Johor Bahru Things to Do

The Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque is a combination of English and Moorish architecture and is situated on a hill overlooking the Straits of Johor.

Admission is free and the visiting hours are 10:00 - 18:00 from Saturday - Thursday except during congregational prayers.

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The biggest cultural & religious procession in JB is the Chingay Procession, otherwise known as youshen (deities procession). The procession is held annually on the 21st day of the Chinese New Year (which is usually in Feb or Mar). The five deities representing the five major Chinese communities would be paraded around JB city with much fan fare. The 130-year old tradition features numerous cultural performances, lion/dragon/tiger dances, Chinese clowns, beautifully decorated floats, martial arts troupes, huge Chingay flags etc. The best place to catch the action would be in front of the City Square shopping mall, along Jalan Wong Ah Fook. The procession starts a shrine at Jln Ulu Ayer Molek at around 7 pm and would arrive at City Square by 9.30pm to shouts of "Huat" and "Heng" which roughly means good fortune.

Thousands of devotees with joss stick in their hands will be walking past together with the parade. The 5 deities coming in at different points of time would be welcomed with eagerness. You have to catch the sight of the deities sitting on the carriage being swing in earnest as a sign of good fortune and prosperity.By the time the last deity passes by it would be past midnight. This is definitely an event not to be missed in JB.

Get to know more about the origins of the Chinese community in Johor Bahru. There are a number of exhibits of traditional Chinese wares, photos of olden days Johor, old documents etc.

The Chinese community came about through the "kangchu" system of plantations. Learn the contribution of Ngee Heng society its relation to the royal family. Get to know also the economic, social and cultural heritage of the Chinese. Not to mention, how the Chinese fared through the colonial period, Japanese occupation, communist insurgency and finally to the birth of an independent Malaya/ Malaysia.

The museum itself is founded by the JB Tionghua Society (formerly Ngee Heng Society) which is made up of the 5 major groups of Chinese in JB, namely the Hokkiens, Teochews, Cantonese, Hakka and Hainanese.

Truly a very educational and interesting visit for those who wants to know more about the history of Johor Bahru.

Entrance fee: RM3 for adults
Opening hours: 9AM - 5PM (Tues - Sun); Closed on Mon

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This landmark building is the most distinctive in downtown JB. It was built in 1940 and combines traditional Malay with an almost art deco architecture. Today, it serves as the main Government Center for Johor province.

Hutan Bandar (Johor Bahru, Malaysia) in Malay means “Jungle in the City”. Open daily with free admission, Hutan Bandar is located a 5 minutes drive from Larkin Bus Terminal (or a 20 minutes drive from the City Center). It is a popular spot for family and school excursions. In addition, young people come here for picnic, camping, a game of basketball as well as wedding photo shoots.

Most of the walking trails are man-made and should not pose a challenging to most people. There are presence of lakes, playgrounds, a basketball court and resting area.. and, it makes a romatic setting for wedding proposals (for those who wants it simple only! Not for brides-to-be who prefers a candlelight dinner at an Italian resturant, with a violin dedication.. big diamond ring yada yada..)

Overlooking the Johor Straits towards Singapore, the Istana Garden (Sultan Garden) in Johor Bahru (Johor Baru, Johore Bahru, Johor Baharu) is open to public everyday from 7am to 7pm. The Sultan Palace, owned by the Sultan of Johor, consist of several scattered buildings that sits just besides the garden. These buildings are closed to public.

With plenty of free parking lots available, the Istana garden is both accessible and a frequent hunt for family outings. Most people come here for jogging, leisure walk or a game of badminton at an open area in the park. It is also common see couples having their outdoor wedding photos taken here as well. It may get a little crowded during weekends but there are plenty of space for you to run about. A jog round the full garden trail is about 2.5km. Some trails lead up a knoll for more strenuous exercise routine.

If there's one thing we really appreciate in Johor is this museum, which houses a good collection of royal heirloom, impressive rare artefacts and a good record of the history of the States's Royal Family.

In front of Johor Zoo lies the Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque. We were not allowed to enter the mosque but we were still able to take photos of the mosque's external architecture and its garden.

Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque is the architectural pride of Johor. It is regarded as one of the most beautiful mosques in Malaysia.

Since it's on top of the 'hill' the view of the Johor straits is so nice to see and take photos of.