Dinning and Entertainment in Johor Bahru

Dining    

Hawker food Johor is dotted with hawker venues throughout the state. These come in the form of street stalls or can be found inside market areas and shopping malls. generally this food is safe to eat and the variety extensive and mouthwatering.

Indian food is plentiful, from quaint coffee shops to those serving spicy curries, dosas and chapaties you are sure to find something to suit your taste.

Chinese restaurants are plentiful and due to the vast Chinese population in Malaysia, Chinese restaurants can be found almost every city.

Malay restaurants and stalls are found scattered throughout the state and the food is tasty and varied.

Thai food possibilities range from Tom Yam soup and other well known dishes to the more traditional. Restaurants can be found in most areas and some shopping complexes. The food is both tasty and reasonably priced.

Japanese food is generally expensive and the variety not that extensive.

International (Western cuisine) Johor has a surprising number of western style eateries and American fast-food outlets abound. German, Italian and French restaurants as well other nations are found throughout the city.

Bakeries Where would a Westerner be without a bakery? These can be found in Johor Bahru as well as other shopping complexes within the state.

Entertainment

Paint a city. What colour would it be? Start with a cosmopolitan background, pencil in the lush greenery of world-class golf courses, go wild with the deep russets of traditional batik from the opulent Bugis era, add a silvery dash of hi-tech music, dance and karaoke and, finally, sneak in the soothing turquoise streaks of beaches and islands. Voila! There you have it--Johor Bharu, multi-hued and exciting.

Golf Clubs

To the uninitiated, choosing a course to test one's swing can sometimes be tricky, because there are so many in and around the city. Going by popularity, the Pulai Springs Resort and the Palm Resort Golf and Country Club are top dogs and consistently enjoy a high level of Singaporean patronage. The Poresia Country Club, the Octville Golf and Country Club and the Ponderosa Golf and Country Club are decent plays nestled near the city and with night golfing selectively available. Further away, the 54-hole Tanjung Puteri Golf and Country Club and the Sebana Golf and Marine Resort, located at the fringe of the Desaru resort town, both deserve special mention for playability, scenic landscapes and lack of traffic on the fairways even on weekends. On the other hand, newer courses like the Starhill Golf and Country Club and the Legends Golf and Country Club (The) are ever adding variety to the golfing scene here. For beginners, Daiman 18, a public course, presents a more affordable alternative, while within the city Pelangi Golf Driving Range offers lessons by qualified professional and a full range of practice facilities.

Music, Dance and Pubs

Karaoke and its attendant titillations are a big business here, propelled in large part by a mighty Singapore dollar. Those merry-making singing lounges are literally a dime and a dozen all over the city, but only Taman Sentosa can lay claim to the highest concentration of them. T.A.M. Disc Laser Karaoke Lounge is just one of many such joints along a busy neon-lit thoroughfare, where an entire support industry of late-night eateries and conveniences has sprung up and is thriving. On the waterfront of the Johor Straits, the Caesar Karaoke and Musical Lounge is housed within an anchored barge. One floor below, the VOR Viking Discotheque caters to a younger and mostly teenage crowd.

More conventional watering holes can be found in many hotels. The Palm Bistro offers an unparalleled, breathtaking vista of the northern shores of the Singapore Island. The Palm Lounge and the Lobby Lounge at The Puteri Pan Pacific too are great places to unwind with a cocktail by the baby grand. The Bongo Pub features an in-house band and plenty of beer on tap. Most drinking joints and restaurants carry a wine list, but for those with more fussy palettes, the specialty Havana Wine and Cigar Shop stocks a good range of duty-free wines and cigars from over the world.

Cultural Entertainment

One of the most culturally-rich cities in the Malaysian Peninsula, Johor Bahru does a decent job in showcasing its history through a sprinkling of museums. The privately-owned Muzium Bugis depicts the rise and fall of the Bugis Empire, while the Abu Bakar Royal Museum demands a few solid hours of browsing through treasures of the Johor royalty.

Many tourists fall in love with the intricate woven cloths and delicate batiks that seem to pop up everywhere. Find these and more at the Karyaneka Crafts Centre, which guarantees not only a rich architectural lesson but also immense satisfaction for culture buffs and souvenir hunters. Then pass on those feel-good vibrations to the talented inmates at the JARO Handicrafts Centre and support their valiant efforts at turning over a new leaf.

Fun Zones

Malaysians pride themselves for their closely–knit family ties, evident from the wide range of child-friendly, family-orientated activities occurring within the city centre. Haul the entire family to the Johor Zoo for a leisurely and educational stroll among the hills behind the Grand Palace. Next, give the kids the ride of their lives and experience the glamorous spills and thrills of the Pasir Gudang Racing Circuit, a safe training ground for those with speed in their veins.

After all that action, take a breather and catch a movie and some popcorn at the ultra-comfy, modern Mega Pavilion Cinemas. Should you feel the withdrawal signs of not being able to check your e-mail, Cyberstation provides the best remedy for any technology-related sickness--lightning-speed modems in a soothing atmosphere. Wind up the evening with the ubiquitous Mobile Night Market dotting practically any empty compound--definitely not to be missed.