Reasons Johor Bahru should be explored by everyone

1. Laze your day away at Danga Bay 

 

Country Garden is an up and coming residential community project hidden amongst the on-going development work around Danga Bay. Although construction is slated to be completed only in 2017, there are facilities that are already open to the public. Because of the ongoing construction work, stay clear of the water. I recommend reading a book on their brand new benches, playing beach volleyball or soccer with friends, suntanning on the beach, or even soaking in the swimming pool - all for free!

Address: Lot PTB 22056, Danga Bay, Jalan Skudai, 80200 Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Number: 1300-88-9888

2.  Find the best bargains at Rusty Market

 

Pasar Karat, or “Rusty Market”, is a massive second-hand flea bazaar that sells everything from clothes to antique ships' steering wheels. Prices are cheap and even the fussiest shopper is sure to find something they fancy from the never-ending maze of stalls. Remember to always bargain!

There isn’t a proper route to take here - you'll have to brave the crowd. I find it interesting to just browse because of the bizarre range of "products" you'll come across - even live animals*! Just remember the path you take so you don’t get lost. Locals are generally friendly so ask for directions if you have to.

Address: Jalan Segget, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Opening hours: Daily 8pm till late

3. Experience JB's unique cafes

 The cafe scene in JB has been building up over the past few years but I only recently found out how impressive it has gotten! Unique, one-of-a-kind cafes are now everywhere in JB and you can’t leave without visiting a few of them. If cafe hopping is your thing, we recommend Sweet Blossom Coffee Roasters Cafe and JWC - The Factory 30. Sweet Blossom Coffee Roasters Cafe is the perfect place to start your day with its early opening hours and special Espresso tonic.

4. Visit Lavender - the pride of JB

Lavender is a family owned business that has been around for 15 years. Initially only a bakery and pâtisserie, Lavender now has 3 dining concepts; self-service L.café, casual L.bistro and restaurant L.table. L.cafe is a bakery cum coffee shop and offers a wide selection of tasty breads and pastries. Several must-trys include their Corn Pepp (RM4.20), Chicken Ham and Cheese Bun (RM2.95), Banana Danish Puff (RM3.20) and their Pandan Sponge cake. Then again, speaking from experience, everything is good at Lavender, so be adventurous and try new things each time you visit.

5.  Get lost in a shopper’s paradise

As a Johorian the place I’m most proud of in JB is the Johor Premium Outlets (JPO). Here you don’t just get to enjoy the benefits of an awesome exchange rate, but also great promotions and discounts off your favourite luxury brands. With discounts up to 80% on more than 60 premium brands including the likes of Kate Spade, Ferragamo, Nike, DKNY, Calvin Klein, GAP and Burberry, the Johor Premium Outlet mall is a shopper’s paradise. Do note that not all promotions available are listed in their website, so you have to go down to check out their best deals yourself.

6. Go shopping at JB's newest mall!

Stop by JB’s newest mall, Komtar JBCC. Located right next to City Square, it has the best range of shops in the whole of Johor, including Sephora, Bath and Body Works, Marks and Spencers, Dr Martens, New Balance, Pandora, and Swarovski. Parking at Komtar is also a third cheaper than it is in City Square. If you really need something from City Square, there’s a bridge connecting these two malls accessible from Padini on level 2 in Komtar and behind Uniqlo on level 3 in City Square Mall.And if you're hyper hygiene-conscious, you'll be glad to know that Komtar JBCC tops my list for the cleanest public toilets in JB!