Travel: Malaysia - Desaru
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we (2 adts & 2 kids) went desaru last yr but did not stay overnight. instead, we visited the crocodile farm, fruit farm, ostrich farm, kota tinggi waterfalls & firefly cruise... enought itinerary to cover you the whole day.
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Intend to go during school days. Anyone wanna join us driving down together?
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Hi, I am planning to drive to Pengarang, Sengei Renggit, via the new expressway in M’sia? Has anybody travelled by that route? If yes, can you give me some guidance on how to get there? Thank you.
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Hi! I’ve actually posted directions to Desaru on this forum, but here it is again.
The most important part is to get the first turning correct.
After clearing the JB Customs, just follow the road until you hit a multi-lane highway (Jalan Lingkaran Dalam).
Once on this highway, keep left and look out for a Shell petrol kiosk on the left. When you see this petrol station, you should keep left. Take the first exit lane after the petrol station. You’ll come to a pretty huge cross junction. Get ready and turn right onto Jalan Tebrau (Tebrau Highway).
Drive along this Highway (look out for the road signs with route 3 in yellow box). Drive straight along this highway until you pass first Tesco then Jusco(Tebrau City) on your left, then keep left. About 5 - 10 min later, follow the road sign that leads to the E22 Ulu Tiram toll booth. Its a 3 - 4 min drive fr the entrance to the toll booth. From there its a straight drive for 45min - 1 hr.
At the first junction after the last toll booth, turn right for the Desaru hotels (or left for the fruit farm). There are signs along the way pointing to the various hotels. If you’re heading for the hotels, turn left at the Petronas station. For Sungi Renggit, keep going straight for another 30 - 45 min till you almost hit the sea.Then take the right fork at the T junction. You’ll hit the town in a min. Its a small town, and any turn will probably take you to its main street.
Have a great drive there. -
If you are driving from second link (E3), just head towards Senai. Do not turn into North-South Highway(E2) but go straight to the exit 2201 to get into the new Senai-Desaru Highway E22. Then all the way towards Desaru which is about 1 hour away. Check out the new bridge across Sungai Johor. Have fun in Desaru!
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poppy15:
we (2 adts & 2 kids) went desaru last yr but did not stay overnight. instead, we visited the crocodile farm, fruit farm, ostrich farm, kota tinggi waterfalls & firefly cruise... enought itinerary to cover you the whole day.
Hi Poppy15, how was the kota tinggi waterwall?
Is it good? We wanted to drop by the waterfall while on the way back to SG but missed the turning and did not go there. -
JR:
If you are driving from second link (E3), just head towards Senai. Do not turn into North-South Highway(E2) but go straight to the exit 2201 to get into the new Senai-Desaru Highway E22. Then all the way towards Desaru which is about 1 hour away. Check out the new bridge across Sungai Johor. Have fun in Desaru!
Hi all, Thanks for all the directions to Desaru. Is it easier to travel from 2nd link (tuas) and drive up to Senai then take the E22 highway to desaru? How long is it to drive from tuas checkpoint to the Senai-Desaru highway?
Or is it more practical and shorter time to drive from causeway to the new highway to desaru than tuas? What's the best time to drive into woodland causeway during a friday morning? And guess it would be shorter time to drive to desaru from tuas, am I right?
As for Desaru travelling tip, can anyone advise me if I should go to the firefly tours with young kids? Any contacts to the firefly tour? Anyone have chartered/ booked a taxi for a full day use before? Any contacts to recommend? should I go to the Kota Tinggi waterfall first or fruit farm? Is there any other attractions to go to around the waterfall? Is it along the way to desaru beach? fruit farm and ostrich farm, around the same area? What about the fisherman museum and makan place at xx Rengit? Any good makan place near hotels for lunch/ dinner to recommend other than the hotels? Which hotels have better food and accomodation, pulai or lotus? Anyone have any advise how I should go about for my sight seeing for 3 d 2 n? any advise is greatly appreciate. -
I didn’t want to wait a long time in the queue at the customs (I went on Sat morning). So I got to the Woodland’s customs at 8am, and was sailed through. In JB, we turned into one of the little lanes off the main road and had breakfast, checked out a shopping centre … We were on the road again at 11am. We got to our hotel (Desaru Lotus) at 12+.
Our little ones enjoyed the firefly trip. Its cheaper if you drive there and book it yourselves. But its a dirt road (literally, with potholes) and NO road lights. There’s a seafood restaurant at the firefly landing stage. We got one of the locals to lead us in, and he charged for that. You buy the tickets for the firefly boat ride at the landing stage. Its not a dock, more like a large floating pontoon, with makeshift wooden walking planks leading down to the pontoon. Just walking on those wooden planks was an adventure for the little ones, and a bit scarry for the more timid adults. All passenges have to wear a lifejacket. Some were newish, some were old & smelly. I got inflatable lifejackets for my little ones. But they loved watching the fireflies - some fireflies flew into the boat.
You can try to drive in before it gets dark, then have dinner while waiting for it to get dark enough for the firefly boatride. The drive out is usually not as scarry if you follow behind another car (who hopefully knows the way). From the desaru hotel, head towards the fruit farm. About 50m before the fruit farm, there’s a row of shophouses with a couple of makan & souviner shops with a carpark in front of it. There’s a lane to the left side of it that petters out into a dirt track. This is the track to the firefly landing stage.
Enjoy the trip! -
Thanks for your info., Laura02! Can I check with you if the road is bumpy and not good to travel on espcially at night? Are the road signs clear? Does GPS help or of no use since its all small roads that we would be travelling around? How much did you pay for the firefly tour and fruit farm? Which blk did you stay at over at Lotus? Are the rooms very old or ok? When did you go there? Care to share where you stop over for breakfast? Is it easy to navigate from causeway to the new high way? Sorry for so many qtns as it would be our 1st trip to drive up to malaysia and have many considerations and worries. Trying to find another family to travel with us but so far no luck. Anyone wanna join us to travel up on 18th Nov and return on 20th Nov? Hope to have company to drive up there since it would be our 1st trip and having someone to accompany would be great in case of emergency.
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Whether you drive to Desaru by second link or by causeway depends on where you stay. For me, it takes 10 minutes drive to Tuas Checkpoint, so I chose to go by second link even though I have to pay more toll. It is definately more direct route to E22. As mentioned by Laura02, you can reach E22 from Tebrau City. Just have to be ensure you get to the correct entry. I have done it by that way but if you are a first timer, it may take some getting used to the signage…
By second link checkpoint, it takes about half an hour to reach Senai entrance to E22. Then about another hour to Desaru along E22. It is quite clear traffic from second link. I suppose that is the benefit of paying more…
As for fireflies, I have not been to the one at Desaru. I did visit the Kuala Selangor fireflies though, it was quite magical. But it is quite a distance away from Singapore…
I suppose it would be good to have a GPS with you. I never tried it before, so I don’t know. I navigate through maps and signboards. Of course, i lost my way a few times, but I got to the right place with some help from locals. I guess that is part of the experience of self drive…
I only stayed in Lotus, so cannot comment on other resorts. Actually, the food in Lotus is ok. If you want to eat at Sungai Rengit, there are more choices, but it is half an hour drive away. Didn’t dare to try driving at night, so went there for lunch instead. Pengarang is another village 20 minutes further down from Sungai Rengit.
Sorry, I won’t be free on the dates mentioned. But go for it. Have fun! Tell us your experience when you come back.
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