Where to Stay in Johor

Here are the best areas or districts to stay while visiting Johor. For a look at the various types of accommodation Johor has to offer, look at the types of accommodation in Johor.

Inside Johor Bahru

Iskandar Puteri

Image source: Chongkian

Iskandar Puteri is a city in Johor Bahru. It is previously known as Nusajaya. However, the current Sultan of Johor decided to rename the city to its former original name Iskandar Puteri in 2016. It is located along the Straits of Johor and is also the southernmost city Johor. Iskandar Puteri houses Kota Iskandar, which is the administrative center for Johor’s government. There are several attractions that can be found here like Puteri Harbour, Sanrio Hello Kitty Town, Thomas Town and Legoland Malaysia. It also houses Puteri Harbour International Ferry Terminal.

Johor Bahru City Center

Image source: Emran Kassim

Johor Bahru is the capital city of Johor. Hence, the city has the highest amount of hotels, shopping malls and eateries. Most of the attractions are a walking distance from each other. For the tourist who don’t mind a lively environment and a happening nightlife, Johor Bahru is a suitable area for them to stay.

Bukit Indah

Image source: Chongkian

Bukit Indah is located in Johor Bahru District. It was launched in 1997 and it has matured into a vibrant and verdant township. It is only 13 kilometers away from the city center. Bukit Indah offers a comprehensive range of amenities and facilities. Its most outstanding feature is the lush greenery which includes an award-winning 20-acre town park as well as smaller parks and gardens. There are plenty of shopping malls, restaurants, hotel, even a convention center.

Outskirt Of Johor Bahru

Permas Jaya

Image source: Laiyeeming

Permas Jaya is a located between Johor Bahru and Pasir Gudang. Although it is slightly further from the city, there are still a lot of shopping malls that can be found. There are lots of food option, outdoor activities facilities like golf course, swimming pool and go kart circuit are available here. Visitors also will be able to enjoy the scenic view of the Straits of Johor at night.

Pasir Gudang

Image source: dave ho

Pasir Gudang is coined as Johor’s industrial town. It is located in the outskirts of Johor Bahru District. Pasir Gudang hosts the first kite museum in Malaysia called Pasir Gudang Kite Museum. The museum is on top of Kite Hill. It also hosts the annual Pasir Gudang International Kite Festival. Besides shopping malls, restaurants and accommodations, Pasir Gudang is also equipped with multi-use stadium that has both an indoor and outdoor stadium. The stadium is currently serving as the home stadium for the Johor football team. Pasir Gudang also hosts the Johor Racing Circuit.

Skudai

Image source: Chongkian

Skudai a suburb in Johor Bahru District. It is part of the new growth corridor of southwest Johor. It is a home to the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia campus. Skudai has a large catchment area, hence the sizable number of shopping centers are built around Skudai. There are also a number of residential areas in Skudai.

Other Towns in Johor

Batu Pahat

Image source: RoyeN

Batu pahat is often dubbed as the “Shopping Paradise of Northern Johor”. Batu Pahat is located at the northwest coast of Johor. This fast growing city is the 16th most populated Malaysian urban center. It owes its rapid development, to the influx of shoppers from neighboring townships, other states and overseas, that flocks its many retail outlets. Besides shopping malls, Batu Pahat is known for its carpentry and ceramics industries and processed chips and crackers manufacturing. It offers lots of interesting places like Sungai Lurus beach, Punggur beach and many more. It is slightly less congested than Johor Bahru.

Pontian

Image source: _nyem_

Pontian is located in southwest Johor. This former fishing village used to be the center of fishing, pineapple farms and palm oil plantations. Recently, it has also ventured into ecotourism, marine activities and food processing. Pontian is known for its variety of cheap seafood. It was also once the largest exporter of pineapples in the world. It hosts Tanjung Piai National Park, which is known as the Southernmost Tip of Mainland Asia. There are various seaside places in Pontian. All of them offer a beautiful view of the sea. A lot of seaside stalls and restaurants can be found too. There is a ferry terminal called Kukup Ferry Terminal that connects Johor to places in neighboring countries.