A self-drive day trip to Aeon Mall Bukit Indah (Johor Bahru, Malaysia – Updated Dec 2023

Prior to trip, check “Useful travel information and A quick guide from Singapore to Johor Bahru“

AEON MALL BUKIT INDAH 

Info updated as of Dec 2023.

OVERVIEW: Worth a visit for the whole family.

We spent the whole day here with a parking charge of only RM1.

Free WiFi available at selected spots. Try out the open WiFi connection. Aged shopping mall vs Aeon Tebrau City.

KIDS PLAY

Our first stop this morning was “Molly Fantasy” arcade located within Aeon department store on level 2.

A RM2 deposit for the game card purchase. You will need to top-up with credits and both card and credit will expire 1 year after the last top up. Current available promotion or coupon can be found here

There are a wide variety of games for the kids from the kiddy rides, prize catcher, capsule machine, photo booth, and so on. We spent more than 1 hour here. Each machine, except those that uses the game card eg. Animal Kaiser 3 or Pokemon Tettra 4, costs 50%+ less (requires 3 or 4 credits) than if you are to play in an arcade in Singapore. Some rides or the prize catcher looks old, but still enjoyable for the kids.

While the children play, Mummy J went shopping. What is worth getting in Aeon departmental store. Check below suggestions under the “Shopping” header or do a search on this page.

Biz still operating as check on 24/12/2023

Kidzooona (updated review from 2019) – for kids in Kindergarten to lower primary

Located on the same level as the arcade in Aeon. Walk out of Aeon, on the left-hand side lane, walk straight for about 2 minutes.

Kidzooona is an indoor playground under the same parent company as the Molly Fantasy arcade. Price changed to RM18 each child for unlimited playtime (Parent or Guardian enters for free). Remember to bring along socks for both adult and child, otherwise you will need to pay RM4 for a pair.

Newly added plays with the revamp and the flooring is cushioned. Adults will sit around the cushioned seats while the children enjoy the fun.

The playground is spacious. The pretend play corner, which is made out of hard cardboard with limited space (probably 2-3 toddlers) in each house is still around. Great for younger children while for primary schoolers some may need to bend their head to get in. Other areas include the bouncy castle, trampoline, playhouse, toddler’s vehicle ride-on that require manual walk around, Kinetic sand play pits (requires purchase of the sand), but there may be leftover of the sand from previous players.

More scheduled activities for the weekend such as Origami, Musical chairs, Puzzle, Sculpture balloon, and Dot to dot. Daily activities board is placed outside.

Toilet and Cafe are not available within the playground. 

Overall worth to visit for a cheap price and unlimited play time.

Biz still operating as check on 24/12/2023

More play right next to Starbucks cafe

Behind the back entrance of Starbucks cafe, is an enclosed space for young children (up to primary 1 base on my gauge on the size of available vehicles) to ride-on the motor cars or motorbikes. Primary two can only ride on the motorcycle.

Good enough space for the children to move in circles. RM10 for 20minutes play.

An outdoor playground right outside from here.

OTHER ENTERTAINMENT

TGV Cinema located on 2nd floor.

DINING

There are lots of dining options, but not limited to those listed below, from Japanese (Sushi King, Arashi Shabu Shabu, Kinsahi), Western (Season’s, Nando’s…) to Asian meals (Souper Tang aka Tang Shifu 汤师父), bakery (JCo, SDS, Lavender…), Light bites and Cafe (Starbucks, Baskin Robbins). Locate for the food street or cafes such as Starbucks, are located at Level 1. McDonald’s is a 10-15 minutes walk from the mall (Check Google Map) and other fast food restaurants are A&W, KFC.

Lunch (May 2016) at Sushi King level 1 (Lot F19, 1st Floor).

The halal certified restaurant is usually crowded for both lunch and dinner, from what was observed when we visited, and similar across other outlets in JB. Good food and affordable pricing.

Salmon sashimi is a must order food for us as each slice is thick and taste fresh.

The children have the Sushi Chef set (Make your own sushi platter) that includes a vanilla ice-cream and 1 bottle of yakult , while the rest of us have the Salmon Sashimi, Tempura Moriwase, Zaru Soba, Kinoko (Mushroom) soup, Sushi, Temaki, Matcha ice-cream, and many more. Truly a satisfied meal. Refer to their menu here.

Return to our fave Jap restaurant for dinner (Dec 2016). Special for the month of December, Aburi.

The serving for the Pan fried Australian beef is small, and the crab in the soft shell crab tempura is small to be able to savour much taste.

Salmon belly on a stick seemed rather oily although juicy.

The portion and size of the crab stick maki and fried squid was small, and the squid tasted average.

Likes: Wide variety. Fresh and Tasty food. Specials for the month. New addition to the menu. Cheap price.

But: Service staff is in need when crowded, so do expect to repeat your requests to another staff if your requested item has not arrived.

Note: Some months the restaurant is open for only buffet, such as the month of Jun is the Ramadan buffet. Click on the above website link.

Old Town White Coffee

Speed of food served: 30 minutes and longer after placed the order and the first dish arrived. DaddyC ordered later than us, but his food came first. Only after we made an enquiry on the food for the rest of us did we finally got our beverages served.

Overall, cost of the meals is RM58.30 for a meal for 2 adult and 2 children, but you are better off dining at the Singapore outlets. For example, the portion of chicken was small for the curry chicken rice combo with little gravy and the Nasi (rice) does not have the coconut fragrance taste.

Overall: Better options elsewhere or if you want to have coffee and toast.

Dinner at Kinsahi Japanese Restaurant Lot F09 on 5 Jun (Free WiFi available).

Selected dishes are good. Price is mid-range as compared to opposite Sushi King. 

• Free Crystal biscuits. Refillable.
• Hotate Special Yaki RM16.90
• Egg Wasabi Mayo (Auto-serve appetizer by the staff). Nice with slightly strong wasabi. Cost RM5.
• Sake Sashimi RM19.90.
• Kappa maki RM10.90
• Gyu Niku Ramen RM19.90 – Soup was sweet with wok-fries taste on the vegetable, and noodles were soft. The beef was overcooked and less than 5 pieces.
• Surume Ika Teriyaki sauce RM24.90 – Soft and tasty with Teriyaki sauce. Alternative choice with shio (salt).
• Genki Aigamo Ramen RM18.90 – Chinese herbal soup taste. Also great for children.
• Warm water are chargeable at RM1, Ocha RM2.50.

Service was quick and most staff were attentive. Sushi are fresh.

LIGHT BITES or TAKEAWAY

A&W

Located at Lot G17.

A fast-food restaurant that jots back childhood memories when its outlets were once found in Singapore. Famous for its curly fries and root beer float. A place not to be missed when in JB for some tea break.

Hock Hua

A Chinese tonic and herbs shop. Bought a bottle of Chrysanthemum at RM2.50. Thick taste well worth the price for the quality. Will sure to grab other drink to try for our next visit (Reviewed 2018).

Lavender Bakery

A bakery store. Ordered the Chocolate Hazelnut (RM11.60) in which the hazelnut tasted fragrant, but overall the cake tasted average. Sesame macaron (RM4.20) was too sweet. 

As it is in the month of Chinese New Year, the bakery is selling some CNY cookies. Pumpkin seed crisp 160gsm (RM25.80) tasted fragrant and suitable for the sweet tooth.

Secret Recipe

Located at G20, Ground Floor. 

Beside offering dine-in meals, Secret Recipe has tasteful cakes we will always take-away back to Singapore. The taste is similar to that in Singapore, but cheaper.

Our takeaways are Green Tea Cheese cake, Chocolate Banana cake, White Chocolate Macadamia cake, and Chocolate mud cake.

Their moist chocolate cake tasted more like coffee.

*Pricing has increased from RM8 to RM8.80 per slice of cake for selected selection.

5 minutes walking across the mall to:

BlackBall Bukit Indah

Fans of BlackBall (Taiwanese dessert) can find one just nearby Aeon, right across the street. Click for direction. Locate Starbucks Cafe and go right to the back entrance, go out and all the way straight to the exit door of Aeon mall.

McDonald’s

Right across from the same exit as BlackBall. Super crowded

SHOPPING/ GROCERY SHOPPING

Our visits are usually not for retail shopping, although there are push-carts and some stores selling dvd/ vcd, Padini concept store, Daiso, Bata, Toy R Us, Bossini, Crocs, Brands outlet (presuming selling branded clothing, but not worth visiting as browsing through it was not really branded clothings and are overpriced), Watsons, Aeon Wellness (next to Aeon supermarket), etc.

Aeon departmental store

Items to consider buying that are worth the savings: Office lady maternity wear, baby necessities.

Aeon supermarket

Items to consider buying that are worth the savings: Baby milk powder, Milk powder for pregnant mums, Coffee powder, Yakult, cup noodles, sanitary napkins.

Popular Bookstore

Located at S15, 2nd Floor.

Singapore’s Popular cardholder can have the same discount here in Malaysia. There is also a column of shelves of Singapore assessment books that can be found here, but you need to compare the prices.

Kaison

Selling home decor, toys, etc.

CHECK OUT our post on

Aeon Mall Tebrau City

Legoland and Mall of Medini

Shopping malls and hotels in JB (via Woodlands checkpoint)

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