Malacca: A visit to the historical town of Malacca is both an education and a pleasure. You get to see the vestiges of early foreign occupation-Portuguese and Dutch-that hark back to a glorious past when it was a vibrant maritime trading centre and coveted by several foeign powers. You can’t miss , a fortress built by the Portuguese admiral Alfonso d’AlBuquerque in 1511. and there is of course the striking salmon-red Stadthuys. Built in 1650 as the official residence of dutch governors and officials. It is believed to be the oldest Dutch building in the East (Circa 1641 and 1660).