In June, together with a couple of friends and their kids, we crossed the border for a Johor Bahru (JB) weekend getaway. Despite being a short trip, we definitely had loads of fun.
Transport to Johor Bahru
For $240 round-trip, we rented a 10-seater van that picked us up at 8:30 p.m. and drove us directly to our accommodation, Fives Hotel Johor Bahru City Centre. The journey took nearly 2 hours due to traffic after clearing JB’s immigration. If you have the time and energy, taking a bus or train is a more budget-friendly option.”
Accommodation
It was our first time staying at Fives Hotel, where we reserved a Deluxe King Room for 2 adults and 1 child. While the room was on the smaller side (14 m²), it was comfortable enough since we planned to be out most of the time. Our highlight at Fives Hotel was the breakfast. Although the selection wasn’t extensive, Icai and I enjoyed the dishes. We also appreciated the well-lit dining area. Overall, it was a great value for $177 for a 3-day, 2-night stay.
Activities
On Saturday, we spent the entire afternoon at Mid Valley Southkey Mall. It was our first visit, and we were amazed by its size. Our top priority was ensuring the kids had a great time. First, we let them enjoy the kiddy go-kart at KF Kiddy Circuit, which cost RM85 for 3 sessions of 8 minutes each—not a bad deal! The parents had a few rides and might have had more fun than the kids. Our next stop was Kiddytopia, where the unlimited access for the day at RM48 was definitely worth it.
fter all the running and chasing, we enjoyed a hotpot lunch at Arashi Shabu-Shabu, did some shopping, and then took a coffee break at San Francisco Coffee while the kids napped.
For dinner, we visited Restoran Todak (Orang Asli), which is a must-try in JB. We had chili crab, black pepper crab, satay, and more. The food was delicious and very reasonably priced compared to Singapore, we averaged around $22 per adult.
Sunday was fairly similar to the previous day. We had originally planned to visit UK Farm but didn’t realize it was quite a lengthy drive. Fortunately, it also rained, so we were glad we didn’t go. Perhaps next time. Instead, we went to Paradigm Mall, where the kids had another fun session at Utopia Jungle World, followed by lunch at Bar.B.Q Plaza.
And that wraps up our weekend getaway. It was a bit exhausting, but we had a fantastic time with our friends, and it was wonderful to see the kids enjoying themselves.
If you’re seeking a short escape from Singapore, Johor Bahru is definitely a great option. If we’d had more time, we would have also fit in another must-do in JB: a massage!
