@Trip: Johor Shopping Trip 27 - 28 Oct 2025

Image generated by Gemini

     After a long time, Wendy and me decided to plan a Johor trip to go visit the night market beside KSL shopping mall. We decided to book train tickets @ 11pm so we can clear the Malaysia custom fast and reach early in Johor to start our shopping. We left our house around 9:30am and found that timing is a little tight since we are still on the bus around 10:40am. Both of us actually ran to the train station and we made it on time. So we better left the house another 15-30 min earlier so as not to be so stress. It is better to use the electronic immigration system as it is very fast compared to the manual stamping counter. So better use the electronic immigration system in Malaysia next time. It takes about 5 min to reach Malaysia Johor station. We left straight to KSL shopping mall since we want to shop at City Square Shopping Mall when we come back from KSL We walked back to the other building where the bus interchange is to find Bus F100 (RM$1.50 per person) to reach KSL Shopping Mall. 

Bus J100 ticket to KSL

    When we reach KSL, Wendy and me walked up to see what movies available for today but decided to skip since no movie worth watching. Wendy bought a cup a bubble tea and then we decided to go Lotus's Supermarket to look for oatmeal and Anlene Total 10 milk powder. We actually bought the Lotus's instant oatmeal, Anlene Total 10 (tin), Anlene Total 5 (pack) and peanut butter with grape jam. Then we decided to get brunch and walked out to the stretch of stalls across KSL building. We are looking for the Ah Hua Kuey Teow (亚华粿條) but we are unable to find it. Think this stall has closed down since we walked all the way to the end of stalls. We then decided to find Yit Foh Wanton Noodle (益和云吞面) instead and finally found it. We then was told to decide what to eat and order at the counter in Malay by a female Malay staff. Luckily I managed to understand and ordered wanton noodles and fried beancurd sheet. Wanton noodles (Large) I ordered has 2 bunch of noodles and sparsely BBQ pork slices and some caixin with a bowl of wanton. Taste are ok but not fantastic. The fried beancurd sheet taste nice with the chilli paste. Since we are going to find food to eat at night maket, we decided not to eat too full. Then we decided to go check-in at Hotel 187. 

    Hotel 187 is a bit run-down but clean room. Walking along a broken stone sidewalk to the hotel. Our room tv spoil and no fridge. Got provide shampoo, body wash, clean and pretty new towel and 2 bottles of mineral water. No cupboard to hang clothes too. There is a fridge for guest to put some small items at the counter. Aircon at 16 degree is just enough to cool the room. Initially the aircon is cool enough at 22 degree when we sleep but somehow it goes hot as we sleep and had to turn to 16 degree to make it cool enough throughout the night. Think is the aircon problem or need to service the aircon.  

TV spoilt and toilet door was smashed a hole but taped back

Think the paint is to cover cracks or stains/mould and one of the power plug is spoiled beside the bed

    Then we settle down and then decided to go to Holiday Plaza, thinking of buying some medications such as cough syrup and hack sweets. We found the medical hall we usually buys from and chat with the owner and he also provides us informative info on Chinese medication and his recommendation is pretty expensive so we did not buy his recommendation. I bought 2 bottles of cough syrup and 2 bottles of waist tonic. Then we proceed to buy the hacks sweets. We did not go for massage as we are short of time as we want to go night market around 5pm and we are pretty close to 5pm when we left Holiday Plaza. 

    At the night market (must try food is fried chicken, otah and mochi), it starts at the street opposite the KSL Resort hotel and ends outside Hotel Grand Paragon. So the night market is pretty long stretch. I think it got extended as before I remember was not so long. Other than the food stalls, such as satay, fried chicken, smelly tofu, otah, drinks, snacks, bread and pastry, also sells fruits and vegetables (a few stalls), smelly tofu (around 3 stalls, two ends of the street and in the center) and other stalls. I actually bought fried chicken (2 pc @ RM6)from the first fried chicken stall from an auntie and there is a few more stalls selling fried chicken. Later we bought lemon squeezed tea (RM12 for 2 cups) as Wendy got thirsty and we also bought tapioca balls, otah x 10 (RM13) ans satay with rice (cannot remember the price). 

This is the smelly tofu stall in at the center of the night market street

    The fried chicken is nice. I feel it is worth buying. Tapioca balls are ok. Satay is a bit hard but taste ok. Otah is ok but I suspect one piece is not fully cooked but I still ate it. Luckily no diarrhea. Too bad my body video camera is flat so I am unable to capture any videos at this night market. Hopefully next time I can do it. Maybe next year or earlier. See how. 

    After we freshen up, we left for KSL Shopping Mall to have breakfast. Since we decided to go for massage, we decided to eat steam buns and hot drinks. We had breakfast at the street food street at level where Lotus's supermarket is. Took quite a while to get the hot tea since it is pretty far from where we sit. We bought the steam bun from the bun stall, where we usually eat. After eating breakfast, we decided to shop at Lotus's supermarket and actually bought fresh xiao bai cai (2 packs) and1 beijing lettuce. Since the queue to pay our stuff is very long, I decided to go back to Hotel 187 to check-out while Wendy stayed to pay the stuff. I suspect the SG uncles and aunties early to buy their stuff and then leave early, resulting in the morning crowd. I checked out our room and left our luggage at the hotel before I walked back to KSL to find Wendy. I found Wendy at the Lotus's supermarket. 

    Then both of us walked straight to Holiday Plaza to look for massage. The massage parlor we went is Cozy Escape. It has good reviews so I decided to try them. My wife opt for foot and shoulder massage while I opt for full body massage, both for 1.5 hrs. My masseur is male guy and his skills are pretty good, basically pressure point massage which I like. Wendy, however, the female masseur was not so good as she was playing with her phone and also only did foot massage, skipping the shoulder massage. Since time is already up, we have no choice but left it as it is. Below is the massage price for Cozy Escape, which is cheaper compared to normal rates.

Cozy Escape Massage package and price

    After this, we walked back to Hotel 187 and then walked back to KSL to board the bus to Malaysia custom. The ride was smooth and passing through the custom was fast since we are using  electronic immigration system. We managed to board the bus to SG right after we came down and then we cleared the SG custom pretty fast, except that Wendy need to wait for me as I need to pass through the X-ray machine since I have a trolley with me. Then we wait for bus 170x but since bus 170 also goes to Kranji MRT, we board the bus 170. Then at Kranji MRT, we too the train to Pioneer MRT and home sweet home. 

NOTE: Remember to do the MDAC for Malaysia arrival card and ICA arrival card (3 days in advance) in ICA app (3 days in advance). My wife remembered the MDAC but forgot the ICA one. Lucky I remembered and do group arrival card for both of us when I have Internet.