This is not really a 2D1N or 3D2N itinerary kind of post. This is more like my practical JB day-trip guide because I used to go in quite often and most of the time, we rotate around the same few things: food, cafe, massage, nails, shopping, car wash and supper.
So if you are planning a simple one-day JB trip from the Woodlands side, this should give you a good idea of what can be done in one day.
This post was first written in 2018, so please check current shop openings, KTM timings, prices, Grab availability and immigration situation before going. JB changes quite fast, but the overall planning logic is still useful.
JB Day Trip At A Glance
| Detail | Notes |
|---|---|
| Route | Singapore to JB via Woodlands |
| Best for | Food, cafe-hopping, massage, nails, shopping, supper and car wash |
| Usual transport inside JB | Grab / Uber-style ride hailing |
| Best way in, if you can book it | KTM train |
| Main warning | Immigration jam can destroy your whole day if you choose the wrong timing |
| My take | Keep the plan flexible. JB is best when you do not pack it until very stressful. |
Before You Go
If you are not driving, do not worry. I have gone into JB by almost every method before: car, bus, train, chartered car and even walking across the causeway. It is very doable without a car because once you are inside JB, you can usually just use Grab to move around.
My main tips:
- If you want to take the KTM train, book early. The queue is much shorter because the number of passengers is fixed.
- If you are going in a group, a 7-seater Grab can be very worth it after splitting.
- Change enough RM if you plan to shop, massage and do nails. Food is usually affordable, but massage and nails can add up.
- Do not be too ambitious if you are going on a weekend. The custom jam can be the real itinerary.
How To Get Into JB
KTM Train
If I can get tickets, this is my favourite way in.
The train itself is only around 5 minutes from Singapore to JB, and the immigration queue is usually much more controlled because there is a fixed number of passengers. It feels so much better than being stuck in a car jam for hours.
But the tickets can sell out very fast, especially for popular timings, so I would book at least 2 to 3 weeks in advance if possible. Try to book both ways too unless you already plan to return by bus, walking or chartered car.
Bus
The bus is the most common option, but also the most tiring if the crowd is bad.
After Singapore immigration, you just follow the bus queue down. I usually board whichever normal bus is going towards JB immigration because most of them will bring you across anyway. Just make sure you know if your bus needs a specific card or ticket before joining the queue.
This option can be okay on a good day, but if you are unlucky, you may spend hours queueing at Singapore immigration, the bus queue, then JB immigration again. Be mentally prepared.
Chartered Car
I usually use this more for coming back to Singapore late at night, especially when trains and buses are no longer convenient.
You can usually find these cars around the Bugis bus terminal area. It costs more, but if there are a few of you sharing, it can still be acceptable. The good part is that you can sit, rest and get dropped nearer to home.
The not-so-good part is that you may be sharing with strangers, and if your house is the last stop, you may end up going around Singapore before reaching home. Still, after a long JB day, sometimes I rather sit in a car than fight with another queue.
Walking Across
Yes, I have walked from Singapore customs to JB customs before.
It is possible, but please be careful. Some parts are not the most pedestrian-friendly and you may be walking near cars. It can also be hot, tiring and not fun if you are carrying things.
Only do this if you are comfortable and the situation makes sense.
Driving
Driving is straightforward, but the jam is really heng suay.
If you are driving, I would avoid weekend peak hours as much as possible. A supper timing can be less painful, but even then, always check traffic first.
Food And Cafes I Usually Rotate Around
Most of the cafes and food places below are around the Jalan Dhoby / Jalan Tan Hiok Nee / City Square area, so it is quite easy to plan them together.
The Replacement Lodge & Kitchen Cafe
Address: 33, Jalan Dhoby, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
This is one of the more popular brunch cafes in JB. The food and coffee were good, and the whole place is pretty enough for a chill cafe stop with girlfriends or your partner.
The price feels like Singapore brunch pricing, except in RM, so psychologically it always feels better. HAHA.
Hiap Joo Bakery
Address: 13, Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
This is a must for me if you like banana cake.
I can honestly finish one whole pack myself because the banana cake is so soft and fragrant. I usually buy a few boxes back if I am nearby.
Please go early if you really want it because the queue can be long and they may close around evening time or sell out.
Chaiwalla & Co. Container Cafe
Address: 36, Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
This is near Hiap Joo, in an open-space container cafe setting.
If you like Thai milk tea, this is an easy drink stop before continuing the day. There are seats too, so you can rest a bit before walking around again.
Bev C
Address: 54, Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Coffee lovers can consider Bev C.
Their Espresso Ice Cube was the thing people ordered, and the cafe interior has that slightly hipster, not-your-usual-cafe feel. You can do brunch here, or do what I usually prefer: eat somewhere else first, then come here for coffee.
Restoran Ya Wang
Address: 28, Jalan Segget, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
This is the roast duck place that many Singaporeans compare to Dian Xiao Er.
There can be a queue, so I would avoid peak lunch hours if possible. Also, they may close once the ducks are sold out, so do not leave it too late if this is a must-eat for you.
IT Roo Chicken Chop
Address: 17, Jalan Dhoby, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
This is one of the places Thye and I would go back to.
The chicken chop is not fancy-looking, but it has that traditional, old-school taste that just works. I have brought friends there before and most of them enjoyed it too.
Cheap and good. Sometimes that is all we need.
Restoran Hua Mei
Address: 131, Jalan Trus, Bandar Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
This is a more traditional breakfast kind of place. I went for kaya bread, soft-boiled eggs and teh peng, and it was simple but good.
Not everything in JB needs to be cafe-cafe. Sometimes this kind of local breakfast feels more shiok.
JWC Factory
Address: 30, Jalan Mutiara Emas 5/3, Taman Mount Austin, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
This is further out, so you will need Grab or car.
The brunch was pretty good from what I remembered, and I would not mind going back if the route makes sense. Just do not squeeze it into the day if your plan is mainly around City Square / Jalan Dhoby area, because it is not exactly next door.
Bak Kut Teh
There are two general options I used to consider.
If you want something convenient, there is one near KSL that is decent enough. If we were less lazy, we would go further out to Ah Soon Bak Kut Teh near the Taman Sentosa side.
Ah Soon serves claypot bak kut teh and claypot soy chicken. Simple, but quite comforting if you want something warm and familiar.
Address mentioned in my old notes: 141, Jalan Keris 1, Taman Sri Tebrau, 80500 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Please double-check that it is still operating before going.
Fa Ge Lok Lok (发哥渌渌)
This is the lok lok outside Bangkok Spa, and it became the one I kept going back to.
I used to try the ones near Abalone Noodles or Taman Sentosa, but this one tasted better to me. The food was kept in a chiller, which felt more hygienic, and the seasoning was very sedap.
It is also very convenient if you are doing massage at Bangkok Spa because you can eat before or after your session.
Abalone Noodles And Wanton Mee
This is more of a supper option.
There are two shops side by side, and to me they tasted quite similar. I mainly liked the abalone slices. I would not put this as my top must-eat in JB, but if it is late and many places are closed, it is an easy supper choice.
Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre
If you have seen those big butter crayfish photos from JB, this is the kind of place people go for.
The butter crayfish used to be around RM99 for 1KG back then, and you could choose different sizes depending on how many pieces you want. You can check directly with the stall uncle because they will know the current size and pricing better.
Address from my old notes: Jalan Keris, Taman Sri Tebrau, Johor Bahru 80050
You can even pack it back to Singapore if you are heading home after that. They poke holes in the packaging so it does not become soggy too fast.
Taman Sentosa Seafood
This area has a row of seafood restaurants where people go for tze char.
The butter crayfish here was not as nice as the hawker centre one to me, but the food and pricing were still reasonable. They also had one-bone chicken wings and lok lok around the area, so it is quite easy to make it into a dinner stop.
Massage
Bangkok Spa
This became my go-to massage place in JB.
I liked it for the massage skills, cleanliness and overall comfort. If you are staying around KSL, they may have shuttle arrangements, but please check directly because this kind of thing can change.
Try to book ahead, especially on weekends. If you reach too early or they are full, Fa Ge Lok Lok (发哥渌渌) is right outside, so at least you can eat while waiting.
There are parking lots too if you are driving.
Thai Odyssey At Holiday Plaza
This was the place I used to go before Bangkok Spa.
It is convenient if you are already going Holiday Plaza for nails or hair. The massage was not bad, but personally, I still preferred Bangkok Spa.
Nails
For nails, I usually go Holiday Plaza, 2nd level.
There are two buildings in Holiday Plaza, so if you cannot find the nail salons, just keep walking further in. The nail shops are around the area near McDonald’s, with rows of salons side by side.
Prices are usually quite competitive because the shops are all near one another. My personal favourite from the old post was Nails Studio at Holiday Plaza.
Shopping
These are the main shopping stops I would consider for a simple JB day:
- Komtar JBCC and City Square, right opposite JB customs
- Paradigm Mall
- KSL City Mall
- Holiday Plaza, especially for nails, massage nearby, hair and some IT/gadget shops
If you are not driving, I would not overpack too many malls into one day. Pick one main mall, one food area and one massage area, then let the day flow from there.
Car Wash
If you are driving in, car wash is one of those “since we are already in JB” activities.
One option from my old notes was beside the Shell station. After Shell, turn left into the small lane and you should see cars waiting to be washed. I found these old coordinates online, so please do not rely on them blindly: N1.47135 E103.76559.
Another option is outside KSL. My dad used to do this because he could leave the car there for wash, walk to KSL for shopping and food, then collect the car after. Very practical.
How I Would Plan A Simple JB Day
If I were planning a fuss-free JB day, I would probably do something like this:
- Take KTM in if tickets are available.
- Start with brunch around Jalan Dhoby / Jalan Tan Hiok Nee.
- Buy Hiap Joo banana cake early before it sells out.
- Have coffee or Thai milk tea nearby.
- Grab to KSL or Holiday Plaza for shopping / nails.
- Massage at Bangkok Spa.
- Eat Fa Ge Lok Lok (发哥渌渌) or seafood / supper before heading back.
- Return by train, bus or chartered car depending on timing.
Nothing too complicated, but enough to make the JB trip feel worth the custom queue.
Final Thoughts
JB is one of those places where the plan does not need to be perfect. It just needs to be practical.
Know how you are going in, do not underestimate the immigration crowd, save enough RM for food and massage, and keep your route flexible. If one cafe is full, there is always another place nearby. If massage is fully booked, go eat lok lok first. That is honestly the JB energy.
I may do a Tuas-side JB guide next time too, because that side has a different set of places and can be useful if you are entering from the west.