@MsiaTrip: First Johor Bahru Shopping Trip after Covid-19

    This is my first trip to Malaysia, Johor Bahru (JB) after Covid-19. I went with my wife and her friend. This is the first time for my wife's friend to visit Malaysia. Earlier heard the jam at Malaysia custom or Causeway bridge made me worried how long we need to clear the Malaysia custom. 

    We travel to Kranji MRT station to take SBS Transit Bus 170, 170x or 160. This is the usual route I take to Malaysia, JB. My wife wanted to try taking the train to Malaysia, but the timing is not suitable so I rejected it. Another reason is I am not familiar with how to go to Woodlands Train Checkpoint. I am not comfortable to use a route I am not familiar and also need to try out my favourite route.

    We left about 9am from Pioneer MRT station and noticed that this timing has lesser crowd. Maybe I will stick with this timing since it is pretty crowded when we left at 10 - 10.30am. With a stroke of luck, we cleared the custom about 12.40pm. This is the first time I reached JB fastest. 

Below is my itinerary for this trip, not including timing, once I cleared Malaysia Custom:

    1. Go to JB Sentral Bus Terminal to take bus to KSL City Mall.
    2. What to do at KSL City Mall:

• Shopping, only supermarket in this area.
• Massage, I prefer to go Holiday Plaza as it is cheaper.
• More restaurants here in this area. I prefer to eat at KSL City Mall for more food choices and street food.

    3. Eat lunch at KSL. If I reach late, around 1-2pm, have light lunch at KSL City Mall as go Holiday Plaza for massage first. 

    4. Walk to Holiday Plaza from KSL. About 10 min walk. 

    5. Things to do at Holiday Plaza:

• Shop for chinese medical herbs, chinese medicine
• Shop for phone accessories or gadget accessories
• Cheap massage:
• RM 45 for foot massage for 1 hour
• RM 60 for body massage for 1 hour

    6. Massage for up to 2 hours. 

    7. Go back to KSL City Mall. 

    8. Eat dinner.

    9. Take Causeway Link F100 bus back to JB Sentral Bus Terminal.

    We walked to JB Sentral Bus Terminal. Since the escalator is renovating, we took the lift down to the JB Sentral Bus Terminal. We took Causeway Link F100 (each person RM1.50) bus to KSL City Mall. 

JB KSL building

    When reaching KSL City Mall, there is the same concourse selling clothes, shoes, bags, luggage and bed sheets. We visited the Watson store at Level 1. We then shop around this level, from clothes to sports shop. Then we went down to Ground Level to the supermarket to look for my wife's favourite coffee and high calcium milk powder. We noticed that Tessco supermarket has been replaced with Lotus supermarket. 

We then found the coffee that my wife loved and also the high calcium milk powder price increased to RM50+, from previously close to RM40. 

Super Essenso Microground Arabica Instant 2 in 1 Coffee

Nestle OMEGA PLUS Milk Powder

At Lotus supermarket, I noticed that the price for ShoyueMi Original Flavour in Malaysia is a lot cheaper compared to Singapore. It was selling at discounted RM4. The "chicken brand" local store at Holiday Plaza sell 30 packs at RM12.90. 

ShoyueMi Original Flavour

Usually, the price in the supermarket is the cheapest, compared to local product or medical stores. I would prefer to check the price of stuff I want at supermarket before comparing in local product or medical stores. 

We ate a quick lunch with steam buns and hot drink as we are planning to go massage later at Holiday Plaza. The buns and siewmai tastes good and we decided to come back to buy some back to Singapore. 

Holiday Plaza

Below are some changes to now at Holiday Plaza:

• MacDonald and KFC has closed down. Only small cafe selling local food. We forgot to check the zichar that we frequently visit.
• Still have Chinese medical stores at level 1 so can buy dried goods if you want.
• Only left chicken brand local store in Holiday Plaza.
• Phone accessories stores and repair stores are still available. 
• The massage shop (level 1, near stairs and beside a shop selling salon stuff) we frequently visit has closed but taken over by another Chinese boss. The male massager, Joe is from Myanmar and has 10 years experience. The lady massager that massage my wife is not consistence. 

We then end our trip by having dinner at the Roasted Duck restaurant at level 3, same level as the cinema. Then we make our way back to level 1 to take bus back to JB Sentral Bus Terminal and make our way home to Singapore.