Statue of Francis Xavier in Malacca. Doesn't he look a little like Singapore's Stamford Raffles?

You may wonder, is this all to SE Asia?  Of course not!

If you can find a day or 1/2 day free, you might find a chance to go out of the city center, to experience other parts of Singapore, or if you’re more daring (and have more than 6 months validity on your visa, try going out of the country to visit nearby Malaysia or Indonesia.  Johor Bahru (JB for short) and Malacca (about 2-3 hours away each way) in Malaysia offers a contrast to the super modern urban landscape that makes up downtown Singapore.

Our tour desk offers two tours going out of town to JB and Malacca and gives you a safe return.  We recommend going with the tour (especially if you’re thinking of going to JB; tourists are often targets of scams).  You can find the tour desk near the foyer of the Ballroom.

Enjoy!

(PS – want more detail?  Check out Chris’ earlier post on traveling to Malaysia)

NOTE: Please check the Immigration Department of Malaysia website on whether you are required to obtain a visa and the necessary documentation needed beforehand.

Short, one-day trip: Johor Bahru

Johor Bahru

If you’re planning for a one-day trip to Malaysia, then Johor is the city you’re looking for. The place is a host to great seafood and famous Chinese, Malay and Indian hawker stalls. Located north of Singapore, just across the straits of Johor, a bus ride into the city would take you about 1 to 1.5 hours on average depending on traffic conditions.

To get there, the simplest way is to take the MRT to the Kranji station (this will cost you less than SGD2 if you are taking the MRT from city centre). From there, you can buy a ticket for the Causeway Link CW1 to Kotaraya (a central part of Johor) for SGD1.30.

Kuala Lumpur

Petronas Twin Tower: KL iconic skyscrapers

Kuala Lumpur is the capital city of Malaysia playing host to a variety of Eastern and Western cultural influences. There is something for both modern city trotters and traditional culture aficionados. The journey from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur takes approximately 5 hours by bus.

For a comfortable ride, I highly recommend Aeroline which is a luxury coach that is similar to first class on the road. Though a little bit on the pricey side (SGD47 per ticket), you can be assured of great service and arriving at your destination safely. The coach stops right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur city, close to the Petronas Twin Towers making it easy for visitors to access attractions and other forms of transportation from there on.

Malacca

Christ Church @ Malacca

Malacca (or Melaka) is home to many historical sites from the British Colonial era (the Christ Church on the photo was built on 1753, during even earlier Dutch colonial era) and home to the culture of the Baba people. The journey from Singapore to Malacca is approximately 3 hours by bus and may cost between SGD12 to SGD32 depending on the bus service selected.

For a list of bus services, refer here.

Acknoledgment:

• Johor Bahru photo is licensed under CC by emrank.
• Petronas Twin Tower photo is taken by Christopher Chan (licensed under CC).
• Christ Church Melaka photo is licensed by Christopher Chan under CC.

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This post is contributed by Chin Su Yuen. Su Yuen is an inquisitive 22-year-old who loves building and experimenting with various technologies. Her interests include web development, interaction design and social media. These interests started with her first internship as a graphic & web designer at an agency where she worked on projects for LG, Motorola and Pioneer. This was followed by a 180-degree change to a totally geeky stint as a web application developer with Apple and a straddle into social media marketing & PR with Waggener Edstrom’s Studio D.