Things to do with kids in Johor Bahru

21 family-friendly places in Johor Bahru: zoos, aquariums, playgrounds and more.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

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AEON Tebrau City
Almost half of the mall's three-level floor area is occupied by the AEON hypermarket (on all the 3 levels). There are numerous international fashion shops like Giordano, MNG, Esprit, Dorothy Perkins. It is at the junction of Tebrau Highway (also known as Jalan Pandan) and Jalan Desa Tebrau. It consists of Japanese-themed section called Japan Village featuring many Japanese restaurants and shops and Fanpekka Theme Park for children.
Sun-Thu 10AM-10PM, Fri Sat 10AM-11PM
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Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple
Inaugurated in 1996 and touted as "The First Glass Temple in the World". The inner surface of the walls and the columns inside the temple are clad with imported glass, hence the name. The floor is paved with granite. There's a canteen at the back of the temple building and sells only Indian vegetarian food. Thousands of tourists and pilgrims coming here everyday. There are food and drink stalls lining both sides of the driveway in the front of the temple. Temple prayer hours 7:30AM-noon daily; Temple closure Tu-Su noon-1PM & M noon-7PM; Temple visiting hours daily except M (closed to visitors) 1-6PM. Chitra Pournami Paal Kudam Festival held every Wednesday and Glass Chariot Procession held every Thursday at the temple.
RM10/5 for adults/children (5-12 years old), leaving shoes with the guardian RM0.50
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Danga Bay
Teluk Danga
It is a waterfront development with residential properties, commercial buildings and recreational facilities. The area features the Country Garden Danga Bay and Danga Bay Convention Centre. To get there from the city centre, take any of the very frequent bus (one-way fare RM1.60 or 1.70) that goes to Bukit Indah/Kulai/Selesa Jaya from JB Sentral Terminal. You can take a tourist tram along the coastline area (RM5 per person, free for children below 3 years old).
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Gaya Community Park
Park with big circular amphitheater and children's playgrounds.
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Gurdwara Sahib Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru Sikh Temple
This Sikh temple was built on the site of the smaller and older Sikh temple and was inaugurated on 28 August 1992. This is a 2-storey white building with yellow window frames and an all-round, crenellated roof parapet. The Darbar Sahib is located on the second level. The Granthi quarters and two rooms for Sikh visitors are located at an annex on the second level. The Guru Ka Langgar hall, kitchen and office are located on the first level. There are about 250 Sikh families who participate in the religious activities in this Gurdwara Sahib. The normal weekly prayers are held Su 9:30-11:30AM.
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Hiap Joo Bakery
This traditional family-run Chinese bakery has been baking bread and cakes the same way since it was founded in 1919, in a wood-fired oven. Particularly famous for its banana cakes. Breads and cakes are ready piping-hot from the oven at around 12:30 and 2:30PM respectively. The products must be consumed within three days of purchase because no preservatives are used.
Mon-Sat 12:30 to 6PM. Preparation of the breads and cakes for baking start at around 8AM
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Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum
Muzium Warisan Tionghua Johor Bahru
Housed in a restored 4-storey building. Learn about the history and culture of the Chinese community in Johor Bahru. The displays are spread out over four storeys. There are numerous captioned photos on display, several TV screens showing video clips, objects/artefacts on display, mannequins dressed in traditional Chinese wedding clothes, a replica of the entrance door and sedan chair of the Roufo Chinese Taoist Temple in Jalan Trus, etc.
Tue-Sun 9AM-5PMRM3 adult; RM1 children, students, senior citizens
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Johor Bahru Kwong Siew Heritage Gallery
Galeri Warisan Kwong Siew Johor Bahru
Museum occupies 2 units of adjoining 2-storey shop houses that were completed in 1907. They used to be the headquarters of the Kwong Siew Clan Association established in 1878 by Wong Ah Fook, a China-born, successful and influential entrepreneur who developed close links with the Johor Sultanate. The exhibits are all the second level (A/C). Here you can find the illustrated biographies of the 13 past and present presidents of the Kwong Siew Wai Kuan (Clan Association), other prominent Kwong Siew Wai Kuan figures, Wong Ah Fook and three of his sons. The history of Kampung Ah Fook, which was established by Wong Ah Fook and corresponds to the very heart of the city, is described here. Some of the exhibits in this museum are: Cantonese opera costumes, weapons used in Chinese martial arts, lion dance troupe equipment and costumes, old Chinese musical instruments, jewellery, opium pipes, and Cantonese opera scripts. Photography is forbidden.
Tue-Sun 9AM-5PMRM5 (adults), RM2 (children)
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Johor Zoo
Zoo Johor
This is one of the oldest zoos in Malaysia. The zoo was built by Sultan Ibrahim in 1928 and became the private menagerie of the royal family. It was opened to the public in 1962. 5-hectare, run-down zoo that provides a dismal diversion to locals and Western tourists. It only has birds and mammals on display. There is a pond inside the zoo where you can rent boats as well as a children's playground. To get there from the city centre, take any of the very frequent buses (one-way fare RM1) that go to Bukit Indah/Kulai/Selesa Jaya from opposite City Square (starting point) at Jalan Wong Ah Fook or from the bus stop in front of KTM Museum at Jalan Tun Abdul Razak.
9AM-6PMRM2 adults, RM1 3-12 years old children, free 0-3 years old children
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MBJB City Forest
Hutan Bandar MBJB
13-hectare recreational park. Maintained by the municipality, this gem of a public recreational park contains seven lakes surrounded by tropical rain forest. There is a big fountain at the north end of the southernmost lake. Within the park are jogging/hiking tracks, wooden bridges and platforms, a children's playground, climbing wall, skatepark, parkour ark and an open-air water park. There is also an orchid park with many different species of orchids. There is a car park just beyond the park's entrance on Jalan Tasek Utara. There is a food court beside the car park.
7AM-11PMFree
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Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum
Makam Diraja Mahmoodiah
This is a royal mausoleum of Johor state. The first sultan of Johor laid to rest here was Sultan Abu Bakar in 1895, as are the three sultans that reigned after him: Ibrahim, Ismail and Iskandar. Other persons interred here include: sultanahs (wives of the sultans) Sultanah Fatimah, Sultanah Ungku Maimunah Ungku Abdul Aziz, Sultanah Rogaiyah, Sultanah Tun Aminah; other royal family members; notable politicians like Dato' Jaafar Muhammad, Dato' Onn Jaafar, Tan Sri Othman Saat and Dato' Muhamad Salleh bin Perang. The mausoleum is not open to the public.
Free
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Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru
Shopping mall with Camp5 climbing wall, Blue Ice Skating Rink, Star Archery, Future Land and Fun Space game arcades, Utopia Jungle World kid playground and visual art centre and Paradigm Mall Convention Centre.
10AM-10PM
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Permas Square
Dataran Permas
An open space square which also consists of football field, hockey field, children playground and roof-covered futsal field.
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Royal Abu Bakar Museum
Muzium Diraja Abu Bakar
The Royal Abu Bakar Museum is one of the oldest buildings in Johor and is one of the main attractions in the state. This building was built in the year of 1866. It is formerly the Grand Palace of the Johor Sultan and has turned into a museum since 1982. The museum is filled with information and rare artifacts of the Royal Family. There are picture galleries featuring the family tree lasting many decades. The belongings of the Royal Family are exhibited there including the weapons of Malaysia. Nearby attractions which are related to the history of Johor and the Sultan himself, include the Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque and the Sultan Abu Bakar Monument.
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Setia Tropika Town Park
Town in the middle of a residential area with lake at its centre, equipped with children playground and picnic site.
Free
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The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey
The largest shopping mall in Johor. The main tenant of the shopping mall is SOGO and it also consists the Mid Valley Exhibition Centre for MICE events, KF Kiddy Circuit and children playground Kiddytopia.
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Spring Labs
Hang out places for colourful eateries and retail in an outdoor pedestrian setting with cafes, convenient store, shops, studios, laundry and playground.
Free, except when buying food or stuffs
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La Stella Water Theme Park
Water park.
9AM-6PMAdult RM10.60-25.00, children RM8.50-12.00
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Petrosains PlaySmart Johor Bahru
Science centre for children.
Sat-Wed 9AM-5:30PM, Thu 9AM-4PMFree
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Setia Tropika Linear Park
An urban park with walking path and children's playground.
Free
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Tiram Indoor Water Park
Indoor water park.
10:30AM-10PMAdult RM14.70, children RM20.00

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Johor Bahru (CC BY-SA 4.0).