Cross-border trips to relax, recharge in JB

“I prefer getting my hair done in Johor Baru because of the value for money and comfortable environment,” said Zhang, adding that they typically have a meal before heading back to Singapore ahead of the evening jam.

A Singaporean retiree, who wanted to be known only as Wong, 70, said he would often make the journey across the Causeway with his friends.

“I am on my third trip here in a month.

“The cheap and delicious Hainanese coffee and toast served in Johor Baru kopitiam outlets are enough to keep me coming back.

“There is a difference in the taste and atmosphere compared to Singapore.

“The coffee and food are tastier in Johor Baru and of course, cheaper,” he said, adding that he would usually take the public bus across the Causeway.

On his last visit, Wong said he bought an electronic gadget at a fraction of the price it would have cost him in Singapore.

He also made a stop at a hypermarket where he and his friends stocked up on local coffee powder.

Singaporean public sector offi­cer N. Nila, 36, also crosses the border once or twice a month.

“My husband and I enjoy food hunting, especially for Indian and vegetarian fare.

“There is so much to explore, as many of such restaurants have opened in Johor Baru in recent years,” she said.

The couple, who usually drive to Johor Baru, would also slot in a massage session or some shopping for clothes before heading home.

Nila added that they would sometimes check in at a hotel in the city for a quick and affordable weekend holiday.

Business operators say the Singaporean presence is unmistakable.

Bridget Shen, who works at a Thai massage outlet at a shop­­­ping mall in the city, estimated that between 85% and 90% of its customers were Singaporeans.

To meet demand, the company operates six outlets within the same shopping centre, she said.

“Weekends are mostly fully booked. Couples and groups of friends or families form the bulk of the visitors.

“The most popular options are 90-minute and 120-minute massage packages, costing between RM100 and RM200 per session.

“From what I have heard, a typical RM100 session in Johor Baru costs about S$100 (RM307.60) in Singapore,” Shen said.

Nail technician Lew Bao Hui estimated that about 90% of her customers were Singaporeans or Malaysians who work in Singa­pore.

She said her outlet was located in Taman Pelangi, an area frequented by Singaporeans for its array of food and beverage outlets, carwash service and petrol stations.

“My customers tell me it is much cheaper to get their nails done in Johor Baru, compared to Singapore.

“They usually spend RM180 to RM320 per person on manicures, depending on the complexity of the design.

“My customers said they preferred it here because they were not pressured into signing up for packa­ges. Here, they can just make an appoin­t­­ment for a one-off experience without commitments,” said Lew.

Lindy Lim, senior advertising and promotion executive at a mall in Taman Abad, said the majority of the mall’s visitors were Singaporeans who combined errands in one trip.

She said the mall, which incorporates a hotel, positioned itself as a one-stop centre with a range of facilities including grocery store, grooming and massage services, electronics shops, snack vendors and eateries.

“It is common to see Singapo­rean customers shopping for groceries and other items on weekdays, and they usually have luggage bags to store their shopping.

“This trend is on the rise as we have seen an increase in mall visitors compared to the pre-­Covid-19 days.”

“The peak period is from Friday to Monday,” said Lim.

“Visitors like to do their shopping before visiting the Monday night market for delicious local fare,” she added.