Villa Sentosa Melaka is a must see attraction if you are looking to get a taste of the authentic Malay way of living. Located in Campung Morten, right near the Malacca River, Villa Sentosa will surprise you with its beautiful architecture and welcoming owners.
Situated withing walking distance from the Malacca city center, this amazing traditional house is easily accessible. Also, don’t hesitate to admire other traditional Malay homes in the same neighborhood. However, Villa Sentosa is definitely one of the most beautiful and well preserved homes in the area.
‘Sentosa’ means peace, prosperity and harmony and this is exactly what you will find here: a peaceful atmosphere and an incredible host. Mr. Ibrahim has opened his home to the public in 1991 and he receives around 550 visitors per month.
Although the villa is not exactly a museum since it is still inhabited by Mr. Ibrahim and his family, you can leave a donation to support his efforts of preserving this beautiful traditional Malay home in Malacca.
Villa Sentosa Malacca has been built 96 years ago (as of 2018) but it’s incredibly well preserved. Let’s take a virtual tour of the Malay Living Museum.
There are many more amazing places to explore in Melaka. Find out which are the top 22 things to see and do in Melaka here.
Villa Sentosa Melaka virtual tour
Most probably Mr. Ibrahim will show you around the house. He knows everything about every corner of Villa Sentosa since his grandfather was one of the founders of the village. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask since he will be happy to answer and share more of this place’s history.
The tour will start with the patio which, according to Mr. Ibrahim’s stories used to get flooded during rain when he was little. He called it his ‘private pool’. The patio also connects all the rooms and sections of the house.
The tour will then take you to the ‘discussion room’ which is the place where all the family members gather to talk and share stories.
You will also have the chance to see the kitchen which was replaced since the old one was affected by termites.
Next is the guest room which features a traditional bed and it’s directly connected to the patio. I loved the wooden clock and all the small tea cups. It really seems like every piece of furniture has its own history.
You’ll then get to the master bedroom which is a bit more private than the rest of the rooms.
The living room is full of antique furniture and personal objects as well as family portraits. Above the door you can even see a picture of Mr. Ibrahim’s grandfather.
The most interesting room is the ‘wedding room’ which is quite tiny but it has a large golden bed and a wardrobe. This room used to serve as the place where the newlyweds spent a few days after their marriage, before moving to their own place. Although nowadays, arranged marriages are not common anymore, in the past they were the norm.
At the end of the tour you will be taken to the terrace where you will be asked to sign the visitor’s book. Mr. Ibrahim told us that many VIPs and celebrities have visitied Villa Sentosa Melaka and he even has a panel with articles from newspapers mentioning his house.
You will notice that this villa, as well as the other traditional Malay houses in Campung Morten are built on wooden stilts. The reason for this is to prevent the flooding and keep out unwanted creatures.
Don’t hesitate to take as many pictures as you like and also admire the house’s exterior.
Villa Sentosa entry fee and opening hours
The entry fee to Villa Sentosa Melaka is based on donations. Therefore, feel free to donate any sum of money. Keep in mind that the money goes to the preservation of this beautiful house.
Villa Sentosa is opened every day from 9.30 am to 6 pm.
How to get to Villa Sentosa Melaka
Getting to Villa Sentosa should take you around 15-20 minutes from the Red Square if you decide to walk. The easiest way is to follow the Malacca River until you reach it.
Where to stay in Melaka
During my visit in Melaka, I’ve stayed at the Rucksack Caratel and I totally recommend this place. Situated in the heart of the city, it is incredibly clean and cozy. For my full review check out this article – The Rucksack Caratel Melaka Review. If you want to book this place, click here.
May the travel bug bite you!
More about Malaysia:
- 22 Things to see and do in Melaka – click here
- The perfect Kuala Lumpur one day itinerary – click here
- Penang 3 day itinerary – click here
- Explore Cameron Highlands – click here
- The most beautiful waterfall in Malaysia – click here
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Aurelia Teslaru is a professional travel blogger and the writer behind Daily Travel Pill. With a 4-year experience as a travel writer and photographer, Aurelia only shares travel guides about destinations that she visited.
She has been to more than 40 countries during the past 10 years and aims to explore 50 countries before turning 30 years old. Aurelia is a digital nomad who transformed her passion for travel into a lifestyle. Read more about her here.
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