Best Outdoor Adventures

¨ Upeh Guling & Buaya Sangkut Falls (p248)

¨ Pulau Tinggi (p246)

¨ Takah Berangin & Takah Pandan Falls (p249)

¨ Pulau Sibu (p246)

¨ Gunung Ledang (p242)

Best Places to Stay

¨ Rimba Resort (p246)

¨ Thistle Johor Bahru (p239)

¨ Rawa Island Resort (p246)

¨ Mirage Island Resort (p245)

¨ Kampung Peta (p249)

%06, 07 / POP 3.3 MILLION / AREA 19,984 SQ KM

When to Go

Nov–Feb The monsoon season brings bargain deals, rain and bugs. Surfers head to Rawa for rollers.

Mar–May Visibil-ity in Seribuat’s already translu-cent waters is at its best for diving and snorkelling.

Jun–Jul Pulau Besar closes for Expedition Robinson. Expect high temperatures everywhere.

°C/°F Temp

0/32

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30/86

40/104

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32/800

24/600

Rainfall Inches/mm

F DNOSAJJMAMJ

Johor Bahru

JohorWhy Go?Johor is Malaysia’s most populous state and a growing eco-nomic power player. Most travel itineraries skip it, but those who stray into the southern gateway to Malaysia will be rewarded with the blissful solitude of its postcard-perfect islands and wild jungles, while getting access to a taste of authentic Malaysian culture and character not easily found in bigger tourist hot spots.

The top draw is without a doubt the ridiculously gorgeous white sand islands of the Seribuat Archipelago, where you’ll find world-class diving, lost-beach trails and plenty of re-laxation time with a fraction of Tioman’s crowds. Inland, Endau- Rompin National Park offers the same rich flora, very elusive fauna (rhinos! elephants!) and swashbuckling action that visitors flock to experience at Taman Negara in Pahang, but can get here in a more pristine setting.

And then there’s Johor Bahru, the working-class capital with a handful of worthwhile religious sites and museums that plays sister-city to neighbouring Singapore.

Includes ¨Johor Bahru . . . . . . . 236Muar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241Mersing . . . . . . . . . . . 242Seribuat Archipelago . . . . . . . . 245Endau-Rompin National Park . . . . . . .247

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

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Johor Bahru%07 / POP 1,371,000

After years of being criticised as a dirty, chaotic border town, Johor’s capital city of Johor Bahru (JB for short) has been repaved and replanted and is well on the way to re-branding itself.

Most travellers skip southern Malaysia’s largest city, but for the intrepid souls who stop for an afternoon or quick overnighter, there’s a handful of worthwhile museums, temples and mosques, shopping and party zones, and a heritage district that offers po-etic street scenes, hip galleries and playful cafes. If that ain’t your thing, hang on for a

236

(6km)Pemanggil

Pulau

(10km)Pulau Dayang

(40km)Melaka

Pulau Aur &

Kuala Lumpur (165km)Seremban (100km);

Straits of Singapore

(Strait of Melaka)

Selat Melaka

S E AC H I N AS O U T H

Rompin

SungaiSEMBILANNEGERI

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Bekok

BayDanga

Tanjung Pelepas

Kota Iskander

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HitamPahat

Rompin

Nita

BelungkurTanjung

Jemaluang

Sagil TenggerohKampung

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Kahang

GudangPasir

Tanjung

Desaru

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Kota Tinggi

Labis

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Batu

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Tangkak

Gemas

Kuala

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SenaiRecreational Forest

Soga Perdana

National ParkGunung Ledang

(634m)MuntahakGunung

(953m)Bekok

Gunung(1014m)

TiongGunung

(1010m)BelumutGunung

RawaPulau

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Pulau TiomanPulau

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S I N G A P O R E

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Lebuhraya

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National ParkTanjung Piai

ArchipelagoSeribuat

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(1276m)LedangGunung National Park

Endau-Rompin

Mersing

Johor

Muar

0 50 km0 30 miles

1 Swimming, diving and beach bumming to the max in the Seribuat Archipelago (p245).

2 Cooling off in the sensational waterfalls of Endau-Rompin National Park (p247) after hiking through dense jungle.

3 Discovering the colonial backstreets and ornate

temples and mosques of Johor Bahru (p236).

4 Strolling the laid-back, historic-architecture-laden streets of Muar (p241) and sampling its succulent seafood.

5 Ambling the streets and riverwalk of Mersing (p242).

6 Sweating your way to the top of Gunung Ledang (p242), Johor’s highest peak.

7 Taking the road less travelled to offbeat parks and preserves such as Tanjung Piai National Park (p444).

Johor Highlights