MELAKA, May 26 -- Just beyond the bustle of Jonker Street - and by that I include the wider tangle of Heeren Street, Jalan Tokong and little alleys such as Lorong Hang Kasturi - Melaka's coffee culture has settled into something of a permanent cafe hop.

Tourists drift from one specialty coffee stop to another, admiring hand brews at Coffeebar 125+ or squeezing past camera-toting influencers outside The Coffee Jar (both cafes are favourites of mine, by the way, and come highly recommended).

The area thrives on its own curated charm: heritage facades restored for the Instagram generation, espresso machines humming behind century-old shutters.

This trip we decided to turn away from the familiar current of visitors and wander towards Kampu...