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Jonker Street Night Market Melaka / Malacca guide 2023

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Mmmmm, Melaka! Or should that be Malacca? We’re not sure but we do know this is home to some of the best street food we’ve ever tasted (we said this in our previous guide to Melaka blog so it must be true!). No trip to this marvellous Malaysian outpost is complete without a visit to the weekend Jonker Street night market, held along the length of Jonker Street every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Jonker Street Night Market in Melaka / Malacca guide

From coconut ice-cream to curried fish balls, pineapple tart to street-performance art, there are so many things to do at Jonker Street Night Market (and eat and drink!)

You can still have a pretty excellent adventure to Melaka without visiting the night market thanks to its colonial charm and historic sites, but we would highly recommend you try to plan your trip here to coincide with the Jonker Street night market.

We know Penang and Ipoh are increasingly touted as the ultimate food destinations in Malaysia and that might be true, but the sheer character and number of novel, street food stalls available during the Jonker Street Night Market take some beating.

And did we mention the gifts and crafts available were not your usual tourist tat*?  *although that is still available, fake goods fans.

totoro buns jonker Street Night Market in Melaka / Malacca guide
glow in the dark accessories Jonker Street Night Market in Melaka / Malacca guide

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What can I expect at Jonker Street Night Market?

Jonker Street runs through the heart of Melaka, and is the main Chinatown street. It was once famous for its antique shops, but has now given way to a lot of tourist shops plus the usual chains like 7-Eleven.

During the week, Melaka’s Jonker Street is open to traffic and has all manner of weird and wonderful places to explore including a Mamee Noodle Museum (easy to spot as you are greeted by the massive Mamee monster).

Jonker Street Night Market in Melaka / Malacca guide

However it is at the weekend (Friday-Sunday) when it truly comes alive – the streets are closed to traffic and around 400 Jonker Street night market stalls open up selling traditional handicrafts and local Nyonya cuisine.

The busiest time of the year to visit Jonker Street Night Market is usually around Chinese New Year (in February).

2023 Jonker Street Night Market Update – although impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jonker Street Night Market is now back to full strength in 2023 with several thousand visitors every weekend.

Jonker Street Night Market in Melaka / Malacca guide

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What can I buy at the market?

There are a huge range of wonderful things to buy and eat at the market – you’ll find stalls selling everything from souvenirs, food produce, clothing, toys, jewellery and accessories, temporary tattoos, art prints and Studio Ghibli merchandise (we bought some Totoro ornaments).

We found many stalls at Jonker Street Night Market selling very unique gifts that we’ve not seen before in any other night market in south east Asia and we would say Jonker Street is definitely one of our favourites.

t shirts i heart malacca Jonker Street Night Market in Melaka / Malacca guide
tattoos at Jonker Street Night Market in Melaka / Malacca guide
Temporary tattoos
toys at Jonker Street Night Market in Melaka / Malacca guide
toys at Jonker Street Night Market in Melaka / Malacca guide
totoro gifts

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What to eat at Jonker Street Night Market in 2023 – the best food and drink

With oodles of noodles and magnificent Malaysian morsels to taste, this must be one of the best night markets in South East Asia for food.

From chicken rice-balls to creamy coconut ice-cream, you’ll find some delicious delights to suit even the most adventurous traveller’s tastes. Our food favourites at Jonker Street Night Market include:

Coconut Shakes

This stall sells the best coconut shake we’ve ever tasted (a mix of coconut water, coconut flesh and vanilla ice cream)! The coconut huskers were also very entertaining – throwing balls of coconut flesh up and down in the air which was very fun to watch!

Coconut shakes cost around 5RM, or you can purchase a ball of husked coconut flesh and water in a plastic container for just 2RM. You’ll find them at the very start of Jonker Street Night Market near the river.

coconut shake Jonker Street Night Market in Melaka / Malacca guide
Coconut water ball
coconut shake Jonker Street Night Market in Melaka / Malacca guide
Coconut shake (left)

Satay or curry fish balls

This savoury snack is very popular at the night market. A cup of these delicious fish balls with either a sweet and spicy curry sauce or a satay sauce will usually cost around 4RM.

Pure mango smoothies

Fresh fruit in a cup is widely available but the mango ones are utterly divine, and cheap at just 5RM a cup.

Pure mango smoothies at Jonker Street Night Market in Melaka / Malacca guide
Satay fish balls (left) and mango smoothie (right)

Nyonya Laksa 

A few Jonker Street stalls sell this spicy Malaysian street food dish which is similar to a curry laksa.

The Nyonya Laksa has a rich and creamy coconut-based noodle soup with broth made from chicken and prawns. It is usually topped with sliced cucumber, a boiled egg, sambal, fish balls and fish cake slices.

Pineapple Tart

This zesty, bitesize snack made from flaky pastry and filled with a zingy pineapple jam is a winner.

Although you can find shops all over town selling pineapple tarts (generally in pre-packaged boxes, ready to take home as gifts), Jonker Street Night Market is a great opportunity to try a hot, fresh one straight from the oven.

Nyonya Laksa (left) and Pineapple Tart (right)Jonker Street Night Market in Melaka / Malacca guide
Nyonya Laksa (left) and Pineapple Tart (right)

Chang fen

Steamed rolled rice noodles with tofu, hoisin sauce, a chilli sauce and roasted sesame seeds – delicious!

Chang fen Jonker Street Night Market in Melaka / Malacca guide

Dim Sum

Mr. Pau’s dim sum street food stall is a bit hit with visitors to the night market. They are super tasty and really cheap – 5 dumplings cost around 4RM.

dim sum Jonker street night market Melaka Malaysia
dim sum Jonker street night market Melaka Malaysia

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Entertainment

Whilst food was our main priority (a full belly is a happy belly!), the Jonker Street Night market entertainment was jovial and also kept us amused. You’ll often see street-performers and karaoke is a popular activity.

One of the highlights and most joyful moments of our Melaka trip was the sight of hundreds of old(er) ladies taking part in synchronised line dancing on the main entertainment stage and along the streets (something we’d seen before in Chiang Rai but nothing quite on this level).

dancing entertainment Jonker street night market Melaka Malaysia

All of the Jonker Street dancers were wearing red t-shirts so they likely belonged to a senior dancing group (or have started a local fan-club for ‘Dancing with the Stars’).

Their passion for life was so enthusing that we grabbed some ice-cold beers from a local 7-Eleven and spent a good amount of time watching their crazily cute choreographed numbers – who needs TV when you see something as wonderful as this unfurling right in front of your very eyes?!

dancing entertainment Jonker street night market Melaka Malaysia

Bars Nears Jonker Street

If you still have a thirst after exploring the night market in Melaka, we’d recommend heading to Geographer Cafe on Jonker Street, or to the bars along Malacca’s river, just a short walk from the main entrance to the Jonker Street Night Market.

Indulge in some happy hour beers and raise a glass to having successfully navigated the night market, a nicely suffused stomach and the bag full of bargains you’ve just likely just bought from the market (or is that just us)?


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What are the Jonker Walk / Jonker Street Night Market Opening Hours?

As of summer 2023, the Jonker Street Night Market opening hours are 6pm until late, Friday to Sunday.

Note that the Sunday night market is on a smaller scale than the market on Friday and Saturday.

What is the address for Jonker Street Night Market?

Address: Jonker Street Night Market, Jalan Hang Jebat, 75200 Malacca, Malaysia

Check out our top things to do in Melaka blog post >

 How much does it cost to enter Jonker Street Night Market?

Jonker Street night market in Melaka is free entry!


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Found this article useful?

Where to stay in Melaka

We stayed at Hotel Puri – the location was amazing and just a few minutes walk to Jonker street weekend market, the river and many restaurants. The rooms were a little tired looking but there was a fairly decent free breakfast every morning.

Hotel Puri foyer

Here are some other suggestions for accommodation to suit all budgets:

Backpacker

Here are some cheap hostels that come highly rated on Hostelworld:

Jalan-Jalan Emas 
Newly renovated guest house with plant-filled inner courtyards and free WIFI. Check out prices and availability for Jalan-Jalan Emas 

Ringo’s Foyer Guest House
Budget accommodation ranging from family and double rooms to single and dorm rooms, with rooftop and cycling tours. Check out prices and availability for Ringo’s Foyer Guest House

Tonys Guesthouse
Traditional guest house with friendly owners – a short walk from town. Check out prices and availability for Tonys Guesthouse

Mid range

If you are looking for something mid range then these hotels have great reviews:r

Rosa Malacca
Modern hotel featuring contemporary-industrial decor. Check out prices and availability for Rosa Malacca 

Timez Modern Heritage Hotel
Boutique hotel located in a side alley just off Jonker street. Check out prices and availability for Timez Modern Heritage Hotel

RC Hotel Melaka
Boutique hotel located just beside the Malacca River with rooms featuring different unique themes. Check out prices and availability for RC Hotel Melaka

Treat yourself

Alternatively if you are looking for something more special then treat yourself to a stay at one of these seriously beautiful hotels in Melaka:

The Majestic Malacca 
Boutique hotel set along the banks of Melaka River featuring elegantly decorated guest rooms and spa and outdoor pool. Check out prices and availability for The Majestic Malacca 

Casa Del Rio 
Riverside hotel featuring an infinity pool, fitness centre, spa, 3 restaurants and rooms with a private balcony. Check out prices and availability for Casa Del Rio 


Sim cards and pocket WIFI

Having data on your phone whilst travelling is almost essential these days – from planning your route around the city, booking a Grab taxi or for staying connected with friends and family back home. SIM cards are pretty cheap in Malaysia with generous data allowances and are available to purchase from airports, malls and convenience stores (bring your passport along for identification purposes).

You can also prepay online and collect a SIM from KLIA2 airportJust remember to make sure your phone is not locked to your local network provider before purchasing one.

Alternatively if you do not want to change your sim card then renting a pocket WIFI device might be for you. We’ve used them multiple times and love that we can both connect our devices to it, however the downside to the Malaysian ones is that there is a data allowance of 1GB per day. Pre-order one online with Klook for collection when you arrive at either KLIA or KLIA2 airport in Kuala Lumpur. 


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