Kiong Hi at the Morning Market
You wake on Sunday, 7 February 2027 to the sound of firecrackers somewhere off in the distance and the smell of incense drifting from a neighbourhood temple. It's the Second Day of Chinese New Year in Johor Bahru, and the city is still deep in celebration mode. The first day, Saturday 6 February, was Chinese New Year itself—the first day of the first lunar month—and both days are national public holidays across Malaysia in 2027. That means government offices and many businesses will be closed, so plan your day around the streets, the markets and the temples rather than the shops.
Head out early to a wet market or a coffee shop near your hotel. On the second day, families in JB often gather again for another round of reunion meals, and the city's markets and food streets stay busy with people restocking fresh produce, buying fruit and picking up snacks for visiting relatives. The advantage of the holiday falling on a weekend in 2027 is that the city's own residents are out in force—you'll be moving through a living celebration rather than a staged one.
Follow the Crowds to the Temples and the Firecrackers
The second day of the new year is traditionally a time for visiting temples and for welcoming relatives and friends into the home, and in Johor Bahru you can join that rhythm by heading to one of the city's Chinese temples in the morning. Expect incense smoke, offerings of fruit, and the crackle of firecrackers—a sound you'll hear across the city on both days of the holiday. Wear something red if you want to blend in; it's the colour of the season.
- Visit a neighbourhood temple early, before the midday heat, and watch families make their offerings.
- Listen for firecrackers—they're part of the soundtrack of the holiday across the city.
- Keep an eye out for lion dance troupes moving between shops and homes; they're a fixture of the season.
Eat Your Way Through the Second Day
Food is at the heart of the celebration. On the second day, many families in JB continue the festive eating—reunion-style meals, snacks and sweet treats shared with visitors. Since many businesses will be closed for the public holiday, the best bet is to eat where the crowds are: busy coffee shops and food streets that stay open through the holiday. Ask your hotel or a local where the neighbourhoods are gathering for the day, and follow the queues. The holiday is a national one, so expect the city's usual food scene to be running on holiday hours—go early for lunch and don't count on every shop being open.
Plan Around the 2027 Calendar
The Second Day of Chinese New Year in 2027 falls on Sunday, 7 February, with the first day on Saturday, 6 February—a weekend double holiday that makes it easy to build a short break around the celebrations. Because both days are national public holidays, government offices and many businesses in Johor Bahru will be closed, so book your accommodation and transport well ahead. Note too that the Beginning of Ramadan falls on Monday, 8 February 2027 in Johor—the day after the holiday—so the city's rhythm shifts quickly into the Ramadan season. If you want to extend your trip, the Birthday of the Sultan of Johor on Tuesday, 23 March 2027 is another Johor-specific holiday worth planning around.
A Neighbourhood Day Worth Knowing
Base yourself in the city centre and spend the second day on foot, moving between temples, coffee shops and market streets as the mood takes you. The compact centre of Johor Bahru makes this easy—you can walk from a morning temple visit to a lunch of festive food and then on to an afternoon of people-watching as families visit one another. Keep your plans loose: on a public holiday, the city's own celebrations set the pace, and the best moments come from following the crowds rather than a schedule.
With the dates fixed—Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 February 2027—you have a clear window to plan around. Book early, pack something red, and let the firecrackers and the smell of incense lead you through Johor Bahru's new year.