"I wanna go overseas," I whined sometime in May last year. My friends, being the genies they are, whisked me off to Johor Bahru. Again. Naturally, we settled our lunch in Johor Bahru due to the favourable exchange rate. The first order of business was a hot pot of Malaysia's herbal bak kut teh.

Despite all the years I spent in Singapore, I never got used to Singapore's peppery bak kut teh.

Address: 43, Jalan Serigala, Taman Abad, 80250 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Opening hours: 9am to 9pm daily


Bought an ice cream to quench my thirst in the hot day while we were on our way to begin our cafehopping.

Churros with chocolate ganache dip

Address: 33, Jalan Dhoby, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday 10am to 10:30pm | Friday, Satursday, Sunday: 9am to 12am


Enroute to City Square, we stopped by Big Bites Cafe, which I frequent because of its convenient location, for an oreo popsicle.

Big Bites Cafe

Address: 18, Jalan Ibrahim, Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 9am to 7pm daily


People are weird. I actually never really drank Gong Cha when it was in Singapore, until it left. I guess humans just crave for what we can't have. Anyway, my usual order is a large cup of milk tea, sugar level 50%, less ice, add pudding.

Gong Cha (City Square)

Address: Johor Bahru City Square, 108, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 10am to 10pm daily


My favourite cheesecake at only RM11 (~SGD $3.50). Buy buy buy!

Mika (City Square)

Address: Lot No MF – 01 & 02, Level 3, Johor Bahru City Square, 106-108, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia.

Opening Hours: 10am to 10pm daily

Johor Bahru street food and neoprints. Nothing beats Malaysian food.

Returning home after filling our stomach with cheap but yummy food. We left Johor Bahru at about 8:30pm and the bus was clear! All four of us got a seat. Amazing, considering how the bus is always packed like sardines.

Guest post written by Consider Digital.

An ideal vacation for most people usually means jetting off to somewhere far away from Singapore. However, for the adventurous at heart, a road trip in Malaysia could be just what you need. Grab a bunch of friends, and plan a vacation or a staycation. The open road is a perfect opportunity to explore Malaysia’s cultural heritage and picturesque vistas. Plus, you’ll enjoy creating memories together along the way. Here are some ideas on where to go for a road trip in Malaysia.

1) Time Capsule Retreat, Pahang

Ever pictured yourself sleeping in the cozy confines of a concrete cylinder? Pahang’s Time Capsule Retreat in Sungai Lembing is sure to bring you serenity and tranquility usually not found in Singapore. It is surrounded by greenery as it faces a lush forest reserve with an amazing view. The rooms come in various sizes, fitted with warm lighting, and queen size beds. The ambiance makes it the perfect place for contemplation and relaxation — no doubt a unique destination for many.

Prior to leaving my full time job, I had two days of leave to clear so I travelled to Johor Bahru with with Chelsea whom I travelled to Hong Kong with, in 2016. It was one of Chelsea's rare few days in Singapore and we haven't spent a full day together since we both started working!


We initially wanted to satisfy my cravings for Malaysia street food but ended up getting ignored T__T I have no idea why because we were polite, and I spoke to the auntie in my Malaysia-accented Chinese. After an hour, we finally lost our patience and walked into a random cafe, hunting for any food that would fill our tummies T___T

Flowers in the Window

Address: 9, Jalan Dhoby, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 10am to 8pm daily | Closed on Tuesdays
Contact No.: +60 7-222 7489

My family hails from Malaysia and it’s not surprising that I’ve been to Malaysia more times than my fingers and toes can count. With favourable exchange rate between SGD and Ringgit, there’s an influx of Singaporean travellers to Malaysia, especially Penang. Penang has the best of both worlds — food, and a relatively slower pace of life compared to Kuala Lumpur. But there’s only so many times you can go to Georgetown, take photos with murals until Penang gets boring. Here are the 7 other things you do in Penang the next time you travel, as recommended by my Penangites relatives.

1. Travelling funfairs

Travelling funfairs in Penang

Pasar malam in Singapore? London Christmas market? Pfft. Why settle for our tiny night markets or travel all the way to European countries when you can easily find funfairs right next door? Like most of Malaysia, Penang frequently has travelling funfairs complete with pirate ships, giant ferries wheels, flying chairs etc.

Travelling funfairs in Penang

Even if you don't have an adventurous soul, these travelling funfairs make a great place for Insta-worthy photos.

Because the fun fairs are constantly moving around Malaysia, it's best to do a quick Google search for the next funfair before booking your flight tickets.

2. ESCAPE Adventureplay

If you find yourself reminiscing the good ol' days of school camps, gather your friends for a round of adventure in Penang!

ESCAPE Adventureplay

Hosted in a forested area, ESCAPE Adventureplay is heaven on earth for thrill seekers who want a taste of zipling between the trees, crawling in underground caves or rock climbing on a building.

ESCAPE Adventureplay

Little kiddos can have their fair share of fun too — ESCAPE Adventureplay has a fair share of educational games for the younger ones and mildly adventurous activities for tweens.

One full day of adventure at ESCAPE Adventureplay only costs RM83 for adults and RM55 for children 4 to 12 years old.

ESCAPE Adventureplay

Address: 828 Jalan Teluk Bahang,  11050 Penang, Malaysia
Email: info@escape.my
Telephone: +60 4 8811 106
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 6pm, closed on Monday

3. Catching sunrises at Gurney Drive

Gurney Drive sunrise

Gurney Drive is home to a stretch of expensive housing estate along Penang, but it's also becoming increasingly common to catch sunrise-chasers there waiting for the golden hour. Its calm waters reflects the rising sun painting Penang a vibrant orange, making Gurney Drive one of the best sunrise spots in Penang.

Gurney Drive Hawker Centre

Go fill your tummy with some Penang delights before the sun rises! Mere minutes away from the sunrise spot lies Gurney Drive Hawker Centre, the biggest street food hawker in Penang. Although a popular tourist destination, Gurney Drive Hawker Centre, undeniably, serves some of best Penang food like rojak and char kway tiao.

Gurney Drive Hawker Centre

Address: 172, Solok Gurney 1, Pulau Tikus, 10250 Jelutong, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 4:30pm to 11pm daily

4. Clan Jetties Of Penang

Clan Jetties Of Penang

Clan Jetties Of Penang is a cluster of 8 rustic, floating houses — each house belonging to a family with a different surname. Some of the houses have been converted to hostels for travellers while others remain residential homes. Tan Jetty, in particular, is now a popular restaurant where patrons can admire the sunrise while enjoying some kickass Thai food.

Clan Jetties Of Penang

Penang has gorgeous sunsets, period.

Tan Jetty Thai Food Restaurant

Address: 56A, Pengkalan Weld, George Town, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 11am to 2pm, and 5pm to 10pm daily

5. Snake Temple, Penang

Snake Temple, Penang

Located near Penang International Airport, Snake Temple is a unique Taoist temple with actual living snakes slithering around. Snake Temple was built in 1850 in memory of Chor Soo Kong, a buddhist monk who occasioanlly gave shelter to snakes living in the jungle nearby. The snakes began appearing at the temple on their own after Chor Soo Kong passed away and, subsequently, the renovation of Snake Temple.

Although there are fewer snakes now compared to the past, the temple remains one of the strangest temples around the world.

Snake Temple

Address: Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, Bayan Lepas Industrial Park, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 6am to 7pm daily
Entrance Fee: RM5 for adults, RM3 for children

6. Penang Street Food

Forbes named Penang as one of the top 10 cities in the world with the best street food — understandly so, if you've tasted Penang delicacies. Why else would Singaporean restaurants try to mimic the Penang taste, at five times the price?

Penang Street Food

Fortunately, Penang is lined with amazing street food every corner you turn at affordable prices that will not hurt your wallet. If you're looking for Penang hawkers with more variety of food that you can share with your lunch kakis instead of a specialised coffee shop, Genting Cafe and Chulia Street Hawker Stalls both have their fair share of delicious and cheap street food.

Genting Cafe, Penang

Genting Cafe

Address: Lorong Delima 3, Taman Island Glades, 11700 Jelutong, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 7am to 5pm daily, closed on Wednesday

Chulia Street Hawker Stalls

Chulia Street Hawker Stalls

Address: Lebuh Chulia, George Town, Penang Island, Malaysia
Operating hour: 6pm to 11pm daily

7. Rest Well

Most travellers severely underestimate the importance of a good night's sleep when travelling. Travelling is tiring no matter your age because you want to wake up early and sleep late to explore the most of a city, especially one as vibrant as Penang. It's not called a retreat if you return home even more tired than before your holidays!

Secure a comfortable hotel room when you book Lexis Suites Penang online to ensure that you'll be recharged and ready for a day full of activities in Penang. Traveloka Malaysia is a hotel and flight booking site that gives users the assurance of secured transactions so you don't carry the burden of extra worries when you travel.

With Traveloka Malaysia, you can easily check your bookings online with a few taps on your smartphone. Traveloka Malaysia also has the most competitive hotel and flight prices in Southeast Asia!

I must be one of the few Singaporeans who have never been to Johor Bahru — or at least, I hadn't till a few weeks back. Following the abundance of cafehopping in Johor Bahru guides written usually by Singaporeans, I tagged along Nat and JX's date for a short trip away from Singapore.

I'd expect most Singaporeans to know this route by heart but for reference's sake, we took Bus 950 to Woodlands Checkpoint, then Bus 160 to Johor Bahru Sentral, linked to City Square Mall. If you don't know your way, just follow some Singaporeans and you'll probably reach Johor Bahru in no time.

Since everything was within walking distance, we didn't find a need to splurge on cabs despite the burning sun. However, much to our disappointment, the cafe we initially wanted to dine in, Replacement Cafe, was strangely closed although it was supposed to be opened daily.

By this point we were famished. Helpless without internet connection, we decided to just enter the first cafe we saw, Big Bites Cafe, to begin our Johor Bahru cafe hopping adventure.


Big Bites Cafe

Address
18, Jalan Ibrahim, Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

Opening Hours
9am to 7pm daily

Telephone Number
+60 7-221 1475

Esme and I woke up for breakfast while the guys were still sleeping after their late night at the casinos. We then shopped for a while before meeting up with the guys who decided to drive us down to Genting Strawberry Farm.

Genting Strawberry Farm, where the highlights were flowers, ironically.

 

Wa, almost forgot how blue my hair was

Laughing because Brandon insisted on taking photos from such a low angle

 









We also entered a earthquake and tsunami simulator at Genting Strawberry Farm. The room just vibrated as we were shown footage of earthquakes around the world, then we had to run through dripping water, which was to simulate a tsunami... Whaaat? O.O


Went back up to Genting after a while because there honestly isn't much to do at Genting Strawberry Farm other than looking at flowers, and I'm obviously not someone who appreciates flowers.

Attempts at flat lay

We played at the arcade a while before heading to Bubbles & Bites for a late lunch because Brandon and Joshua kept raving about their Braised Lamb Shank that has been cooked for 8 hours. O.O Sorry I cannot appreciate such atas food hahaha. Esme and I shared a plate of spaghetti with a cheesecake that was soooo dense!

The second night was more eventful from the first after we recovered from sitting in the car all day. We went bowling and Brandon's friends joined us, then Esme returned to the room because she got tired, and the guys sneaked me into a casino after rounds and rounds of failure. No surprise though, because no part of me looks like I'm 21 T_T

We went karaoke after that and obviously, drank. A lot O.O Because it was Brandon's birthday, and every birthday is an excuse to drink! Okay, no photos or too much info about that night because I think a lot of them are private people, but a here's summary of what went down throughout the 3D2N we were in Genting!

Doing a road trip with the right people really makes a difference, especially since you'll be listening to music essentially 80% of the time. I was lucky these people I just met loved Chinese songs as much as me so we spammed lots of Chinese songs the entire time we travelled! Super glad I travelled to Genting with them even though I knew almost nobody initially :)

Esme and I had always planned to go on holidays together but those plans never came to fruition due to the different commitments we had. One day, she randomly texted me to ask if I'd like to go Genting together because her friend has a couple of free rooms and will be driving us up so essentially we'll be paying only for our own shopping. Obviously, I leaped at the chance because I've been feeling the need to escape from Singapore but couldn't due to budget constrains.

We were hardly in contact the month leading to our weekend getaway because I was busy with catching up with work right after my LASIK surgery and Esme was busy with school as well. We only had a few texts back and forth counting down to the day of our getaway, and she gave me a brief introduction of her friend who would be bringing us there but I changed my phone somewhere in between, losing our whole conversation so I couldn't remember what she said anyway fhl.

In fact, I didn't even know her friend's name till she started a group chat and I didn't save his number till I had to call him to ask which of my house's carpark is he at what the heck hahaha.



We spent majority of the first day driving from Singapore to Genting; Brandon and Joshua were the only ones with licenses so they drove while Esme and I took naps, occasionally waking up when we pass by pit stops for lunch or toilet breaks.



We stopped along Johor Bahru for the guys to have their smoke breaks. We got some snacks and I satisfied my Magnum craving! White chocolate almond Magnum Y U NO AVAILABLE IN SINGAPORE?! We also got our SIM cards at 7-11 (yay, Internet connection!) too, so I managed to finish up some work on our way up.


The drive took a total of about 7 hours but we were lucky because we didn't experience any major traffic jams and the weather was great for driving. Nearing Genting, Brandon wound down the windows and we enjoyed the cool breeze brushing against our faces and running through our hair. God, I needed that escape from Singapore's sweltering heat!



We reached Genting at about 7pm, quickly checked in to the new XYZ deluxe room (would you believe that I didn't even know which hotel we'd be staying at till I reached Genting) at First World Hotel, washed up then met at First World Plaza for dinner.

We had Kenny Rogers Roasters — funnily, that was one of my last meals before I left Genting the previous time I was here. Dinner was a typical affair, with us getting to know one another better since it was most of our first times meeting each other.


We also surprised Brandon with a cake because it was his birthday. Quite surreal to be planning a surprise overseas for someone I literally just met 7-8 hours ago O.O

We split ways after dinner with Esme and me shopping (yas @ the SGD and RM exchange rate) and the guys going to the casino. Shortly after, Esme and me returned to our rooms where she crashed almost immediately and I stayed up finishing some work.