Guide to Spending 10 Hours in Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Heading to Johor Bahru (JB) with no intention to stay over? JB in short form or commonly call by Singaporeans is the perfect getaway spot, located in the southern state of Peninsula Malaysia. The area is well known for shopping and eating while not being that far away from Singapore. Consider doing a day trip to nearby Johor Bahru over the weekend to distress.

Here’s the guide to spending less than 10 hours in Johor Bahru. There are many ways getting into JB. In this post, I will just relate my way of getting into JB. Head over to Kranji MRT (train station in Singapore).  The public bus service 170X ferry you from Singapore across the causeway to JB Sentral. Bear in mind that there are 2 kinds of bus services: 170 and 170X. Board the one with 170X, if unsure ask the driver before boarding. When I was there around 9am on a Saturday morning, there are long queue of up to 45 minutes. So be there early to avoid queuing esspecially on weekend morning.

10am: Arrive Johor Bahru Custom Immigration Point

Within walking distance from JB Custom Immigration, one would be able to locate Hock Chiang Hin 福振兴餐室 which serve traditional tim sum.

Have plates of tim sum at much cheaper price than what one can get in Singapore and did I say it was finger licking good.  The tofu with meat inside was special, I would personally recommend to try it! The big fat pork bun is another speciality that you should not miss as well.

11am: Take bus to KSL city from JB Custom Immigration Checkpoint

There are 2 buses option to KSL city.

1st option: Take bus IM17 by Maju Bus Compan. Fare: RM$1.50
Bus will alight you in front of KSL City Mall.

2nd option: Take bus S1 by Causeway Link. Fare: RM$1.50

It is not a long ride to KSL city, probably 20 minutes. However, factor in traffic conjestion, waiting time for the bus to be filled before driver departs.

11.40am: Arrive KSL City

Now this is the time to eat lunch, shopping and catch a movie!

12pm: Lunch at KSL City

For lunch, I would recommend eating at You Ji XO Roast Meat outlet found at KSL Shopping Mall.

The speciality includes home made tofu, crispy pork skin, herbal soup and the best dishes on offer would be the Char Siew! You would regret if you did not order it, so unforgettable.

1pm: Shopping in KSL City

Due to the rate of exchange between Singapore and Malaysia currency which stands at SGD$1= RM3 as of Sep 2016, things are a tad cheaper in this mall. So go all out and shop!

3pm: Catch a movie at MBO Cinema

What better way than to rest your tired legs after shopping by catching a movie. The movie price is around SGD$5 during weekends at KSL City Mall, comparing to the price in Singapore around SGD12.

5pm: Head for dinner at Taman Sentosa

One would be able to walk  (about 10 minutes) from KSL City Mall to Taman Sentosa area for dinner. However, why not consider taking a taxi ride cost of RM15 depending on your size of the taxi and negotiation skills.

5.30pm: Seafood dinner

As seafood is rather pricey in Singapore, why not head to JB area and indulge in it… One would not resist eating fresh seafood ranging from Oysters Omelette, Barbecue (BBQ) Fish, Crayfish etc.

6.30pm: Take cab back to City Square

City Square shopping mall is located next to JB Custom Immigration Checkpoint. Do some last minute shopping before bidding an end to your one day trip.

Wait, before heading back to Singapore, buy some bread from Lavender Bakery @ City Square. You will likely see long queue… 

8pm: Head back to Singapore

There you have it, spending less than 10 hours in Johor Bahru, simply eating and relaxing. Isn’t that how your short getaway should be?

Video clip on this journey can be seen below:

For more post on Malaysia travel tips, click here.

Categories: Asia Region