Melaka trip report: Little Dubai in the Strait of Malacca

The controversial land reclamation area of Melaka Gateway, Malaysia's mania for ugly carpark podiums, a 9-tower project connected by a skybridge, a proposed 88-storey tower, and the Melaka Monorail

Melaka in Malaysia is a historic port city that was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2008. This is the Melaka that most visitors are familiar with, but beyond the old town, there are big plans that look more like something out of Dubai.

The first time I visited Melaka was before it became a UNESCO city. The last time I visited, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) hadn’t begun. Melaka has since become a key city in the BRI vision, so it was time to visit on behalf of Future Southeast Asai.

I visited Melaka in July 2023, and while I was there I visited some of the biggest projects that are planned or underway. This includes the controversial land reclamation area, a 9-tower project connected by a skybridge, and a proposed 88-storey tower.