Johor Bahru (Malaysia)

General tourist information

Johor Bahru (often pronounced J. B. or JB) is a major city and capital of the state of Johor in southern mainland Malaysia (City on the interactive map of Malaysia). The city is the main transit point from Malaysia to Singapore, as there are bridges connecting the mainland to the island Singapore. It is the second largest city in the country (population more than one and a half million people), second only to Kuala Lumpur.

Interestingly, Johor Bahru became a city only in 1993, after which it developed very rapidly. The name Johor comes from the Arabic word for "gemstone".

Johor Bahru is one of the most developed and modern cities in Malaysia. It is very visited by tourists, primarily due to the fact that it is the main gateway to Singapore from the mainland. Tourists from Malaysia and Thailand, rushing to Singapore by land, certainly pass through the city. The same city serves as the main gateway to the eastern Resort Malaysia Desaru.

Although the city is not a popular resort, it is filled with a lot of interesting and entertaining places. Moreover, it is not so much the city itself that is interesting as the state of Johor, where many attractions and resort areas are scattered. At the same time, the city acts as a base for their inspection. Among the activities and excursions that can be obtained here: trekking to the Endau-Rompina National Park, diving on the Sibu Islands, an excursion to Gunung Ledang Park, a beach holiday at Lido Beach in Danga resort, a trip along the Lebam River to the colonies of fireflies and much more. The Legoland theme park also opened here.

In addition to attractions, the city is popular as a shopping destination, especially for Singapore residents. They constantly go to Johor for inexpensive purchases, because in Singapore itself prices are very high. You can shop both in modern shopping centers and in numerous markets.

Johor Bahru weather, seasons

Seasons in Johor Bahru are determined not by temperature (it is always high here), but by the amount of precipitation.

Traditionally high season and the best time is considered to be May-October. At this time, the least amount of precipitation falls.

Low season falls in November-April. At the same time, January and February are relatively short-lived, so in these months you can also quite comfortably visit Johor.

How to get to Johor Bahru

Not far from the city (35 kilometers) is the International Airport Senai International Airport (also Sultan Ismail International Airport). True, it accepts international flights only from neighboring Asian countries, domestic flights from Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Ipoh, Kota Kinabalu.

From the airport to the city is easy to get on Causeway Link buses (White). The cost of the express (45 minutes on the way) is 8 ringgit. A simple bus (No. 333, 1 hour 30 minutes on the way) – 3.5 ringgit. By taxi from the airport can be reached in 30 minutes and 45 ringgit.

Johor Bahru is a developed transport hub, and it is not difficult to get to it from other cities of Malaysia by land. Many buses from the big cities of the country go here. You can also easily get here by bus from Singapore. In addition to this, there are trains on the western branch of the Malaysian railway, which starts from Bangkok itself, passes through the southern part of Thailand, and ends in Singapore. Accordingly, by train you can get here at least from: Bangkok, Hua Hin, Chumphon, Krabi in Thailand; with Langkawi, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Malacca (in Malaysia) and from Singapore.

Transport

The city has a good public transport system. All information about routes can be found here http://www.mypublictransport.com/2011/05/johor-bahru-bus-route.html.

The best option for a trip to Johor Bahru is to rent a car. For self-rental of transport in Malaysia, you need an international driver's license (IDP). These are such rights, made in the form of a booklet in several languages, which are issued in addition to the usual national rights. They are only valid when presented in conjunction with your National (Home) rights, so do not forget to also take them with you on a trip to Malaysia. To obtain an MBA, you do not need to take any exams, you only need to pay a fee. The easiest way to do this is on the website of the state service.RF. the cost of Idi with a discount through the website of public services will be 1600 rubles.

The cost of renting a car in Johor Bahru starts from $ 30 per day. You can rent a car both in the city or its airport, and at the airport of Kuala Lumpur, so that immediately upon arrival in the country you can go here by car. By the way, rent at the airport KL will cost even a little cheaper. It is best to search and book a car for rent over the Internet using the search form and price comparison from different rental companies:

You can also refer to the website of the most popular city carrier Causeway Link - www.causewaylink.com.my.

Attractions, what to see

Johor Bahru resort offers its visitors a very diverse program. The first thing you can do is go on a tour and get to know the city better. One of those places that is definitely worth a visit is the Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque. This holy place is located on the top of a hill from which you can admire the beauty of the Johor Strait.

Not far from the mosque is the Grand Palace or, as it is called Here, Istana Besar. The palace serves as a museum dedicated to the great Sultan. His collections contain various items belonging to the Sultan's family, including those collected by Abu Bakar himself. In the northern part of the Grand Palace is the throne room, which hosts various events, banquets and receptions. Outside the palace is decorated with a magnificent garden, created in the Japanese style.

Another equally attractive attraction of the city is the Hindu temple Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman. This temple is the only temple in Malaysia, created from glass. The entire exterior of this shrine is covered with glass mosaics of blue, red,white, purple and green.

Continuing your walk around the city, it is also worth visiting Johor Bahru's main square Dataran Bandaraya. On the territory of the square there is a clock tower, a minaret and a fountain. Both tourists and locals like to spend evenings here. In the immediate vicinity of the Square is another popular place in the city – the city recreation park. In total, the park covers an area of more than 13 hectares. On this territory there are tropical forests, Seven Lakes, paths for running and hiking, fountains and small recreation areas, an Orchid Park and a playground. In addition, here you will have a unique opportunity to see the traditional houses of the Malays, each of which belongs to a particular state of Malaysia.

In addition to the above places in Johor Bahru, you can still visit the Danga Bay Recreation Park, the local zoo, the Sultan Ibrahim building, the Chinese temple and the palace of the ruling Sultan.

You can dilute your excursion vacation with more modern entertainment. To do this, you need to go to the so-called Johor zone. All hotels, restaurants and entertainment centers are concentrated here. Especially popular among tourists is a five-story shopping complex and a floating restaurant with a nightclub.

Whatever holiday program you choose, you will not be bored in Johor Bahru. There is always something to do.