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Rediscovering Johor, The Southern Gateway Of Malaysia
Located at
the southern tip of the Peninsular, Johor has always been considered a
stopover state for most Malaysians travelling to and from Singapore. Due to
its close proximity to its neighbouring country, Johor is perhaps most
popular among Singaporeans as it is the nearest for them to travel for their
leisure breaks and shopping escapades. While Johor may be considered by many
to be an industrialised and rapidly growing state instead of a tourist
destination, one might just be pleasantly surprised with the wide range of
attractions it has to offer. From the exciting hustle and bustle of the city
life, historical and architectural landmarks, natural attractions, to the
beautiful remote islands in the South China Sea, Johor promises a whole new
and exciting travel experience every time you visit!
Island
Paradise in the South China Sea
While
Malaysia boasts of many beautiful islands and pristine beaches in other
states such as Pulau Pangkor, Pulau Tioman, and Pulau Langkawi, many have
forgotten the beautiful remote islands by the South China Sea such as the
Sibu Island. This unspoilt paradise with fringing coral reefs and white
sandy beaches is the ultimate island destination for travellers seeking a
peaceful and relaxing holiday in solitude.
Sibu
Island forms part of the Seribuat chain of islands, and is located 12
kilometres off the east coast of the West Peninsular of Malaysia. Made up of
a chain of other islands such as Pulau Sibu Besar, Pulau Sibu Tengah, Pulau
Sibu Hujung, Pulau Kukus, and Pulau Tinggi, this Sibu archipelago shares the
same magical charm as all the other celebrated islands in Malaysia.
Being rich in
marine life and beautiful fringing coral reefs makes this island an
excellent spot for scuba diving and snorkelling excursions. Other
activities that can be enjoyed on the island includes angling and water
sports such as canoeing, windsurfing, sailing, yachting, cruising and island
hopping. For nature lovers, there are pathways for jungle trekking as well
as pathways that lead to the nearby fishing villages on the island. Sibu
Island is also especially popular for its abundance of lush tropical
vegetation, untouched nature and exotic bird population.
Trekking
the Legendary Mountain – Gunung Ledang
 Even
before the film ‘Puteri Gunung Ledang’ became a blockbuster hit in
Malaysian cinemas, Gunung Ledang or otherwise known as Mount Ophir has long
been hailed as one of the most popular attractions in Johor. This legendary
mountain is most famous for its challenging mountain trails, cascading icy
waterfalls, amazing flora and fauna and diverse bird population aside from
the mysticism, folklore and legends that have been talked about for
generations.
Gunung Ledang is suitable
for beginners who want to experience mountain climbing in Malaysia. Because
the place is so accessible, most climbing groups have often opted to use
this mountain as their training ground for more challenging routes in other
mountains. Although trekkers need not be specially trained or skilled to be
able to climb this mountain, the trail up to the summit is physically
demanding nevertheless. Trekkers need to be in a very fit and healthy
condition as it takes at least 12 hours to reach the summit.
The trail from Johor
begins near Sagil village beside a cascade of waterfall within the grounds
of the Gunung Ledang Resort. Along the way, trekkers will be treated to rich
and exotic wildlife, beautiful waterfalls, picnic base and campsites for you
to rest and relax while enjoying nature before continuing the climb up the
summit.
Vision City of the South
– Danga Bay
Danga Bay started off as
a project by a local real estate company to transform the bay into becoming
Malaysia’s premier integrated waterfront city. With a spread of over 1,850
acres and 25km of waterfront, the bay utilizes the waterways at the mouth of
Sungai Skudai, Sungai Danga and Sungai Melayu and straits that separates
Johor from Singapore. This integrated development became the perfect setting
to encompass residential, commercial, recreational and social amenities
designed to become a city within a city. It is for this reason that the bay
has often been coined as being the ‘Vision City of the South’.
The Danga Bay
Recreational Park, the largest in the city is also fast becoming the most
popular tourist destination and a ‘must see’ attraction in the state. Danga
Bay offers visitors a variety of activities and things to see and do. It is
the venue for many interesting events such as concerts and other festivals
making it one of the most exciting places to visit in the city.
Danga Bay also offers
visitors a vast range of mouth-watering cuisines from Malaysian to Thai,
Italian, Japanese and Chinese food in the many restaurants and food courts
available at the park. After a sumptuous meal, take a leisurely walk along
Lido walk while enjoying the nice sea breeze coming from the bay.
Alternatively, you can also opt for the Tram ride which operates every 8 to
10 minutes taking visitors to places of interest around the park area. For
those who enjoy water sports, the bay also offers a variety of rides such as
Jet Ski, banana boat, kayaking, water skiing and knee boarding.
The attractions that are
mentioned in this article are merely just a piece of the big pie on what
Johor truly has to offer as a potential tourist destination. For those with
a thirst for nature and adventurous at heart, there are just so many
beautiful islands and attractions in the state still waiting to be
discovered and enjoyed. With the perception of Johor being more of a busy
metropolitan and industrialised state instead of a potential tourist
destination, Johor certainly deserves more credit than it is getting.
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