Johor Bahru.
Your next chapter?

Overview

Johor Bahru (Jawi: جوهر بهرو, Chinese: 新山) (also Johor Baru or Johore Baharu, or just JB) is Malaysia's second largest city, and the state capital of Johor. The city is surrounded by suburbs, industrial parks and long waterfront areas, in the southern part of Peninsular Malaysia. Johor Bahru together with Iskandar Puteri and Pasir Gudang cities and Kukup, Kulai, Pekan Nanas and Senai towns form the megaregion Iskandar Malaysia.

Johor Bahru was the world's 35th most visited city by international tourists, according to Euromonitor International in 2019, as well as the second most visited city in the nation, after Kuala Lumpur.

Areas

Johor Bahru's metropolitan area can be easily divided into four parts - North, South, East and West.

North - Its main centres are Taman Daya, Taman Mount Austin, Taman Desa Tebrau and Ulu Tiram, which can be accessed via the trunk road, Jalan Tebrau. There can be a relatively frequent peak hour jam along this road. The area is a very popular place for the local to patronise due to the latest development of AEON Tebrau, Lotus's Tebrau, IKEA Tebrau, Toppen Shopping Centre and Mount Austin's bustling socialising and entertainment district. South - It is the main city centre (IIBD) where most of the city government agencies are located. This area is also where many of the old town areas are located, including its Chinatown, Little India and Stulang Laut waterfront areas. It is an area with housing estates which have been around for more than three decades. Important estates include Taman Pelangi, Taman Century and Taman Sentosa. East - The main suburbs here are Plentong and Permas Jaya, a housing suburb; other part is industrial areas and the Sultan Iskandar Reservoir. West - The main centres is Danga Bay area, an integrated waterfront development. The main suburbs here are Bandar Baru UDA, Tampoi and Kempas.

Understand

Johor Bahru is the second largest city in Malaysia and a fast-growing city. The city has about 860,000 inhabitants (2020), and its district has about 1.7 million. Johor Bahru is mostly suburban and lacks a condensed metropolitan environment. Given its relatively large land space, the city is not as dense as many other cities in the country. Many of the world's top electronics manufacturers have at least one plant in Johor Bahru.

Due to its proximity to Singapore, Johor Bahru is frequently visited by Singaporeans looking to take advantage of its much lower prices, particularly on weekends. Congestion at the border checkpoints is particularly heavy during long weekends or extended public holidays. Shopping and eating in the city can be a real adventure, with many shopping complexes, restaurants, cafes and a wide variety of local, Asian and Western food establishments offering from street food to fine dining. There are also plenty of spas, massage parlours, resort hotels, karaoke, night markets, pubs and nightclubs in the city. The city also houses many establishments for arts, sports, games and outdoor activities.

Johor Bahru has a good mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures, with racial and religious harmony actively promoted by the Sultan of Johor. The city has been receiving large investments, particular from Chinese property developers, as part of the Iskandar Malaysia project. As result, there is massive construction all over the city. While mostly residential properties are being built, some are aiming to create man-made tourist attractions such as Danga Bay (Country Garden, Greenland) and Princess Cove (R&F). Johor Bahru is a sprawling city; its city centre is rather small for a metropolis of its size, and many of the city's best shopping areas and restaurants are in the suburbs rather than in the city centre. While the public transportation leaves much to be desired and may be too complex or inadequate for tourists in general, local inexpensive ride-hailing apps such as Grab makes the task of exploring the city much easier.

History The city was founded in 1855 as Tanjung Puteri during the rule of Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim of the Johor Sultanate. In 1862, it was renamed as Johore Bahru when the Sultanate moved its capital there from Telok Blangah. After the independence of Malaya in 1957, Johor Bahru became the capital of Johor State and continued as such after the formation of Malaysia in 1963. Johor Bahru was declared a town in 1977, and then a city in 1994. Subsequently, with the establishment of Nusajaya, many of the state administration offices were moved to the new town. In 2020, the new city hall of Johor Bahru was established in Bukit Senyum.

Like the rest of other areas in Malaysia, Johor Bahru has an equatorial climate with consistent temperature throughout the year. It has a considerable amount of rain and high humidity. Daily average temperature ranges from 26.4 °C (79.5 °F) to 27.8 °C (82.0 °F). Although the climate is relatively uniform, it does show some seasonal variation due to the effects of monsoons. Day time can be a bit hot, thus bringing a hat, cap or umbrella may always be a good idea, because sometimes rain will also pour down unexpectedly.

The official at Jalan Ayer Molek (about 1 km southwest of JB Sentral) is a tiny office on the 3rd level in a sprawling white building of the same name, a 10-min walk from JB Sentral station; M-F 8AM-5PM. There are two other tourist offices located at:

Johor Bahru CIQ ('Tourist Information Centre' open daily 9AM-1PM and 2-6PM). 50 m from Sultan Iskandar Building. JB Sentral ('Tourist Information Centre', next to the passenger waiting area on level 2 daily 9AM-6PM). You can get free brochures and maps on various destinations in West Malaysia, including free maps of JB.

Talk

Malay is the official language and spoken by virtually all locals. English, however, is widely used as a second language in public and for business, commercial and tourism purposes. Teochew is the main language spoken by the Chinese community, with many of them able to speak Mandarin as well, while Tamil is the main language spoken by the Indian community. Other languages from East, Southeast and South Asian countries can also be found in the city due to the significant presence of migrant workers from those countries.

Generally, most of the public commercial signs are bilingual in Malay and English. Many private establishments will also include Chinese or Tamil signs. However, road signs are mostly written in Malay only. Road names are mostly written in both the Rumi and Jawi scripts.

Get in

By plane The most practical way for most international visitors to enter is through Singapore Changi Airport or Senai International Airport (see below).

is the main airport serving Johor Bahru, located in the neighbouring town of Senai. It has several international flights from other Southeast Asian countries, and it has also domestic flights from major airports around Malaysia, including connecting flights from Malaysia's main airport Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), which is served by flights from major destinations around the globe.

AirAsia. Direct flights from Alor Setar, Bintulu, Ipoh, Kota Bharu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur-KLIA, Kuching, Langkawi, Miri, Penang, Sibu and Tawau.

Batik Air. Direct flights from Kuala Lumpur-Subang Airport.

Firefly. Direct flights from Kuala Lumpur-Subang Airport and Penang.

Malaysia Airlines. Direct flights from Kuala Lumpur-KLIA and Kuching.

From/to Johor Bahru: Causeway Link operates airport express shuttle buses between the airport and JB Sentral with 12 return journeys per day. First departure from either side is at 9AM and last departure is at 8:30PM. There are also non-express buses from and to the airport. The A1 bus terminates at Senai Airport and Permas Jaya, so you can board or disembark from the bus at various points. Taxis are available and the ride takes about 30 min. Taxis leaving from the airport operate on a voucher system; buy your voucher from the taxi desk inside the terminal (next to the car rental desks). A trip to the city centre is RM45 for up to 4 passengers. From/to Singapore: If you are planning to go to Senai Airport from Singapore, the cheapest option is to travel to JB Sentral (see By bus below) and then transfer to a Causeway Link Airport (CWA) shuttle bus, or to Larkin Sentral terminal by express or non-express bus and transfer to an airport-bound bus. From JB to Senai takes around 30 min off peak. Buy your coupon from the counter before boarding the taxi.

Singapore Changi Airport Singapore Changi Airport across the border in Singapore is commonly used by locals due to its better connections. The downside is that you will have to pass through customs and immigration twice, and cross-border taxis are rather expensive. Transtar Travel's "cross border" coach service operates between Changi Airport Terminals 1 and 4, and JB CIQ, from which you can catch a taxi or public transport to anywhere in Johor Bahru.

From other parts of Malaysia Due to the separation of East Malaysia from Peninsular Malaysia by sea, Johor Bahru can only be accessed by road from the peninsula. JB is at the southern end of the North South Expressway, the toll highway which runs the length of Peninsular Malaysia along the West Coast. Those accessing or leaving the city can exit or enter at Jalan Skudai, Jalan Adda Utama, the Pasir Gudang Highway or Jalan Tebrau.

JB is also at the southern extremity of the Federal Route One, the main trunk roads which runs the length of Peninsular Malaysia's West Coast states. Federal Route Three or the East Coast Road links JB with the East Coast cities of Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu and Kota Bharu via Kota Tinggi and Mersing. The West Coast's coastal road can be accessed from Pontian.

Most visitors to JB arrive from Singapore via the linking the two countries. By some measures the busiest border crossing in the world, the Causeway is a very popular and thus often congested entry point connecting directly into the heart of JB. Congestion can be expected towards Singapore during the morning rush hour as many Malaysians head across the border to work, and towards Johor Bahru during the evening rush hour as they head home from work. The most crowded times tend to be on Fridays (especially from 9AM to noon and 3PM to 10PM) when many Singaporeans travel across the border to Malaysia for a weekend getaway and Malaysians travel back home after the workweek. Saturday mornings and the eve of public holidays (or public holiday weekends) can see the checkpoint packed too. Sunday afternoons and evenings, as well as the last day of public holiday weekends see the Causeway crowded in the opposite direction. The Causeway can be crossed by bus, train, taxi or car. This website provides more advice on when the best time to travel across the causeway would be.

To drive a car from Singapore to Malaysia, one must prepare the stored-value card (NETS CashCard or CEPAS Card) with sufficient funds to pay for tolls before leaving Singapore and a Touch 'n Go card when entering Johor Bahru to pay the RM20 toll fee, and a valid Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) RFID tag. Drivers of Singapore-registered cars must also ensure that their fuel tank is filled to at least ¾ full when leaving Singapore.

Rental agencies will frequently prohibit their cars crossing the border or may charge extra in both directions.

Cycling across the Causeway from Singapore is permitted. To do so, take the motorcycle lanes and have your exit and entry processed at the manual motorcycle counters on both sides of the Causeway.

serves as the major long-haul bus terminal for the whole of Johor Bahru. Buses between JB and other Malaysian or Thai cities, and those between JB and Singapore will usually start and terminate here or at JB CIQ.

Malaysia and Thailand Direct buses between Johor Bahru and many cities and towns in West Malaysia as well as Hat Yai in Thailand arrive at Larkin Sentral Terminal. This L-shaped terminal has coach and bus ticket booths, shops, about a dozen food and beverage outlets, a market, and a left luggage office (RM2 per bag per day, 7AM-10PM).

There is a big, open-air car park in front of the bus terminal - enter from Jalan Garuda. Several dozen bus companies run direct bus services between Larkin Sentral and various destinations in West Malaysia with services to Kuala Lumpur typically starting from just after sunrise and ending at slightly past midnight. Except during public holidays (when you should buy the ticket in advance), you can usually purchase your ticket on the day of departure or even less than an hour before the scheduled departure time.

There are shared taxis departing from Larkin Sentral terminal to various destinations (only as far as Genting Highlands) in West Malaysia. The shared taxis, unlike the intercity buses, do not depart at set times. They only depart when the shared taxi has reached a maximum of four passengers or if the passengers are willing to pay for the remaining seats.

There are local buses connecting Larkin Sentral terminal with various parts of the city. These buses stop at the bus stop opposite City Square in Jalan Wong Ah Fook and at the JB Sentral's bus bays facing Jalan Jim Quee.

Maju bus number 208, 224 and 227 go from Larkin Sentral terminal to JB Sentral en route to Masai, Pasir Gudang and Kota Tinggi respectively.

From Singapore There are three main types of bus transport between JB and Singapore: private buses, Causeway Link buses and SBS Transit/SMRT public buses. All buses except CW3, CW3S, CW4 and CW6 use the Causeway. Other than the immigration checkpoints, all Johor Bahru bound buses can only stop at one or two destinations in Johor Bahru, while Singapore-bound Causeway Link and Singapore-Johore Express buses can only stop at one destination in Singapore. Terminals aside, all buses make one stop each at Singapore immigration checkpoint and at Malaysian immigration checkpoint, which may mean boarding (esp. on those line buses where you can pay with an EZ-link card) a different bus. At both immigration points, you must disembark with all your luggage and pass through passport control and customs, then board the same or next bus by showing your ticket or using your EZ-link card.

The following private buses run between various stops in Singapore and either JB CIQ or Larkin Sentral Terminal in Johor Bahru:

From Johor Bahru to Woodlands, via Johor–Singapore Causeway

From Iskandar Puteri to Tuas, via Malaysia–Singapore Second Link

The Transtar Cross Border Service TS1 minibus (24 passengers) plies between Changi Airport and Johor Bahru. The service calls at coach stands at Terminals 1, 2 and 3, and terminates at Johor Bahru CIQ. The first bus leaves Changi Airport for Johor Bahru at 8:15AM, Johor Bahru for Changi Airport at 5AM with the last departures at Changi Airport and Larkin Sentral scheduled at 11:15PM and 9PM respectively. Frequency is set at every 60 min. The bus calls at 5 stops along its route in Singapore (excluding Woodlands Checkpoint) and uses the Tampines and Seletar Expressways. The Transtar Cross Border Service TS8 double-decker bus plies between Resorts World at Sentosa (RWS) and Johor Bahru. The bus calls at 6 stops along its route. The service terminates at Larkin Sentral, with drop off at JB CIQ. Passengers can choose to pay using their EZ-link cards or with cash. From RWS, the first bus will leave at 8AM (weekdays) or 9AM (weekends and holidays) with the last one at 12:15AM. From Larkin Sentral, the first bus departs M-F 6AM; Sa Su and public holidays 7AM. Last bus at 9:30PM. Service TS8 runs every hour. The Advance Coach AC7 bus service runs between Yishun bus interchange in Singapore and Larkin Sentral Terminal. It makes numerous stops en route between Yishun bus interchange and the Woodlands checkpoint. The frequency is 20 to 30 minutes, 5:45AM-11:30PM (Singapore to Johor Bahru) and 5AM–11:50PM (Johor Bahru to Singapore). The Singapore-Johore Express (SJE) runs a non-stop service between Queen Street Terminal in Singapore and Larkin Sentral Terminal from 6:30AM–1AM. At the terminals, buy tickets from the ticket counter. At Woodlands or JB checkpoints, get the ticket from the driver or the ticket seller standing beside the bus. Change will be given. SBS Transit and SMRT public buses provide non-express services which charge based on distance travelled, and can be paid by cash, bank card, or stored-value EZ-link card. Buses are painted in lime green or red. Bus 160 from Jurong East Interchange (next to Jurong East MRT Station) Bus 170 from Queen Street Terminal to Larkin Sentral Terminal Bus 170X at Kranji MRT station Bus 950 from Woodlands Bus Interchange to Larkin Sentral Terminal

Causeway Link buses are bright yellow and hard to miss. Buy tickets from the ticket counter at the terminals. Boarding anywhere else will require payment to the driver with no change given. These are by far the cheapest option to cross the Johor Straits but it also causes mad rushes and queues at the checkpoints. The main CW buses are: CW1 from Larkin Sentral to Kranji MRT station CW2 from Larkin Sentral to Queen Street Terminal CW5 from Johor Bahru CIQ to Newton Circus

The restriction of Malaysian-operated buses not stopping anywhere within Singapore and conversely, Singapore ones in Johor Bahru could be used to your advantage. 30 min could easily be shaved off the journey time within Singapore alone by boarding express buses CW2, CW5 or SJE when leaving Singapore from the Queen Street terminal or Newton Food Centre's car park. A little more time could be saved on the Johor Bahru side by hopping on to a Singapore-registered non-express bus (e.g.

It is possible but more expensive to use the EZ-link card compared to paying in cash in Malaysian ringgit when boarding SBS 160, SBS 170 or SMRT 950 at Larkin Sentral/Johor Bahru CIQ to go anywhere in Singapore. This is slightly more than 100% more expensive than by paying in cash (RM2.20). It is also cheaper to pay in ringgit when travelling from the Woodlands Checkpoint to the Johor Bahru CIQ by the Singapore-Johore Express bus.

Taking a taxi from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to the city is also generally still acceptable.

From Singapore For any transportation between Johor Bahru and Singapore, only specially licensed taxis are allowed to operate across the border. The rules seem baffling at first, but boil down to this: Malaysian taxis are only allowed to go to the designated terminal in Singapore, and Singaporean taxis are only allowed to go to their terminal in Johor Bahru.

The main advantage of a taxi is that you don't need to lug your stuff (or yourself) through customs at both ends; you can just sit in the car. This service is also available 24 hours a day.

Likewise, if you want to take a taxi from Larkin Sentral to anywhere in Singapore, you need to use a Singaporean taxi and pay at least RM120 for the service.

Private limousine car services offer point-to-point services from anywhere in Singapore to anywhere in Johor Bahru, but these exist in a legal grey zone. Unlike normal cabs, they can also use the Second Link, which makes them by far the fastest way of getting to western parts of Johor.

Alternatively, you can arrange a 2-taxi ride through the call centre, whereby once across the Causeway, you swap taxis.

is the southernmost station of the Malaysian railway network. It is well connected to surrounding malls as well as the border and the JB Sentral bus station. Further north of the city is the more sparse . All trains are operated by KTMB.

From other parts of Malaysia Five trains a day run from Kuala Lumpur Sentral, taking 4 hr 20 min via Gemas. Four of them start from Butterworth (for ferry from George Town on Penang island), taking 8 hr 20 min via Ipoh, KL and Gemas. The overnight train from Bangkok nowadays terminates at KL but connects with the last evening train to Johor.

Three trains a day run from Tumpat along the east coast Jungle Railway. Two terminate at Gemas and one is a direct sleeper to Johor.

From Singapore From 2027, JB will be linked to Singapore by a new Rapid Transit System (RTS). A station at Bukit Chagar (400 m from JB Sentral) will have driverless trains every few minutes to Woodlands North in Singapore, with MRT connections to all parts of that city.

Until then, you have to take the Shuttle Tebrau between JB Sentral and Woodlands Train Checkpoint in Singapore. Trains are every hour or so, an infrequent service for such a short busy route, and they often sell out days in advance. Check departure times here. The journey only takes 5 min but allow 45 min for border procedures (both ways) at the Checkpoint.

Tickets go on sale up to 6 months prior to departure, buy on KTMB's website, app, or at the station. Physical tickets are no longer issued; your passport functions as your ticket.

Woodlands Train Checkpoint is not connected to the MRT system. Instead take either buses 170/170X or 178 to Marsiling MRT station, or buses 856, 903, 911, or 950 to Woodlands MRT. There are no plans to close this gap, as this route will close in 2027 once the RTS link is up and running.

You can take 123 or S&S1 bus departing from Permas Jaya or MV2 bus departing from Mid Valley Southkey, both depart to JB Sentral terminal passing through Stulang Laut area.

From and to Batam: Ferries departing for Batam goes to two destinations on the island, which are Batam Center and Harbour Bay. For destination to Batam Center, ferries depart at 7:15AM, 9:30AM, 11:45AM, 1:15PM, 3:30PM and 6PM (Malaysia time). The ferries from Batam Centre depart at 7:15AM, 9:30AM, 11:45AM, 2PM, 3:30PM and 4:30PM (Western Indonesian time). For destination to Harbour Bay, ferries depart at 9AM, 10:30AM, and 5:30PM (Malaysia time). The ferries from Harbour Bay depart at 6:30AM, 9:30AM and 1AM (Western Indonesian time). Journey time: 120 min. Journey time for both destinations: 120 min.

From and to Bintan: Ferries depart daily at 3PM to Tanjung Pinang. The ferries from Tanjung Pinang depart at 7AM (Western Indonesian time). Journey time: 150 min.

Children 3 years old and below do not require tickets but are subject to surcharge of RM21. Passengers must be at the ferry terminal at least 30 min before the ferry's departure.

On foot Walking from the surrounding cities and towns (Iskandar Puteri, Pasir Gudang and Senai) to Johor Bahru is nearly impossible because the city is almost fully connected by highways. Walking from Singapore across the Causeway is also prohibited, as the Malaysian side is not set up to handle pedestrian traffic, and you will need to walk for on the road amongst potentially fast-moving vehicular traffic to get to the immigration checkpoint. However, this is loosely enforced, and many commuters would walk when there is a traffic jam.

Get around

If you wish to explore Johor Bahru by bus, the main bus terminals of the city are Larkin Sentral, , and . From these terminals, buses going to almost major suburbs of Johor Bahru as well as Kulai, Iskandar Puteri and Pasir Gudang. The destination also serves Pontian Kechil, Ayer Hitam and Kota Tinggi in the neighbouring districts of Johor Bahru.

Public buses are operated by BAS.MY Johor Bahru, easily identifiable by their bright pink livery. These buses accept Manjalink cards (a local pre-paid card), ManjaPay, contactless cards (Visa and Mastercard only!), and cash. No change is provided. The last of these buses leave JB Sentral at around 11PM. Be sure of the destination of the bus before boarding and do not hesitate to ask the bus driver.

A number of routes to destinations further out are operated by private operators Causewaylink and City Bus.

Buses are frequently delayed by congestion and may not arrive at set intervals. It has been reported that, on occasion, buses may not pick-up passengers from designated bus stops. The privately-owned white-grey and orange-roofed “City Bus” is more receptive at picking up and dropping off passengers at both designated bus stops and undesignated parts of the road.

JB Sentral to Larkin Sentral If you are planning to go from JB Sentral bus terminal to Larkin Sentral terminal or vice versa, you may take any of the frequent, non-stop buses that terminate at Larkin Sentral. For those who recently cleared Malaysian immigration, they may walk straight to the post-immigration bus bays downstairs at the JB CIQ Complex. These bus bays are also accessible by walking along the slip road that links the CIQ with Jalan Lingkaran Dalam. You did not buy a valid, through ticket to Larkin Sentral while in Singapore. You had travelled on a bus of a different bus company from Singapore to Johor Bahru CIQ (e.g. Woodland Checkpoint to JB CIQ by CW1 or CW2, then JB CIQ to Larkin Sentral by Singapore-Johore Express or SBS 170, or vice versa). The trip should take about 8-10 min in the absence of heavy traffic.

However, if you have left the JB CIQ complex and proceeded to walk towards the city centre area, you can consider taking the local buses such as BAS.MY, PAJ or ‘City Bus’ at the JB Sentral bus bays (facing Jalan Jim Quee), which is located downstairs and separated outside from the main concourse area by a roadway.

Taxi prices in Johor Bahru are fairly affordable. There are no additional charges for a 3rd adult passenger or baggage kept in the trunk. Almost all of major shopping malls and high-star hotels in Johor Bahru feature taxi stands in front or around them.

On foot The city has many suburbs or areas with concentrated tourist points or locations. Within each of those areas, it is simple to walk around to enjoy what the city can offer, especially for short distances within the downtown area. Public toilets are only located within shopping malls, petrol stations or public parks, and are not available on/along the walking pavements. In the Johor Bahru City Centre, it is possible to walk by foot to Chinatown, Little India, Old Town and Pasar Karat night market; popular roads frequented by tourists include Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Jalan Segget, Jalan Dhoby, Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, Jalan Pahang, Jalan Pasar, Jalan Trus and Meldrum Walk. Various major shopping centres are also frequently accessed by pedestrians arriving from the Causeway, such as the Galleria @ Kotaraya, Komtar JBCC and Johor Bahru City Square (JBCS). JBCS and Komtar JBCC are linked by an elevated overhead pedestrian walkway to the JB Sentral train station and the customs & immigration checkpoint (JB CIQ), which in turn has a pedestrian walkway to the R&F Mall and the Permaisuri Zarith Sofiah Opera House at the southern coastal tip of the city.

A very long sidewalk pavement connects the city vertically along the Tebrau Highway, which connects to several area continuously equipped with pedestrian overpasses such as Taman Pelangi, Taman Abad, Taman Century, Taman Pelangi and Taman Melodies suburbs, where visitors can walk and explore some shopping centres (Holiday Plaza, KSL City and Plaza Pelangi) and roadside restaurants. Popular weekly night markets occur along the entire Jalan Seladang (adjoining both Taman Abad and Taman Century) every Monday evenings, along with the Jalan Perang (within the centre of Taman Pelangi) every Tuesday evenings. Popular dining areas are located along Jalan Keris and Jalan Badik at Taman Sri Tebrau (known as Dai Mah Garden, 大马花园) or along the Jalan Sutera named roads at Taman Sentosa. Nearby is the Southkey district, contains both Southkey Mosaic and 'The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey', which is the largest integrated shopping mall in Southern Malaysia, with an attached hotel, convention centre and two office towers.

East of the Causeway, Stulang Laut is a waterfront area close to and east of the Causeway which offers views of the Johor Strait by walking along the shoreline with various restaurants located along the way up until The Zon Duty Free shopping mall. The small stretches of either a beach or a seaside promenade are popular among the locals, especially during the evening. Permas Jaya is a vibrant neighbourhood whereby visitors can explore the various shops, restaurants, hotels, nightlife spots, including the AEON Permas Jaya and Stellar Walk shopping malls, a 9-hole golf course and seafood restaurants along seafront. Further east along the seafront, the Senibong Cove marina is a popular destination for tourists to enjoy waterfront dining throughout the day and nightlife.

North of the Causeway and further inland, in the Larkin area around the Larkin Sentral terminal, visitors can easily explore the nearby attractions by foot such as Larkin Public Market, Dataran Larkin, Plaza Larkin, Dato Onn Village Recreational Area, Johor Craft Complex, Tan Sri Dato' Haji Hassan Yunos Stadium sport complex and the Bulat Bulat Corner food court. Together with the Majidee area (along the Jalan Masjid), they are the main focal points of the Malay community within Johor Bahru and they offer an authentic experience of the Malay heartland. Northeast of the city, Taman Desa Tebrau houses large shopping centres such as Lotus's Tebrau, AEON Tebrau City, IKEA Tebrau and the attached Toppen Shopping Centre which are all within walking distance of each other, including nearby shoplots featuring various restaurants and cafes. Taman Johor Jaya is a nearby mature neighbourhood which is one of the main modern focal points of the Chinese community within Johor Bahru and has an abundance of commercial and dining retail activity. Further north, Taman Mount Austin is a vibrant newer entertainment and dining neighbourhood filled with numerous shops, restaurants, cafes, karaoke bars and the Austin Heights Water and Adventure Park; all within walking distance of each other. Taman Setia Indah houses the Setia Indah Park with rows of shops and restaurants north of it, and also the nearby TD Point Retail Mall pedestrian zone. Eco Spring (located within Taman Eko Flora) is a notable neighbourhood with a grand Classical European-themed commercial development known as Eco Palladium, along with an adjacent outdoor retail park known as Eco Spring Labs.

West of the Causeway, in the Danga Bay area, visitors can walk and explore the seaside area with an attached theme park, convention centre, restaurants, Beletime Danga Bay shopping mall and the nearby Serene Square attraction in front of the gates of Sultan Johor's palace known as Istana Bukit Serene. Going further up northwest along the Skudai Highway, the Bandar Baru UDA township, which is a modern focal point of the Malay community within Johor Bahru, has the Plaza Angsana shopping mall and the nearby B5 Johor Street Market that are popular day and night. Further along the Skudai Highway, various shopping malls popular with tourists include Paradigm Mall and Sutera Mall, located at Taman Sutera Utama which has an adjacent vibrant entertainment and dining neighbourhood.

Bicycle lanes in Johor Bahru are limited, with only few roads marked with such lanes. It is not possible to cycle in the paying highways in the city and it is not advisable to cycle in the non-paying highway roads. If you wish to do cycling, please use full cycling gear, such as reflectors and lights. Cycling is best to do within residential areas. The residential areas at the northern part of the city generally have more marked bicycle lanes.

By ride hailing services Local ride hailing service app Grab is affordable and very popular in JB, and is likely the most hassle-free way for visitors to get around without a car, if they have a mobile Internet connection. Many commercial establishments have also dedicated waiting areas for e-hailing vehicles. Nevertheless, due to the recent more stringent laws pertaining ride-sharing apps, do allocate more time before you make any vehicle booking because it might take slightly longer time to get one, especially in less-crowded places. Most people in Johor Bahru speak or understand English, communication would be less of a problem.

Driving is generally the most convenient way to explore the city. Roads in the city are wide and well-paved with plenty of available parking lots during the weekdays. Malaysians drive on the left. The speed limit on the paid highway is 110 km/h and on the expressway is either 90 km/h or 70 km/h. For public parking areas with special designated parking fee by the city council (e.g. outside shopping malls), do purchase parking coupon from any convenient store, available in hourly or half-hourly basis of ticket, especially when you park on Saturday to Thursday at 8AM to 6PM. These tickets which are applicable for parking in Johor Bahru area can also be used in Iskandar Puteri, Senai and Kulai.

Most of the parking lots in public places have lot for those with mobility disability. Most of the parking lots in public places have reserved spaces designated for those with mobility disability. When parking at those reserved lots, please ensure your vehicle has the mobility disability sticker pasted clearly on the windscreen so that you will not get fined or your vehicle will not get clamped by the local authorities. Many public and commercial establishments have also ramps at its main entrance for those requiring wheelchair to move around.

A car can also be rented for exploring the city.

Petrol stations are relatively easy to find in the city. There are generally three types of fuels, which are RON95, RON97 and diesel. By law, foreign-registered cars (irrespective of the driver's nationality) are strictly limited to fill in RON97 type of fuel only.

See

Johor Bahru has a well-mixed balance of things to see from historic, traditional and modern landmarks, cultural and religious places, sports and entertainment venues, as well as nature from city parks and seafront places. Most of the tourist places are well spread throughout the city. So if you plan to go to any corner of the city, you will always find something interesting to see, to do or to enjoy.

Chinatown. This historical Chinese community area is located mostly along the Tan Hiok Nee Street. It consists of various restaurants, shops and landmarks, such as Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum, Museum of 24 Festive Drum, Senso Art Gallery, Art 52 Gallery and the nearby Johor Bahru Kwong Siew Heritage Gallery.

Little India. This historical Indian community area is located mostly along the Ungku Puan Street. It consists of various restaurants, shops and landmarks, such as Arulmigu Rajamariamman Devasthanam Temple, India Mosque, Gurdwara Sahib Johor Bahru and the nearby Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple.

Majidee Malay Village. This Malay community area is located mostly along the Masjid Street. It consists of various restaurants, shops and landmarks, such as Majidee Malay Village Market and Majidee Malay Village Jamek Mosque.

Austin International Convention Centre. Convention centre.

JLand Tower. An iconic skyscraper with lightshow on its outer glass windows at night. It has a gallery and viewing platform at its 34th level to see the skyline of Johor Bahru named Skyscape.

Johor Bahru City Square. Johor Bahru City Square is a public square that was constructed in conjunction with Johor Bahru being granted city status on January 1994. A grey-coloured building with a gigantic clock tower built stands on the north edge of the square. The square is surrounded by two sports fields on the south side and three sports fields on the west side. Many outdoor events are held here.

Johor Public Library. The main public library of Johor Bahru. It also consists the Petrosains PlaySmart Johor Bahru science centre.

Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum. This is a royal mausoleum of Johor state. The first sultan of Johor laid to rest here was Sultan Abu Bakar in 1895, as are the three sultans that reigned after him: Ibrahim, Ismail and Iskandar. Other persons interred here include: sultanahs (wives of the sultans) Sultanah Fatimah, Sultanah Ungku Maimunah Ungku Abdul Aziz, Sultanah Rogaiyah, Sultanah Tun Aminah; other royal family members; notable politicians like Dato' Jaafar Muhammad, Dato' Onn Jaafar, Tan Sri Othman Saat and Dato' Muhamad Salleh bin Perang. The mausoleum is not open to the public.

Permaisuri Zarith Sofiah Opera House. Performing arts theater with modern architecture design facing the Tebrau Strait.

Permas Square. An open space square which also consists of football field, hockey field, children playground and roof-covered futsal field.

Persada Johor International Convention Centre. Convention centre designed with an architecture that resembles the official hat of Johor Sultanate.

Serene Square. This is a public square in front of Serene Palace. Built on a 433 m² of land, it costed RM6.8 million to be built. It features a 12-m-high star and crescent statue. The ground features a double 5-corner star, which makes it in total of 10, representing the total numbers of districts in Johor.

Sultan Ismail Library. Public library of the Johor Bahru City Council.

Tanjung Kupang Memorial Park. This memorial was erected by the Johor state government in memory of the 100 passengers and crew members killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 653 (MH653) Boeing 737 crashed at Tanjung Kupang (about 20 km west of Johor Bahru) on the evening of 4 December 1977. The names and nationalities of all the 100 victims are inscribed on a less than two-meter-high wall clad with shiny, black stone.

Being a melting-pot for various religions of the country, Johor Bahru houses various religious sites from all major religions in Malaysia. Many of the religious sites are heritage buildings from the old days.

Arulmigu Rajamariamman Devasthanam Temple. Free admission for visitors. Everyone has their shoes in the racks beside the gate entrance. The temple also features the Indian Heritage Centre cultural centre.

Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple. Inaugurated in 1996 and touted as "The First Glass Temple in the World". The inner surface of the walls and the columns inside the temple are clad with imported glass, hence the name. The floor is paved with granite. There's a canteen at the back of the temple building and sells only Indian vegetarian food. Thousands of tourists and pilgrims coming here everyday. There are food and drink stalls lining both sides of the driveway in the front of the temple. Temple prayer hours 7:30AM-noon daily; Temple closure Tu-Su noon-1PM & M noon-7PM; Temple visiting hours daily except M (closed to visitors) 1-6PM. Chitra Pournami Paal Kudam Festival held every Wednesday and Glass Chariot Procession held every Thursday at the temple.

Church of the Immaculate Conception. Beige building with a single steeple (with spire) is one of the main Roman Catholic churches in Johor Bahru. Built in 1883 in the British colonial style, it is one of the oldest structures still standing in Johor Bahru. Try to get here for the Tamil feast of Pongal in mid-January, when an intriguingly colourful harvest festival service is held within the church.

Gurdwara Sahib Johor Bahru. This Sikh temple was built on the site of the smaller and older Sikh temple and was inaugurated on 28 August 1992. This is a 2-storey white building with yellow window frames and an all-round, crenellated roof parapet. The Darbar Sahib is located on the second level. The Granthi quarters and two rooms for Sikh visitors are located at an annex on the second level. The Guru Ka Langgar hall, kitchen and office are located on the first level. There are about 250 Sikh families who participate in the religious activities in this Gurdwara Sahib. The normal weekly prayers are held Su 9:30-11:30AM.

India Mosque. This mosque has two different minarets and was founded by the city's Indian Muslim community. It is a modern-looking mosque with white walls, blue-tinted glass cladding on both its minarets and a blue and silver dome.

Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple. It is a Chinese temple believed to be built in 1870 by a group of Chinese community leaders led by Tan Hiok Nee, a famous, local Teochew businessman. This is where five different Chinese dialect groups - Cantonese, Hainanese, Hakka, Hokkien and Teochew - worshipped their respective deities and their effigies are all found inside the prayer hall. The Goddess of Mercy and the Weather God are also worshipped here; their effigies are found outside the prayer hall. The prayer hall is straight ahead as you enter the wooden gate entrance from Jalan Trus. There is a small museum behind the prayer hall which have illustrated descriptions of the five deities and the history of the temple, as well as giant photos showing Chingay Parade. Captions are mostly in Chinese only. The temple organizes the annual 4-day Chingay Parade. The climax of the parade occurs on the night of the 3rd day when the deities are paraded around the city centre.

Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque. Located on top of a small hill and overlooking the Straits of Johor, this state mosque took eight years to construct (1892-1900). It has four minarets that resemble British clock towers. It was inaugurated by Sultan Ibrahim. It is made of white marble and is a combination of Moorish and Victorian architecture. It can accommodate 2,000 worshippers.

Sultan Iskandar Mosque. Built in 2013, the mosque has been declared as Malaysia's first tourism-friendly mosque after the Malaysia Tourism Quality Assurance certificate issued by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. It also consists the An-Nur Gallery.

Wat Phra Buddha Srithep Phetchabun Johor Bahru. The city's only Thai Buddhist temple.

Museums and galleries Johor Bahru houses several museums and galleries in which some of them were converted from old colonial-era buildings. Entries are usually very cheap if not free of charge. Museums

Royal Abu Bakar Museum. The Royal Abu Bakar Museum is one of the oldest buildings in Johor and is one of the main attractions in the state. This building was built in the year of 1866. It is formerly the Grand Palace of the Johor Sultan and has turned into a museum since 1982. The museum is filled with information and rare artifacts of the Royal Family. There are picture galleries featuring the family tree lasting many decades. The belongings of the Royal Family are exhibited there including the weapons of Malaysia. Nearby attractions which are related to the history of Johor and the Sultan himself, include the Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque and the Sultan Abu Bakar Monument.

Figure Museum. The museum is housed in a building constructed in 1893 which was once used as the official residence of the first Chief Minister of Johor. As of July 2024, it is under renovation with an unknown date to reopen.

Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum. Housed in a restored 4-storey building. Learn about the history and culture of the Chinese community in Johor Bahru. The displays are spread out over four storeys. There are numerous captioned photos on display, several TV screens showing video clips, objects/artefacts on display, mannequins dressed in traditional Chinese wedding clothes, a replica of the entrance door and sedan chair of the Roufo Chinese Taoist Temple in Jalan Trus, etc.

Johor Bahru Hokkien Association Museum. The museum showcases the important historical events, such as Malaya during World War 2, cultural relics and the historical development of Fujian.

KTM Museum. The museum used to be the main railway station of Johor Bahru.

Museum of 24 Festive Drum. Museum about Chinese drums, located above a cafe.

Glulam Gallery. It is a gallery which was opened on 22 May 2012.

Johor Bahru Kwong Siew Heritage Gallery. Museum occupies 2 units of adjoining 2-storey shop houses that were completed in 1907. They used to be the headquarters of the Kwong Siew Clan Association established in 1878 by Wong Ah Fook, a China-born, successful and influential entrepreneur who developed close links with the Johor Sultanate. The exhibits are all the second level (A/C). Here you can find the illustrated biographies of the 13 past and present presidents of the Kwong Siew Wai Kuan (Clan Association), other prominent Kwong Siew Wai Kuan figures, Wong Ah Fook and three of his sons. The history of Kampung Ah Fook, which was established by Wong Ah Fook and corresponds to the very heart of the city, is described here. Some of the exhibits in this museum are: Cantonese opera costumes, weapons used in Chinese martial arts, lion dance troupe equipment and costumes, old Chinese musical instruments, jewellery, opium pipes, and Cantonese opera scripts. Photography is forbidden.

Johor Craft Complex. Contains a so-called Treasured Possession Gallery exhibits batik, embroidery and beads. It also hosts a handicrafts fair on its premises once a year.

Johor Heritage Foundation. Cultural centre for Johor, which consists of Mawar Gallery.

Johor Japan Football Gallery. A gallery built in 2018 by Johor Japan Friendship Association and Johor Darul Ta’zim Football Club which serves as a symbolic reminder of the 20th anniversary of the Japanese national football team’s qualifications into the World Cup after beating Iran to progress to the 1998 World Cup.

The Malay Cultural Village. Cultural centre.

Senso Art Gallery Cafe. Art gallery with cafe and workshop section.

Nature Johor Bahru houses many open green space, ranging from parks, city forests, lakes, public squares etc. Each suburb generally has community park, especially in the northern areas of the city. These areas are famous among locals to hang out, rest and do exercise in the morning or early evening before dark. All of the parks are equipped with car park and public toilet facilities. Usually animals are prohibited from being brought to the parks.

Dato Onn Village Recreational Area. Park.

Gaya Community Park. Park with big circular amphitheater and children's playgrounds.

Setia Tropika Linear Park. An urban park with walking path and children's playground.

Adda Heights Park. An urban park with walking path encircling a lake.

MBJB City Forest. 13-hectare recreational park. Maintained by the municipality, this gem of a public recreational park contains seven lakes surrounded by tropical rain forest. There is a big fountain at the north end of the southernmost lake. Within the park are jogging/hiking tracks, wooden bridges and platforms, a children's playground, climbing wall, skatepark, parkour ark and an open-air water park. There is also an orchid park with many different species of orchids. There is a car park just beyond the park's entrance on Jalan Tasek Utara. There is a food court beside the car park.

Merdeka Park. Public park surrounding a large lake with pavilions, an open-air theatre, rock sculptures, an independence monument, 2 bridges, two twin 2-storey white buildings, cannons and a clock tower. There is also a paid-per-entry shared gym within the park.

Mount Austin Lake. Lake surrounded by high-rise residential buildings, ideal for relaxing and fishing.

Pandan Lake Park. A park with lake in its centre. It has a food court around its vicinity.

Seri Austin Lake. Urban lake surrounded by residential area, equipped with pedestrian around it.

Setia Tropika Town Park. Town in the middle of a residential area with lake at its centre, equipped with children playground and picnic site.

Taman Pelangi Indah Lake and Park. A park which consists of 4 different lakes, surrounded by forest vegetation and walking path.

Danga Bay. It is a waterfront development with residential properties, commercial buildings and recreational facilities. The area features the Country Garden Danga Bay and Danga Bay Convention Centre. You can take a tourist tram along the coastline area (RM5 per person, free for children below 3 years old).

Johor Zoo. This is one of the oldest zoos in Malaysia. The zoo was built by Sultan Ibrahim in 1928 and became the private menagerie of the royal family. It was opened to the public in 1962. 5-hectare, run-down zoo that provides a dismal diversion to locals and Western tourists. It only has birds and mammals on display. There is a pond inside the zoo where you can rent boats as well as a children's playground.

Sinaran Agro Farm. Agritourism in a farm.

Stulang Beach. This small stretch of beach facing the Johor Strait is a great relaxing place at night, which is also near to many eateries establishment which all are within walking distance.

The city houses various thematic pedestrian zones catered for younger visitors with eateries and shops, as well as arcades and hang out places.

B5 Johor Street Market. Pedestrian zone with container as theme. It consists of eateries, shops, supermarket and a performance stage for regular entertainment and art-related performances.

Little Paris. A French-themed street with various shop houses, cafes and outdoor eateries, brighten up by lights during evening time.

Spring Labs. Hang out places for colourful eateries and retail in an outdoor pedestrian setting with cafes, convenient store, shops, studios, laundry and playground.

TD Point Retail Mall. Outdoor concept of retail and F&B parks, which includes various restaurants and shops.

Do

Johor's top theme park, Legoland Malaysia, is some 20 km away in the satellite town of Iskandar Puteri and covered in that article. It can easily be visited on a day trip from JB.

Legoland Malaysia. Has 40 interactive rides and attractions and is the first Legoland in Asia. There are public buses from JB Sentral, Larkin Bus Terminal, Johore Premium Outlets, Gelang Petah, the Second Link and Senai Airport.

Austin Heights Water and Adventure Park. Water Park Big Splash, Adventure Park, Jump Street Austin Heights, Drift in Austin, Skating Rink Austin Heights.

Dinosaur Alive Water Theme Park. Water park at the rooftop of a shopping mall.

La Stella Water Theme Park. Water park.

Tiram Indoor Water Park. Indoor water park.

Drift Culture Enterprise. Mini 4WD and radio-controlled drifting.

The Escaper. Try to escape from this virtual reality maze game if you can.

G Flights. Commercial airline flight simulator.

Lost in JB - The Haunted House. Haunted house.

Permas Go-Kart Club. Go-kart on dirt and stone track in the middle of palm oil plantation.

Seadoo Safari. Personal watercraft riding along the Tebrau Strait.

Skyscape. Explore the magnificent of Johor Bahru city skyline from the top of JLand Tower at level 34.

Southiez Hobby. Mini 4WD shop and race track.

VR+Zone. Virtual reality game venue.

Sports The city houses plenty of sport facilities of various types. The state of Johor also has the highest number of golf courses in Malaysia, where most of the courses are international-standard golf courses.

Austin Heights Golf and Hotel Resort. Nestled amidst the lush greens of the 27-hole golf course, the resort clubhouse boasts 66 exclusive suites, free-form swimming pool, tennis courts, 8-lane bowling alley, sauna, jacuzzi, karaoke and banqueting facilities all under one roof.

Johor Golf and Country Club. Golf course.

Ponderosa Golf and Country Club. Golf course.

Starhill Golf and Country Club. Golf course.

YnD Golf Hub. Indoor golf simulator.

Daiman Johor Jaya Sports Complex. Sports complex with facilities such as swimming pool, badminton court, gymnasium, table tennis and sauna.

Dato' Suleiman Mohd Noor Indoor Training Centre. Indoor football field.

Larkin Arena. This 7,000-seating capacity indoor stadium houses facilities for badminton, takraw, basketball etc. The architecture of the building is derived from traditional Johorean houses, which is a hybrid of square and circle.

Mount Austin Sport City. Sport area which consists of 5,000-seat track and field athletics stadium, badminton stadium and recreation centre for the general public.

Permas Jaya Sports Complex. Sports complex.

Tan Sri Dato' Haji Hassan Yunos Stadium. The former football stadium for the JDT football team. It also consists of the Johor Japan Football Gallery.

Tebrau Sports & Recreation Centre. Sport centre.

Petit Climbing Centre. Wall climbing centre.

Rock Yard. Wall climbing inside the forest, divided into the low wall and high wall.

Aerofly Johor Light Aircraft and RC Plane Runway. Open space runway for light aircraft and aeromodellers enthusiasts, suitable for fixed-wing, gliders, helicopters and drones.

Danga Futsal Centre. Indoor futsal court.

Happy Hoof Riding Ranch. Horse riding ranch.

Johor Bahru City Council Swimming Pool Complex. Swimming pool.

Johor Bahru District Basketball Association Basketball Stadium. Indoor basketball stadium.

Taman Daya Hockey Stadium. Hockey stadium.

There are four major cineplexes in Johor Bahru: TGV Cinemas, Golden Screen Cinemas, MBO Cinemas and Cathay Cinemas. Minimum/maximum adult ticket prices for 2D movies (minimum prices on one or more weekdays, in particular Wednesdays; maximum prices during weekends and public holidays) - TGV Cinemas RM8/13, Golden Screen RM6/9 and Cathay RM6/12. 3D movies command higher ticket prices. Regular movie showing cinemas are almost exclusively located inside shopping centres. Generally, there are Malay and Chinese subtitles given for English-speaking movies. For movies in foreign languages, the subtitles will be in English, Malay and Chinese.

Broadway Theatre. This is an old movie theater in the city centre, about 100 m southeast of the Sri Raja Mariamman Hindu temple, that shows only Tamil-language movies.

The city organizes the annual cultural events Chingay Parade, as well as other themed-events, such as food, anime, cosplay, game festivals etc.

Organized by The Johor Society for the Performing Arts, Johor Bahru (and Iskandar Puteri) holds various annual entertainment and cultural festivals, such as Johor Bahru Arts Festival, Johor Bahru Film Festival, Johor Bahru Classical Music Festival, Johor Bahru Indigenous Festival and Johor Bahru Writers and Readers Festival since 2004, making it Malaysia's longest-running arts festival that covers all disciplines of performing arts.

Spas and massage Johor Bahru is home to a large number of spas, mostly aimed at Singaporeans looking for cheaper experiences than what would be available back home. You can find many establishments offering Thai, Chinese and traditional Malay massages, with a large concentration of the in KSL City Mall and the surrounding area. Keep in mind though that some massage parlours are actually brothels in disguise.

Hanoi 9 Spa KSL. Large Chinese-style spa with overnight facilities inside KSL City Mall.

Bangkok Spa. Thai massage chain employing masseuses from Thailand, with complimentary transportation to/from the spa.

Petrosains PlaySmart Johor Bahru. Science centre for children.

Learn

When you decide to have a short stay in the city, there are several educational and skill training providers that provide short term courses.

A to Z Language Centre Johor Bahru. Japanese, English, Malay and Mandarin class.

Good Times DIY Baking Studio. Baking and bread preparation class.

Kunkwan. Mandarin class and HSK test centre.

Love Fun Baking House. Baking and bread preparation class.

Buy

Johor Bahru offers endless possibilities when it comes for shopping, from the full air conditioned shopping malls (equipped with supermarkets, cinemas, child playground), open air street night markets and bazaars, and dedicated handicraft and art centre. It also has plenty of convenience stores located in almost any shop lot and petrol station for a quick snack or light food. Street vendors are extremely hard to find, although you will still find people walking around to sell you things when you dine in at outdoor hawker centres.

Johor Bahru houses many shopping malls with various sizes and for different segments of the society, which are fairly located throughout the whole city areas. Most of them open from 10AM until 10PM, except for the cinemas which usually open for an extended time. Many of the shopping malls are within the public bus routes and they have ample parking spaces, including dedicated parking spaces for those with mobility disability.

AEON Mall Bandar Dato' Onn. Shopping mall with beer garden and small outdoor gym facilities. This is the major and largest mall in the northern part of the city.

AEON Tebrau City. Almost half of the mall's three-level floor area is occupied by the AEON hypermarket (on all the 3 levels). There are numerous international fashion shops like Giordano, MNG, Esprit, Dorothy Perkins. It is at the junction of Tebrau Highway (also known as Jalan Pandan) and Jalan Desa Tebrau. It consists of Japanese-themed section called Japan Village featuring many Japanese restaurants and shops and Fanpekka Theme Park for children.

Angsana Johor Bahru Mall. A shopping mall for traditional clothes and electronic goods hunting, located at the western side of the city.

Beletime Danga Bay. Shopping mall facing the Tebrau Strait.

Galleria @ Kotaraya. Shopping mall with UTC Johor, a centralized government-related service centre.

Holiday Plaza. A very long shopping mall built in the early years of the city. It sells various mobile and telecommunication products.

Johor Bahru City Square. A pedestrian bridge connects the mall to JB Sentral, which is connected to the CIQ by a pedestrian bridge. There is an mmCineplexes on levels 5 and 7.

KOMTAR JBCC. KOMTAR JBCC is a four-level shopping mall in the KOMTAR Johor Bahru complex, which consists of KOMTAR JBCC Tower, JLand Tower and Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre.

KSL City. The 4-storey shopping mall that is part of a shopping-residential-hotel complex. It has 350 sales outlets, including 70 food and beverage outlets.

The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey. The largest shopping mall in Johor. The main tenant of the shopping mall is SOGO and it also consists the Mid Valley Exhibition Centre for MICE events, KF Kiddy Circuit and children playground Kiddytopia.

Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru. Shopping mall with Camp5 climbing wall, Blue Ice Skating Rink, Star Archery, Future Land and Fun Space game arcades, Utopia Jungle World kid playground and visual art centre and Paradigm Mall Convention Centre.

Paragon Market Place. Train station-themed shopping mall.

Plaza Larkin. This is a place for those interested in the latest fashions, with its number of clothing boutiques. There is an Internet cafe, a computer shop and a money changer on the first level.

Plaza Pelangi. Shopping mall and centre for computer and IT-related items.

Plaza Sentosa. The main tenant here is The Store department store, which occupies 4 levels. The shopping mall building also features the Grand Sentosa Hotel.

R&F Mall. A shopping mall with an open space at its central area facing the Tebrau Strait. It is connected to the Permaisuri Zarith Sofiah Opera House.

Stellar Walk. Shopping mall with focus on education.

Today's Mall. The only mall in Ulu Tiram area of Johor Bahru. It consists of the Tiram Indoor Water Park and the Tiram Bowl.

Toppen Shopping Centre. Shopping mall, adjacent to IKEA Tebrau. It features The Topp, located at its top floor which has big screen for free movie screening, small water park and various sport facilities, such as ball, skate, and climbing wall. It also consists of The Pantheon Toppen, Malaysia's largest e-sport and gaming centre.

The ZON Duty Free. The ZON Duty Free is a shopping mall which has several duty-free (chocolate, alcohol and tobacco) specialty outlets. It also has a supermarket and food court in the basement. The Berjaya Waterfront Hotel is also housed in the same building. You have to declare all dutiable goods purchased in the complex and which you intend to bring out of the complex at the customs checkpoint upon leaving the complex.

Supermarkets in Johor Bahru are usually in the suburbs near the residential areas. Although the general opening hours is 10AM to 10PM, some of the supermarket chains do open earlier and close later. Most of them are equipped with ample parking spaces and located within the route of public buses.

Southern City. Supermarket with Giant as the main anchor.

Markets in Johor Bahru can be found in almost near many suburbs for morning and afternoon groceries shopping fresh from the farms. Prices may not be fixed, thus bargaining is acceptable here.

Larkin Public Market and Bazaar. Market.

Majidee Malay Village Market. Market.

Suria Market. Market and food court. Many of the stall operators were transferred from the now defunct Tebrau Market.

Bakeries Johor Bahru's bakeries are popular among Singaporean day trippers looking for souvenirs to bring home. As Johor Bahru's most famous bakeries typically do not use preservatives, their products usually cannot be kept for more than a few days even if refrigerated.

Hiap Joo Bakery. This traditional family-run Chinese bakery has been baking bread and cakes the same way since it was founded in 1919, in a wood-fired oven. Particularly famous for its banana cakes. Breads and cakes are ready piping-hot from the oven at around 12:30 and 2:30PM respectively. The products must be consumed within three days of purchase because no preservatives are used.

Lavender Bakery. Flagship branch of a popular citywide bakery chain that has also expanded into Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Best known for their Japanese-inspired hanjuku cheese cake.

Jalan Segget Bazaar. Daily open-air bazaar along the street that runs between Jalan Ibrahim and Jalan Wong Ah Fook.

Johor Area Rehabilitation Organisation. The JARO Handicrafts Centre sells hand-made products such as rattan baskets, customised book-binds, batik handbags, denim shopping bags, patchwork bed linen, soft toys, etc. all produced by the physically-disabled people. JARO is a charitable organisation that provides vocational training and paid jobs for the physically-disabled.

Pandan City Mall. Shopping district with various shops and food stalls.

Eat

Johor Bahru offers local delicacies of Malaysia to Western and Asian choices of food. Many of them are in restaurant and entertainment districts, shopping malls, along sea fronts, hawker centres, pedestrian zones, food courts, stand alone food stalls or even food trucks.

Halal-certified logos are displayed at many restaurant entrances. Some other restaurants also offer non-pork and non-lard foods but lack halal certification.

There are approximately 200 vegetarian eateries across the JB metropolitan area, especially in Skudai and the entertainment district that is Mount Austin. Most but not all vegetarian eateries across the JB metro area are Chinese Buddhist and thus have allium-free menus.

Local specialities Johor Bahru is home to two distinct styles of laksa, both of which differ considerably for from what you can find in Singapore or elsewhere in Malaysia. Laksa Johor is a Malay fusion dish that is made of spaghetti and a spicy fish gravy, said to have been invented by a palace chef to satisfy a craving by Sultan Abu Bakar after he had tried spaghetti bolognaise on a visit to Italy. It is difficult to find these days due to the labour intensive preparation, and is usually made by Malay households for important festival. Curry laksa is a local Chinese dish, comprising noodles and yong tau foo in a curry broth.

There are many pusat penjaja or hawker centres across Johor Bahru. Hawker centres are basically a collection of pushcart or van vendors selling food or drinks in one particular area. This is the alternative of which otherwise would be the street food equivalent in other countries. The places are usually relatively decent with no air conditioners. There are usually enough tables for its patrons; therefore, there is no need to reserve any particular table. Food and drinks are sold cheaply in these areas. Food and drink stalls are usually separated from each other, in which usually one drinks stall caters to several food stalls. Among the more well-known hawker centres are as follow:

Food Generation JB (FGJB). Modern food court adjacent to the Johor Bahru border checkpoint, with two separate covered areas (featuring the various food stalls) and a large alfresco beer garden seating area with a rotating fan in the middle of the garden, a musical stage at the rear of the garden, palm trees surrounding the garden seating area. Entrance contains a refurbished relic of a white bus.

Cedar Point Food Centre. Open-air hawker centre with performance stage and stalls selling some goods.

大马花园小贩中心. Hawker centre with 118 fixed stalls.

Bulat Bulat Corner. Hawker centre serving Malay foods.

Selera Johor. 22 fixed food-and-drink stalls food court serving, as the name suggests, mostly Johorian cuisine.

Restoran TKR. Malay and Indian food.

Medan Selera Tepian Tebrau. 32 fixed stalls underneath a long and narrow open-air shed serving a catch-all of Malaysian food. It is famous for its seafood, especially ikan bakar (grilled fish).

Restoran Shang Ji. 4 main stalls, two of which (Cathay laksa and duck noodles). Cathay laksa (small/big serving RM4/5); beef noodles (RM7); duck noodles (small/big serving RM4/5); fish ball soup RM/fish slice soup RM6-8. No air-con.

Restoran Nilla. Restaurant with 5 branches (self-proclaimed as "the best banana-leaf food in town") offering South Indian meals. Excellent and friendly service. The menu (140 items) is displayed on one of the walls inside the restaurant. Indian sweets are also sold here, on a per piece basis. There is another branch (no air-con) at 109 Jalan Trus just around the corner - it is 30 m southwest of the main branch at Jalan Ungku Puan.

Salahuddin Bakery. Well-regarded Indian Muslim bakery opened in downtown Johor Bahru in 1937, and shifted to it current premises in 2024.

Restoran E&Y Sahul. This restaurant serves cheap Malay and Mamak food. No air-con. Free Wi-Fi Internet access. There is another outlet (also open 24 hr and no air-con) at the junction of Jalan Lingkaran Dalam and Jalan Ah Siang, right beside the Menara MSC Cyberport skycraper. This outlet has a more extensive menu than the one at Taman Pelangi, and some of its dishes have different prices compared to similar dishes at Taman Pelangi.

Restoran Yi Bao. 'Mee hoon kueh' is the only dish served here, it is a popular Chinese delicacy where pieces of flour cake, meatballs, mincemeat, vegetables, fragrantly deep-fried anchovies and eggs are cooked in a thick soup. A noodle version is also available. Expect large crowds of office-going workers during lunch hours and it can get very crowded on weekends. Non-halal.

Restoran ZZ. Popular low-key eatery serving Malay and Thai dishes, with a total of 60 items on its menu. Besides ordering full-plate or full-bowl dishes (different menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner), you can also get servings from the more than 20 dishes on the buffet counters (self-service) - you will be charged accordingly for each of these servings. No air-con, seating capacity for about 100 persons.

W.W. Laksa House. As the name suggests, it specializes in laksa. It also serves 'dry mee' and 'mee soup' for the same prices. No air-con.

Restoran Mustika Zam Zam (Setia Tropika). This restaurant serves mostly local cuisine such as mee goreng, chicken/beef/mutton murtabak, naan, capati, nasi beriani ayam/daging/ikan/kambing (chicken/beef/fish/mutton), nasi campur, nasi goreng, nasi kandar, nasi lemak, roti (23 types), chicken/beef/mutton soup, tandoori chicken, tosai (7 types), etc. The restaurant has 2 flat-screen cable TVs and a bigger white screen with cable TV projector. No air-con.

Dann's Cafe. A popular place for good Johor laksa, Hyderabad biryani rice, mee siam Kuah.

Adam's Kitchen. Chinese Muslim restaurant.

Chakra Restaurant. Housed in a converted 2-story, colonial bungalow built about 120 years ago, it has been in operation for more than 60 years. It serves cuisine from all parts of the Indian subcontinent. It also offers catering services.

Restoran Pekin. This is a Chinese restaurant that has been around since the 1990s. It still serves up piping hot Chinese food. It specializes in seafood, soups and desserts.

DreamLiner Airways Cafe. Aeroplane-themed restaurant where you will sit in an airplane seating style with big central television showing general video about airplane flying in the sky. Nevertheless, the foods are served on normal plates as usual.

The Cave Restaurant. Restaurant with a dining experience inside a cave theme.

Platform 9 Fine Dining. Harry Potter-themed restaurant. Get dressed up in of the character and enjoy magical show during the dining time at a particular time.

Senibong Cove. Several high quality establishments offering a variety of local and international food – sensitive to all diets – provide some of JB’s most prominent food right on the marina’s edge of Senibong Cove, at the end of the Lunchu River. F&B establishments include: Vanilla Bean, Goldman, Yew's Café, Harvests Bar & Grill, Delicious 8, Bora Bora, Bierhaus, My Liberica, Paik's Restaurant, La Olla, Chang 9, Aristo Gastrobar. The waterfront community also features Cani Hair Studio and Granville Groceries minimart.

Chez Papa French Bistro And Wine Bar. Authentic French cuisine and a fine selection of wines. Established in 1999 by Dominique Muller. The restaurant also offers a cosy and intimate wine bar with music. The Wine Room has a wine list of more than 80 wines, over 20 types of imported beer, serves cocktails and tapas.

Gianni's Trattoria. Fantastic Italian cuisine. Pizzas (each of these are of one size only), pastas, soups, meat and fish dishes, appetizers. Daily set lunch consisting of soup, main course and iced lemon tea.

Grand Straits Garden Seafood Restaurant. Seafood restaurant.

Rosmarino Italian Restaurant. Located on the ground floor of a unit of a row of white, three-storey shop houses. Authentic Italian dishes like ossobuco.

Drink

In some particular areas, the nightlife scene in Johor Bahru can be quite an adventure with many choices available on the ground. The most popular inland nightlife areas within the Johor Bahru metropolitan area, are the Mount Austin and Sutera Utama areas for younger crowds, where it features nightclubs, pubs, bars, restaurants, cafes, karaokes, gaming centres, shops and an occasional night market. A well-known concentrated drinking area along the coast is The ZON at Stulang Laut. It features The ZON Duty Free shopping mall selling alcoholic beverages tax-free, but you must pay upon exiting the area through the customs. It also features many pubs and nightclubs within the duty-free precinct. Another popular drinking area along the coast is at Senibong Cove marina. Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights have the largest crowds patronizing those establishments until late midnight except on Sunday night. There are also other nightclubs and pubs scattered throughout the city although they are located individually.

After 5 Bar and Lounge. Bar and lounge.

Bert's Keller. A cosy and intimate, no-nonsense pub. Bert’s Keller has a small menu that is big on quality and portions, serving chicken chop, lamb chop, oxtail stew, stir-fried noodles, etc. Its signature oxtail stew comes with a side of toast. This special stew is served a day after the meat has been steeped in its sauces and is so tender that it is ready to fall off the bones. Live music on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Sleep

There is plenty of accommodation in Johor Bahru to suit all budgets. around Jalan Meldrum, between Jalan Tun Abdul Razak and Jalan Wong Ah Fook near City Square) starts from RM50 net per room per night. In general, the budget hotels outside the city centre are cheaper and most of them are located within shop lots areas. Backpacker hostels with dormitories (dorms) are not as commonly found in Johor Bahru as in Malacca, Kuala Lumpur and George Town. For short term stay, the city offers many choices of accommodation from Airbnb's platform.

CIQ Hotel. 25-room, 4-storey budget hotel. Single/superior double/deluxe double or triple room RM68/88/108 net per room per night. All rooms with air-con, 32-inch LCD TV and attached bathrooms. Free Wi-Fi Internet access for guests. No breakfast is provided.

Double K Hostel. Rooms clean, breakfast, free wifi, tea and coffee whole day. Comfortable living room where guest can relax, play games or watch movies.

Dragon Inn Hotel. All 37 rooms are air-conditioned, have satellite TV and attached bathrooms. Laundry service, free Wi-Fi Internet access throughout and 24-hr CCTV security system. No breakfast is provided. Cash payment only.

EG Hotel. A budget hotel in Setia Tropika area.

Hotel 101. Budget hotel in Ulu Tiram area.

Newland Hotel. No breakfast is served. Facilities: free Wi-Fi and there are three PCs in the lobby with free, wired Internet access; iron and ironing board (upon request), laundry, and 24-hr CCTV.

Seri Malaysia Hotel. All rooms with air-con, attached bathroom and cable TV. Free Wi-Fi but available only in the lobby. Buffet breakfast included. It has a restaurant that serves à la carte meals, and sometimes buffet lunch (noon to 1:30PM) when there is sufficient demand for RM20. Other facilities: multi-function rooms, meeting rooms, courtyard, terrace garden, laundry service, convenience store, prayer room and free parking.

T-Hotel Johor Bahru. There is a hot and cold water dispenser on each floor corridor. Daily housekeeping, laundry service, concierge, elevator and 24-hr CCTV surveillance. No breakfast is provided.

Tune Hotel Danga Bay. 6-storey, 218-room, no-frills, chain hotel. All rooms are double-occupancy and have attached bathrooms, with either 1 queen-sized bed or 2 single beds. The following are optional, chargeable add-ons: air-con, in-room Wi-Fi, TV with satellite channels, towel/bath essentials. There are 24-hr CCTV security, a car park and reception staff on duty 24 hours. Luggage storage RM2 per piece per day. No breakfast is provided.

Ghazrin's Classic Hotel. shared bathroom, free wifi, tv, key deposit RM 50.

Citrus Hotel. Walking distance to the famous pedestrian street, Meldrum Walk, and within easy reach of the CIQ (Customs Immigration Quarantine) Complex as well as local taxi stands.

New York Hotel. A high-rise, tranquil, business-class, 3-star hotel with 413 rooms. Facilities: indoor car park, indoor swimming pool, gymnasium, 2 ballrooms, 6 meeting halls, Palm Garden Cafe, massage centre, sauna, and gym.

Straits View Hotel. Non-buffet continental breakfast included. Facilities: conference/function room, banquet hall/ball room, laundry service, car park. This hotel has two restaurants - Furusato Japanese Restaurant and Marina Seafood Restaurant - both on the first level.

Berjaya Waterfront Hotel. It is in a duty-free zone and shares its building with The ZON Duty Free shopping centre. The hotel has the usual 5-star hotel amenities: spa, business centre, grand ballroom, convention and exhibition centre, 6 function rooms, 2 auditoriums, shops, bar and three restaurants. Free and unlimited Wi-Fi for guests.

Crystal Crown Hotel Johor Bahru. Pretty decent, large rooms. Facilities: business centre, massage and spa centre, 24-hour coffee house, cocktail lounge, Kirishima Shuzou Japanese restaurant (daily noon-2:30PM, 6-10:30PM. All rooms have en-suite bathroom with hairdryer, air-con, TV, coffee/tea-making facilities. Buffet breakfast is included.

Grand Paragon Hotel. This hotel has two restaurants: Cafe Para Para (international and local cuisine) and Kishin-Tei (Japanese cuisine). Free and unlimited Wi-Fi in all areas.

M Suites Hotel. This is an all-suites, 4-star hotel, with 128 suites (for 2, 4 or 5 persons) ranging from 513 to 1117 square feet. The hotel is equipped with the usual 5-star facilities. Fixed-line, broadband Internet connection is available in the suites, and free Wi-Fi is available in the public areas on the ground floor. There are occasional discounts on the hotel's website offering the cheapest suites at RM200 per suite per night.

Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel. A high-end hotel located nearby many eateries and entertainment area, perfect for those doing business trip to the nearby Pasir Gudang industrial areas.

Thistle Johor Bahru Hotel. Rooms are large and very well maintained and it has one of the best views for hotel chains in Johor Bahru. It has two restaurants, two bars, one outdoor swimming pool and two tennis courts. Other facilities: ballroom, meeting and function rooms, banquet hall, spa. Hive Nightclub has live bands every night. Location is awkward if using public transport, with very limited selection of shops or restaurants nearby.