Portuguese Settlement
The Portuguese Settlement is an area of Ujong Pasir in Melaka Tengah District, Malacca, Malaysia, which serves as a home for the Kristang people. The Kristang people are a Malaysian ethnic group with mixed Portuguese and Malay heritage, originating from the time of the Portuguese rule in Malacca (16th to 17th century).
In 1933, 11 hectares of land at Malacca were purchased with the purpose of creating a haven for the scattered Kristang people. The swampy land was cleared and 10 wooden houses with earth floors and attap roofs were built. Saint John's village, as that simple fishing village was originally known, soon attracted additional Kristang from other areas of Malacca, and grew to become one of Malacca's main tourist attractions, improving the standard of living of its villagers.
Food is the top attraction here for most visitors. Typical dishes include Portuguese style ikan bakar, sambal ladies fingers, black pepper brinjals, scallops, clams, seafood and the most popular one is mango juice stall. In the shop you can buy items like Sharon's Traditional Homemade Melaka Portuguese Pickles (mango or fish flavour).
The museum is a modest collection of items which trace the history of the Portuguese community in Malaysia. Over the years this population has dwindled and many have sought new lives in places like UK and Australia (particularly Perth).
(Malay: Kampung St. John, Kampung Portugis; Saint John's Village; Portuguese: Aldeia de São João)
Location: Perkampungan Portugis (± 5.2 km from Grand Swiss-Belhotel Melaka or approximately 14 minutes driving)