Johor, the Southern Gateway

Johor, the Southern Gateway

Johor FlagJohor Emblem
State : Johor
Capital : Johor Bahru
Population (2000) : 2,740,652
Total Area (sq km) : 18,986
Tempreature (°C) : 26 - 27
Humidity (%) : 82 - 86
Rainfall (mm) : 2,030 - 3,050
Head of State: Sultan: His Majesty Sultan Iskandar Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Ismail
Head of Govt.: Menteri Besar: Y.A.B. Dato' Haji Abdul Ghani Othman
Johor, the southern gateway and third largest state in Peninsula Malaysia is the keeper of many national and natural treasures untold. It is a delightful mixture of the traditional and modern, and natural and ultra-modern urban jungles.

A Rich History

Johor gets its name from the Arabic word Jauhar meaning 'precious stones'. Prior to that, it was known as Ujung Tanah which mean 'land's end' in Malay, due to its location at the end of the Malay Peninsula. It is also an apt name, as the southern-most tip of Asia is located at Tanjung Piai, Johor. The state derived its status as the country's Southern Gateway after it was connected to Singapore through the 1056m-long Causeway which was completed in 1923 after four years of construction. Johor has a rich and illustrious ancient history - its sultanate was established in the early 16th century, commanding the southern Peninsula and Riau islands. Upon Malacca's defeat to the Portuguese in 1511, the son of the last Sultan of Malacca, Sultan Mahmud Shah, had established a monarchy in Johor and had posed a constant threat to the Portuguese. Johor is the only state, apart from Melaka, that grew into an empire. During its peak, the whole of Pahang and the present day Indonesian territories of Riau Archipelago and part of Sumatra Island were under Johor's rule.

The Rise of a New Metropolis

Today Johor is poised to conquer the world with state-of-the-art metropolis Iskandar Malaysia, formerly known as the Iskandar Development Region (IDR). Officially launched by His Royal Highness the Sultan of Johor on the 4 November 2006, Iskandar Malaysia is set to become Southern Peninsular Malaysia's most developed region, where living, entertainment, environment and business seamlessly converge within a bustling and vibrant metropolis connected in an ultra-modern telecommunications network. The beacon of new growth, Iskandar Malaysia will spur economic developments that actuate Malaysia's global potential to greater heights. Sprawling 2,217 sq. km, it is 3 times the size of Singapore and is comprised of most of Johor's major hubs including Johor Bahru, Danga Bay, world-class ports Tanjung Pelepas and Pasir Gudang, amongst others.

A Melting Pot of Culture

With its 3.17 million population, Johor is the most populous state in Malaysia. Besides the cultural expressions practiced by the local Malays, Chinese and Indians, culture in Johor is also influenced by visitors and traders throughout history. The Bugis who first set foot in Johor would be biggest influence especially on the side of politics. The Arabs strongly influenced the arts like the Zapin dance and Hamdolok theatre performances and musical instruments like gambus (Arab lute). Ghazal Johor a love song or poem is sung in Malay with instruments like the gambus, accordion, drum, etc, but its songs reflect much Hindustani and Persian influence. The Kuda Kepang dance, a legless horse-shaped puppet straddled by the performers is inspired by the Javanese.

The rich culture and heritage of Johor is also reflected in its traditional costumes. The baju kurung Teluk Belanga, widely recognised as Johor's traditional attire since the 19th Century is also known as Baju Kurung Johor. It comes in both male and female versions. The man's costume has three pockets while the lady's version has one medium-sized breast pocket on the left. Cekak Musang and Teluk Belanga are types of collar design of the male version. It is said that Teluk Belanga was designed by Sultan Abu Bakar in 1866 to reminisce the shift of Johor's capital from Teluk Belanga to Johor Bahru.

Highlights and Attractions

Johor is divided into eight districts: Batu Pahat, Johor Bahru, Kluang, Kota Tinggi, Mersing, Muar, Pontian and Segamat, the largest of these being Johor Bahru which is the state capital. Visitors commonly head for Johor Bahru's royal palaces and lively night markets, considered as some of the state's best attractions.

The state's islands are a tourist attraction with their stretches of white sandy beaches and sparkling waters which beckons all and sundry to snorkel, scuba dive, wind-surf, sail and even reel in a fish or two.

Johor's five national parks are a wonderful representation of the sheer bio-diversity that is the state's natural heritage : botanical and wildlife paradise of Endau Rompin, the mangrove island of Kukup, the "mother of all dead ends" wetland of Tanjung Piai, the mysterious and legendary Gunung Ledang, and the heavenly Mersing islands.

Indeed there is so much more to Johor than meets the eye.

Words by Ariel Chew©

© 2002 - 2008 TourismJohor.com
Getting to Johor



By Road

There are several ways to enter Johor by road. The main ones are:
- Johor Causeway; 2nd link
- North South Expressway
- Federal Trunk Road (Route 1)
- East Coast Trunk Road (Route 3)
- West Coast Trunk Road Route 5)


By Rail

The rail service is provided by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad.
To check the interstate train schedule, go to http://www.ktmb.com.my


By Air

-Direct entry is via the Sultan Ismail Airport (or locally known as the Senai Airport).
-It is located in the district of Johor Bahru about 34km from the capital city of Johor Bahru.
-Airport limousine services take you to various destinations at fares controlled by the government. There are also scheduled airport coach services to Johor Bahru city centre and Singapore.


By Sea

The following are the sea entry points into Johor.
- Johor Bahru International Ferry Terminal (Johor Bahru district)
- Pasir Gudang (Johor Bahru district)
- Kukup (Pontian district)
- Muar (Muar district)
- Tanjung Belungkor (Kota Tinggi district)
- Tanjung Pengelih (Kota Tinggi district)

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Hotels in Desaru Malaysia - Complementing Your Stay

Desaru is one of the most popular beach resort located on the eastern trip of Peninsular Malaysia. Hardly anyone can resist the temptation of visiting this wonderful place. Its clean sandy beaches aided with lush tropical forests impart an eternal beauty to this tourist destination which expands in 25 kilometers area. A favorite holiday destination, Desaru features several beautiful resorts and hotels that suits to all kinds of budget.

Besides being a natural wonder, it also caters to the hobbies of water sports freaks. Its casuarina trees-lined beach and clean water serve as a great water sports destination. Snorkeling, fishing, boating and canoeing, you will find people engaged in all sorts of water sporting activities. However, it is not a disappointing factor for the visitors who are fond of such activities; they can opt for horse riding, Tennis, golfing and several other interesting sports.

Desaru beaches also possess a unique character. The sand of these beaches is grayish in color and the depth of seabed will stun you-you will find it to be shallow even 50 meters into the sea. However, the superiority of Desaru beaches cannot be challenged at all. It has one of the best beaches in mainland Johor. Many other sights of tourists' interest are there too. Tanjung Pengelih is a nice place to visit-here the relics of World War II are kept. Accommodation in the city, of course, is no problem at all. Hotels in Desaru Malaysia are affordable and very well equipped. This place is definitely a great touring vacatation with much to offer.

Author is an associate editor of Stayresmalaysia. The website offers exclusive information of Hotels in Desaru and Kuala LumPur Hotels. We also provide online hotel reservation of hotels in Malaysia.


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