Stand on Jalan Tan Hiok Nee in the early evening and the shophouses on both sides tell you what kind of city you are in: five-foot ways, coffee shops, and a Chinese heritage that goes back to the pepper and gambier planters who cleared this land. A few streets away the call to prayer, the smell of Indian vegetarian food and the sound of Tamil drift out of Jalan Ungku Puan. Johor Bahru is a border city that has been a trading town, a royal capital and a boomtown, and it wears all three at once.
It suits travellers who like walking between communities rather than queueing for a single headline attraction, and anyone breaking a journey between Malaysia and Singapore. The city is compact around the causeway, and most of the places below sit within walking distance of JB Sentral or a short bus ride from it.
This guide covers the community enclaves, landmarks and places of worship worth your time, followed by a one-day plan and answers to the questions travellers ask most.
Top things to do in Johor Bahru
1. Chinatown, Jalan Tan Hiok Nee
This is the historical Chinese community area, spread mostly along Tan Hiok Nee Street, and it is the best place to start because so much of the city's older fabric is packed into a few blocks. You will find restaurants and shops alongside the Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum, the Museum of 24 Festive Drum, Senso Art Gallery, Art 52 Gallery and the nearby Johor Bahru Kwong Siew Heritage Gallery.
Walking here from the JB Sentral bus terminal or train station is straightforward. Entry to the area is free, and you only pay when you go into an individual establishment.
2. Little India, Jalan Ungku Puan
The historical Indian community area runs mostly along Ungku Puan Street, with restaurants and shops mixed in among its places of worship. Within the enclave you can visit Arulmigu Rajamariamman Devasthanam Temple, India Mosque and Gurdwara Sahib Johor Bahru, and the Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple is nearby.
It is an easy walk from the JB Sentral bus terminal or train station, so pair it with Chinatown in the same outing rather than treating the two as separate trips.
3. Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple
Inaugurated in 1996, this temple is described as the first glass temple in the world: the inner walls and columns are clad with imported glass and the floor is paved with granite. There is a canteen at the back of the building selling Indian vegetarian food, and food and drink stalls line both sides of the driveway in front.
Check the timing before you go, because visiting hours and prayer hours differ and the temple is closed to visitors on Mondays. Chitra Pournami Paal Kudam Festival is held every Wednesday and the Glass Chariot Procession every Thursday. Admission is RM10 for adults and RM5 for children aged 5 to 12, with RM0.50 to leave your shoes with the guardian.
4. Arulmigu Rajamariamman Devasthanam Temple
On Jalan Ungku Puan, this temple also houses the Indian Heritage Centre, which makes it a natural stop while you are already walking Little India. Admission for visitors is free.
Shoes go in the racks beside the gate entrance. Opening hours are 5:30AM to noon and 6PM to 9PM.
5. Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum
This museum sits within the Chinatown area on Jalan Tan Hiok Nee and gives context to the Teochew community that settled here from the mid-19th century. It is the logical first stop if you want the streets around you to make sense.
Combine it with the Museum of 24 Festive Drum and the galleries on the same street, and with the Johor Bahru Kwong Siew Heritage Gallery nearby, so you cover the enclave's indoor sights in one pass.
6. Church of the Immaculate Conception
Built in 1883 in the British colonial style, this beige building with a single steeple and spire is one of the main Roman Catholic churches in the city and one of its oldest structures still standing. It is a short walk from the JB Sentral bus terminal or train station.
If your trip falls in mid-January, try to be here for the Tamil feast of Pongal, when a colourful harvest festival service is held within the church.
7. Gurdwara Sahib Johor Bahru
This Sikh temple on Jalan Trus was inaugurated on 28 August 1992 on the site of a smaller, older temple. It is a two-storey white building with yellow window frames and a crenellated roof parapet, with the Darbar Sahib on the second level and the Guru Ka Langgar hall, kitchen and office on the first.
Normal weekly prayers are held on Sundays from 9:30 to 11:30AM, which is the simplest time to plan around. It sits on the same street as other places of worship, so it fits neatly into a Little India walk.
8. JLand Tower
This skyscraper on Jalan Tun Abdul Razak puts on a light show across its outer glass windows at night, and its 34th level holds a gallery and viewing platform called Skyscape where you can look out over the Johor Bahru skyline.
Come after dark so you get both the view and the lightshow in one visit, and use it as the evening anchor for a day spent in the old streets.
9. Johor Bahru City Square
This public square was constructed in conjunction with Johor Bahru being granted city status in January 1994. A grey building with a gigantic clock tower stands on its north edge, and the square is surrounded by sports fields, with many outdoor events held here.
Entry is free. It is a useful open-air pause between indoor sights, and buses from both Larkin Sentral and JB Sentral terminals stop near Sultanah Aminah Hospital for it.
10. Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum
This is the royal mausoleum of Johor state, on Jalan Mahmoodiah within walking distance of the JB Sentral bus terminal or train station. Sultan Abu Bakar was the first sultan laid to rest here in 1895, followed by the three sultans who reigned after him, along with sultanahs, other royal family members and notable politicians.
The mausoleum is not open to the public, so plan this as a walk past a site of state significance rather than a visit inside. There is no charge.
11. Serene Square
This public square sits in front of Serene Palace and features a 12-metre-high star and crescent statue, with a double five-corner star set into the ground. It is free and open 24 hours.
Buses from Larkin Sentral and JB Sentral both stop at Danga Bay for it, so it works as a stop on the way to or from the waterfront rather than a destination in itself.
12. Permaisuri Zarith Sofiah Opera House
A performing arts theatre with modern architecture facing the Tebrau Strait, at Mercu 2 on Jalan Tanjung Puteri 1. It is worth the time for the building and the waterfront setting, and it is a walk from the JB Sentral bus terminal or train station.
Check what is on before you go, since the reason to come is a performance rather than the lobby.
13. Persada Johor International Convention Centre
On Jalan Abdullah Ibrahim, this convention centre is designed with an architecture that resembles the official hat of the Johor Sultanate. It is a walk from the JB Sentral bus terminal or train station.
Treat it as an architectural stop to fold into a walk through the city centre rather than a place to spend an afternoon.
14. Majidee Malay Village
Also known as Kampung Melayu Majidee, this Malay community area runs mostly along Masjid Street and includes the Majidee Malay Village Market and the Majidee Malay Village Jamek Mosque, along with restaurants and shops.
It sits away from the centre, so take one of the buses from the JB Sentral terminal and alight at Taman Majidee. Go for the market and the food rather than for monuments.
15. Johor Public Library
The main public library of Johor Bahru, on Jalan Yahya Awal in Kampung Mahmoddiah, and it also houses the Petrosains PlaySmart Johor Bahru science centre. It is a sensible stop if you are travelling with children or want a quiet hour indoors.
It opens Sunday to Wednesday 9AM to 5:30PM and Thursday 9AM to 4PM, so it is closed on Fridays and Saturdays.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at Chinatown on Jalan Tan Hiok Nee and give the Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum your first hour, then walk the street for the Museum of 24 Festive Drum and the galleries. Continue on foot to Little India on Jalan Ungku Puan and visit Arulmigu Rajamariamman Devasthanam Temple, including the Indian Heritage Centre inside it.
Afternoon. Stay in Little India for India Mosque and Gurdwara Sahib Johor Bahru, then walk to the nearby Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple, checking the visiting hours in advance and noting it is closed to visitors on Mondays. If time allows, walk to the Church of the Immaculate Conception on Jalan Gereja and to Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum, which you can view from outside only.
Evening. Head to JLand Tower for the Skyscape viewing platform on the 34th level and the lightshow on the outer glass windows after dark. If you would rather end outdoors, Johor Bahru City Square is free and open, and Serene Square in front of Serene Palace stays open 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to pay to walk around Chinatown and Little India?
No. Both community areas are free to walk, and you only pay when you enter an individual establishment. The Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple is the exception among the nearby sights, charging RM10 for adults and RM5 for children aged 5 to 12, plus RM0.50 to leave your shoes with the guardian.
When is the Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple open to visitors?
Visiting hours are 1PM to 6PM daily except Mondays, when it is closed to visitors. Prayer hours are 7:30AM to noon daily, and the temple is closed at other times, so check before setting out. The Chitra Pournami Paal Kudam Festival is held every Wednesday and the Glass Chariot Procession every Thursday.
Can I visit Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum?
No. The mausoleum is not open to the public, although there is no charge. You can walk to it from the JB Sentral bus terminal or train station and see it from outside.
Which places can I reach on foot from JB Sentral?
Chinatown on Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, Little India on Jalan Ungku Puan, Arulmigu Rajamariamman Devasthanam Temple, Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple, Church of the Immaculate Conception, Gurdwara Sahib Johor Bahru, Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum, Permaisuri Zarith Sofiah Opera House and Persada Johor International Convention Centre are all described as walks from the JB Sentral bus terminal or train station. Majidee Malay Village and Serene Square are reached by bus instead.
Pick the enclaves you want to walk and the buildings you want to see inside, check the hours that apply on the day you are there, and start laying out your route from JB Sentral.