Johor is the third largest state and the most southern state of Malaysia. With eight districts, Johor offer you sandy beaches, exotic islands, virgin tropical rain forests, mist-shrouded mountains, culinary delights, and an enchanting cultural experience. Johor Bahru (JB) is the state capital and just across the causeway from Singapore, is a popular weekend getaway for many Singaporeans and others peoples for the great food as well as cheap bargains.
If you are a golf lover, Johor also boasts the largest number of golf courses in Malaysia; some of the best golf courses are lined up within less than an hour drive of each other.
For beach and water sports lovers, Johor’s eastern coastline is lined with more than a dozen of sandy beaches and more than 10 islands in Johor waters. The magical islands of Johor (Pulau Rawa, Pulau Sibu, Pulau Aur, Pulau Besar and Pulau Pemanggil) are endowed with crystal clear waters, powdery white sand and colourful marine life. All these idyllic islands offer excellent scuba diving, snorkeling and other water activities.
Nature enthusiasts will find their sanctuary at Endau Rompin National Park situated in the north eastern border. It is also one of the few remaining lowland forest in Malaysia and possibly the oldest, with rock formations dating back some many years. Pulau Kukup an island located South-west of Johor offshore is entirely covered by mangrove forest and surrounded by mudflats, is the second largest wetland sanctuary in the world, will amaze many with its richness in biological diversity.
The Endau Rompin National Park also has some of Malaysia’s best waterfalls namely Buaya Sangkut, Upeh Guling and Batu Hampar about 2 hours trek of each other.
The weather is usually hot and humid, with a chance of rain, while the nights can be quite cool. Conditions vary with the time of year. Rainfall is heaviest between October and January. Temperatures range between 25C and 32C. The rainy season between December and January often renders the park inaccessible. Always check with the park authorities beforehand before making your way in.
A minimum stay of four days / three nights is ideal in order to cover the many activities and attractions in the park. Of course it’s not hard to spend a week to get lost amidst the breathtaking rivers and forests. Unless you’re an experienced jungle trekker, it’s best to stick to the packages offered the Johor National Parks Corporation organizes the most reasonably priced ones.
