Iskandar Puteri, formerly known as Nusajaya, is a city in the state of Johor, Malaysia. The southernmost city in Malaysia, the city was created essentially from scratch since the 1990s to capitalize on the nearby Second Link to Singapore and the North-South Expressway to Kuala Lumpur. Largely residential and administrative, the main tourist draw is Legoland Malaysia, the only Lego theme park in Southeast Asia.
Areas
[edit]
Iskandar Puteri can be roughly divided in to three areas, which are:
- North - This part of the city has mostly been fully developed into residential areas, such as Taman Universiti, Skudai, Bukit Indah, and Taman Sutera. The older part of the city can be found here.
- Central - The most developed commercial area of the city, containing the government's administrative center at Kota Iskandar, the flashy seaside enclave of Puteri Harbour, the Legoland theme park at Medini and more. Gelang Patah is the old part of this city area.
- South - With the exception of Forest City and Port of Tanjung Pelepas, most of the part of this city area are yet to be developed. Along Pulai River bank, many parts are still covered in green and forest.
Understand
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Iskandar Puteri is essentially suburban Johor Bahru, and the de facto administrative center of the state of Johor, housing the office of the Chief Minister and the legislative council. It is a planned city envisioned by the 24th Sultan of Johor, Sultan Iskandar, and continued by his son, current Sultan Ibrahim Ismail. The city is administered under the Iskandar Puteri City Council. The central and southern part of the city is undergoing huge development where construction is happening around the places, with many administrative buildings, condominiums, shopping malls and leisure areas still being built. The developments planned for the city are rather impressive. Administratively, Iskandar Puteri is part of Johor Bahru District, the others are Johor Bahru City and Pasir Gudang Town, which are on the eastern side of Iskandar Puteri.
History
[edit]The Port of Tanjung Pelepas was completed in 2000 as one of the pet projects of then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad. Positioning itself as a much cheaper alternative to the long-dominant port of Singapore, it was hugely successful in its early years, attracting the world's two largest shipping lines, Maersk and Evergreen, to move their operations from Singapore. Today, it remains the second busiest port in Malaysia (after Port Klang), and serves as a complement to the port in Pasir Gudang in serving the Johor Bahru metropolitan area. Plans have been mooted to demolish the Causeway to allow ships to sail directly from Tanjung Pelepas to Pasir Gudang, though little to no progress has been made in bringing the plan to fruition.
Iskandar Puteri was established as a town with the name Nusajaya. In January 2016, it was renamed "Iskandar Puteri" by Sultan of Johor. In November 2017, it was upgraded to a city. The city's development remains patchy: while parts are busy and lively, the skyscraper-heavy areas of Puteri Harbour and particularly Forest City have largely failed to attract wealthy foreign investors, resulting in half-built developments rotting in the jungle.
Talk
[edit]Malay language is the official language of Johor. However, English is widely used as the second language by basically everyone in day-to-day trading and business activities, except in the very rural village areas. Most of the public places areas are written bilingually in Malay and English, with other places with additional Chinese or Tamil languages. The influx of expatriates and foreign workers from South and Southeast Asia has added to the mix of the languages used in the city, and also increased the importance of English language as the lingua franca.
Climate
[edit]Iskandar Puteri has an equatorial climate that's humid and hot all year round. The northeast monsoon from November to January can bring prolonged heavy rains and slightly cooler temperatures.
Get in
[edit]
By plane
[edit]The city does not have its own airport. The nearest airport is the Senai International Airport (JHB IATA) serving Johor Bahru with destinations to cities in Malaysia and countries within Southeast and East Asia. It has many connecting flights to Malaysia's main airport Kuala Lumpur International Airport which serves long haul international flights globally. To reach Iskandar Puteri, take public bus (A1, 207, 333) from the airport to Larkin Sentral Terminal in Johor Bahru and change bus towards Gelang Patah (666, LM1) or towards Puteri Harbour International Ferry Terminal (IP) in Iskandar Puteri.
Due to the limited long-haul connections of Senai airport, many locals choose to fly from Singapore Changi Airport (SIN IATA) across the border in Singapore instead. The downside is that you will have to pass through customs and immigration twice, and there are no direct public transportation connections between Changi Airport and Iskandar Puteri. This means that unless you want to spend a very long time on public transport and make multiple transfers, you will have to arrange for your own transportation in advance.
By train
[edit]The city doesn't have any train station. However, the nearest train stations are Kempas Baru and JB Sentral stations in the neighboring Johor Bahru.
By car
[edit]From other cities or towns in Johor
[edit]If coming from Johor Bahru city, take Pasir Gudang Highway westward and follow to Second Link Expressway westward for paid road. For non-paid road, take Sultan Iskandar Highway westward, Skudai-Gelang Patah Road southwestward or Sutera Danga Road southwestward. If coming from Pontian District, take Tanjung Kupang Road southeastward.
From other states in Peninsular Malaysia
[edit]If coming from other states on the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, take the North–South Expressway Southern Route southward and change to Second Link Expressway southward. If you're coming from the East Coast, you'll have to drive down to Johor Bahru and continue from there. Iskandar Puteri is not connected by land to East Malaysia, thus if you are coming from the area, please take flight first to Kuala Lumpur International Airport or Senai International Airport and continue the journey by land.
From Singapore
[edit]The Second Link (Linkedua) connects Tuas in Singapore with the Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar in Tanjung Kupang. Tolls are charged on both the Malaysian and Singaporean side for crossing the border. No visa-on-arrival is available at the border crossing, so if required for your nationality, make sure your Malaysian visa is in order before doing so.
By bus
[edit]From Johor Bahru
[edit]- Iskandar Puteri Free Shuttle Service IP1 from Larkin bus terminal in Johor Bahru. Passes through points of interest in Iskandar Puteri.
- LW1 between Larkin bus terminal and Gelang Patah. Passes through Legoland Malaysia and Puteri Harbour
- SL1 from Sutera Mall and Bukit Indah in Johor Bahru. Passes through Legoland Malaysia and Puteri Harbour. Weekends and public holidays only
From Singapore
[edit]Going to Iskandar Puteri from Singapore uses the 1 Malaysia–Singapore Second Link. Going from Singapore to Iskandar Puteri by public transportation, without resorting to taxi or e-hailing on at least part of the trip, may take a few hours considering the traffic in the 2nd Link and the time to commute inside Singapore to Jurong East or Boon Lay.
Buses CW3 and CW4 from Jurong East Bus Interchange, as well as bus CW6 from Boon Lay MRT, pass through the CIQ 2nd Link (immigration facilities) in Malaysia. From the CIQ 2nd Link, you can take the CW7L bus to Legoland Malaysia, or alternatively, the JPO2 bus that goes to Legoland and Puteri Harbour. From Puteri Harbour you can walk or take a taxi to Kota Iskandar. The JPO2 bus is very infrequent (it only runs 4 times per day in each direction), so you should familiarise yourself with the schedule if planning to go anywhere in Iskandar Puteri outside of Legoland Malaysia) or use taxi or e-hailing as an alternative to move between Iskandar Puteri and the CIQ 2nd Link.
However, if you are staying in the northern part of Singapore, it is probably more convenient to go to Iskandar Puteri via Johor Bahru.
By boat
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Iskandar Puteri can be reached by ferry from Batam in Indonesia arriving at 2 Puteri Harbour International Ferry Terminal in Puteri Harbour. As of June 2022, the only operator on the route is Dolphin with 4 ferries daily, RM 69/114 one-way/return.
Get around
[edit]Public transport in Iskandar Puteri is limited, with limited frequencies (hourly or less is common) and most services beelining for central Johor Bahru.
By bus
[edit]
Bus and taxi terminals in the city are:
- 3 GP Sentral Terminal and 4 Gelang Patah Terminal in Gelang Patah
- 5 Kota Iskandar Terminal in Kota Iskandar
- 6 Taman Ungku Tun Aminah Terminal in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah
- 7 Taman U Terminal in Taman Universiti
Iskandar Puteri is served by several bus companies, such as Causeway Link and Muafakat Bus (free of charge for Malaysians).
Within Iskandar Puteri
[edit]- Causeway Link CW3S, from Taman Ungku Tun Aminah Terminal to Malaysia-Singapore Second Link
- Causeway Link CW4G, from GP Sentral Terminal to Malaysia-Singapore Second Link
- Causeway Link CW7L, from Mall of Medini to Malaysia-Singapore Second Link
- Causeway Link IM05, from GP Sentral Terminal to Pendas
- Causeway Link IM07, from Gelang Patah Terminal to Kota Iskandar Terminal
- Muafakat Bus P201, from Taman Universiti Terminal Terminal going around Taman Universiti area and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
- Muafakat Bus P202, from Taman Universiti Teminal to Taman Ungku Tun Aminah Terminal
- Muafakat Bus P202, from Selesa Jaya Hub to Bukit Indah
- Muafakat Bus P213, from Gelang Patah Terminal to Taman Universiti Terminal
- Muafakat Bus P214, from Gelang Patah Terminal to Puteri Harbour
Out from Iskandar Puteri
[edit]- Causeway Link BeXTRA3, from Taman Universiti Terminal to JB Sentral in Johor Bahru
- Muafakat Bus P203, from Taman Ungku Tun Aminah Terminal to Tampoi in Johor Bahru
- Muafakat Bus P211, from Taman Universiti Terminal to Larkin Bus Terminal in Johor Bahru
Out from Malaysia
[edit]- Causeway Link CW4, from Pontian Terminal in Pontian Kechil through Gelang Patah Terminal and Malaysia-Singapore Second Link to Jurong East Interchange in Singapore
- Causeway Link CW4S, from Sutera Mall through Malaysia-Singapore Second Link to Jurong East Interchange in Singapore
By taxi or rideshare
[edit]The Grab rideshare app operates in Iskandar Puteri, although it may take a while to hail a ride. Taxis can mostly be found in major tourist destinations, shopping centers or shopping malls. Make sure to always insist the driver to use meter.
By car
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Driving is probably the most convenient way to explore Iskandar Puteri. Roads in the city are wide and well-paved with plenty of available parking lots during the weekdays. Malaysians drive on the left. The speed limit on the paid highway is 110 km/h and on the expressway is either 90 km/h or 70 km/h. For public parking areas with special designated parking fee by the city council, do purchase parking coupon from any convenient store, available in hourly or half-hourly basis of ticket. These tickets which are applicable for parking in Iskandar Puteri area can also be used in Johor Bahru, Senai and Kulai. Most of the parking lots in public places have lot for those with mobility disability.
Petrol stations
[edit]Petrol stations are relatively easy to find in the city. There are generally three types of fuel: RON95, RON97 and diesel. By law, foreign-registered cars (irrespective of the driver's nationality) may use RON97 fuel only.
Toll charges
[edit]The only road sections which require payment are the Second Link Expressway sections.
By bicycle
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Most of the areas of Iskandar Puteri are flat plains with no major steep hills, making it relatively easy to cycle. There are clearly marked bicycle paths which circle around Medini Iskandar and Sunway Iskandar. Due to the nature of driving habits in Malaysia which is sometimes unpredictable, it is always best to always give away first to other vehicle when you are riding bicycles.
On foot
[edit]Due to its sheer size, Iskandar Puteri houses several suburbs which are pedestrian friendly. Kota Iskandar can be explored by foot which houses the government buildings of Johor State Government and also connected to the seafront recreation area Puteri Harbour with cafes and restaurants. Medini Iskandar area around Legoland Malaysia are pedestrian friendly with well-built pavements connecting to Mall of Medini and surrounding facilities. Educity consists of the main Educity Sports Complex which are well-connected by pedestrian to nearby universities and dining areas in EcoWorld. Bukit Indah is a residential area with shopping center, supermarket, dining and other various facilities including the Bukit Indah Recreational Park which are connected to each other and accessible by foot to explore the area. Be extra careful for traffics because some sections of the road in the area are without sidewalks. It is also adjacent to the Taman Nusa Bestari where it houses various eateries and shops, as well as the Bestari Walk for outdoor rows of restaurants. Taman Sutera is another residential area with Sutera Mall as the major attraction and surrounded by a shopping mall and various dining venues, nightlife and entertainment outlets which can easily be accessed by foot.
See
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- 1 Kota Iskandar, Lebuh Kota Iskandar, 79100 (take P214 bus from Gelang Patah Terminal towards Puteri Harbour and alight at Kota Iskandar), ☏ +60 72909080. Daily except public holidays 8:30AM-5:30PM. The administrative center of the state is meant to be not just a collection of buildings, but rather, to showcase Johor's culture in terms of modern architecture and interior design. The centrepiece is the Johor parliament building, the Sultan Ismail Building, combining Moorish-Andalusian and Johor-Malay style. Visiting the interior of the building is possible by booking a tour via the website. Other attractions are the Chief Minister's office, the Dato’ Jaafar Muhammad Building, inspired by the Alhambra palace in Granada with added Johor-Malay elements, and the Kota Iskandar Mosque. It also features the Mahkota Square.
- 2 Puteri Harbour, Lot PTD 141090, 79000 (take P214 bus from Gelang Patah Terminal towards Puteri Harbour), ☏ +60 75302122. A high-rise waterfront leisure area with self-proclaimed ambitions to rival Monaco. Alas, reality has not quite lived up to the dream, with many abandoned developments marring the landscape and most shopping malls and apartments rattlingly empty. The waterfront shopping areas are still pleasant enough, and it's conveniently located only about 3 km from Legoland.
- 3 Kampung Sungai Melayu, Kampung Sungai Melayu, ☏ +60 197045904. A traditional Malay village surrounded by rainforest, offering ecotourism activities such as boat fishing and bird-watching. Rustic lodging is available. It is a place for urban dwellers who desperately want to "escape it all" without being too far from "it all".
- 4 Forest City (森林城市), Gelang Patah. Integrated coastline development at the southern end of Peninsular Malaysia with Forest City Commercial Street shopping mall, Forest City Phoenix International Marina Hotel, Glyken Birdnest Museum, international school, Forest City Water Park, beach and water sport activities. Targeted squarely at Chinese expats, the development was kneecapped by Chinese currency controls and COVID travel restrictions, and as of 2020 less than 1000 of the once projected 700,000 actually call the place home.
- 5 Central Piazza (Plaza Utama), Medini Iskandar. Public square.
- 6 Tan Sri Datuk Chang Joo Chiang Museum and Art Gallery (丹斯里拿督张愈昌文物与艺术馆), Southern University College, Jalan Selatan Utama, Off Jalan Skudai, 81300 Skudai. Museum and art gallery.
- 7 Sultan Ibrahim Stadium (Stadium Sultan Ibrahim), Gelang Patah. The largest and main football stadium of Johor. One can enjoy riding in a Hummer limousine around the stadium for RM30.
- 8 Iskandar Puteri Square (Dataran MBIP), EduCity. Public square featuring the tallest clock tower in Johor. It also has football field and open air gymnasium.
Nature
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The city houses several urban parks where people can enter for free for their leisure activities. Due to the hot climate of the country, most of the people visit the parks only during morning or late afternoon time when air is not that hot. Almost all of the parks have adequate parking lots for private vehicles.
- 9 Bukit Indah Recreational Park (Taman Rekreasi Bukit Indah), Persiaran Indah, Taman Bukit Indah. Park.
- 10 Edible Park, Medini Iskandar. Park.
- 11 Emerald Lake, Sunway Iskandar. Lake with jogging track surrounding it, equipped with seat platform to view the whole scenery of the lake and its surrounding area.
- 12 Heritage Forest, Medini Iskandar. Park.
- 13 Iskandar Botanical Park (Taman Botani Iskandar), Kota Iskandar, 79100. Botanical park.
- 14 MBIP City Forest (Hutan Bandar MBIP), Jalan Persiaran Mutiara Mas, Taman Seri Orkid, Mutiara Rini, 81300 (take P-212 bus from Perling Mall and alight at the park). Park.
- 15 Kangkar Pulai Blue Lake (Tasik Biru Kangkar Pulai), Kangkar Pulai. Lake.
- 16 Nusa Bayu Lake Park, Nusa Bayu. Park with lake at its centre and jogging track around it.
- 17 Nusantara Square Recreational Park (Taman Rekreasi Dataran Nusantara), 40, Jalan Nusaria 4/6, Taman Nusantara, 81550 Gelang Patah. Park.
- 18 Pulai Indah Recreational Park (Taman Rekreasi Pulai Indah), Taman Pulai Indah, Kangkar Pulai 81300. Park.
- 19 Sireh Park (Taman Sireh), Jalan Nusa Idaman, Nusa Idaman, 79100. Park.
- 20 Ujana Kota Urban Park, Medini Iskandar. Park.
Do
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Theme parks
[edit]The Legoland Malaysia complex, consisting of three separate parks, is by far the top attraction in the region. (Especially since Sanrio Hello Kitty Town closed in 2020.) Most hotels in the area operate shuttles to the park, and from Johor Bahru it is also possible to use the LM1 and SL1 public buses. One day-tickets start from RM189/149 adult/child for the Theme Park, although discounted tickets are often available from third-party booking sites and combo tickets covering multiple parks can be good value.
- 1 Legoland Theme Park, 7 Jalan Legoland, Medini, ☏ +60 75978888, [email protected]. 10AM-6PM. The biggest and best of the three, devoted to all things Lego. Includes 70 hands-on rides, slides, shows distributed among the Lego Technic, Lego Kingdoms, Imagination, Land of Adventure, Lego City and Miniland areas. Highlights include the Dragon rollercoaster, the Ninjago 4D ride, and making a splash at Dino Island (bring a towel and a change of clothes!). It can get very hot on a sunny day, so arrive early, aim to complete the outdoor parts like Miniland early in the day, and nip into the main air-conditioned areas like the movie theatre or the many Lego building zones to cool off.
- 2 Legoland Water Park, 7 Jalan Legoland, Medini, ☏ +60 75978888, [email protected]. 10AM-6PM. 20-odd water slides and other attractions, mostly quite "generic" but with a few Lego-specific ones like building a raft thrown in. A nice respite from the heat.
- 3 Sea Life Aquarium, 7 Jalan Legoland, Medini, ☏ +60 75978888, [email protected]. 10AM-6PM. A rather small aquarium featuring tropical fish. Not particularly impressive.
Adventures
[edit]- 4 Lost in JB - The Haunted House, 30, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/4, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai, ☏ +60 175800833. Daily 12:30PM-11:30PM. Haunted house.
- 5 RUD Karting, PTD 200284, Persiaran Medini Sentral 6, Bandar Medini Iskandar, 79250, ☏ +60 167471119, [email protected]. Kart racing with cafe and bar.
- 6 X Park Sunway Iskandar, Jalan Medini Selatan 2, Medini Zone F, Bandar Medini Iskandar. M-Th 2-10PM, F-Su public holidays 10AM-10PM. Adventure park.
Sports
[edit]
- 7 Daiman Sri Skudai Sports Centre, No. 1, Jalan Emas Puteh 3, Taman Sri Skudai, 81300 Skudai. Sports center with facilities for badminton and futsal.
- 8 EduCity Sports Complex, Jalan Persiaran Kampus, EduCity, 79250 (take IP bus from Larkin Sentral Terminal towards Iskandar Puteri and alight at Educity), ☏ +60 75095776, [email protected]. Sport complex which consists of football field, gymnasium, track and field, indoor arena, swimming pool and outdoor courts.
- 9 Horizon Hills Golf and Country Club, No. 1, Jalan Eka, Horizon Hills, 79100, ☏ +60 72323166, [email protected]. Golf course.
- 10 Hot Sports Arena, Lot PTD 62580, Jalan Skudai, Batu 8 1/2, Skudai. 9AM-midnight. Sports complex.
- 11 Impian Emas Golf and Country Club, No. 1 Persiaran Seri Impian, Taman Impian Emas, 81300 Skudai, ☏ +60 75522202. 9-hole golf course.
- 12 Poresia Golf Country Club, KM36 Mukim Tanjung Kupang, Gelang Patah, 81550. Golf course.
- 13 Pulai Spring Resort, Jalan Pontian Lama, 81110 Pulai, ☏ +60 75212222, [email protected]. 27-hole golf course.
- 14 Roller Skate, Level 5, Skudai Parade, Batu 10, Jalan Skudai, 81300 Skudai. Roller skate arena.
- 15 Skating Rink, Level 4, Sutera Mall, No. 1 Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/4, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai. Skating rink.
- 16 Ulu Choh Dirt Park, Lebuhraya Skudai-Pontian, [email protected]. Off-road motor racing track.
- 17 X Park Sunway Iskandar Golf Driving Range, Sunway Iskandar. 8AM-2AM.
Cinema
[edit]The city occasionally organizes some movie festivals throughout the year in various places. Regular movie showing cinemas are almost exclusively located inside shopping centers. Generally, there are Malay and Chinese subtitles given for English-speaking movies. For movies in foreign languages, the subtitles will be in English, Malay and Chinese.
Pinewood Studios operates a state-of-the-art film studio in Iskandar Puteri. It is not open to the public, but can be viewed from the outside.
Festivals
[edit]
- Iskandar Learning Festival, ☏ +60 1977770004, [email protected].
- Iskandar Puteri Jazz Festival.
- Iskarnival, Puteri Harbour, EduCity Sports Complex.
Others
[edit]Learn
[edit]
The city is home to various government and private universities. It is home to Malaysia's best technical and engineering university, the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. It is also home to many branches of overseas universities, such as University of Reading Malaysia, Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia, Raffles University Iskandar, University of Southampton, Netherlands Maritime Institute Of Technology, Multimedia University etc. Do checkout at their official websites for any short lectures or courses which are opened to public.
Buy
[edit]
Shopping centers and supermarkets are mostly concentrated in the northern part, and some in the central part, of the city. Most of the suburbs and neighborhood has a shopping mall or supermarket. These places tend to be really crowded during the weekends because of tourists inrush. Nevertheless, some of the shopping centers tend to be less patronized by visitors due to their outdated presence and appearance, and also because of the growing competition with other retail business.
Shopping malls
[edit]- 1 AEON Bukit Indah, No. 8, Jalan Indah 15/2, Taman Bukit Indah. Su-Th 10AM-10PM, F Sa 10AM-11PM. The only shopping mall in Bukit Indah suburb and its neighborhood Taman Nusa Bestari. It is equipped with a theater, post office and is located near the bus stop and terminal of Causeway Link which connects to major areas in Johor, including the capital Johor Bahru.
- 2 AEON Taman Universiti, No. 4, Jalan Pendidikan, Taman Universiti 81300 Skudai (take BET3, 331, 5B bus from JB Sentral Terminal towards Taman Universiti and alight at AEON Taman University), ☏ 1-300-80-2366 (local rate). Su-Th 10AM-11PM, F Sa 10AM-11PM. Shopping center.
- 3 Anjung Neighbourhood Centre, No. 25, Ground Floor, Persiaran Ledang Height (take P214 bus from Gelang Patah Terminal towards Puteri Harbour and alight at Mydin Anjung), ☏ +60 75101505. Daily 9AM-10PM. The only shopping mall in East Ledang township.
- 4 Mall of Medini, Lebuh Medini Utara, Medini Iskandar (take IP, LM1 bus from Larkin Sentral Terminal towards Iskandar Puteri and alight at Mall of Medini). The only shopping mall in Medini Iskandar township. It is located at the entrance area of Legoland Malaysia and besides Legoland Hotel. It features weekly open-air art exhibitions by local artists. It is connected to the bus stop of Causeway Link with destinations to various places in Johor.
- 5 Mydin Mall Mutiara Rini, Mutiara Rini. The main and largest shopping mall in Mutiara Rini.
- 6 Perling Mall, No. 3, Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling 81200 (take 111, 221 bus from JB Sentral Terminal towards Taman Tan Sri Yaacob and alight at Perling Mall), ☏ +60 72413058, [email protected]. A descent suburb shopping mall and the only one in Taman Perling area.
- 7 Skudai Parade, Batu 10, Jalan Skudai, 81300 Skudai (take P-411 bus from Kulai Terminal, P-211 from Taman Universiti Terminal or Larkin Sentral Terminal or P-403 bus from Senai International Airport and alight at the shopping mall), ☏ +60 75588996, [email protected]. Shopping mall with bowling, karaoke, theater and roller skate arena. It is one of the earliest shopping mall in the city.
- 8 Sunway Big Box, Persiaran Medini 5, Iskandar Puteri, Sunway Iskandar, 79250, ☏ +60 75098856. The shopping mall has various child and family-themed games with EnerG X Park, Asia's largest indoor extreme park. It also features Book Xcess, the largest bookshop in southern Peninsular Malaysia. It is connected to the X Park Sunway Iskandar outdoor extreme park next to it.
- 9 Sunway Citrine Hub, Persiaran Medini 3, Sunway Iskandar, Medini Iskandar, 79250. Shopping mall.
- 10 Sutera Mall, No. 1, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/4, Taman Sutera Utama, Skudai (take P-203 bus from Kip Mart Tampoi and alight at the shopping mall), ☏ +60 75589009. Daily 10:30AM-10:30PM. The only shopping mall in Taman Sutera suburb area. It has a library called My Library, indoor small-scale ice skating rink as well as open area for various events at its top most floor. It is surrounded by various business lots consisting restaurants, cafes, shops, games and night clubs. It is connected to Causeway Link bus stop right at the mall entrance.
- 11 Tasek Central (皇后 广场), No.2, Jalan Pendekar 16, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, 81300 Skudai (take P-203 from Kip Mart Tampoi and alight at the shopping mall), ☏ +60 75560899. Daily 10AM-10PM. Shopping mall with TUTA courtyard for outdoor activities.
- 12 U Mall, No. 45, Jalan Pulai 20, Taman Pulai Utama, 81110 (take 606 bus from JB Sentral Terminal towards Taman Pulai Indah and alight at U Mall). Shopping mall.
Supermarkets
[edit]- 13 Bestmart, PTD 117742, Jalan Nb2 13/1, Taman Nusa Bestari 2, 81300. Supermarket.
- 14 Lotus's Bukit Indah, No. 1, Jalan Indah 15, Taman Bukit Indah, 81200 (take P-212 bus from Perling Mall and alight at the supermarket), ☏ +60 72386848. Su-Th 8AM-11PM, F Sa 8AM-1AM. Supermarket with food court, barbershop and car wash facilities.
- 15 Lotus's Mutiara Rini, No. 1, Jalan Persiaran Jasa 1, Taman Mutiara Rini, 81380 Skudai (take P-202 bus from Taman Universiti Terminal or P-213 bus from Gelang Patah Terminal and alight at the supermarket), ☏ +60 75561541. Su-Th 8AM-11PM, F Sa 8AM-1AM. Supermarket.
- 16 TF Value-Mart Nusa Bestari, No. 1, Jalan Bestari 7/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81300 Skudai. Supermarket.
Markets
[edit]- 17 Taman Perling Public Market, 531, Persisiran Perling 1, Taman Perling, 81200. Market.
Eat
[edit]
Similar to other cities or towns in Malaysia with mix demographics, Iskandar Puteri houses various local traditional food of Malaysia, such as the Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisines. Due to the growing presence of foreigner in the city, it also houses various international dishes kind of restaurants.
Restaurants
[edit]- 1 Dapur Merah Restaurant, No. 17 & 19, Jalan Nusaria 11/2, Taman Nusantara, Gelang Patah, 81550. Malay restaurant with various cake selling.
- 2 Sawadee-Sarn, No. 9, Jalan Bestari 1/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81200 Skudai. Thai restaurant.
- 3 Sea Life Underwater Dining Experience, 7 Jalan Legoland, Medini, 79250, ☏ +60 75978888, [email protected]. Experience dining under the water, the first of such in Malaysia in a 4-course set meal. Choose from 4 different theme of underwater section. Reservation must be made at least 72 hours. RM250-350.
Chinese
[edit]- 4 Bawang Hot Pot, Jalan Bestari 1/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81200 Skudai. Chinese hot pot restaurant.
- 5 BBQ Box (串烧工坊), No. 18G, Jalan Bestari 6/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81300 Skudai. Chinese BBQ restaurant.
- 6 Changman (常满), No. 24G, 26G & 28G, Jalan Bestari 5/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81200 Skudai. Hong Kong dim sum restaurant.
- 7 Chao Fu Restaurant (潮福休閒站), No. 32, Jalan Bestari 3/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81300 Skudai. Chinese restaurant.
- 8 Everyday Steamboat and BBQ (天天火锅烧烤), No. 1, Jalan Bestari 4/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81200 Skudai. Chinese steamboat and BBQ restaurant.
- 9 Ho Ho Steamboat Restaurant (好好海鲜火锅之家), No. 32, Jalan Bestari 3/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81300 Skudai. Chinese steamboat restaurant.
- 10 Ikar Gourmet Fish Noodle (一家特式鱼头米), No. 32, Jalan Bestari 5/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81200 Skudai. Chinese noodle restaurant.
- 11 Loon Sing (JB) Restaurant (隆盛集团 (隆盛佛跳墙酒楼)), No. 1, Jalan Indah 15/2, Taman Bukit Indah, 81200, ☏ +60 72358933. Chinese restaurant.
- 12 New 3G F&B Restaurant (新三国川味餐厅), No. 29, Jalan Bestari 6/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81200 Skudai. Chinese restaurant.
- 13 Old Sichuan Restaurant (老四川火锅), No. 33G, Jalan Bestari 4/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 791500 Skudai. Sichuan restaurant.
- 14 Pekin Sutera Restaurant (Restoran Pekin Sutera), No. 1, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/4, Sutera Utama Biz Centre, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai, ☏ +60 75573899. 11AM-11PM. Chinese restaurant.
- 15 Shu Xiang Garden Restaurant, No. 24G, Jalan Bestari 6/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 79150 Skudai. Chinese BBQ restaurant.
- 16 Sichuan Tasty Restaurant (回味川湘), No. 22, Jalan Bestari 3/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81200 Skudai. Sichuan restaurant.
- 17 Tiong Hua Restaurant (中华风味湘菜馆), No. 10G, Jalan Bestari 5/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 79150 Skudai. Chinese restaurant.
- 18 Tong Dim Sum Restaurant (同心圆港式点心楼), No. 75, Jalan Indah 8/13, Bukit Indah 2, 79100, ☏ +60 72362969. Chinese dim sum restaurant with high availability during morning and early afternoon time only.
Korean
[edit]- 19 Dae Bak BBQ, No. 17, Jalan Bestari 5/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81300 Skudai. Korean restaurant.
- 20 Jeju Black Korean Noodle Restaurant, No 1, Jalan Indah 15/3, Taman Bukit Indah, ☏ +60 7232 5722. Daily 11AM-10PM. Korean restaurant.
- 21 Myung Ga Korea BBQ Restaurant, No. 1, Jalan Bestari 5/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81300 Skudai. Korean restaurant.
Mamak
[edit]- 22 Habib Restaurant, No. 8 & 10, Jalan Bestari 2/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81300 Skudai. Mamak restaurant.
- 23 Osman Restaurant, No. 28, Jalan Bestari 4/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81300 Skudai. Mamak restaurant.
Peranakan
[edit]- 24 Big Canteen (大食堂), No. 20G, Jalan Bestari 4/2 Taman Nusa Bestari, 79150 Skudai, ☏ +60 163281413. 8:30AM-9:30PM. Peranakan restaurant.
- 25 Delicious Laksa House, No. 30G, Jalan Bestari 3/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 79150 Skudai. Peranakan restaurant.
- 26 Kuu by Tea Garden, No. 2, Jalan Eko Botani 3/6, Taman Eko Botani, 79100. 8AM-9:30PM. Peranakan restaurant.
- 27 Tea Garden Bukit Indah, No. 11 & 15, Jalan Indah 15/1, Taman Bukit Indah, 81200. 7:30AM-11PM. Peranakan restaurant.
- 28 Tea Garden Gelang Patah, No. 10 & 12, Jalan Nusaria 11/6, Taman Nusantara, 81550 Gelang Patah. 8AM-11PM. Peranakan restaurant.
- 29 Tea Garden Sutera Utama, No. 53 & 55, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/2, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai. 7:15AM-11PM. Peranakan restaurant.
Vegetarian
[edit]- 30 Qi Fu Healthy Park Vegetarian, No.31G, 30-01, Jalan Bestari 5/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81300 Skudai. Vegetarian restaurant.
- 31 Tong Xin Yuan Vegetarian Restaurant, Jalan Laman Setia 2/1, Setia Eco Gardens, Gelang Patah. Vegetarian restaurant.
- 32 Wan De Fu Vegetarian Restaurant (万得富素食馆), No. 31, Jalan Nusaria 3, Taman Nusantara, Gelang Patah, 81550, ☏ +60 108880256. Vegetarian restaurant.
Western
[edit]- 33 AnMour Cafe, No. 34, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/3, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai, ☏ +60 75563420, [email protected]. American and burger restaurant.
- 34 Nusa Cafe, No. 2, Jalan Nusaria 1 J/2, Taman Nusantara, 79200 Gelang Patah, ☏ +60 75097287. Western restaurant.
Food courts
[edit]- 35 Bestari Terrace (Bestari Walk), Jalan Danga, Taman Nusa Bestari, Skudai, ☏ +60 167872626, +60 167477735. Various food, games and shops. Eateries include Blue Street V Cafeteria, Chocolate Riche, Fly Chicken, Koubao Chuanchuan, La Fan Tian, Sanzen Yatai and Soul Thai.
Hawker centers
[edit]- 36 Man Shan Restaurant, Jalan Laman Setia 2/1, Setia Eco Gardens, Gelang Patah. Chinese food.
Drink
[edit]
Popular night life district in the city is in Taman Sutera area, where you'll find night clubs, karaoke, cafes and restaurants. Complete with such amenities but slightly more quite is Bukit Indah and the adjacent Taman Nusa Bestari areas. A more happening place but restricted to shopping center operating hour is Puteri Harbour. Many of the local just enjoy midnight tea drinks and supper at Mamak restaurants, where they normally enjoy movie screening or live football matches.
- 1 Bierhaus Sutera Utama, No. 1-G, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/3, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai, ☏ +60 75560399. German bar.
- 2 Black Castle Bistro, No. 2, Jalan Indah 15/1, Taman Bukit Indah 81200.
- 3 Broadway Sutera, No. 134, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/3, Taman Sutera Skudai, 81300 Skudai, ☏ +60 75701220. Cocktail bar and restaurant.
- 4 Corner 61, No. 61, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/3, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai, ☏ +60 1162696161, [email protected]. Daily 3PM-2AM. Bar and restaurant. Formerly Starker Malaysia.
- 5 Go Mexico Bar & Kitchen, No. 81, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/2, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai, ☏ +60 1124577239. Mexican restaurant and bar.
- 6 Jing-Si Books and Cafe, No. 3, Jalan Jagoh 1, Taman Harmoni 2, 81300 Skudai, ☏ +60 75571703. 10:00-19:00 daily. Bookshop and cafe.
- 7 De Cavalry Sutera Tanjung (Formerly Knight Club), No. 91, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/2, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai (Inside Shining Sutera Mall), ☏ +60 167441133. 17:00 - 02:00 daily. Wine bar / night club.
- 8 Live 2.0, No. 56, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/4, Taman Sutera Utama, Skudai 81300, ☏ +0167798559. noon-3AM. Night club, lounge & restaurant.
- 9 Palace 8, No. 1, Jalan Indah 15/2, Taman Bukit Indah 81200, ☏ +60 167873831. Daily 8PM-4AM.
- 10 Space Bistro, No. 49, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/3, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai, ☏ +60 167635717. Cocktail, beer, wine, pizza.
- 11 Tipsy Monkey, No. 9, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/3, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai, ☏ +60 183614898.
- 12 Rock Bottom Bar, Persiaran Puteri Selatan. Sports bar with an eclectic menu spanning Western and local cuisine, but most people are here for the beer and the telly. One of a very few happening spots in generally comatose Puteri Harbour.
Sleep
[edit]Iskander Puteri's accommodations are scattered around the district, and mostly lean towards soulless service apartments, although some budget options can also be found.
Budget
[edit]- 1 HereHotel.com, No. 41, 43, 45, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/2, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai, ☏ +60 75566777, +60 75566888, [email protected]. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. Hotel.
- 2 Shlyo Hotel, No. 22, Jalan Prima Niaga 3, Taman GP Prima, Gelang Patah. Hotel.
- 3 Skudai Baru Hotel, No. 2, Jalan Ronggeng 2, Taman Nesa, 81300 Skudai. Hotel.
Mid-range
[edit]- 4 Amerin Boutique Hotel, No. 35, Jalan Persisiran Perling 1, Taman Perling, 81200, ☏ +60 72330333, [email protected]. Hotel.
- 5 Crescendo Boutique Hotel, No. 58 & 60, Jalan Sentral 1, Taman Nusa Sentral, 79100, ☏ +60 104011393. Hotel.
- 6 D Elegance Hotel, No. 06-01, Jalan Nusaria 11/6, Taman Nusantara, 81500 Gelang Patah, ☏ +60 75539951, [email protected]. Hotel.
- 7 Geobay Hotel, PTD 103754, Jalan Indah 15/1, Taman Bukit Indah, 79100, ☏ +60 72357888, [email protected]. Hotel. RM198-668.
- 8 Granada Hotel, No. 55, Jalan Indah 15/2, Taman Bukit Indah, ☏ +60 72318888, [email protected].
- 9 Holmes GP Hotel, Taman GP Prima, 81550 Gelang Patah, ☏ +60 75095991, [email protected]. Hotel.
- 10 Millésimé Hotel, Jalan Persiaran Afiat, Taman Kesihatan Afiat, 79250, ☏ +60 75098866, [email protected]. Hotel.
- 11 PARC Hotel (Hotel Parc), No. 23 & 25, Jalan Indah 15/3, Taman Bukit Indah, 81200, ☏ +60 72446825, [email protected]. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. Hotel.
- 12 Pariss Hotel, No. 38, Jalan Bestari 7/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81300 Skudai. Hotel.
- 13 Suan Bee Hotel (Hotel Suan Bee), No. 99 & 101, Level 1,2 & 3, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/2, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai, ☏ +60 75545399, +60 75546399, [email protected]. Hotel.
- 14 V8 Hotel, No. 2, Jalan Jati 2, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81300 Skudai, ☏ +60 75552888, [email protected]. Hotel with 193 rooms. RM270-500.
Splurge
[edit]- 15 Forest City Phoenix International Golf Hotel, Jalan Persiaran Golf 5, Forest City Golf Resort, Gelang Patah, 81550, ☏ +60 75352288, [email protected].
- 16 Forest City Phoenix International Marina Hotel, 1 Jalan Forest City, Forest City, Gelang Patah, 81550. Main hotel in Forest City
- 17 Jen Hotel Puteri Harbour, Puteri Harbour. The local outpost of the Shangri-La chain.
- 18 Legoland Hotel, No 1, Jalan Medini Utara 3, Medini Iskandar, 79250. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. Mid-range hotel with premium pricing, thanks to its location immediately next to Legoland. Over-the-top Lego theming permeates every surface from the lobby to the rooms, and so do hordes of screaming children.
- 19 Pinetree Marina Resort, Jalan Persiaran Tanjung, Pengkalan Puteri, 79100 Nusajaya. 1, 2 and 3 bedroom serviced apartments in Puteri Harbour. Modern, minimalist style with a decent pool and gym, with the Hard Rock Cafe in the basement and the Puteri Cove Quayside mall next door. From RM350.
- 20 Pulai Spring Resort, Jalan Pontian Lama, 81110 Pulai, ☏ +60 75212121, [email protected]. Resort.
- 21 Somerset Medini Iskandar Puteri, Lot 5 Jalan Medini Utara 4, Medini Iskandar, ☏ +607 560 5555, [email protected]. With 310 units of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, the property provides babysitting services, an on-call doctor and airport transfers.
Connect
[edit]Internet
[edit]The city houses several Internet cafes, although most of them are being used as gaming center. Most of the middle and upper restaurants in the city offer free WiFi to its patrons, while virtually almost accommodation places (all kinds of hotels) offer free Wi-Fi to their guests. The Johor State Government provides hundreds of free Wi-Fi hot spots around the state, including in Iskandar Puteri.
Post offices
[edit]
- 1 AEON Bukit Indah, Lot G-76, AEON Bukit Indah Shopping Centre, Jalan Bukit Indah 15/2, Taman Bukit Indah, 79000, ☏ +60 72377021.
- 2 Gelang Patah, JKR 4891, Jalan Besar, 81550 Gelang Patah, ☏ +60 75101122.
- 3 Iskandar Puteri, Siar Jauhar, Aras 1, Bangunan Sultan Ismail, Kota Iskandar, 79000, ☏ +60 75565004.
- 4 Taman Kangkar Pulai, No. 9, Jalan Pulai Bistari 1, Bandar Baru Kangkar Pulai, 81300, ☏ +60 75276545.
- 5 Taman Nusa Bestari, E8, Besmart, No. 3, Jalan Danga, Taman Nusa Bestari, 81300 Skudai, ☏ +60 75123424.
- 6 Taman Perling, 320, Jalan Simbang, Taman Perling, 81200, ☏ +60 72347506.
- 7 Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, No. 24, Jalan Perwira 18, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, 81300 Skudai, ☏ +60 75566511.
- 8 Taman Universiti, No. 18, Jalan Kebudayaan 17, Taman Universiti, 81300 Skudai, ☏ +60 75214240.
Go next
[edit]Visit the nearby cities or towns from Iskandar Puteri
- Johor Bahru - The capital city of Johor state which is next to Iskandar Puteri. It houses various tourist sports, shopping and entertainment outlets.
- Pasir Gudang - The industrial capital of Johor with hundreds of large-scale factories. It is famous for its various choices of seafood restaurants along the Straits of Johor and also the Kite Hill in the town center.
- Pontian Kechil - This small and quiet town is a step away from Iskandar Puteri for weekend relax gateway. Famous for its seafood, it also houses various natural-themed tourist attractions nearby.