Top Places To Visit In Johor

Text by NURSYAZWANI ROSLAN Images by JUHAN KAMARUDDIN & MOHAMAD NABIL FIKRY

Johor – the southern-most state on Peninsular Malaysia bordering Singapore – has always been the state that I would love to live besides Kuala Lumpur. It has many things to offer, from lush greenery, heritage buildings, modern city life, and many types of food that is bound to amaze foodies and gourmands alike. It is one of the more popular states in Malaysia that brims with fun-filled attractions that are suitable for travellers of all age groups, especially families with children.

Top: The impressive Johor State Legislative Assembly Hall inside Sultan Ismail Building in Kota Iskandar Bottom: The oversized replica of Sultan of Johor’s Crown at Laman Mahkota

WHAT TO EXPERIENCE?

JOHOR BAHRU’S ZERO-KILOMETRE MONUMENT

This landmark – located just in front of Johor Bahru post office – indicates the starting point when distances are measured in Johor. Don’t miss taking pictures here to gloat that you’ve been to the starting point of Johor Bharu, which surprisingly not many people knew.

SULTAN ISMAIL BUILDING

Sultan Ismail Building – located within Johor’s seat of administration called Kota Iskandar (www.kotaiskandar.com), around 18 kilometres away from Johor Bahru city centre – is the place where Johor State Legislative Assembly meets. This grand building, which sports Moorish-Andalusian and Johor-Malay architectural styles, is the place where the members of the public can learn how legislations for the state of Johor are debated and passed. As travellers enter the building, they are welcomed by a water feature flanked by two large curved staircases just like in Bollywood movies, which make for nice Instagram shots. Upstairs is the Johor State Legislative Assembly Hall, cleverly embellished with symbols denoting Johor’s economic wealth from the past such as motifs of black pepper and gambier.

Operating hours: Daily | 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. *except Mondays & Public Holidays

Note: Check out the design of the building’s ceiling, which takes cues from the shape of the pineapple flower because Johor is one of the major pineapple exporters in Malaysia.

LAMAN MAHKOTA, ISTANA BUKIT SERENE

Since I am a person who simply loves taking in the cool tropical breeze at night and hang out with friends and family, I find that Laman Mahkota, situated close to the gates of Istana Bukit Serene (Serene Hill Palace), is perfect to spend quality time with them in Johor Bahru. Laman Mahkota is where travellers can find the oversized replica of the Sultan of Johor’s Crown – supported by four curved pillars that almost resemble arches – hovering above their heads, making it an interesting subject to photograph. At night, the place illuminates with a sense of grandeur. The park is also beautifully adorned with water fountains that lit up with coloured lights in the evening.

JOHOR CRAFT COMPLEX

(kraftangan.gov.my/en/craft-complex/johor-craft-complex) Do you ever feel like you need to get your hands on items like traditional musical instruments, paintings and handicrafts? Travellers can surely do so when they visit the Johor Craft Complex, where they can witness live demonstrations in the making of handicrafts and playing of traditional musical instruments like kompang, angklung and gamelan ensemble. The centre also organises art classes and activities such as batik- colouring, wau-making (traditional Malay kites), tie-dyeing, keychain-making and more.

Operating hours: Daily | 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Tip: Go there during weekends when the centre hosts car boot sale.

TAN SRI DATO’ HJ. HASSAN YUNOS STADIUM AT LARKIN

(johorsoutherntigers.com.my) The much-celebrated Johor Darul Ta’zim Football Club (simply known as JDT) is held by Johoreans in high esteem, owned by His Royal Highness Major General Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim, The Crown Prince of Johor. The Tan Sri Dato’ Hj. Hassan Yunos Stadium, also known as Larkin Stadium, now painted in bright blue and red, is the newest addition to Johor’s attractions after being renovated and home to the club. Travellers can definitely feel the roaring spirit of Johor when entering the stadium. There is also a Johor-Japan football gallery that chronicles Japan’s success in qualifying the 1998 World Cup in France.

Note: There are also JDT merchandise for sale like jerseys, key chains, lanyards and more.

DESARU FRUIT FARM

(desaruff.com) Desaru Fruit Farm is a 180-acre fruit farm that cultivates various tropical fruits such as durian, mango, mangosteen, guava, dragon fruit, rose apple, jackfruit, starfruit and passion fruit, among others. Though this is a non-self-plucking fruit farm, travellers can feast on fresh luscious fruits after completing their tour. Besides the informative guided fruit farm tour, there are also bee farm and petting zoo as well. Touring this farm is indeed educational and the guide explains expertly. When it is time for fruit-tasting, we were lavishly served with fresh and sweet fruits that were too good to pass up.

Entrance ticket price Adult RM25 | Child RM20

OLD JOHOR FORT MUSEUM

(www.jmm.gov.my/ms/muzium/muzium-kota-johor-lama) First opened to the public in 2007, this museum – housed in a traditional wooden structure built in Malay vernacular using mortise and tenon method, devoid of any nail – exhibits information regarding Johor’s early beginnings before the founding of Tanjung Puteri, what we now called as Johor Bahru, in 1855. The museum is located within what is now a small village. Back in the 17th century, the site of the museum was where the fort of Old Johor was situated and served as one of the bases of the Old Johore Sultanate, which took up the Malay Sultanate mantle after the fall of Melaka Sultanate by the Portuguese. The lineage of the Melaka Sultanate was continued by the Old Johore Sultanate up until 1699, when Sultan Mahmud II died without an heir.

Operating hours: Daily | 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Closed on First Day of Eid ul Fitr & Eid ul Adha Entrance is FREE

BELUKAR DURIAN WETLANDS, TANJUNG SEDILI

(facebook.com/KampungBelukarDurian/) Exploring the mangroves and learning about its ecosystem is educational. But that not all that travellers will get at Belukar Durian Wetlands; this place also offers fun-filled activities to be enjoyed with friends and family like rivercruising, kayaking, bicycling, camping, and fishing. There are also chalets for travellers to rent if they wish to stay overnight and catch fireflies that light up the mangrove trees. Top: Tan Sri Dato’ Haji Hassan Yunos Stadium in Larkin, the home of Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) football club, also known as the Johor Southern Tigers Bottom: Idyllic surroundings of Kampung Belukar Durian in Sedili

Top: Getting up close and personal with a lobster at Mendana Strait Floating Chalet Bottom: The Observation Tower at Legoland Malaysia

HORSESHOE CRAB LIVESTOCK AND HATCHERY

Did you know that in Sedili Kecil, Johor, there is the only centre for horseshoe crab cultivation and hatchery in South East Asia? The centre accumulates horseshoe crab eggs, hatches them and rear the baby horsehoe crabs up to one year before releasing them back into the sea. This conservation effort helps to replenish the number of horseshoe crabs in the wild, particularly in the waters of Johor. Horseshoe crabs only reach sexual maturity when they are 14 years old. Due to overfishing, their number is dwindling fast and now each horseshoe crab retails up to RM15 due to high demand.

MENDANA STRAIT FLOATING CHALET

(facebook.com/kongkongchaletterapungpasirgudang) Johor is blessed with fresh seafood due to its proximity to the South China Sea. At at Chalet Terapung Selat Mendana (Mendana Strait Floating Chalet) in Kong Kong Laut, an hour and 15 minutes’ drive from Johor Bahru city centre., travellers are bound to have an interesting dining experience above water where they can feast upon freshly caught marine life that are then prepared in different ways such as spicy flower crab, ikan siakap tiga rasa (fried sea bass drenched in three-flavoured sauce), sotong celup tepung (deep fried squid), and udang galah kari kering (Lobster cooked in dry curry). This place also offers chalets above water so that travellers can focus on fishing activities during their stay.

T: +6 013 480 6300

Note: To get to the place also involves a five-minute boat ride.

LEGOLAND MALAYSIA RESORT

(legoland.com.my/) There seems to be no age limit for those who enjoy theme parks and what better way to spend quality time with your family than at LEGOLAND theme park in Johor, which is only one of the six LEGOLAND theme parks in the world! The LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort comprises a family-friendly hotel with themed rooms, LEGO theme park, LEGO waterpark and soon to open SeaLife Park. During our short visit, we simply had to try the world’s first LEGO Virtual Reality roller coaster, which offers a thrilling and adventurous ride, making us want to explore more of the park’s grounds that are replete with characters and miniature buildings made from LEGO bricks, including replicas of famous landmarks such as Taj Mahal, Petronas Twin Towers and more.

Operating hours: Daily | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

JOHOR PREMIUM OUTLETS

(premiumoutlets.com.my/johor-premium-outlets) What better way to end the trip with a shopping trip to Johor Premium Outlets (JPO), which is one of the state’s ultimate shopping havens. This is the place where travellers can shop for renowned brands like Gucci, Guess, Coach, Adidas, to local ones like Vincci and Padini sold at discounted prices. There are also food and beverage outlets like Dome, Starbucks, Marrybrown and more for famished shoppers or those who prefer to sit down and dine rather than shop.

Tip: Since parts of the pedestrian areas of JPO are exposed to the elements, be sure to bring along caps and umbrellas just in case it rains or the sun scorches unbearably.

WHERE TO STAY?

JEN JOHOR PUTERI HARBOUR

(www.shangri-la.com/en/hotels/jen/johor/puteriharbour) JEN Johor Puteri Harbour, which is part of the world-renowned hospitality group Shangri-La stable, is luxurious, plush and well thought out. The hotel is suitable for MICE guests too.

AMARI HOTEL

(amari.com/johor-bahru) Amari is a modern Thai hotel brand that is characterised by spaciousness, culture and philosophy. The décor of this hotel sports the colours and rhythms of modern Asia. It has 242 guestrooms and suites, meeting rooms, Breeze spa, and library. Guests are bound to enjoy the gastronomic offerings be it for breakfast, lunch and dinner at Amaya Food Gallery, where various Thai-influenced dishes are prepared by the chef using fresh ingredients. The presentation and flavours of the dishes harmonious fit with the modern Thai lifestyle.

SAND & SANDALS DESARU BEACH RESORT

(sandandsandals.com/) This accessible yet tranquil resort, located on Desaru Coast, invites guests to luxuriate and indulge on the white sandy beach or by the pool or at the spa, as well as having fun with the activities offered. Sands & Sandals Desaru Beach Resort is much recommended for couples who seek sweet getaway. Some of the highlights of the resort are the couple suites that come with big heart-shaped bathtubs.

Kafe Kleptokrat: The Epitome of Resilience

Text & Images by SHAHIDA SAKERI

As I take a spoonful of the warm, aromatic soup, a beautiful feeling of familiarity washes over me. “Ahh this reminds me of my childhood.”

It is a beautiful Friday morning, and I am sitting in an airy, well-lit courtyard café at one of the shop lots along Jalan Tun H S Lee. The place is bustling despite being on a weekday, perhaps diners are eagerly taking advantage of the Malaysian government’s recent decision to lift the Movement Control Order (MCO) in Klang Valley. But I can’t say that I am surprised by the crowd though; like most urbanites, dining out is one of the things that we terribly miss during the COVID-19 lockdown. Give us the green light, and off we go with our purses in tow.

Kafe Kleptokrat, in particular, has been all over social media thanks to its Instagramworthy décor. A huge pool literally takes centre stage, giving this courtyard with its exposed brick walls a casual rustic feel, yet charming enough to hold a soirée. The colourful vintage windows, thriving potted and crawling wall plants, including white parasols, make for some much-appreciated touches too. But while I’m on this, let’s also acknowledge that Malaysia’s tropical climate might not be agreeable for open air dining all the time, so do plan your visit accordingly if you can’t stand humidity.

Despite its unique design, I am more intrigued by the café’s backstory. You see, this popular café was originally a hostel targeted for visiting backpackers. Then, the global pandemic happened. And much like the hospitality industry around the world, the hostel was experiencing a period of low occupancy and uncertain future. The owner, Ng Sin Leong, then had a long chat with his team on how to save the business without having to let go of his staff. That’s when the idea of opening a cafe came about. Dormitories were transformed into dining spaces and the employees contribute their family recipes for the menu; in fact, when they started this venture, it was merely a small coffee kiosk and a little bakery, then later evolved into Kafe Kleptokrat.

The menu here has great variety, yet not too overwhelming to the point that it takes too much time to select your order. It is a mix of classic Australian brunch and local comfort food. As a start, I order the avocado egg sandwich (MYR22) from their sourdough range to share with my company, and what comes to the table is a tower of soft homemade bread layered with fluffy scrambled eggs, creamy mashed avocado and juicy tomatoes, with tortilla chips on the side. Thank god we’ve ordered it for sharing, otherwise I might be too full for the next course.

What comes later is a special dish, the seemingly humble soto ayam (MYR20), which happens to be Pak Alam’s (the Head Chef) signature dish. I tend to get a little fussy when it comes to this particular recipe as soto ayam has always been one of my go-to comfort food since child; my grandma loved to make this whenever I visited her, thus the bar is set high. But, guess what? Pak Alam’s rendition comes as a close match. I am served with a huge bowl of glorious broth, so uplifting that you would want to have it during one of your low days. He also throws in lots and lots of shredded poached chicken with a big bergedil (minced meat potato cutlet) on top, just like what my grandma used to do. No doubt, this is a bowl of love, and Pak Alam, thank you for spoiling me with it.

My companion, on the other hand, orders nasi lemak ayam goreng berempah (MYR25), also another win for this café. It is a vibrant meal served in the form of a generous portion of deepfried chicken and fragrant rice along with sambal, eggs and crispy anchovies on the side. You may skip the sambal if you want, because even on their own, the rice and chicken bring a wonderful multitude of flavours. Also, kudos to whomever decided to use the red clay dinnerware to serve the food here; on top of being aesthetically pleasing, the food stays warm a little longer too. Pair any of these delicious aforementioned fares with a glass of mocktail (MYR15), and a perfect lounge experience by the pool is yours. However, if you’re looking for a much sweeter ending, ask for the selections of cake available that day. They are all wonderful, made in-house in partnership with the equally fantastic Mingle Cafe. We finish by ordering a glass of iced latte each (MYR12), which has been concocted using a century old Australian blend by the renowned Cottle Coffee.

Looking back, the pandemic might have brought a silver lining to Kafe Kleptokrat after all; the place so far hasn’t been short of Klang Valley locals who seek comfort in atmospheric places. The queues are long outside its door, but I have to give a special shout out to the cafe’s lovely front-of-house team for working the room with vigour and swiftness. They also do an amazing job in recommending the right menu to patrons. With such a passionate team, combined with the uncompromising flavours of the food and the fiery fighting spirit, Kafe Kleptokrat is already winning in so many ways…

Facebook: @kafekleptokrat Opens every day: 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (closes at 5:00 p.m. on Mondays & 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays till Thursdays)