During the December 2024 school holidays, my husband made a last-minute decision to go to Johor for a short trip before our Lijiang holiday. He wanted to service the car, which meant we wouldn’t have the car for the trip. So, I planned a 3-day, 2-night stay in Johor’s Mount Austin area.
If you frequently visit Johor without a car or prefer to minimize traveling by car, this itinerary will be perfect for you! Some places definitely require you to book a Grab or drive, but booking a Grab in Johor Bahru is very straightforward and easy.
Day 1：
Johor Padi Kopitiam
As usual, we left the house early at around 6:30 am and arrived at our breakfast spot, Padi Kopitiam. It’s one of the popular breakfast places that opens at 8 am, serving traditional Nanyang-style breakfast.
Below is what we ordered. Personally I feel the Nasi Lemak, Goreng Pisang and Po lun bun is must try! The Mee Tai Mak is ordered by my friend, he said not bad. So maybe you guys can try!
Padi Kopitiam Jalan Trus 坡地稻香咖啡
Address: Ibrahim International Business District, 82-B1,
Jalan Trus, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80888 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
8am to 9pm daily
Indoor Playground Kidz Republic
After breakfast, we made our way to the indoor playground, Kidz Republic, while hubby sent the car for repair. Since it was so early, we were the only family there. Luckily, with four kids, they could all play together—which is one of the great things about having more kids!
This isn’t our first visit to Kidz Republic; we had been here before during our stay at Holiday Inn JBCC. The playground is very big and spacious. What I like about the play area is that they separate the trampoline zones by age groups. This reduces the chances of injuries that can happen when different age groups jump together in one area.
Since it’s quite empty, I took the oppunity to take more photos.
Kidz Republic Indoor Theme Park – JBCC
Address: Lot No. 308, 3rd Floor, Komtar JBCC, City Centre,
80000 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
10am to 10pm daily
Sunday Brew
The kids played for nearly two hours before we took a Grab to our lunch spot in the Mount Austin area. The ride was about 30 minutes. Our Airbnb is also in this area, so this is where our Mount Austin itinerary begins!
Sunday Brew is a Muslim-friendly cafe that has a mini play area for kids. The overall design of the cafe is simple, yet it feels cozy.
The play area is really small, which I feel is more suitable for young toddlers, although my second daughter still enjoyed playing. With three kids playing, I felt bad about the noise level, even though we were the only customers at the time. There was one other customer when we arrived, but they left shortly after. Fortunately, the staff were very nice.
They’re popular for their coffee and cakes, and the food is decent with typical cafe pricing. I chose this place because of the mini playground and its family-friendly atmosphere, so we could all spend some time here before checking in at 3 p.m.
Sunday Brew Mount Austin
Address: 45-01, Jalan Austin Heights 8/3, 81100 Johor Bahru,
Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Wed – Monday: 10am to 7pm, Closed on Tuesday
Check-in Mount Austin Airbnb
Our airbnb is about 3 mins walk from Sunday Brew. I booked this kid-friendly airbnb – Cactus Homestay, The underground, under Deluxe Junior Suite. Check in was easy, just register with the security guard and get the access card from the locker.
Most of the reviews mention issues with the parking, but I can’t comment much on that since we didn’t drive there. The location is great because it’s surrounded by cafes and restaurants.
The moment we walked in, my kids went crazy over the gymnastic obstacle course, and everyone started arguing about who would sleep in the loft. After finally settling the sleeping arrangements, the kids had fun playing before we headed out for our next activity!
The room is fine overall. There’s one bedroom and a loft bedroom with two double beds, which is just right for my family. There’s only one toilet, but it’s manageable since the sink is outside. The only downside is that the kitchen has no utensils. We needed some for eating cake, but it wasn’t a big deal—we just bought disposable ones from the cake shop.
There’s a small table near the kitchen, but we don’t really use it. My husband uses it for work, while the kids use the gymnastic furniture as their table.
For entertainment, there are some card games and mahjong, but my kids are more interested in the mahjong set. They use it to play bingo and dominoes. As for the TV, it has a Chinese app with plenty of updated movies and shows.
Shi-ba Cafe and DA Little Farm Animals
The kids’ first activity in Mount Austin was visiting a dog and animal cafe! I purchased the entrance tickets in advance and got combo tickets that included access to both the Shiba Cafe and DA Little Farm. The tickets also came with one drink and one ice cream each.
The rates vary depending on the day of your visit, and the prices for adults and children are different. You can just go their website to check the price. Reservation is required before going down.
Shiba Cafe
We started at the Shiba Café on level 2. Upon arrival, we registered and put on foot protectors. The staff directed us to the enclosed area, and once most of the guests were inside, they released the dogs—make sure to have your camera ready! I was busy managing the kids, so I missed the chance to capture a video of the exciting moment.
There are quite a few staff members around to assist with the dogs, whether you want to carry them or take photos. Most of the dogs are wearing diapers, not because they are sick, but to prevent them from peeing in the enclosed area.
I’d say all the dogs are friendly—some are quieter, while others are more playful. They even know they’ll get a small treat if they sit still for photos!
From time to time, the staff hand out treats for us to feed the dogs. They also organize an activity where you can get premium treats to feed the dogs if you want to join in.
Overall, the area is clean, and the dogs are well cared for. There is a dog smell, but it’s unavoidable and not unpleasant at all. So I would say is worth visiting if your kids really like dogs.
Each session lasts about an hour, and after that, we can enjoy the included drink and ice cream. The drink is just a basic syrup drink, and the ice cream is self-service from the ice cream freezer. So don’t expect too much hahaha.
DA Little Farm
After that, we headed to level 3 for DA Little Farm. When we got there, we were all wondering where the farm was because all we saw were racks of pet food and supplies. It wasn’t until the staff arrived that we realized it was in another room.
We were surprised that such a small room could hold so many animals. Apparently, not all the animals stay in the same room. Some are kept in another room, and they only release the animals batch by batch.
The first big animal that greeted me was an alpaca! It was so gentle and cute, but at the same time, I was a bit scared it might spit saliva at me. Haha.. lucky it did not, but if you want to take a photo with him, you got to be fast.
It does get a bit crowded in this enclosed area. I’m not sure if there’s a limit on the number of people allowed inside. So they have farm animals like duck and rabbit, reptiles, birds, hamsters, guinea pig etc.
Here, if you want to feed the animals, you have to purchase the food separately, and the pricing varies for different animals.
You can watch a short video on our experience in Shiba Cafe and DA Little Farm!
Shiba Cafe & DA Little Farm
No 01, Mount Austin, 12, Jalan Austin Heights 8/4,
Taman Mount Austin, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Daily 10am – 245pm, 4pm-730pm
AD Mookata & Thai Food Austin
For dinner, we went to AD Mookata, which is just 7 minutes away from the Shiba Café. Actually, my husband was deciding between AD Mookata and another buffet right next to it. He asked the staff to show what both places had to offer, and in the end, he decided to go with AD Mookata.
I would say the free flow live crab is what attracted us!
Honestly, the live crabs aren’t very big, but they’re acceptable, and you can choose them yourself! I tried to pick the bigger ones and female crabs for the roe. After choosing, you just need to get the staff to help clean them. I noticed some customers chopping and cleaning the crabs themselves—you can do that to shorten the waiting time.
The variety of food is pretty good. I’m a seafood lover, and my husband is a meat lover, so both of us were quite satisfied with the selection.
Overall, the buffet is pretty good for the price. It also includes free-flow drinks and desserts, as well as cooked food. If you sit inside, the stove is electric, while outside they use charcoal. The only downside is that there are flies around, but I noticed one staff member standing near the food with a fly swatter.
AD Mookata & Thai Food Austin
Jalan Austin Heights 8/1, Taman Mount Austin,
81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Daily 5pm to 7am
Day 2：
Chaya Kopi
It’s a traditional Nanyang-style coffee house in Malaysia. I chose this place because they open quite early and offer kids’ meals! It’s rare to find kids’ meals in this type of coffee shop, and the best part is that the meals aren’t just typical fried or processed food.
良晨 Chaya Kopi
25, Jalan Austin Heights 8/3, Taman Mount Austin,
81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Daily 730am to 5pm
Eggciting Cake
Our first activity for Day 2 is cake decorating! I pre-booked the activity in advance by messaging the owner. Initially, I wanted the kids to decorate cupcakes since they’re smaller, and I wouldn’t need to eat so much cake. However, on weekends, only 4-inch cakes and larger are available. So, I opted for two 4-inch cakes and paid extra for the two younger ones to assist their older sisters.
I booked the earliest slot at 10 a.m., so we were the only customers there. One staff member was available to assist my kids on and off. I noticed some online reviews mentioning that during peak hours, there are many customers, and the staff might not be able to attend to everyone attentively. You may want to take this into consideration!
Since it was meant to be a surprise for the kids, they only googled the cartoon designs they wanted on the spot. It would be better if you prepared in advance!
After the kids chose their designs, they started mixing the colors. All the ingredients were prepared beforehand, so the kids just needed to mix, apply, and draw!
When the kids choose a cartoon, the staff will take a photo and project it. This allows the kids to simply follow the outline and draw.
Breakdown of the charges:
2 x 4″ cake RM49 each cake
2 x cartoon design RM10 each cake
2 layers strawberry RM10
2 layers mango RM16
1 x accompany RM10
1 x Durian towel cake RM25
1 x Chocolate towel cake RM20
1 x coffee RM15
Total RM214
Take note: If the accompany person is not doing, will have to pay RM10 and/or buy a cake/tea as entrance fee. So I paid 1 pax accompany price and 2 cake and 1 drink. So it’s like a total of 6 orders.
Eggciting Cake
Address: 17A, Jalan Austin Heights 2/7, Taman Mount Austin,
81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Daily: 9am to 630pm
You Kee XO
After the kids finished decorating the cake, we went to You Kee XO, which is just downstairs and only a minute away from Eggciting Cake, for a simple lunch, as the kids requested to have cake and bubble tea after that.
All enjoying their lunch. Me and my hubby ordered mixed meat platter. I’m surprised their meat is really good, espcially the char siew.
YouKee XO 有记烧臘之家 (Mount Austin)
01, 03, Jln Austin Height 7/2, Taman Mount Austin,
81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Weekday: 1030am – 3pm, 530-10pm
Weekend: 1030am – 10pm
Super Steamboat
This is one of the reasons why we chose Mount Austin. Hubby saw a recommendation for this hotpot buffet place that has an indoor playground. We’re always trying to find places that can entertain the kids while we enjoy our food.
You definitely need to take a Grab to this place, as it’s not located in the central Mount Austin area or a shopping mall. It’s a standalone building situated in an industrial area.
They have a wide variety of food options. Even the dessert selection is extensive, with choices like bingsu, waffles, ice cream, and more.
Overall, the food is quite good, and the service is excellent. The only downside is that the dining time is limited to 2 hours, which feels a bit rushed toward the end. This is especially true since we’re busy cooking for the little ones before we can prepare our own food, and I also have to check on them at the indoor playground from time to time.
霸王自助火锅 Super Steamboat Restaurant ( Mount Austin branch)
Austin V Square, Jalan Austin Perdana 2, Taman Austin Perdana,
81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Weekday: 5pm to 12am
Weekend: 1pm to 12am
Day 3:
XY 80’s Kopitiam
Our breakfast this morning was at XY 80’s Kopitiam, which is about a 6-8 minute walk from our Airbnb.
It’s a retro-style traditional kopitiam in Mount Austin. What attracted us was the free flow of snacks at the entrance. The kids, including my hubby, totally loved it.
They have a lot of antiques displayed in the store. If you’re interested, it’s worth a visit.
XY 80’s Kopitiam
32 & 36, Jln Austin Height 7/3, Taman Mount Austin,
81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Daily 730am to 8pm
My itinerary for reference:
Day 1
8am: Breakfast Padi Kopitiam
10am: Kidz Republic
1pm: Lunch Sunday Brew
230pm: Check in airbnb
4pm: Shiba Cafe & DA Little Farm
630pm: Dinner AD Mookata
Day 2
830am: Breakfast Chaya Kopi
10am: Eggciting Cake
12pm: Lunch Yo Kee XO
5pm: Dinner Super Restaurant
Day 3:
930am: Check out and breakfast XY 80’s
Back to SG