Hutan Bandar MBJB
If you’re tired of the usual shopping and looking for outdoor activities or budget-friendly things to do in JB, consider checking out the freshly upgraded Hutan Bandar Recreational Park, also known as Hutan Bandar Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru (MBJB).
The park has just reopened in March 2026 after undergoing a RM10.3 million (SGD 3.31 million) makeover, so many features are brand new – sporting bright colours and clean facades.
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Is Hutan Bandar MBJB free to visit?
Entrance to the park is free, but some attractions have separate prices and opening hours. Here is a compilation of paid attractions:
| Attraction | Opening Hours | Malaysian Citizens | Non-Malaysians |
| Children’s Pool | Sat, Sun & School Holidays 9am-6pm (Closed on weekdays) | Free | RM5/child (~S$1.62) | RM10/adult (~S$3.23) |
| Rope Course | Sat & Sun 10am-1pm, 2pm-5pm (Closed on weekdays) | RM5/child (~S$1.62) | RM10/adult (~S$3.23) | RM10/child (~S$3.23) | RM15/adult (~S$4.85) |
| Flying Fox | Sat & Sun 10am-1pm, 2pm-5pm (Closed on weekdays) | RM10/child (~S$3.23) | RM20/adult (~S$6.47) | RM20/child (~S$6.47) | RM30/adult (~S$9.70) |
| Rock Yard Bouldering | Tue-Fri 10am-10pm | Sat-Sun 9am-10pm (Closed on Mondays) | Free | From RM5/pax (~S$1.62) |
| Klunk Valley Bike Rental | No fixed opening hours | From RM5/30min (~S$1.62) | |
What is there to do at Hutan Bandar MBJB?
Children’s playground & animal sculptures (free)
There are plenty of family-friendly activities scattered throughout the park – you’ll find at least 3 separate playgrounds for kids of all ages.
Many of them come with animal-inspired designs, like this orangutan-themed playground.
There are also a few animal sculptures you can pose with for quirky pictures – like riding on the back of a frog or hopping from number to number on a giant lizard’s back.
Image adapted from: Ong Rui En
Kids are not the only ones who use the playgrounds – you might just spot some friendly cats chilling on the playground structures or even using the seesaw as a scratch post. They roam freely all over the park too.
Outdoor gym (free)
Image credit: Ong Rui En
The outdoor gym has equipment for fitness buffs to get a proper upper-body workout. Hang from swinging handlebars or challenge each other to lift 5kg and 7.5kg kettlebells skewered on a pole, so you don’t have to worry about dropping them on your toes mid-lift.
It’s also within viewing distance from a few playgrounds – parents can squeeze in a quick workout while their kids are safely occupied nearby.
Suspension bridges (free)
There is also a fun little trail that leads through a garden of geometric animal sculptures.
Here, you’ll get to traverse suspension bridges and hop from log to log across the garden. Just hold on tight to the railings or your kid’s hand because things can get wobbly.
Walking path around a pond (free)
Dubbed the “Garden City of Johor Bahru”, the pond area is surrounded by paved paths and colourful flowers.
Take a jog, chill on the benches, or explore and snap pictures amidst the greenery. You can even enjoy a picnic with the fam on one of the benches or by placing a mat on the grass.
Butterfly Garden (free)
Over at the Butterfly Garden, slow down, and you might spot a few small butterflies in the bushes. There are also a few butterfly sculptures dotted around the area, including butterfly wings you can stand in front of to look like you sprouted a pair of your own.
Aerial view of the Butterfly Garden.
Image credit: @onnhafiz via Instagram
And here’s something cool you might not notice when you’re walking the ground – from above, the paths come together to form a butterfly shape.
Children’s pool (paid)
Image credit: Mohd Jafni Md Shukor via Facebook
The children’s pool is the perfect place to splash around and take a dip after a hot day exploring the park. This water play area was also one of the facilities that got a facelift, and it clearly didn’t go unnoticed – it drew crowds on the 1st day of its opening, attracting around 1,200 visitors.
Do note that the pool is not open on weekdays, so don’t make a wasted trip if this is the main attraction you’re coming for.
Entrance is free for Malaysian citizens, and costs RM5/child (~S$1.62) or RM10/adult (~S$3.23) for non-citizens.
Opening hours: Sat, Sun & School Holidays 9am-6pm (Closed on weekdays)
Campsite
We also spotted a campsite area as well as what looked like chalet houses from the outside, although we were unable to find out more information at the park.
There’s also an area that looks like it could be used for campfires. If you’re thinking of camping in the area, it’s best to check with the MBJB property management division or give them a call to get the latest information.
Email: jab_pengurusanharta@mbjb.gov.my
Phone number: +60 07-219 8243
Tunku Mahkota Ismail Youth Center
Image credit: TMIYC JOHOR BAHRU at Hutan Bandar via Facebook
Just when we thought we’d seen everything the park has to offer, we came across the Tunku Mahkota Ismail Youth Center (TMIYC), an area within Hutan Bandar MBJB with many more activities for adventurous individuals.
There are free weekly exercise and training sessions you can choose to join:
| Activity | Location | Day & time |
| BMX Training | Pump Track TMIYC | Fridays, 8pm-10pm |
| ‘4’ Fun Climb | Rock Yard TMIYC | Saturdays, 9am-12pm |
| Roll & Balance Skateboard Session | Skate Park TMIYC | Saturdays, 9am-10am |
| Callisthenics Workout Session | Parkour Park | Saturdays, 8pm-9pm |
| Oldyorobic Workout | Amphitheatre | Fridays & Saturdays, 8pm-9am |
| HIIT Workout | Amphitheatre | Fridays & Saturdays, 5.30pm-6.30pm |
| Zumba | Amphitheatre | Sundays, 8am-9am |
| Tabata Workout | Amphitheatre | Sundays, 5.30pm-6.30pm |
Skatepark (free)
This outdoor street skatepark features a good mix of obstacles like rails, ramps, quarter pipes, and flat areas. With a smooth concrete surface, it’s great for skateboards, scooters, rollerblades, and rollerskates.
The skatepark is brightly lit at night, so you’ll still have clear visibility if you’re planning a visit after dark.
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Admission is free, and there’s a skate shop right beside, offering skateboard and safety gear rental for RM10/hour (~S$3.23) each. They also offer private skateboarding lessons with 1 coach and 1 student. A single package for a 1-hour lesson costs RM60 (~S$19.42), while a monthly package with 4 1-hour sessions costs RM220/month (~S$71.19).
Pump track (free)
If the steep drops at the skatepark are too intimidating, ride a bike around the pump track instead, where riders build momentum by shifting and “pumping” their body weight through the slopes rather than pedalling.
While admission to this area is free, do note that you’ll need to come with your own set of wheels or pay for a bike rental. We’ll cover where you can rent one in the next section.
Bike rental (paid)
Klunk Valley is a vintage-looking bike rental shop with only a few bicycles to rent, as they are currently “in the midst of a new era”, according to the owner.
Their single-speed bikes can be rented for RM5/30-min (~S$1.62), while bikes with adjustable gears and speeds can be rented for RM10/30-min (~S$3.23). You can even pay for a guide to take your group on the best route around the park or city for RM10/trip (~S$3.23).
The shopowner is often not around as he has other commitments, but his friend helps to man the store, usually arriving in the morning and staying until around 6pm. There are no promises that the shop will stay open throughout the day, especially during rainy weather, so it’s best to WhatsApp in advance to make sure someone will be there if you’re planning to rent a bike.
Owner’s WhatsApp number: +60 12-296 2052
Friend’s WhatsApp number: +60 16-314 4668
Callisthenics & parkour park (free)
It’s not often that you’ll come across a place in the wild that you can just swing, jump and climb all over. If your parents were always telling you to get off the furniture and stop climbing your doorframe when you were younger, you can now unleash your childhood inner monkey at this parkour park.
Make full use of this free Ninja obstacle course with angled quadruple steps, fireman’s pole, ladders, and bars.
There is also a callisthenics area where you can practice your muscle-ups on hanging bars, work on handstands and dips on parallel bars, or even attempt the Iron Cross on gymnastic rings.
Rock Yard (paid)
Rock Yard offers rock climbing and bouldering in a small, sheltered area within TMIYC.
Here’s a quick look at the prices:
| Item | Details |
| Bouldering | RM5/pax (~S$1.62); free for Johor residents* every Wednesday; free for all children 6 and under and seniors 60 and over
*Mykad is required for proof of address |
| Rock climbing wall | RM12/pax (~S$3.88) for 2 climbs; includes harness, rope, and belayer rental |
| 1-hour lesson | RM45/pax (~S$14.56) for bouldering and rock climbing lesson; includes harness, rope, and belayer rental |
| Climbing shoes rental | RM5/hour (~S$1.62) |
| Chalk bag rental | RM5/hour (~S$1.62) |
| Harness rental | RM5/hour (~S$1.62) |
| Gear combo rental | RM12/hour (~S$3.88) for climbing shoes + harness |
| Belay device rental | RM5/hour (~S$1.62) |
| Climbing rope rental | RM20/hour (~S$6.47) |
| Runner device rental | RM20/hour (~S$6.47) |
Walk-ins are accepted, and no bookings are needed, although it’s recommended to drop them a WhatsApp message in advance at +60 018-2878787 to be safe.
Rope course & flying fox (paid)
If you’re looking for an affordable and beginner-friendly rope course challenge, this one is for you. There are 5 obstacles to conquer and all around 1-storey high, so they aren’t too difficult for a first timer. Obstacles include “tree-hugging”, “broken bridges”, a tunnel suspended in mid-air, and an aerial bike.
It costs RM5/child (~S$1.62) and RM10/adult (~S$3.23) for Malaysian citizens and RM10/child (~S$3.23) and RM15/adult (~S$4.85) for non-Malaysians.
Then end off the challenge with an exhilarating flying fox zipline above the canopy for RM10/child (~S$3.23) and RM20/adult (~S$6.47) for Malaysian citizens and RM20/child (~S$6.47) and RM30/adult (~S$9.70) for non-Malaysians.
Opening hours: Sat & Sun 10am-1pm & 2pm-5pm (Closed on weekdays)
Contact: +60 018-2878787 (Arie) and +60 016-7756518 (Amin) | Instagram
Canopy walk (free)
Those who prefer taking it easy can opt to go on a short, scenic stroll on the canopy walk, with bridges that take you a few metres over the park ground and through the trees, alternating with paved paths on the grass. The walk isn’t very long and can be completed in under 10 minutes.
Image credit: @msaufie2u via TikTok
If you’re visiting at night, the Canopy Walk transforms into a neon-lit path between 8.30pm and 10.30pm on Fridays to Sundays. The 1.85km trail lights up with glow-in-the-dark motifs along the ground, featuring everything from abstract designs and the southern tiger stripes to traditional gambir and black pepper designs, as well as Johor thread patterns.
What to eat at Hutan Bandar MBJB
It’s easy to spend an entire day here – luckily, there’s a range of food options to keep your tummy filled. There is a coffee shop at the entrance of Hutan Bandar MBJB selling food like murtabak, drinks like coffee and fruit juice, and even desserts like cendol.
Alternatively, if you’re closer to the TMIYC area, there are many trendy, alfresco-style cafes to grab a bite at.
Stesen 3 Cafe (left), PortHutan (middle), and Das Coffee (right).
Image adapted from: Aina Syafirah & Farah Mounir via Google Maps, @porthutan via Instagram
Healthy Roots Cafe serves up refreshing drinks like matcha strawberry and berry smoothies that you can pair with their waffle ice cream. You’ll also find a variety of other spots offering similar treats, such as Stesen 3 Cafe and PortHutan, which also dish out Western mains and pizzas. For those looking for treats for the ‘Gram, The Cool Cat Ice Cream has plenty of aesthetic ice cream options.
For more drinks and pastries, check out Loka Coffee, Das Coffee, and Mother Juices. And if you’re looking for something heartier, there’s spaghetti at Pot Lapo, ayam penyet at Rasa Rasa, and local noodles at Nu-Del & Ko-Pi.
Image credit: Taman Temakkan Alhurr via Google Maps
Alternatively, there’s MekLokal’s, a McDonald’s lookalike selling prosperity burgers, spicy chicken burgers, and fried chicken.
Image credit: anb chat via Google Maps
If you’re just craving a portable snack and bottled drink, Lynda Barakah is a convenience store nearby with popsicles and refrigerated beverages.
How to get to Hutan Bandar MBJB
The park is a mere 10-minute drive from the JB CIQ, and just as close to popular shopping destinations like Holiday Plaza and KSL City Mall. If you’re driving, you can find parking spaces near the Anjung Selera Hutan Bandar coffee shop by the entrance, or right at the start of the canopy walk.
Hutan Bandar MBJB – The Smart Local review
We visited on a weekday, so the park was quite deserted, and many shops were closed. Consider planning your trip on a weekend instead, when more attractions are open, so you’ll be able to enjoy the park fully.
Also, a very important PSA: there were cats everywhere – really friendly ones that might come up to you for pets.
Since you’ll be outdoors for most of the day, remember to check the weather forecast before heading down. We recommend bringing insect repellent and sunblock, and maybe pack a mini fan too, or you’ll end up covered in mosquito bites and sunburns just like us.
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Photography by Ashley Hoon.