Hey Hive!
If you missed the previous post, we just started recounting another vacation where we went just across the border for a few days to Johor Bahru, Malaysia! This was back in July 2023, when it was too hot to travel elsewhere and we just needed a short getaway.
Last time, we started our trip going across the border by braving the crowds at the bus terminal. JB is only a short bus ride away from Singapore so it's a frequent destination for weekend getaways.
It took some waiting but thankfully wasn't too bad until we crossed the border and were on our way. We hung out in the mall connected to the checkpoint and got a snack while waiting for a car to take us to our hotel.
After we checked into our boutique hotel which was a little old-looking, we took another car to one of the biggest malls in JB, AEON Mall, where we got yet another snack to tide us over.
But we still have quite a bit left to this day so let's continue!
15 July 2023. Saturday.
The mall was huge and we didn't really know where to start so we just walked around while eating our snack which was a Luo Song, a Taiwanese bread that is slightly sweet with a crispy crust and soft fluffy inside.
We also came across this place called FANPEKKA, which we actually recognised as Finnish, having stayed there for a while.
It was so curious seeing a Finnish indoor theme park in JB of all places so we were intrigued. But apparently this Finnish-themed playland was also very thoughtfully designed—not just for movement, but for creativity, role-playing, and socialisation. Looks like they incorporated the boons of the Finnish education system into this theme park for kids!
We didn't actually go into the theme park of course since it's mainly for children and you have to pay. But they did have a very cute photo spot.
They also had a huge restaurant section right next to the theme park as well! It felt like an IKEA but more for kids. The restaurant itself looks pretty decent with different cuisines. I can definitely see this place being very popular for families.
We came across this huge pet goods store where they even had a bunny petting area! They looked pretty cute and I hope the kids were gentle with them.
The Barbie movie was just about to be released at the time and these promotional standees were all the rage then.
We walked around the huge mall some more until our feet got tired then we decided to have an early dinner since we skipped lunch.
I was feeling a little cold from the air conditioning in the mall so I wanted something warm. I wasn't super hungry yet and Sean's tummy was feeling funny so we decided to go for some soup and the closest restaurant we saw that fit the bill was this one called Souper Tang.
It was about to be early dinner time and we wanted to beat the crowds so we decided to just go for it.
They specialise in Shan cuisine which I've actually never heard of before but I think a lot of people would assume it's from China. Apparently it is from the Shan people of Myanmar, characterized by the use of sticky rice and noodles, unique fermented ingredients like pè bok (dried fermented soybeans), and fresh vegetables.
They have quite an extensive menu with a variety of soups as well as other common Chinese dishes.
Everything looked really good and tasty! Their soups look nice and healthy as well.
They also had some noodles that looked very nice and tasty.
The rice dishes also looked appetising.
Since we were sharing a pot of soup we decided to get some vegetables as well.
Soon enough, our food arrived! It was a light meal since Sean's tummy was feeling funny and I didn't have a big appetite at the time anyway.
I think we chose the Aged Black Garlic Chicken Soup with American Ginseng and it was actually very appetising and hearty. The chicken really was black and this was it.
The steamed broccoli we ordered was also very yummy and the beancurd knots it came with were nice and crisp.
It was a truly delicious meal and we were quite satisfied after that. Sean felt a little better but just in case, we also went to get some medicine for some tummy. After that we stopped by the huge fancy supermarket we passed by on the way in.
The supermarket was huge! It was definitely bigger than any supermarket in Singapore since we lack the capacity. The spaciousness was very welcome here since it can be quite claustrophobic.
There were so many different sections here, including a deli with a Marinated Corner!
They even had a section called C'est La Vie, which means "such is life", I guess it's supposed to be a lifestyle goods section? I thought this was a section for a brand but they just had regular supermarket brands so it was curious.
We walked off our early dinner here while looking for some snacks we could buy back to the hotel.
After that we decided to check out a night market for supper! It's quite common in JB and it's where a lot of people go for some authentic Malaysian street food.
But I think I'll leave that for the next post! Tune in next time for some truly delicious and authentic Malaysian street food!
Thanks so much for reading!
To find out more about me, check out my intro post here!
Check out my previous post in this series!
Snacky Start in JB! - TacoCat’s Travels #297 (MY)
