Situated at the southern end of Peninsular Malaysia, the state of Johor is also a neighbor of Singapore. Its capital city, Johor Bahru is a vibrant and thriving commercial city, offering a host of sporting events, pulsating nightlife, wide-ranging accommodation and a myriad of restaurants. It also offers shopping opportunities in the form of modern malls, arcades, handicraft centers, bazaars and open-air markets.
Johor is also known as golfers’ paradise as the state has the highest number of golf courses in the country. Johor Bahru is also linked to Singapore via its 1, 056-meter causeway across Selat Tebrau or the Straits of Johor.
Johor culture was influenced by the Bugis who first set foot in Malaysia via Johor. The famous cekak musang and teluk belanga are the collar design for the male garment called ‘Baju Melayu’. The teluk belanga was designed by Sultan Abu Bakar in 1866.
Johorean speaks Malay or also known as Johor-Riau Malay. Zapin, Hamdolok and Kuda Kepang are the heritage cultural activities still practiced today. The musical instrument normally used in every cultural performance is gambus.
