Silver Shadow Southeast Asia Voyage Report – Day 12

Malacca, Malaysia and the End of our Silversea Journey

I spent the morning aboard Silversea ‘s Silver Shadow nervously avoiding what I knew to be true: in less than 24 hours, someone else will take my place in my Grand Suite, as they set sail on their own adventure, this time from Singapore to Hong Kong. Silversea rarely does the same voyage twice, and a handful of lucky guests are staying onboard, extending their vacations a little longer.
We’re not in Malacca, Malaysia until this afternoon, which is great news for me: it gives me another chance to enjoy another cappuccino in the Panorama Lounge, served by the always-friendly Faye. I can also participate in another dance class, and I’m happy to say I’m getting better. Which isn’t saying a lot. I dance terribly.

Most of all, I can spend the morning enjoying all of my favorite areas of the ship onboard one last time. Which is exactly what I did before venturing up to the Pool Grill for one last lunch. I miss the “Transatlantic Double-Dog” that Silversea used to offer here, and the Chicken Burger, but the new hamburger selections more than make up for it. Try the Spicy Jalapeno Burger – it’s fantastic!
This afternoon, we arrived in Malacca just as the skies opened up with the heaviest rain we’ve had so far on this mostly rain-free trip. And boy, did it rain. It reminded me of being aboard Silver Shadow in Sitka, Alaska two years ago – albeit, much warmer.
Here’s another cool Silversea touch: rather than relying soely on the ship’s own tenders, Silversea contracted the services of local tender boats to supplement the ship’s tenders and get guests ashore faster. Absolutely incredible – particularly if you’ve ever waited around for tender tickets on bigger ships.

Malacca – known locally as Melaka – has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site sin 2008, thanks in part to its eclectic collection of traditional and Colonial-era buildings that gives the town an odd Asian, British and almost Mexican feel thanks to its Jesuit history.
The result today is a town with very modern amenities (think H&M and Hard Rock Café), but which blends and melds styles at every turn. This is even evident in the local cuisine, which blends Chinese, Thai, and Indian specialties into regional dishes.

While Silversea offers plenty of excursion options here, I elected to walk from the tender pier to the main historic shopping area of town, known as the Jonker Walk, or Jonker Street. Dating back to the 17^th century, the street is crammed with locals, tourists and antique shops, plus dozens of local eateries. It is an easy, 10-15 minute walk from the tender pier, and if you’re armed with a map, it’s quite easy to get to (just continue following the river until you get to the bridge).

Before long, though, it was time to return to the Silver Shadow to pack and to enjoy one last evening onboard. Our journey is nearing its end, which makes this the perfect time to look back upon where we’ve been:

DAY	PORT	ARRIVE	DEPART
October 31, 2016	Singapore	Embark	1800
November 1	Port Klang (Kuala Lumpur), Malaysia	0800	1900
November 2	Penang, Georgetown, Malaysia	0800	1800
November 3	Phuket, Thailand	0800	1400
November 4	At Sea
November 5	Yangon, Myanmar	0600	Overnight
November 6	Yangon, Myanmar	Overnight	Overnight
November 7	Yangon, Myanmar	Overnight	1900
November 8

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