Johor Bahru is well known for being the Southern gateway to Malaysia…

Ignorant old me used to think that Johor Bahru had nothing much to offer but I just realised how wrong I actually was…

Johor Bahru has achieved its share of stardom with glittering skyscrapers and entertaining amusement parks from Legoland Malaysia, Angry birds Activity park, and a few more upcoming themed parks… making Johor now the state with the highest concentration of theme parks in Malaysia…

Then there is of course historical places, colonial buildings and century old places of worship, multitudes of cafes and restaurants as well as Malaysia’s leading premium outlet, JPO… so much to see, do and explore making Johor Bahru definitely an exciting place to visit…

Here are some places you really should not miss out in Johor Bahru…

1. Legoland Malaysia

Legoland has to be one of Johor Bahru’s hit attraction places with over 40 great Lego themed rides, interactive activities, and delightful live shows that will keep you and your friends or family entertained for hours..

We were there on a crazy short period of time, barely enough to do anything much so we decided to knock ourselves out with the roller coasters… we went on the Great Lego race which is a VR technology ride and like 4x on the Dragon coaster before leaving the park… hahaha…

People from all around Malaysia and other neighbouring countries come here to visit the Lego Miniland where the most famous landmarks from 17 Asian countries, like the Petronas Twin Towers, Singapore’s Merlion, The Forbidden Palace, The Taj Mahal and so on are all built on a scale of 1:20 in Lego form…

Escape the scorching hot weather at the Lego Waterpark… where you can drench yourself or immerse yourself in water themed attractions like the LEGO wave pool, Build-A-Craft Lazy River, and the many tubes and slides… Regardless of age, Legoland Malaysia will unleash the kid in everyone!

2. Angry Birds Activity Park

The Angry Bird’s Theme Park offers plenty of thrilling and interactive activities, mostly for young kids, that would keep you and your kids busy for the whole day!

This park is a major attraction in Johor Bharu, with families coming all the way from Singapore to enjoy its fun rides and games!

Some of the activities include the trampoline jump, Lazer Bird Shoot (Riding Scooters), Foam Pit, and mini go kart track among others.

If all that wasn’t enough you can spend some time in the South Beach zone where the whole family can play the Angry Birds Video Game or visit Captain Black Birds Ship.

There are also daily performances and you can get to meet the Angry Bird characters too, at different times throughout the day! Being an indoor park in a mall, you’ll be playing in a safe environment…

3. Sanrio Hello Kitty Town and Thomas Town

I know so many friends who are huge fans of Hello Kitty.. and well, for Hello Kitty fans, and kiddies, this is the place to visit in Johor Bahru, there is afterall a whole floor of Hello Kitty activities, memorabilia and shows….

We had a super short visit and manage to explore Hello Kitty’s house, and watch her dance performance.

Other things to do would be the tea cup ride, make badges and decorate Hello Kitty cookies etc…

You can also visit Thomas Town if you have boys… though it is basically for both the boys and the girls… since you can also find Bob the Builder, Barney, Pingu and Angelina Ballerina there too..

4. Kota Iskandar, Johor State Assembly Building

Since its launch on 16 April 2009, Kota Iskandar has become the new landmark of Johor… It is after all the site of the modern administrative capital of Johor…

Named after the late Sultan of Johor, Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, it is a 320-acre integrated development containing Johor State and Federal Government offices, surrounded by gardens and parks. Marvel the Islamic design elements, Johor’s history, nature, and culture…

We were fortunate to get to visit the Sultan Ismail Building or also known as the Johor State Assembly building, a pretty Moorish-Andalusian inspired kind of building with local Johor elements… and we were in love….

We got a guided tour into the hallowed Johor’s State Parliament Hall where great debates on the well being and prosperity of the state take place under the grand pineapple shaped skylight…

Do be sure to spot the symbolisms around the building from miniscule ones to the majestic ones..

5. Laman Mahkota

Laman Mahkota stands proudly at the entrance of the Istana Bukit Serene.. It was constructed to celebrate the coronation of Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar …

The 20.9 metre high structure is supported by four concrete arches symbolises the crowning glory of the Johor Sultanate…

The crown which is at the middle of the structure is magnificent and is said to weigh 2800 kg and adorned with 3063 crystal stones in various sizes and colours…

6. Stadium Tan Sri Dato’ Haji Hassan Yunos (Larkin Stadium)

Popularly known as the Home of the Southern Tigers, this 30,000 capacity stadium is pretty comparable to even the Premier League stadiums overseas with some of the best facilities connected to the game and is definitely the best football pitch in Malaysia…

It is said to have a modern dressing room complete with hot showers and even a jacuzzi pool for the home team complete with err… leather recaro seats…

…and I can’t help falling in love with the stadium since it is practically on my favorite colours… red and blue… and the mascot is one of my favorite animals.. the tiger.. hahaha

7. Johor Craft Complex

This is an iconic one-stop arts and cultural tourism centre in JOhor Bahru where visitors and tourists can actually “Experience and Feel” the aesthestic and authentic traditional musical.instruments of Johor…

We got to touch, feel, beat and strum the Gambus (psaltery), Kompang, Angklung, Kempling and Gamelan…

Then visitors and tourists are also given the chance to wander through 5 different gazebos to view up close and learn how wayang kulit puppets, souvenirs and stuff are made..

8. Johor Premium Outlets

Johor Premium Outlet has to be Malaysia’s finest shopping haven and offers a daily 25% to 65% discounts on over 130 designer and name brands such as Timberland, Ralph Lauren, Nike, Adidas, Coach, Versace, Salvatore Ferragamo, Burberry, Victoria’s Secret…

We had an hour there and it was barely enough for us… huhuhu but I managed to snag a good deal on a pair of Adidas leggings which was really cheap….

Thanks to Tourism Johor and Gaya Travel for the opportunity to visit these amazing places…