What is there to do in Johor Bahru? A (somewhat) painful experience of someone who has been there...

In October 24, I wanted to try the domestic flight in Malaysia. I heard that Johor Bahru is a tourist attraction that many Singaporeans go to when they have time, so I decided to go there for a day trip. I didn’t expect that there are not many places to go. 🗓️Itinerary: First! Legoland is indeed a good place for family fun. In Kota Tinggi, there are boat rides in the afternoon and evening to enjoy the natural scenery. In addition, we also went to two places that day: Chen Xu Nian Cultural Street The cultural street is not large and can be visited in less than half a day. It is mainly for food and sightseeing. You can appreciate the murals and the profound cultural elements of Malaysia. There is a strong Chinese cultural atmosphere there, and there are also some cultural and creative shops to visit. Nearby, you will also see an Indian bazaar, where they sell wreaths, snacks and clothes, and even portraits of gods, etc., with exotic fragrances. Desaru The other best place to go is Desaru Beach, but most of the beach areas are taken over by hotels, and only a small number of areas are open to people for free access. It takes about an hour and a half to take Grab from Desaru to Johor Bahru Airport. There is no good scenery in the 90-minute journey, only palm fields and roads. The only good thing is that the scenery in Desaru is really good. If you just want to stay in the hotel and enjoy the sun and the beach, you can stay there for a few days, but as a tourist attraction, it is just an ordinary beach. But! Danga Bay Park (the park next to Danga Bay) has closed down! When we got there, there were only a pile of ruins, and there was only one seafood restaurant nearby, and no attractions. I heard from a local Grab driver that the Angry Bird amusement park and other large and small tourist facilities from a few years ago have actually closed down. The most fun attraction in the whole Johor Bahru is probably Legoland - the locals don't know what's fun and interesting to visit. (I laughed when I heard that. The driver was really honest.) Delicious food! The driver was very nice. He took us to a Bak Kut Teh restaurant in the suburbs. He said it served the best Bak Kut Teh in Johor Bahru. It was indeed good, but a little remote. It takes about an hour to get there by car from Danga Bay. There are only mountain roads nearby and only one road for cars. There are also some good food in Chen Xuonian Cultural Street. Local delicacies such as banana cake, tiger bites lion and Yangduo are not to be missed! Of course there are also cafes etc.; we arrived at around 10 o'clock that day and it was already crowded, so we quickly lined up to eat! Summary Overall, I really didn’t find anything fun in Johor Bahru, except Legoland. I actually did some research before going, but I couldn’t find too many attractions. After arriving in person, even the locals laughed and said they didn’t know what to visit and have fun. It was indeed funny. There are ostrich and crocodile parks near Desaru. If you stay there with your kids for a few days, you can go there to play. However, if you start from the city, you can only take Grab and it takes 1 hour. Whether it is worth the time depends on your opinion. Note⚠️ If you want to experience the scenery, you can still take a boat at Kota Tinggi Pier (if it is still open), but the road is remote and it takes more than an hour to return to the city. People without cars can only take Grab, and they will return to the ground after dark. Be careful if you go alone! If you are a family, you can go to Legoland or Desaru Beach to enjoy the hotel facilities and scenery!