Johor Bahru Adventure by a tour guide

Meeting point

Meeting Point

Our journey starts here. Let's meet here at 7.30 am.

Transfer to Bus 950

We will transfer to public bus service number 950 at the Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange.

Singapore Immigration

Here is the Singapore side of the custom immigration. We will enter Malaysia via this land crossing. Fun Fact: This is the busiest land crossing in the world! The record was half a million people used this crossing in a single direction in a single day. It can take up to 8 hours to clear the 1km long bridge into Malaysia during festive seasons. After clearing immigration, we can take any SBS or Transit buses to cross the bridge. The services available are 160, 170X and 950. Tap in and out with your travel card or credit card as you would when travelling on Singapore public transport.

CIQ Johor Bahru Malaysia

Here is the Malaysia Johor land crossing from Woodlands causeway.

Johor Bahru Chinatown

Jalan Tan Hiok Nee is the historical and cultural spine of Johor Bahru’s old town. Named after a prominent 19th-century Teochew pepper and gambier merchant who became one of Johor’s most influential leaders, this heritage street encapsulates the multi-ethnic pioneer spirit that shaped modern Johor Bahru. Its significance lies in its architectural preservation and cultural continuity. The street is lined with beautifully restored, century-old pre-war shophouses that showcase a blend of Chinese, colonial, and Peranakan architectural styles. Historically known as the heart of "Little Swatow," it stands as a living monument to the early Chinese immigrants who built the city’s economy. Today, Jalan Tan Hiok Nee is a thriving cultural enclave where old meets new. Century-old charcoal-fired bakeries and traditional Hainanese kopitiam coffee shops operate alongside modern hipster cafes, boutique art spaces, and vibrant street murals. Gazetted as a heritage site, it acts as a bridge between JB's rich immigrant past and its dynamic contemporary lifestyle, making it an essential destination for anyone seeking to understand the city's roots.

Retro Cafe R&C at Jalan Tan Hiok Nee

"R&C" refers to Roast & Coffee (三姐妹) Retro Garden 1968's, an incredibly popular modern Nanyang kopitiam whose flagship branch sits in the iconic red heritage house right on Jalan Tan Hiok Nee. It is essentially a retro, air-conditioned spin on the classic Malaysian coffee shop experience. Because it balances nostalgia with modern comfort, it frequently draws massive weekend queues of both locals and visiting Singaporeans. We will have our breakfast here.

JB Sentral Bus Station

Here, you can take the local buses to places in Johor. These include Kota Tinggi and Larkin bus station (where you can change to interstate buses to Malacca or KL). We will take the pink bus J100 to KSL City. This is the mall where you can fulfill your shopping needs.

KSL City Mall

KSL City Mall is one of Johor Bahru's most popular and sprawling one-stop retail complexes. Located in Taman Abad, it sits just 10 to 15 minutes away from the Johor Bahru Checkpoint (JB CIQ), making it an absolute favourite weekend getaway hub for Singaporean day-trippers and locals seeking budget-friendly shopping, dining, and wellness therapies.

Popular Tim Sum Place

Located just a short walk from KSL City Mall, Pin Ming Xuan Cantonese Dim Sum is a highly popular, air-conditioned tea house famed for its freshly handcrafted, steamed-to-order dim sum. Known for signatures like its striking Black Golden Salted Egg Lava Buns and comforting Century Egg Porridge, this bustling spot draws large weekend crowds of locals and Singaporean day-trippers. With a convenient automated queue system that lets you pre-order your meal, it is the perfect spot for a satisfying breakfast before starting a day of shopping. We can have lunch after here if it is not too crowded after1.30 pm.

Little India of JB

Key Insights & History • Deep Historic Roots: Established all the way back in 1911, it is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Johor Bahru. The land it sits on was originally donated to the Indian community by the late Sultan of Johor, HRH Sir Sultan Ibrahim. • Architectural Beauty: The temple features a striking, 75-foot-tall five-tiered Rajagopuram (entrance tower) beautifully adorned with 125 intricately sculpted deities and colorful figurines. • Prime Heritage Location: It sits perfectly inside JB's old town core. It is directly adjacent to the Gurdwara Sahib Johor Bahru (Sikh Temple), beautifully highlighting the cultural harmony of the street. There is currently a Deepavali Bazar in that area. It is where we were in the morning near Jalan Tan Hiok Nee. As the bazar is only active in the afternoon, we can consider coming over here before we have dinner and head back to Singapore.