About 20 minutes’ drive from Melaka town is a quiet coastal village named Umbai, famed for its fresh seafood and ikan bakar (grilled fish) methods. The ikan pari (stingray) is a very popular choice among diners here and can be cooked either bakar or bakar sambal-style.
When we reached the coast, we were greeted by a breathtaking view - waves at low-tide crashing onto the rocky shore, the sun setting in the distance, and a brightly-coloured walkway through Umbai for its visitors to stroll at leisure and enjoy the gentle sea breeze.
The glorious sunset view at Umbai
A forest of mangrove trees had grown completely engulfing Umbai sea port with luscious greenery, attracting a plethora of fauna including swimming monitor lizards and food-hunting monkeys.
Feeling adventurous after our animal encounters, the HungryGoWhere team braved a rickety bridge across the swampland - probably not something we would recommend (leave this to the death-defying professionals, kids) but we managed to get across safely to explore more restaurants on the other side.
We probably wouldn’t cross this bridge again until it’s properly fixed
At the mouth of the river leading into the sea, a hundred or more speedboats and sampans were docked, indicative of Umbai’s reputation for fresh caught seafood. One of the old boats had even been converted into an extension to a restaurant’s dining area.
You can even choose to dine on a boat at this establishment
The village has many stalls and warungs (Malay restaurants), but
Ikan Bakar Parameswara was the most popular one by far, having more diners than the other restaurants. Their menu listed a range of choices which were slightly overwhelming.
Don’t fret about what to pick, Parameswara’s friendly staff is here to help!