Pulau Pemanggil (Johor): Deep-Sea Fishing & Scuba Diving

Those looking for an exotic hideaway can stop looking!

Kota Tinggi Waterfall near Kota Tinggi in Johor has everything you are looking for in an exotic getaway.

It is the perfect setting for either a romantic moment or a family picnic!

There are other waterfalls in southern Malaysia, but the Kota Tinggi Waterfall is the most visited.

The views are spectacular!

It is also the best itinerary item for those seeking ecological-friendly trips.

This is a must-see for natural beauty! Do

Kota Tinggi Waterfall

Kota Tinggi Waterfall actually consists of 2 waterfalls. One is near the park entrance.

Another waterfall is further down the trail and can be accessed using a walkway. There are cement steps leading to the walkway going to the upper area of the falls.

This upper waterfall is much larger than the one near the entrance.

All of the waterfall pools are dammed, so you can swim and there are tubes for rent to use in the pools.

There are also two waterslides and shallow pools for wading near the steps leading to the upper area. Other areas include grassy areas for picnics.

Birdwatchers will love this area! There are many different species to study.

There are also hiking trails and camping areas if you want a total outdoor experience.

The water comes down from Gunung Muntahak, so it is cold. The areas around the falls are also cooler than you may expect.

7 Kota Tinggi Waterfall Safety Tips

You can enjoy your time more with some safety knowledge!

• The dammed pools for swimming has deeper water than under the waterfall.
• You should not jump into areas because there could be rocks that probably get yourself injured.
• Water may have strong currents may sweep you away, especially if it has just rained.
• You can walk to the highest part of the waterfall to get a perfect scenic shot for a picture. Be aware the path is small and slippery.
• Walk slowly and carefully on rocks as they are extremely slippery in the water
• Do not drink the water from the waterfall.
• Do not try to climb cliffs at the waterfall.

10 Kota Tinggi Waterfall Useful Tips

• There is a shop for tube rentals at the park for water slides.
• There are small rooms where you can change into your swimwear and back into your clothes, but there are no showers.
• You can wear your everyday clothes or swimming wear here.
• Food stalls are available near the entrance.
• Other activities you can do at Kota Tinggi Waterfalls are camping, hiking and picnic.
• Try hiding under the cascading waters, it’s fun!
• There are more crowds on school holidays and weekends.
• Check the weather before you come to make sure it isn’t raining.
• Tube rentals and food are not included in the ticket.
• Kota Tinggi Waterfalls Resort near the waterfalls offers to lodge. It makes for a great option if you want to spend the weekend getaways from Singapore here.

There isn’t a spot in Malaysia with more natural beauty! The Kota Tinggi Waterfall offers an awesome balance between undisturbed nature and modern convenience.

Sounds like the perfect short trip within so many of Johor attractions, doesn’t it?

The Kota Tinggi Waterfall makes a great way to spend a hot summer day!

Make time to cool off in the pools or under the waterfall!

Your kids will love it too! They can see birds, hike and swim. Time at the waterfall will leave the exhausted and sleep well!

This is one spot everyone must see at least once! After you do, you will want to come back and bring family or friends!

Kota Tinggi Waterfall Map

2 Best Food Near Kota Tinggi Waterfall

Before or after visiting Kota Tinggi Waterfalls, you can visit nearby restaurants to fill your tummy. After that, you can visit other attractions places near Kota Tinggi Waterfalls such as Firefly Valley Leisure Park, Kota Tinggi Museum, Desaru Fruit Farm and etc.

There will be nothing more welcoming like a good, fresh, tasty and authentic meal and washed down with fine drinks. There are two great restaurants you will find great food.

1. Kiang Kee Bak Kut Teh Restaurant (NON-Halal)

Just by JB to Mersing trunk road, you will find the Kiang Kee Bak Kut Teh Restaurant. It is a roadside restaurant famous for its food which is cooked on traditional pots over charcoal stoves.

The unique taste of the food and the simple ambiance create the perfect mix for a good stop-over in a sightseeing trip.

Highlights:

• The pork dishes here are too delicious to describe. You will need to taste them in personto enjoy the best that can come from well-prepared pork.
• The aroma of traditional herbs welcomes you to the restaurant long before you get to it.
• The staffers are friendly and attentive.
• The food is served straight out of the pots on charcoal stoves; always comes piping hot as it should be.
• Service is fast and the prices are reasonable for the fare you will be served with.
• The thatched and patterned roofs give a cool ambience and allow the cool breeze to waft in.

Kiang Kee Bak Kut Teh Information:
Location: Batu 8½, Jalan Mawai, Kota Tinggi, 81900 Johor, Malaysia.
Tel:+607 – 882 1290 / +6019 – 747 9416

2. Sengat Seafood Restaurant

Not far from Kota Tinggi town is another fabulous restaurant, this one specializing in seafood.

Set in the heart of Teluk Sengat village, you will not miss it; it is right opposite the basketball court, or you can just ask, everybody knows it.

Also read: 11 Best Seafood Restaurants in JB

The building hosting the restaurant is built on the crest of a small hill. This makes for a great view of the serene Johor River and the relaxed life of the village. The biggest attraction here is the food.

Highlights:

• The food is great! It is worth setting aside an hour or so from your trip to savor the culinary delights offered at this restaurant.
• The prices for the food are very reasonable, especially if you consider that the seafood is freshly caught and well prepared by experienced hands. The presentation too adds to the appeal.
• The service is good and orders are quickly served.
• The cool ambience and open spaces allow a cool breeze in from the river.
• Among their famous dishes include: sweet sour crab, steamed sea bass, butter lobsters and many more. All these dishes will be served with fresh vegetables and drinks.

Sengat Seafood Restaurant Information:
Location: 58, Jalan Belanak, Telok Sengat, 81940 Kota Tinggi, Johor, Malaysia.
Tel: +607 – 895 5116

2 Resort Near Kota Tinggi Waterfalls

If you intend to stay for a night or more near Kota Tinggi Waterfalls, there are some Kota Tinggi hotels or resorts you can choose from. Below are the 2 best resorts you could consider if you want to enjoy a night stay.

1. Kota Tinggi Waterfalls Resort

A short walk away from the famous waterfalls is a lodge going by the same name. It is a place where you can stay if you have not had enough of the waterfalls and the surrounding attractions.

You can also stay at this resort if all you want is a quiet time away from it all. The natural surroundings and the tropical air are good for the body and mind.

Highlights:

• Kota Tinggi Waterfalls Resort provides 18 rooms for you to choose. The rooms are basic, clean, airy, quiet, comfortable and the windows open up to lush garden views.
• 2 restaurants cater for your culinary needs. The resident chefs have expertise in local delicacies which you will love.
• It also has conference room, meeting room and banquet rooms.
• The rates are affordable.
• There is an outdoor pool.
• You can enjoy watersports in the lodge.
• Other facilities include daily maid services, barbeque facilities, garden, hiking, water park, gift shop and free parking.
• It is a friendly place for families and groups of young people.

Kota Tinggi Waterfalls Resort:
Location: KM16, Jalan Lombong, 81900 Kota Tinggi, Johor, Malaysia.
Tel: +607-889 9222

2. Kota Rainforest Resort

The rustle of leaves, the chirping of birds, the faint shrill of insects and a gentle breeze on your face are what gives you a sense of peace and tranquility, away from the noisy city, the maddening traffic and the daily routine of work and life.

This is no less than what you will find in the serenity of Kota Rainforest Resort inside the tropical rainforest reserve at Kota Tinggi. It is the perfect place for relaxation and recreation for you, your family and your friends or colleagues.

Kota Rainforest Resort is easily accessible; it is just an hour’s drive from the Johor Bahru Causeway and not far from Kota Tinggi town.

Highlights:

• The lodge is designed in a traditional form to give the feeling of life as it was when things were much simpler. This is the feeling of being in a tropical setting where the sun shines and the birds sing every day.
• The setting could not be more magical; all around are trees, mountains and rivers.
• Accommodation is in fully furnished and air-conditioned chalets which are fully self-contained. The wooden furniture is made to custom to reflect the overall theme of the resort.
• The restaurant here will keep you well fed with the provision of all meals following Asian and Chinese menus. For group activities, buffet meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner, can be arranged, as are barbeque dos at the riverbank.
• Recreation: There is plenty to do for all people, children, teens and adults at the resort. You will find pool tables, Mahjong rooms, soccer, beach volleyball, mountain climbing, river cruises, hiking, cycling and many more.
• Event hosting: Kota Rainforest Resort has a magnificent open air hall for gatherings. It also has conference rooms, meeting rooms and ample facilities for team building.
• There is plenty more to do around the resort including visiting the Kota Tinggi Waterfalls, great restaurants in Kota Tinggi town for local food and seafood, crocodile farms and much more.

4 Attractions Near Kota Tinggi Waterfall

1. Teluk Sengat Crocodile Farm

In Australia, they call them salties. They are also known as saltwater crocodiles or Crocodylus Porosus if you prefer their scientific name.

Also read: 31 Things To Do In Johor Bahru (JB) (Last Minute Travel Hacks!)

These are the crocodiles that you will find at the Teluk Sengat Crocodile Farm, a family run crocodile farm near Kota Tinggi in the Johor region of southern Peninsular Malaysia.

A true Malaysian crocodile hunter, Mr. Ng runs the crocodile farm with a tradition of handling crocodiles passed on from his father and grandfather.

This makes him a third generation crocodile hunter. To get close to these huge reptiles, include the Teluk Sengat Crocodile Farm in your itinerary.

An hour’s drive from the Causeway in Johor Bahru or twenty minutes away from Kota Tinggi will get you to this fascinating crocodile farm.

Highlights:

• There are more than a thousand crocodiles on the farm. Watch them in near perfect natural habitat. Not to be missed is the feeding time. Look out for the really old snapper, all of 130 years old lazing somewhere in the sun.
• Enjoy the thrill of getting real close to the crocs as you might not anywhere else in Asia and beyond.
• Do not pass the opportunity to go deeper into Mr. Ng’s farm to see the really big snappers. Take a picture for the memories, just don’t get too close!
• Learn all you can about crocodiles, their habitat, eating habits and their interesting lives from Mr. Ng and his wardens.
• There are souvenirs you can take with you to help you and your family to remember your visit to the Teluk Sengat Crocodile Farm.

Teluk Sengat Crocodile Farm:
Location: Lots 1289 & 1290, Jalan Sembilan, Kampung Belading, Teluk Sengat, 81940 Kota Tinggi, Johor, Malaysia.
Tel: +607 – 895 5220
Fax: +607 – 895 5137

2. Desaru Fruit Farm

Desaru Fruit Farm is an award-winning 100-acre farm where over 100 tropical fruits are grown with the agricultural best practices to produce some of the best tropical fruits in Malaysia and beyond.

Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agro-Tourism (MAHA) award solidified the farm as the place to go when you want to see, learn and appreciate Malaysia’s rich agricultural heritage when it comes to indigenous fruits.

How to get to Desaru Fruit Farm from Johor Bahru? Well, it is about an hour’s drive from Johor Bahru to Desaru Fruit Farm via Lebuhraya Senai-Desaru/E22 or Lebuhraya Senai-Desaru/E22 and Route 17.

If you are getting from Singapore to Desaru Fruit Farm, you can use Lebuhraya Senai-Desaru/E22 to reach Desaru Fruit Farm. The journey may take about 1 hour 30 minutes.

If you prefer to use the North-South Highway, use the exit at Pasir Gudang and drive on to Kota Tinggi and further on to the farm another 40 kilometers away.

Highlights:

• See, feel and taste the finest fruits in the region courtesy of Desaru Fruit Farm. The king of all traditional Malaysian fruits, the durian is grown here abundantly, and so are other traditional fruits like water guava, honey orange, jackfruit, and soursop. This is in addition to numerous other tropical fruits.
• Learn about their fascinating farming practices which yield such succulent fruits free from disease and deformation.
• A great place for urban children to learn that the fruits they love so much come from trees and shrubs rather than supermarket shelves.
• Buy some fruit to take with you home or to enjoy for the rest of your trip in the region.

Desaru Fruit Farm:
Location: No. 1, Sungai Cemaran, Desaru, 81900 Kota Tinggi, Johor, Malaysia.
Tel: +607 – 822 3886/5886

3. Sungai Lebam Wetlands – Fireflies

Sungai Lebam Wetlands is well known for the magical lights of the fireflies that come alive in the night.

Watching the millions of blinking lights from the lightning bugs, as fireflies are also known as, for the first time is described by those who have experienced it as one of the moments you will remember all your life.

While they are harmless to humans, their ecosystem is rather delicate and it will be responsible to leave them well alone.

Their preferred habitat seems to be the near the Berembang trees in the vast mangrove swamps in the protected wetlands. Avoid visiting on rainy nights as the fireflies prefer dry nights to come out with their lights on.

An hour and a half at the most should get you to the Sungai Lebam Wetlands from Johor Bahru and a little longer if you are coming from Singapore or Senai International Airport.

Do not leave the children behind on this trip; they will always thank you for it.

4. Canopy Tribes – Glamping in Kota Tinggi

There is always something about a camping trip that makes it memorable for years and years. Imagine this kind of trip and all the luxuries that you can find to it. It will sum up to the best camping holiday you have ever had.

This is what you find at Kanopi Tribes. They call it ‘Glamping’, short for glamorous camping. That should give you an idea of what you should expect.

Set deep inside a tropical rainforest only three kilometers from the well-known Kota Tinggi Waterfalls, you will experience the pure joy and peace that comes with country living, fresh air, plenty of birds and fabulous food and drinks to complete your perfect holiday.

Highlights:

• Luxurious Bell Tent services for classy and elegant accommodation.
• Service is personalized while it endeavors to keep your privacy intact.
• Enjoy true charcoal fired grilled meals right by your tent and fine drinks to your order.
• There is mountain climbing at the nearby 513m Gunung Panti.
• A birdwatchers paradise; the rainforest boasts of more than 250 bird species.
• Karaoke nights at the bar.
• Fishing for your dinner at the lake.
• Trek through the rainforest with its rivers and streams of clear water
• Take a night boat ride to enjoy the magical sight of millions of fireflies.