Tan Li AnnWhile I’m no stranger to Johor Bahru, a go-to weekend escape for many of us living in Singapore, I recently felt the urge to explore beyond the usual city buzz, malls, and cafés. So, one weekend, I decided to take a short detour and head a little further north.
Just a 30-minute drive from JB and nestled near the popular Johor Premium Outlets is a lesser-known town called Kulai. Quiet, charming, and full of unexpected gems, Kulai turned out to be a refreshing change of pace. Here’s everything I got up to and how you can plan your own easy getaway to Kulai!
Also read: Top 10 Things to Do in Kulai, Johor
How to get to Kulai
Kulai is a little far from JB Sentral, so I decided to look at bus options rather than taking a Grab to keep this trip more budget friendly.
Luckily, I discovered the newly launched bus routes, JPO2 and JPO3, that bring you to Johor Premium Outlets from CIQ 1st Link and CIQ 2nd Link respectively within 45 minutes. This was perfect, as I could stop by for lunch and a little retail therapy before taking a Grab for about a 15 minutes drive to Kulai. The JPO2 and JPO3 buses have scheduled departure times, so make sure to buffer enough time for yourself when crossing over from Singapore.
I took JPO2 from CIQ 1st Link, which was pretty smooth and only cost me 4.50rm! The bus will depart from Boarding Bus Bay 24 at its scheduled time, and you can pay with either card or cash. However, do note that no change will be given if you pay in cash. The bus was not crowded, even though I took the 12pm bus on a Saturday, and it was clean with sufficient seating and a strong blast of air conditioning.
Where to stay in Kulai
If you’re booking an overnight stay in Kulai, the hotel options look pretty limited, but I had a decent stay at Creator Hotel for about S$20/pax/night. I stayed in the Deluxe Queen Room, which was extremely spacious and had basic amenities such as towels, toothbrushes, toiletries, a fridge and even a water dispenser in the common area. Super important to keep hydrated during your stay!
The hotel was situated next to KULAI CENTRE POINT which is an old-fashioned mall with a huge wholesale supermarket named COWBOY Kulai. You can expect mega-sized bundles of everything you can think of, from biscuits and sweets, to an entire gallon of ketchup! It’s not your typical supermarket, but if you have a need for a 10 kilogram bag of salt, this is the place to go.
What to do in Kulai
For the shopaholics, there are a few malls that are available in Kulai, namely IOI Mall Kulai, AEON Mall Kulai and the newest one in the area, THE COMMUNE Lifestyle Mall. I personally love browsing through supermarkets, so AEON Mall Kulai really hit the spot for me. However, if you’re looking for brands such as CHAGEE, the up and coming fast-food chain, Richeese Factory, or even claw machines for only 2rm, THE COMMUNE Lifestyle Mall might be the shopping paradise for you. Definitely don’t sleep on the night markets, such as Pasar Malam Temenggong that exclusively opens on Wednesdays, or the Saleng Night Market on Thursdays.
Food in Kulai is nothing but abundant, and we had some unforgettable meals there, such as this old-school coffee shop, Yong Juan Hin, that specializes in the well-loved traditional breakfast of kaya toast, eggs and coffee.
Prices of ala carte food items on the menu start from only 2.20rm, and drinks start from only 1.90rm for a cup of Kopi O to wake yourself up in the morning. We got the Roti Double Butter & Kaya which was generously lathered with butter and kaya spread, paired with half-boiled eggs that were cooked to perfection.
Nearby to Yong Juan Hin is a small shop selling western cuisine, named Warung Orkes. Again, prices are extremely affordable, starting from as low at 9.90rm for a main meal. Over here, we tried the Bolognese Beef Spaghetti with Cheesy Meatballs, as well as the Double Grrrill Beef Wild Patty Burgermok. The spaghetti was tossed well with bolognese, and the meatballs tasted homey and were paired well with cheese and a black pepper sauce. The burger definitely surpassed my expectations with how juicy and flavourful it was. The burger came with not one, but two beef patties! It was a truly decadent meal at an unassuming little shop.
Nature lovers will be thrilled to know that hiking trails are in abundance near Kulai, particularly so at the Kangkar Pulai area. The Blue Lake is a popular sight that many hikers look forward to seeing in Kangkar Pulai, and there are multiple trails that lead you to different viewpoints with a fantastic view of the lake.
If you’re keen to embark on a hiking expedition to see the Blue Lake, a good starting point would be the Taman Awam BBKP carpark. For those who are driving, this is a convenient spot to park your car, and for those who are taking a Grab, this is a well-known drop-off point for hikers.
From Taman Awam BBKP, there are multiple routes you can take, and I used the All Trails app as a guide to find a trail that best suited me. I attempted the Gunung Pulai Reservoir Loop, which is a circular trail that brings you to various lookout points and circles back to the same starting point. Admittedly, the hike was more intense than I expected, and there were times when I had to get on all fours to concur steep slopes or rely on my upper body strength to hoist myself up.
Make sure to bring enough water with you, especially if your hike stretches into the afternoon as there are some areas with little shade from the scorching sun. The view of the Blue Lake is a good reward after the intense workout, and it really does live up to its name given how blue it looks in real life!
As a bonus, cat lovers would fall in love with Kulai immediately! We spotted many strays during our time there and many of them look very well taken care of by the locals. The cats we came across were very docile, making Kulai a great alternative to spending money at cat cafes!
Plan your trip to Kulai
All in all, Kulai is a lovely place to visit if you’re looking for a little more adventure outside of the usual Johor Bahru hotspots. It’s the perfect place for a budget-friendly getaway, with its wealth of affordable food options, reasonably priced accommodation, and free activities such as hiking.
The next time you’re on a lookout for a short weekend getaway, consider heading to Kulai. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at what this little town has to offer!
Contributed by Valerie Low Shu Min
