Mid Valley Southkey things to do
Taking a shopping day trip to JB has long been a favourite past-time for Singaporeans, especially on beloved long weekends or public holidays. Whether it’s to get our nails done or make our tummies happy, Malaysia always has so much to offer for a kinder price tag.
The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey spans over a crazy 2.5 million square feet with a total of 4 different entrances. If you only have time to visit one mall in JB our vote’s on this one.
The current exchange rate is RM1 = ~S$0.30 as of 20th December 2024.
How to get to Mid Valley Southkey from Singapore?
Mid Valley Southkey is closer to Woodlands Causeway and is just a 5-minute drive away once you cross the border. It’s pretty close to the ever-iconic KSL mall – read: you can easily go mall-hopping during a day trip. While there are public buses like T21 that can take you from JB Sentral to the mall, the journey takes much longer so we suggest booking a Grab if you don’t drive.
Stay the night if you can – St. Giles Southkey Johor Bahru (from ~S$120/night) is a hotel attached to the mall. Considering the central location, it’s a pretty great place to set up base to explore the rest of the area.
P.S. For anyone wondering, Mid Valley Southkey also has free WiFi.
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What is Mid Valley Southkey known for?
Size aside, Mid Valley Southkey is also known as a one-stop shopping mall. Singaporeans might be happy to hear that they have our favourite fashion and beauty stores like Uniqlo, Sephora, and Innisfree. Luxury stores are also aplenty, and you can’t miss Dior Beauty, Gucci Beauty, and Tudor on the ground floor.
1. The Founders Bakery
Image credit: @johorlife_ via Instagram
JB cafe addicts might be familiar with The Founders Bakery, a popular cafe known for their chunky, flavourful bagels and cinnamon rolls priced around RM9-RM15.
Image credit: @150cfoodie via Instagram
Although the bagels are available in set combinations, we recommend going with the mix-and-match option which is a little more fun. Choose from bagel flavours like Cheddar and Jalapeno and Mixed Sesame, then pick your toppings from options like Brown Onion Paradise and Peach Cheesecake.
P.S. There’s no dine-in available at the Mid Valley Southkey branch, so you’ll need to order to go.
2. GSC Cinema & Aurum
At this mega mall, you have the luxury of choosing between 2 cinemas. Catch the latest blockbuster at either GSC Cinema or Aurum.
GSC Cinema also has kid-friendly theatres.
Image credit: Ferco Seating
The former has wallet-friendly tickets starting from RM14 and a variety of halls, including IMAX and a kid-friendly theatre.
Image credit: Aurum Theatre via Facebook
If you are in your bougie era, Aurum is the pinnacle of luxury. We’re talking a “gold class” experience with ultra-plush reclining beds, fleece blankets, and meals included. Need to juice up your phone? Your seats have USB charging ports. A ticket to their Getha Lux Suite will set you back around RM130.
3. KF Kiddy Circuit
Image credit: Katherine kaye Malang via Google Maps
Kids and go karts are a match made in heaven. Delight your mini Dominic Toretto at KF Kiddy Circuit, located on the 4th floor of the mall. Rain or shine, your little one can race through 200m of track. Single rides are priced from RM35/8 minutes, with themed decor like dinosaurs along the way.
You don’t need to worry about your kiddo going too fast and furious as well since the karts are set to a maximum speed of 8km/h.
4. FamilyMart
Those who have ventured to Japan before will be no stranger to FamilyMart – one of the many iconic convenience stores that’s the source of all our onigiri and oden fixes. Plus, the store has rows and rows of Japanese snacks you can’t get back in Singapore’s convenience stores.
The onigiri selection has a myriad of flavours to keep your tummy happy, with options like salted salmon, teriyaki chicken, and tuna.
And if you’re looking for something more filling, you can get a full course meal right here – with main meals such as Katsu Curry Rice that you can heat up and dessert choices such as Matcha Parfait. There’s even a seating area for you to enjoy all the food at a wallet-friendly price.
Before you leave, try Japanese oden, a type of fish cake stew. The well-loved street food in Japan comes with 2 broths here – Original and Tom Yum. All you gotta do is to pick the ingredients you want in your oden, including Ajitsuke Tamago, fishballs and daikon. We’re just glad that we don’t have to take an 8-hour plane ride to enjoy all this anymore!
5. Din by Din Tai Fung
You can watch xiao long baos (XLBs) being made from the glass window.
Many have been known to profess their undying love for the fried rice and XLBs at Din Tai Fung. Din by Din Tai Fung takes a new spin on the food that many of us know and love, being the first pork-free Din Tai Fung outlet right here in JB.
Try out the Chicken Chop Fried Rice (RM28.30) which serves as a worthy competitor to the famed pork chop fried rice. While the rice remains just as savoury, the fried chicken was peppery and makes for a delicious pairing. There’s even Sambal Chicken Xiao Long Baos (RM24.50) with the same shiokness as a XLB but with a kick of spice.
Our favourite dish ended up being the unconventional Sambal Chicken XLB, that had a rich and spicy sambal broth.
Other special mentions include the Braised Beef Noodle Soup (RM33.70) and the Lamb Xiao Long Baos (RM26.40) that you won’t be able to find in Singapore.
6. SOGO
Walking around the IKI NA section, a Japanese brand with clothes, accessories and homewares.
Some might remember the SOGO that Singapore once had in Raffles City way back in the 90s. While this Takashimaya-esque department store has since closed down on our shores, you can hit up the next nearest outlet in JB. From beauty products to homeware goods, you’ll easily kill off an hour wandering around the place.
7. Say Nails
Getting your nails done in Singapore can get pretty expensive sometimes, especially if you opt for a gelish manicure. But at Say Nails Services, you can get yourself pampered like royalty for cheaper prices. The salon also offers services for lash extensions and brow embroidery.
The soft fluorescent lighting and minimalistic decorations will make you completely relaxed while you sit back and enjoy yourself.
Check out other nail salons in JB.
8. Village Grocer
Village Grocer is a mini village within the mall, with an enormous supermarket, F&B outlet and a stationery store. Both adults and little ones can be easily entertained for hours on end here just wandering around.
Dishes such as the roasted pork with garlic rice (RM22.70) are good for those who want their individual portions.
Meat-eaters will enjoy a meal at The Butcher’s Kitchen, which serves a variety of German-inspired dishes. This spot is perfect for bigger groups as they have hearty sharing platters that won’t burn a hole in your wallets, such as the Wagyu Beef Sausage Rings (RM33.15) and Farmer’s Bratwurst (RM10.00).
9. YSL Beauty
With YSL Beauty’s very first outlet in JB, you’ll be able to test-try all the makeup you want. The store’ wide makeup range has enough for you to have a field day – from all sorts of lipstick shades and their best-selling cushion foundation, the Le Cushion Encre De Peau.
Pamper yourself trying out all the makeup products at their vanity tables.
The friendly staff here will also assist you with whatever it is that you need, whether it’s finding out which product is the best for your skin type or figuring out which foundation shade matches your skin tone.
(Closed) Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul
Make your tummy happy by trying out some of the traditional desserts at Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul, a family-owned chain of stores that’s been around for 6 whole generations.
The shaved ice is served together with the classic bright green pandan-flavoured jelly and kidney beans in coconut milk or your choice of flavour.
In addition to their Signature Chendul, the store also serves Milk Tea Chendul.
Visit The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey in Johor Bahru
The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey is the largest integrated mall in Johor – the grandeur of the place bumps up the shopping experience for sure.
It’s always nice to give yourself a break from going to the same usual malls and restaurants. The next time you treat yourself to a day trip out to JB, head to The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey to kaypoh a little and enjoy some of the goodies you can’t get in Singapore.
Find out more about The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey here
This post is brought to you by The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey.
Last updated by Kezia Tan on 20th December 2024.
Photo credit: Pepita Hope Wauran
Cover image adapted from: @the_foodie_storiess via Instagram, Aurum Theatre via Facebook