinks and service charge)
- Lala mee hoon original soup base RM 16.90 (big enough for 2 pax)
- Milk tea Rm 10
- Plum Pear fruit juice Rm14
- Tax 5
This is a must-visit spot. The lala portion is very generous, and I’ve been here several times — it has never disappointed me. The flavours are consistently good and satisfying.
The milk tea is really nice, and the plum drink is also worth trying.
Joo Huat Nyonya Chang & Dried fish near Jonker street
Joo Huat Nyonya Chang
- 6, Jalan Kampung Hulu, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia
After that, we parked our car near Jonker Street, right next to Joo Huat Nyonya Chang, and bought some rice dumplings. Based on Google reviews, this place is highly rated. Everything is handmade, and it tasted really good. It is takeaway only.
- Bak chang with salted egg x2 pcs
- Nyonya chang x4 pcs
- Ki chang x2 pcs
- Total RM65
- 4.5/5 stars
We then walked around and came across a dried seafood wholesale shop selling ikan bilis. We bought 1kg of dried anchovies for only RM30, which is quite a good deal. I can’t find the name of the shop.
Parking next to the bak chang shop costs RM10 and can be paid using Touch ’n Go.
Check in Hotel Asia one Melaka
Checked into Asia One Hotel Melaka for SGD65. It’s located right beside Noble Hotel, and both actually share the same car park.
We drove in using Touch ‘n Go, and during check-in they asked for our car plate details. But even after that, you still need to validate your Touch ‘n Go ticket every time you go out for free exit.
The swimming pool is on Level 23 — quite small compared to Swiss Garden Hotel’s pool.
Free parking is provided, which is a plus.
Just a note: Asia One Hotel Melaka and Noble Hotel Melaka are in the same building area, so don’t mix up the lobbies. Noble’s lobby looks more grand, while Asia One is simpler and more straightforward.
A Formosa and Red Dutch House.
We rested till 4.plus and drove to A Formosa and Red Dutch House. We parked at
The Sterling Boutique Hotel Melaka
- 43, Jalan Temenggong, Banda Hilir, 75100 Melaka, Malaysia
- There’s a man collecting parking fees outside the shop — RM5. He gives you a ticket to place on your car dashboard as proof of payment.
- Walking to A farmosa 10 mins
- Opposite the hotel, there are plenty of eateries and a few convenience stalls. You can even have an early breakfast there, as the food court opens as early as 6am.
On the way, I saw a Baju Kebaya, bought it for Rm120.
Dinner at Hui Brother Cheng
Hui Brother Restaurant (Chinese Cuisine) 輝哥中餐館
- 11, Jalan Ttc 26A, Taman Teknologi Cheng, 75260 Cheng, Melaka, Malaysia
You can make a booking via Facebook and WhatsApp. We managed to get a table, but ended up sitting outside.
There are also a few signature dishes that you must try when you’re there.
What we ordered:
- Ice cube sweet and sour pork Rm33 (5/5 stars)
- Tit bits kacang Rm 5
- Ribena Sparkling Rm10 (3/5 stars)
- Special Mango Sago Rm 18.90 (3/5 stars)
- 3 King vegetable Rm 18 (5/5 stars)
- Jumbo Indonesia crab with fresh milk Rm 209 (4/5 stars)
- Gst Rm30
- Total Rm 326.25
Day 3
Wake up early to have simple breakfast opposite Asia One hotel.
- Sarawak Kolo Mee Rm9
- Wanton Roast Portk Rm11
- Kopi Rm2.50
Before heading home to Singapore, went to a famous nyonya kueh handmade
Kuih Nyonya Kim
- Jalan Mohd Zin Dsh, 75350 Melaka, Malaysia
This is a home stall that only opens from 6.30am to 11am. I went there around 8am and it was already packed with people. They serve local Nyonya kueh, fried noodles, and goreng pisang. Everything tasted super delicious.
What I bought:
- Donut x2
- Goreng pisang x1
- Fried beehoon Rm 2.50
- Fried chili noodle Rm2.50
- Ang ku kueh brown x1
- Ondek ondek x2 box (1 box -6pcs)
- Kueh kachi inside brown coconut x2 pcs
- peanut bao x1
- peanut muah chee 2 box ( 1 box – 2pcs)
- Total about Rm 30
- 4/5 stars for all the kueh kueh
Petrol
Total of our petrol pumping is Rm 60 +160 = RM 220
We left Melaka slightly before 9am and reached Singapore around 12.30pm, using Tuas checkpoint. Overall, it was a smooth ride back home and no traffic jam, stopped for toilet breaks once at Pagor.
Hotel I picked in Melaka
- Swiss Garden Melaka
- Asia One
Both have a good location with free car park.
Final thoughts
On this Melaka trip, I tried quite a number of good restaurants. Prices may be slightly higher, but with the Singapore dollar, it’s still very affordable. Honestly, it’s a good chance to take advantage of the stronger currency and enjoy some atas dining while you’re here.