Cool Kulai: What to see and where to eat and shop in JB’s northern gateway

Kulai, just half an hour out of Johor Bahru, has a wonderful vibe with heritage sites lovingly preserved by locals and bounded by unspoiled countryside on three sides. It’s no wonder then that it’s one of Malaysia’s 10 happiest cities in 2024, according to the country’s official Happiness Index. It’s the only one from Johor to make the list, placing it in the company of Melaka, Cameron Highlands and Port Dickson.

Kulai was established in the late 1800s and got its name, according to local lore, when residents witnessed tortoises from flooded rivers wandering through the town – “gui lai” literally means “tortoises come”. Its economy is mainly agricultural although its closeness to JB and Singapore ensured Kulai never became a backwater town.

Growing up in 1960s “Kulai-fornia”, Malaysian journalist Subhadra Devan recalled how locals enjoyed TV and radio programmes from Singapore while she regularly crossed the Causeway.

Today, if you stick to the main Skudai highway running northwards through it, Kulai may look like any other Malaysian town, radiating haphazardly outwards thanks to land-grab developers with their “imaginative” tract suburbs.

Thankfully, growth in the smallest of Johor state’s districts plateaued with the North-South Highway’s completion in the early 1990s, preventing Kulai from becoming another bloated, congested JB satellite.

The town’s Hakka presence remains strong today with its temples and eateries celebrating its heritage, with the dialect group’s inherent chillness and open-mindedness making for a welcoming vibe. Kulai has also evolved into a gateway to Johor’s great outdoors with Pontian and Gunung Pulai to the south-west, Kluang and Gunung Ledang north-westwards, and a serene corridor cutting east through plantations towards Kota Tinggi.

FOR THE CULTURAL VIBE

Putuo Village

This bamboo-themed Buddhist sanctuary 10km northeast of Kulai is unlike any you or your friends have likely seen, and that means a chance to flex on IG.

There are plenty of picturesque spots, some seeming out of place in a temple, on Putuo Village’s 17 hectares. This young sanctuary, less than 20 years old, has kept up with the times.

Putuo Village is located at 1488, Jalan Kampung, Off, Jalan Kota Tinggi – Kluang, Felda Taib Andak, 81000 Kulai, Johor Darul Ta’zim. Opens 9am to 6pm daily.

Kelapa Sawit Mural Street

Started by a local artist collective a decade ago, the Kelapa Sawit Mural Street is going strong with new artwork added each year. Like at Putuo Village, you’ll find pop culture whimsically mixed in with more traditional depictions of yesteryear and Hakka heritage, in between and around numerous cafes and Hakka restaurants.

The project was initiated at the 2014 Hakka-Kelapa Sawit Art and Cultural Festival, with the artists’ initial blog post also recording their village’s heritage.

The village of Kelapa Sawit, which means “palm oil” in Malay, was one of those ring-fenced “camps” the colonial British set up throughout 1940s and 50s Malaya out of fear that sympathetic local Chinese would secret supplies to communist guerillas. Happening pre-1965, this history is Singapore’s, too.

Kelapa Sawit Mural Street is located at Unnamed Road, Kampung Sri Paya, 81000 Kulai, Johor.

EXPLORE THE OUTDOORS

Gunung Pulai

Malaysia’s friendliest mountain can be summited via a 5km-long paved road, perfect if you’ve never seriously hiked any hill before. It’ll still take 2.5 hours and it’s a full-on 654 metres up so it’s not for complete noobs. Making one of the waterfalls on the way up might be a more achievable target and a rewarding experience if you’d like to explore Johor’s outdoors.

At the base of the mountain’s west face are ample cafes and eateries, including the Rainforest Tree House Cafe. Note that the trail to the summit closes in late afternoon and on Mondays.

Rainforest Tree House Cafe is located at 25, Jalan Air Terjun, Kg Sri Gunung Pulai, 81000 Kulai, Johor. Open mornings until 4:30 pm daily except Mondays; extended hours, 6pm-9 pm, on Saturdays.

YOUR SHOPPING OPTIONS

Johor Premium Outlets

To be honest, with “hobo chic” my idea of good fashion, I’m the last guy you should be looking to for shopping advice. I can say that JPO looks and feels like any other open-air concept outlet mall in the US – which means if it’s pouring out, you’re gonna have a bad time. But there are 150 shops with names like Fendi, Furla, Salvatore Ferragamo and Ermenegildo Zegna.

Johor Premium Outlets is located at Bandar Indahpura, 81000 Kulai, Johor Darul Ta’zim. Opens 10am to 10pm daily.

Aeon Kulaijaya

The smallest of the five Aeon Malls in JB, it’s at least a decent and trusty respite from a hot or rainy afternoon, and to get groceries from the Japanese chain’s eponymous in-house supermarket.

Aeon Kulaijaya is located at F49, Indahpura, 81000 Kulai, Johor. Opens 10am to 10pm daily.

IOI Mall Kulai

It has the brand-recognition plus of being related to Malaysia’s biggest mall, IOI City Mall in Putrajaya, but IOI Kulai is far from bustling – which is actually a good thing if you’re leery of crowds.

IOI Mall Kulai is located at LG-01, Lower Ground Floor, Lebuh Putra Utama, Bandar Putra Kulai, 81000 Kulai, Johor. Opens 10am to 10pm daily.​​

WHERE TO GET FOOD

Cafe Jufei

Cafe Jufei is an oasis of charm and calm, a cool collection of carefully curated curios. The coffee is also personally sourced and brewed by the owner, for whom Jufei is clearly a labour of love. Would be great for elderly parents to visit and take a step back in time, but note that it’s up a flight of stairs on the second floor.

Cafe Jufei is located at 3D, Jalan Ismail, Taman Kulai, 81000 Kulai, Johor Darul Ta’zim. Opens 8am to 6pm daily except Mondays.

Ming Xuan

No visit to Kulai would be complete without at least one Hakka meal and there’s no shortage of good eateries to discover.

Ming Xuan stands out as one of the oldest and is well-regarded, so we have no qualms about singling it out. The shopfront looks expensive but don’t be fooled, the food is good and prices are reasonable.

Ming Xuan is located at 143, Jln Jambu Mawar, Taman Indahpura, 81000 Kulai, Johor Darul Ta’zim. Open from 9.30 am to 3pm, 6pm to 8:30 pm daily except Monday.

Tai Chiang

This old gem of a kopitiam (coffeeshop) has a strong claim to one of JB’s best coffees, with the owner still personally brewing the beans and using an old-school “sock” as a strainer. Just off the Skudai highway just south of Kulai proper and the Aeon Mall, west-facing Tai Chiang is an ideal breakfast spot tucked away along a quiet row of residential shophouses.

Tai Chiang is located at 7, Jalan Jelawat, Taman Sri Saleng, 81400 Kulai, Johor Darul Ta’zim. Opens 7am to 2pm daily except Tuesdays.