People in Singapore excited to visit Johor Baru

Nakagawa, 27 (right) with her friend Kanoko Fukushima, 26, during their visit to Johor Baru recently.

AFTER waiting for two years, Paterno III Villamor Sumbilon was finally able to cross the border from Singapore to enjoy a weekend in Johor Baru with his friends.

The 31-year-old Filipino, who has been working in Singapore for more than a decade, said he used to visit Johor Baru at least once a month before the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I cannot believe that I can finally set foot in Johor Baru again.

“I have been waiting for so long to come here.

“Johor Baru has been my favourite place to unwind since I moved to Singapore more than 10 years ago.

“My friends and I used to take the bus on the weekend just so that we could enjoy a peaceful hotel stay, do a little shopping and most importantly, eat.

Sumbilon says Johor Baru has been his favourite place to unwind since he moved to Singapore over 10 years ago.

“Sometimes, we would just come in the morning to experience the town before leaving the same day,” said Sumbilon, who works as an assistant supervisor in the island republic.

He said his trip to Johor had been smooth so far with no major hiccups.

“I was worried that the immigration line would be long as I have seen online photos of such long queues.

“Thankfully, I did not experience that despite coming on a weekend.

“My hotel stay was also up to standard as the place I chose was not fully booked.

“I do, however, notice that there are long lines at some restaurants in town,” he noted.

Sumbilon is among those who were spotted visiting Johor Baru recently.

Singaporean chef Harry Gan, 30, said he planned to visit Johor more often now that the border had reopened fully and as more Covid-19 restrictions were lifted both in Malaysia and Singapore.

“It is good to be back in Johor after so long. I am relieved to see that most of my favourite dining places are still open but there are one or two that have closed.

“I plan to visit Johor again more often after this as I really miss the laid-back atmosphere it offers, especially at night.

“It is also a lot cheaper to eat and shop here,” he said.

Meanwhile, Japanese air stewardess Momoe Nakagawa, 27, said she was excited to visit Johor for the first time and was looking forward to more visits.

“I started working in Singapore not long before the pandemic and as such, I have not been able to experience a trip to Johor Baru before this.

“My friends who have been working in Singapore have always shared stories about their holidays in Johor and I am glad to experience it myself.

“So far, my experience has been good.

“I plan to come back on another weekend and stay longer,” she said.