Malacca Strait, Maritime strait between Sumatra and Malaysian Peninsula, Southeast Asia.
The Malacca Strait stretches between Sumatra and the Malaysian Peninsula, linking the Andaman Sea to the South China Sea over roughly 800 kilometers. The waterway narrows in several places, which affects how large ships can navigate through it.
The Srivijaya empire controlled these waters starting in the 7th century, shaping the trade routes between China and India. This control made the strait one of Asia's most important passages for hundreds of years.
Merchants from many lands crossed these waters for centuries, bringing their trading customs and goods to the ports along the coasts. This mixing of cultures left traces that visitors can still see in the harbor cities today.
The strait is one of the world's busiest shipping routes, so ships can be observed from coastal vantage points along the way. The best spots for watching traffic are from larger port cities like Penang or Singapore.
Some call the strait one of the world's riskiest sea routes because of piracy issues that still occur in certain areas today. Despite this, modern patrols have greatly improved safety in many parts of the waterway.
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