Kota Tinggi

Kota Tinggi is a town in Kota Tinggi District, Johor, Malaysia. Kota Tinggi is known as a historical town because the Sultanate of Johor was established there. Many historical tombs are found here including the Sultan Mahmud Mangkat Di Julang Mausoleum, Makam Bendahara Tun Habib Abdul Majid and Makam Tauhid in Kampung Makam.

Get in

By plane

The nearest airport with commercial flights is the Senai International Airport in Senai, which is well-connected to the rest of Malaysia, including several daily flights to Kuala Lumpur by AirAsia. An alternative option would be to fly into Singapore, which is better connected internationally than Johor Bahru, though with the added hassle of having to pass through customs and immigration twice.

By bus

There are frequent buses (Maju 227, Causeway Link 6B, Transit Link 41) between downtown Johor Bahru's Jalan Wong Ah Fook (the bus stop is opposite City Square) and Kota Tinggi's bus terminal at Jalan Niaga Utama. The Maju 227 bus originates and terminates at Johore Bahru's Larkin Bus Terminal. Causeway Link no. 66 bus plies between Larkin Bus Terminal and Kota Tinggi. The average frequency of the Maju 227 bus is every 15 minutes and the one-way fare between City Square and Kota Tinggi is RM4.80. The journey takes about 1 hour or more, depending on the bus number and traffic conditions. Generally, buses with "Kota Tinggi" in large letters, and without other smaller stops written on the front, tend to travel faster.

There are non-stop Mara Liner coach services four times a day from Johor Bahru's Larkin Bus Terminal to Kota Tinggi at 10:30AM, 1PM, 5PM and 10PM, en route to Bandar Penawar. The one-way fare is RM 4.00.

Get around

By bus

Bus terminal in the town is:

• 1 Tun Seri Lanang Bus and Taxi Terminal

On foot

The town is small enough to walk around.

See

Kota Tinggi Museum

• 1 Kampung Makam (Tomb Village) (1.5 km northeast of the bus terminal). The other tourist attraction of Kota Tinggi. Its name was probably derived from the presence of several Malay royal tombs of historic significance. The most prominent of these tombs belongs to Sultan Mahmud, the 10th ruler of the Johor Sultanate. There are fort-like stone walls, resembling the remnants of a building or palace, in the same complex. The walls are of stone and corals while the mortar is made of a mixture of pounded cockle shells and other materials. (updated Apr 2018)
• 2 Firefly Valley Leisure Park, Jalan Kota Tinggi. (updated Apr 2018)
• 3 Johor Elephant Sanctuary (Santuari Gajah Johor). Elephant sanctuary. (updated Jul 2021)
• 4 Kota Tinggi Museum (Muzium Kota Tinggi), Jalan Kota Tinggi-Pengerang. The museum traces the history of the Johor Sultanate and exhibits paintings, historical dioramas, weaponry and other objects. (updated Apr 2018)
• 5 Kota Tinggi Town Square (Dataran Kota Tinggi), Jalan Tun Sri Lanang. Public square. (updated Apr 2018)
• 6 Kota Tinggi Waterfalls (Air Terjun Kota Tinggi), Sungai Pelepah, Gunung Panti Recreational Forest, 81900 (at Lombong, 16 km (10 mi) north-west of town). The waterfalls are 36 m high, and are at the base of the 634-m-high Gunung Muntahak mountain. The river water drains through a series of shallow pools used for swimming. (updated Dec 2019)
• 7 Sungai Bang JPS Recreational Park (Taman Rekreasi JPS Sungai Bang), Jalan Niaga 3, 81900. Park. (updated Apr 2018)

Do

Take a cruise to see the fireflies amongst the mangroves is a good idea.The fare is RM20 per person and the cruise lasts about 45 minutes.

Kota Tinggi Firefly Park

• 1 Kota Tinggi Firefly Park (Taman kelip-kelip), Jalan Kota Tinggi,81900,Johor. Johor Bahru Kota Tinggi river is a rare breeding ground and habitats for fireflies. Thousands of fireflies spread over the banks of the river and correspond to the stars, creating a unique landscape. It is an attraction not to be missed when traveling to Johor. (updated Mar 2020)
• There are many beaches along the coastal part of Kota Tinggi. The most popular beaches are Tanjung Balau, Desaru and Batu Layar ('sail rock'), which are 58 km, 55 km, and 62 km from Kota Tinggi town respectively. Chalets and hotels offering reasonable rates can easily be found along the beach.
• Teluk Sengat, 25 km east of Kota Tinggi town, is a village visited by tourists for its seafood.

Buy

Tun Seri Lanang Bus and Taxi Terminal

Firefly Valley Leisure Park

Plaza Kota Tinggi

• 1 Heritage Mall, Jalan Seri Warisan 2, 81900. Shopping mall. (updated Jun 2020)
• 2 KiP Mall Kota Tinggi, No. 1, Jalan Maju, 81900 (Take KT-001 bus from Tun Sri Lanang Terminal and alight at the supermarket), ☏ +6078823311. Supermarket integrated with wet market. (updated Jun 2020)
• 3 Kota Tinggi Public Market (Pasar Awam Kota Tinggi), Pusat Perdagangan. (updated Jun 2018)
• 4 Plaza Kota Tinggi, Jalan Tun Sri Lanang (Take KT-001 bus from Tun Sri Lanang Terminal and alight at the shopping mall). Shopping mall. (updated Apr 2018)

Eat

• Belangkas Mahkota, Jalan Tun Sri Lanang (near the bridge, next to Esso gas station). (updated Mar 2020)
• Hidangan MZ, Jalan Johor (next to the Petronas gas station). (updated Mar 2020)
• Bangkok Village Restaurant, Jalan Tambatan (serving Thai and Malay cuisines). (updated Mar 2020)
• One alfresco Chinese dining restaurant almost facing the firefly tour jetty, and the other airconditioned restaurant next door. Across the road from the two restaurants is a Hawkers Centres where about 20 individual food stalls selling Chinese and Malay foods at reasonable price until about 22:00.

• Fast food outlets

McDonald's at Jalan Niaga (near Plaza Kota Tinggi)

Secret Recipe: at Jalan Niaga (near Plaza Kota Tinggi)

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC): at Jalan Mawai (near the traffic lights)

Pizza Hut: at Jalan Niaga (sitting next to KINI Supermarket)

Domino's Pizza: near Heritage Mall

Drink

• Warung Makanan Laut Abdullah, Kampung Seluyut (10km from Kota Tinggi to Desaru), ☏ +60 166691923. specialist in cooking fresh water prawns 

Sleep

G Waterlilies Hotel

• 1 G Waterlilies Hotel, No. 2, Jalan Niaga 2, Pusat Perdagangan. Hotel. (updated Jun 2018)
• Hotel Mayres, No 29 Jalan Tun Habab, ☏ +60 7-883-9099. 12-storey, 85-room hotel 500 m north-west of the bus terminal. All standard and superior double rooms are furnished with individual air-conditioning, TV, private bath with shower and complimentary tea making facilities. The deluxe double rooms and family suites are furnished with individual air-conditioning, TV, private bath with shower, complimentary tea making facilities, minibar, hair dryer, iron & ironing board and complimentary mineral water. Facilities and service: Coffee house, lounge, beer garden, conference rooms, ballroom, laundry, safe deposit box, free covered car park, local tour arrangement, WiFi (coffee house only) Rates per room per night RM 105-145 for a double room and RM 195 for a family suite. 
• Hotel Sri Kota, No 47, 48, 49, Jalan Jaffar (facing the Firefly tour jetty and the river), ☏ +60 7 883 8111. 4 storey, all equipped with air-conditioning, hot shower, TV and no telephone, Internet is available. RM55 for double bed, RM75 for one King and one single, RM95 for two King bedrooms. 
• Home of Peace (Boutique Rest House), 29 Jalan Intan 2, Percint Intan, Taman Daiman. 2 storey, living room & master bedroom air-conditioning, TV room, kitchen, living room decorated with vintage furniture. RM200 (4 people) to RM350 (fan) & RM400 (air-con) comfortable for 8 to 12 adults. 

Learn

• 2 Minyue Pottery (民月陶窑), Lot 4198, Jalan Lombong Air Terjun. Su 2-4PM. Pottery making.  

Go next

• Desaru, local beach resort to the south of Kota Tinggi.
• Sibu Island, a peaceful and lightly-developed island 75 km away. Take a taxi to Tanjung Leman and your resort will provide boat transfers from there.