PLACES TO EAT IN JOHOR BAHRU, MALAYSIA:

AH KOONG RESTAURANT: Freshly Made Fishball Noodles In Johor Bahru

Ah Koong Restaurant is highly popular among locals and Singaporeans for its daily-made fishballs and springy noodles! There are eight noodle options for you to choose from such as Kuey Teow, QQ Fishball Noodle, Mee Hoon, Mee Pok, and their signature black noodles. Each bowl of noodles is paired with a light and tasty fishball soup. You can add other ingredients to your fishball noodle soup such as sliced fish cakes and deep-fried rolls.

• Ah Koong Restaurant, 266 Jalan Sutera Taman Sentosa, Johor Bahru, Malaysia, www.facebook.com/ahkoongfishball

KEIJOMETO: Concrete-themed Cafe In Johor Bahru

Since its launch in March 2022, Keikometo has made waves in the TikTok space. Its concrete exterior makes the cafe come across as an art gallery at first glance, but the food makes up for its sparse interior. Expect a Japanese-inspired menu, such as Watermelon Matcha Iced Latte and Mentaiko Tamagoyaki Sando.

• Keijometo, 3 Jalan Chengai Taman Melodies 80250, Johor Bahru, Malaysia, www.facebook.com/keijometo.official

KAM LEONG CURRY FISH HEAD: Freshly Made Fishballs & Springy Noodles

If you only have time for just one restaurant, then you absolutely cannot miss Kam Leong Curry Fish Head. This wildly popular restaurant only serves curry fish head, which is available in 4 sizes - from a single portion to a large person. You also have the option to add on a bowl of white rice to go with the delectable curry fish head, along with other ingredients including tau pok and vegetables.

• Kam Leong Curry Fish Head, 74, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Bandar Johor Bahru 80000, Malaysia

M PATISSERIE: High Tea Indulgence In Johor Bahru

If you are feeling indulgent and looking for affordable high tea options, M Patisserie is just the place. This cosy, Victorian-inspired parlour offers delectable tea-time treats that are both Instagram-worthy and delicious! Their entry-level afternoon tea for 2 comes with a mix of savoury and sweet bites such as mini salmon quiche and Korean strawberry tarts as well as finger sandwiches and scones paired with a pot of TWG tea of your choice. If you are out to splurge, go for their three-tier set which feeds up to four pax.

• M Patisserie, 45 Jalan Serampang, Taman Sri Tebrau 80050 Johor Bahru, Malaysia, www.facebook.com/91sdessertworkshop

SEVEN OAKS BAKERY CAFE: Muslim-Friendly Cafe WIth Freshly Baked Pastries

Bread lovers will certainly love Seven Oaks Bakery Cafe. This Muslim-friendly cafe boasts a huge variety of freshly baked pastries - ranging from traditional croissants and bread to popular favorites such as burnt cheesecake and cruffins. What makes this bakery so unique is that their croissants come in locally inspired flavors such as salted egg, nasi lemak, and ondeh ondeh!

• Seven Oaks Bakery Cafe, 134, Jalan Serampang, Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia, 80400, www.facebook.com/sevenoaksmalaysia

FOOD TRUCK PARK AT TEBRAU: Plentiful Food Options Catered To Everyone

What happens if everyone is feeling peckish for different types of cuisines for dinner? Head over to food trucks for a variety of dining options! The food truck park at Tebrau has a different rotation of food trucks each day, with a few permanent additions. With a minimum of 10 food trucks on any given day, look forward to a variety of local delights such as Nasi Goreng Seafood, Bubur Ayam, Satay, and Chendol!

• Food Truck Park at Tebrau, Jalan Harmonium 24/1, Taman Desa Tebrau, Johor Bahru, Malaysia, www.facebook.com/foodtruckdesatebrau

PLACES TO VISIT AND ACTIVITIES IN JOHOR BAHRU

LEGOLAND MALAYSIA *Ultimate Family-Friendly Guide To Johor Bahru

Can you really say that you have been to Johor Bahru without a trip to Legoland Malaysia? Dubbed as one of Malaysia's best theme parks, there are over 7 themed bricked areas that are bound to excite the entire family! From twisting water slides to thrilling rides as well as an indoor SEA LIFE aquarium, parents and kids alike will certainly have a brick-adventure!

Opens Tuesday & Thursday 10am - 5pm, Friday to Monday 10am - 6pm.

LEGOLAND MALAYSIA, No. 7, Persiaran Medini Utara 3, 79100 Nusajaya, Johor, www.legoland.com.my

ROCKY BASECAMP *Ultimate Family-Friendly Guide To Johor Bahru

Have kids who absolutely love climbing all over the place? Or perhaps hate the outdoors? Rocky Basecamp may be just the activity for them. Located inside AEON Mall, the rock climbing facilities are kid-friendly and includes fun-themed murals such as King Kong climbing a skyscraper and Rapunzel's tower. For kids and adults who do not have a fear of heights, they also have more challenging walls with a minimum height of 15 meters that will test your muscle strength and endurance. Opt for either a 2-hour pass or a day pass for a full day of climbing!

Opens Monday to Thursday 11pm - 7pm, Friday - Sunday 10am - 7.30pm.

Rocky Basecamp, Level 1, Lot F102A, Taman Desa Tebrau, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor, 017-228 5068, www.rockybasecamp.com

FANPEKKA INDOOR PLAYGROUND *Ultimate Family-Friendly Guide To Johor Bahru

Just a stone's throw away from Legoland Malaysia, Fanpekka Indoor Playground is conveniently located within AEON Mall. This playground is literally a haven for young kids! Coming off as an educational theme park, this indoor playground features fantasy-themed zones that encourage problem-solving and learning. It is definitely a great opportunity for learning and playing simultaneously!

Fanpekka Indoor Playground, Persiaran Desa Tebrau, Taman Desa Tebrau, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor, www.facebook.com/fanpekka

BLUE ICE SKATING RINK *Ultimate Family-Friendly Guide To Johor Bahru

Looking to beat the heat? Blue Ice Skating Rink is just the place. Located within Paradigm Mall, the single entrance fee of RM25 makes it extremely worth the visit! Since there is no time limit, the entire family can ice skate to their hearts' content! Trying ice skating for the first time? Perhaps sign up for their 30-minute introductory class to pick up the necessary skills.

Opens daily 10am - 10pm.

Blue Ice Skating Rink, 3F-30 Paradigm Mall Johor, Jalan Bertingkat Skudai, 81200 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia, www.bluefrosticerink.com

LASER BATTLE *Ultimate Family-Friendly Guide To Johor Bahru

Nothing is more exciting than battling it out with glowing laser sabres in maze-like Egyptian ot jungle-theme layouts. There are various game plays and aims catered to families. For every point you get, your scores will be tallied up on a digital scoreboard that you can use to determine the winning team after each game. Opens daily 10am - 10pm.

Laser Battle, Lot MS-11, Johor Bahru City Square, 108, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, www.laserbattle.com.my

KOTA TINGGI FIREFLY PARK *Ultimate Family-Friendly Guide To Johor Bahru

For an enchanting night experience with the entire family, why not hope on a boat for a firefly watching experience at Kota Tinggi Firefly Park! It is one of the few protected areas that remains as a liveable habitat for fireflies. While looking out for those tiny green-yellow lights flickering around, you'll also getto know more abou the hisotry of Johor River from your guide.

Available daily 1pm - 11pm.

Kota Tinggi Firefly Park, Kota Tinggi Firefly Park, Jalan Kota Tinggi, 81900 Kota Tinggi, Johor, www.facebook.com/ktfireflypark

MOUNT PULAI & PULAI WATERFALL *Ultimate Family-Friendly Guide To Johor Bahru

Mount Pulai is hailed as one of the best hiking trails in Johor. It takes about 3 hours of hiking from the mountain base to the summit and bank, making it fairly suitable for older children. Nestled within the mountain is a hidden waterfall for you to take a dip if you are seeking respite from the hot water. It is best to pack some light bites or sandwiches should the little ones' tummies start rumbling.

ZENXIN ORGANIC PARK *Ultimate Family-Friendly Guide To Johor Bahru

Zenxin Organic Park is the Malaysia's first-ever organic farm. It is a perfect place to introduce your kids to the world of organic farm. At the same time, you can also sign up for their interactive tours to explore the farm, such as harvesting fresh ingredients or attending a cooking class using fresh ingredients from the farm! The farm also has animal feeding activities, which are bound to be a huge hit with the younger ones.

Opens Thursday to Tuesday, 8.30am - 5.30pm.

Zenxin Organic Park, Zenxin Organic Park, 47A & 47B, Batu 9, Jalan Batu Pahat, 86000 Kluang, Johor, www.zenxin.com/park

PERMAS GO-KART *Ultimate Family-Friendly Guide To Johor Bahru

Perhaps a more appropriate activity for older kids, Permas Go-Kart gives you the opportunity to be a race car driver for a day! It offers one of the longest go-kart courses in Malaysia, spanning about 1.4lm with multiple turns to navigate for that additional thrill. If safety is a priarmy concern, there will be professional to give a safety briefing before you fun and also observing you from the side to ensure everyone's safety.

Opens Monday to Friday 10am - 6.30pm and Saturday & Sunday 8am - 6.30pm.

Permas Go-Kart, Jalan Bunga Matahari, Taman Plentong Baru, 81750 Johor Bahru, Johor, www.permasgokart.com

PLACES TO SHOP IN JOHOR BAHRU

JOHOR PREMIUM OUTLETS *Ultimate Family-Friendly Guide To Johor Bahru

Treat the entire family to a day of shopping at Johor Premium Outlets! The best part is that you can shop for luxurious brands such as Gucci or Prada at discounted prices without having to worry that they are counterfeit products. Johor Premium Outlets hass over 100 designer stores under its roof - from Fossil, Jimmy Choo and Clarks to Asics, Levi's and Aldo . You could literally do the entire year'sworth of shopping for the whole family while you're here.

Opens daily 10am - 10pm.

Johor Premium Outlets, Jalan Premium Outlets Indahpura, 81000 Kulai, Johor, www.premiumoutlets.com.my/johor-premium-outlets

PARADIGM MALL *Ultimate Family-Friendly Guide To Johor Bahru

Located in the hard of Petaling Jaya, Paradigm Mall is one of the largest mall in the region! This mall spans over 6 floors with an impressive number of over 300 retail outlets. From abundant dining options and entertainment areas to fashion stores that carries top and trendy apparels, Paradigm Mall offers a day (or perhaps two) of retail paradise for the entire family!

Opens daily 10am - 10pm.

Paradigm Mall, No.1, Jalan SS7/ 26A, Kelana Jaya, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, www.paradigmmall.com.my

PASAR KARAT *Ultimate Family-Friendly Guide To Johor Bahru

Pasar Karat is a large and popular flea market where locals and tourists alike flock to hunt for good steals and an extensive selection of secondhand treasures. You never know when you may come across a cool antique for home decoration or perhaps quirky clothing for you and the family.  Swing over during the evening and you may even catch some live performances by talented street buskers!

Pasar Karat, No. 20 - 26, Jalan Segget, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor

SUNWAY BIG BOX RETAIL PARK BOOKXCESS *Ultimate Family-Friendly Guide To Johor Bahru

Bookworms rejoice! BookXcess, located in Sunway Big Box, is the largest bookstore in South Malaysia and houses a massive range of titles across any genres that you can think of! From fiction, comics and child activitiy books to non-fiction books, there are bound to be books that will pique everyone's interest. The bookstore also has an orange centrepiece of sehlves spanning 2 stores, making it a photoworthy spot.

Opens daily 10am - 10pm.

Sunway Big Box Retail BookXcess, Box Retail Park, F-01 First Floor, Sunway Big, Persiaran Medini 5, 79250 Iskandar Puteri, Johor, Malaysia, www.bookxcess.com

TOPPEN SHOPPING CENTRE *Ultimate Family-Friendly Guide To Johor Bahru

Toppen Shopping Centre spans across 16 football fields with over 300 shops - and for a good reason too. It boosts Malaysia's biggest IKEA retail store! Going to IKEA is simply more than just shopping for furniture. Most of us also indulge in their iconic plate of Swedish meatballs or lounging in their photo-worthy showrooms. IKEA items here are also generally cheaper compared to elsewhere.

Opens daily 10am - 10pm.

Toppen Shopping Centre, No. 33A, Jln Harmonium, Taman Desa Tebrau, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia, www.toppen.my