Johor Bahru

Malaysia's southern gateway facing Singapore across the Johor Strait, with Legoland, an old Chinese temple and heritage-street food, plus Desaru's beaches to the east and the southernmost tip of mainland Asia to the west.

Johor Bahru is the capital of the Malaysian state of Johor, at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. It faces Singapore across the roughly 1 km-wide Johor Strait, linked by the Johor–Singapore Causeway and the Second Link, and is the core of Malaysia's second-largest metropolitan area. The city has a large ethnic Chinese population with strong Teochew, Hokkien and Hakka cultural roots, and Chinese-language shop signs are everywhere. The climate is tropical rainforest: hot and humid year-round at 24–33°C, with the most rain during the northeast monsoon from November to January; crowds of cross-border visitors swell during Singapore school holidays and on weekends. The city breaks down into several areas: the old town next to the checkpoint has the Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple, Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Street, the Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque and the royal palace, ideal for a walk and a meal at long-established eateries; Puteri Harbour in Iskandar Puteri to the west has Legoland, while the northern suburbs have City Square and premium outlet malls. To the northeast lie the Kota Tinggi waterfalls, fireflies and the Desaru Coast; to the southwest are the fishing village of Kukup and Tanjung Piai, the southernmost tip of mainland Asia. Getting there: Senai International Airport serves domestic flights; from Singapore you can cross by bus or the Shuttle Tebrau train, and the Johor Bahru–Singapore RTS Link is expected to open by the end of 2026. In town, Grab is the main way to get around. Plan on 2–3 days. Note: border queues are long at peak times, and passports must be valid for at least 6 more months; both ringgit cash and e-payments are widely accepted.

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