Jonker Street: The Street with Many Names

Copyright (c) 2009 Nowal Khan

Jonker Street, Jonker Walk or Jalan Hang Jebat, you can pick your own choice of name to call this famous street in the heart of Melaka, Malaysia. Fondly called as Jonker Street, this narrow alley was once a wealthy street where rich colonial families lived while today, it evolved into antique collectors and bargain hunters' paradise. It features unique antique pieces dating back to 17th century, handmade Chinese porcelain, decorative brassware, cast iron beds, lamps, age old coins and genuine paper money that were used in early Melakan trade. You can also find priceless Buddha statues and one of its kind pieces made by locals from different Melakan eras.

Shopkeepers offer great deals to buyers. Indeed, Jonker Street is the best place to hunt for unusual finds and center pieces. Among the noted antique dealers are Abdul Company which sells antique furniture, Chinese porcelain, brassware, cast-iron beds, and lamps from all over Malaysia; pioneers T.K. Kutty and Hj Abu Bakar while second hand shops are found at Nos 25, 26 and 55. Within these shops, you can find antiques dating back as far as 300 years and some Victorian memorabilia.

Jonker Street is part of the old Chinatown of Melaka. This, aside from the fact that most of Jonker Street's occupants are Chinese, appears to be the reason why this street is closely identified to Chinatown, some even mistakenly referred to this street with the latter. On the other hand, Jonker Walk is part of Jonker Street. This is the exact location of the Jonker Walk night market, a must-do when visiting Melaka.

While Jonker Street is known worldwide for its rare and priceless finds, by weekends around 6pm, the street is transformed into a busy, carnival like affair which tourists visiting Melaka eagerly looks forward to. The Jonker Walk night market is a weekly affair for locals where they assemble stalls and display products to sell. The usual wares you can find in this side of the street reflect their cultural heritage such as local and ethnic Melakan fare, indigenous handicrafts and souvenirs you can take home, ornamental jewelry and wooden clogs. Prices tend go higher for nonlocals but some stalls encourage bargaining. For bazaar type shopping spree, don't miss Jonker Walk night market while in Melaka.

Another thing that made Jonker Street in Melaka famous is its food choices. This street is considered as the most popular food and entertainment district in Melaka, Malaysia. Here you can find extensive food options from different cultures. One must try Baba Nyonya delicacies to complete his journey through Melaka. Jonker Street is full of shops and cafes in daytime while food hawkers come at night. You can just imagine how busy Jonker Street is, anytime of the day. Wide variety of food and beverages are offered in Jonker Street. Ice cold desserts are among the famous ones which are highly recommended for hungry travelers.

Other must try food trips are Melaka's signature food, the Chicken Rice Balls, Dim Sum, seaweeds, candied fruits, Put Chai Ko, Hongkong's Curry fish balls, Nyonya's pineapple tarts, fried radish cake, Popiah, bbq squid, fried carrot cake, Vadai and herbal eggs. This is only a portion of the food list which you should try while passing Jonker Street. Basically, Chicken Rice Balls are balled rice, served with sweet chili sauce and steamed chicken meat. One picky palate could never go wrong here.

If you crave for some nightlife, Jonker Street offers karaoke nights where entrance is free and you can sing your heart's out in whatever dialect you like best. Available dialects are English, Mandarin, Hokkien and Hakka.

Although Jonker Street made some improvements in their way of life and adapted to some modern methods, it never lost its cultural charm and tradition. This, in fact, is very visible with their buildings, houses and shops that were constructed with elaborate carvings and pillars reflecting culture and heritage of Melaka, Malaysia.