There’s no denying Singaporeans love making trips up north across the border for affordable buys and good eats aplenty.
But daytime travel means people everywhere you turn. Instead of literally rubbing shoulders with everyone, stay up past your bedtime to enjoy a peaceful night of shopping and eating once the crowds disperse. There’s much more to do than just this of course. Here are the best things to do in JB at night:
The current exchange rate is RM1 = ~S$0.29 as of 23rd August 2024.
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If you want to make the most out of your time here, you can rent a car in JB to cover these places faster, so you can have a fun and productive night trip. Alternatively, you could always book a Grab to get around.
The last thing you want after having some late night fun outside is to be stuck waiting for a bus back to Singapore. Luckily, the Causeway Link bus CW2 service operates 24/7 and will take you back to Singapore even in the wee hours of the night. It’s affordable too, costing S$4.80 for the return fare. Find out more details on our Causeway Link bus guide.
Booking a bus ride back beforehand is also possible, and you can do so on the redBus app (App Store | Google Play).
Business | What they’re known for | Cost | Open until |
Fa Ge Lok Lok | Lok Lok skewers | From RM1.50/stick | 4am |
Bangkok Spa | Massage parlour with private sauna & jacuzzi | From RM66 | 5am |
Loud Speaker KTV | Karaoke & Nintendo Switch games | From RM30/pax | 3am |
Daiman Bowl | 36-lane bowling alley | From RM10.50/game | 1am |
Mango Light Cyber Cafe | 24/7 Lan shop | From RM4/hour | 24/7 |
Pasar Karat | Night market with affordable food & fashion steals | From RM2 | 2am |
I’m A Singer Family Karaoke | Karaoke at KSL City Mall | From RM30/room | 3am |
Avery-Day | Santorini-themed convenience store | From RM6 | 12am |
RUD Karting Centre | Go karts with speeds of up to 90km/h | From RM55 | 2am |
Lawa Lawa Spa | Traditional Malay massage | From RM29 | 3am |
Zonix Club | Free entry for women on Wednesdays | From RM32.40 | 4am |
Ba Wang Crab Seafood | Affordable seafood zi char restaurant | 2.30am |
A trip to JB without lok lok is frankly, quite incomplete. It’s undoubtedly a supper food, so even if you spent the whole day hopping around new shopping malls in JB, there’s bound to be a lok lok stall open late at night to satisfy cravings.
Fa Ge Lok Lok is one that’s just a stone’s throw away from the ever-popular KSL City Mall. Plus, they’re open till 3am. You’ll find all sorts of skewered meats and veggies priced from RM1.50/stick. Regulars here tend to go for the marinated duck, salmon belly, and enoki mushroom wrapped in ham.
Once you’ve made your selection, you then get to choose to boil, fry, or grill your sticks. And when they’re ready, dip them into spicy and tangy sauces for a burst of flavour.
Price: From RM1.50/stick
If you’ve no trouble staying up late because you can’t seem to relax when you get into bed, it may be time for you to release tension with a massage. Knead away sore muscles by heading to Bangkok Spa, where services here include foot reflexology, traditional Thai massages, and body scrubs.
Image credit: Bangkok Spa
For couples looking to book quiet time alone, the massage parlour even has a private sauna and jacuzzi you can book from RM118/room. If that knot in your back doesn’t seem to be going away, here are other non-sleazy massage parlours you can check out during the day.
You don’t even have to book a Grab or find your own way to the spa even in the wee hours of the night. Bangkok Spa provides free 2-way transport for its customers wherever they are within JB Central.
Price: From RM66 for a 60-minute foot or traditional Thai massage
From its name, you already know Loud Speaker KTV has karaoke rooms for you to sing your heart out. What you may not know is that this place also has gaming equipment for those who’d rather not hold a note.
Image credit: Loud Speaker KTV via Facebook
PS4s and Nintendo Switches are yours to rent from just RM30/2 pax to use in your own private room. As for games, you’ll be spoilt for choice with their selection of popular titles like Tekken, Overcooked, and FIFA21 available for both consoles.
Price: From RM30/pax
If the kids are refusing to go to bed, tire them out with a little wholesome family fun – bowling. Daiman Bowl is one of the biggest bowling alleys in JB boasting 36 lanes, which means you’ll hardly need to wait to play a game. Rates start from RM10.50/game and RM3.50/pair of shoes.
Image credit: @peacemikix via Instagram
While the kids work on getting strikes with the help of gutter guards, the rest of the fam can chill out at the cafe and pub for drinks and light bites. Should knocking down pins start to feel stale after your 5th game, there’s also an arcade for friendly competitions of DDR and Daytona Racing among you and your pals.
Remember when running to the LAN shop was the highlight of your day after a long day of school? You’d quickly change out of your school uniform into some other outfit you had stashed in your bag, then pound the keyboard playing Starcraft and Call of Duty until mum called you to come home for dinner.
Image credit: Mango Light Cyber Cafe via Facebook
If you’ve been hit by a wave of nostalgia and want another go of life as it was, check out Mango Light Cyber Cafe. It’s open 24/7 and starts from just RM4/hour.
This LAN shop has been fitted with the works too. In place of creaky chairs you might have had back in the day are ergonomic ones, so you can game for long hours without worrying about your posture. Each seat also comes with a noise-cancelling headset so you’ll be able to shout commands to friends while blocking out loud sounds coming from your neighbours.
When the cafe-hopping ventures come to an end at sunset, there’s still much more to explore. Around 6pm onwards, you’ll see Pasar Karat come to life as makeshift stores start popping up along the sides of Jalan Dhoby and Jalan Tan Hiok Nee. If you’re familiar with our local pasar malams, then think of this as a mega version of what we have.
Of course, there’s street food to fill you up quickly on snacks like takoyaki (from RM5/4 pieces) and BBQ skewers from RM2 each. The rest of the night market is filled with shops selling thrifted clothing, sport shoes and even jerseys at heavily discounted prices.
Karaoke studios in JB are a dime a dozen, but few are open this close to our borders, and till as late as 3am like I’m A Singer Family Karaoke located inside KSL City Mall. This makes it handy if you want an impromptu late-night singing session just before heading back to Singapore.
Charges for the KTV studio are on a per room per hour basis, so you’ll want to rally up as many buddies as possible to split the cost.
Price: From RM30/room per hour
By now, you would’ve spotted this blue-and-white convenience store reminiscent of Santorini splashed all over your socials. It’s Avery-Day, which is located just across the street from KSL City Mall.
Beyond its IG-worthy exterior, the convenience store has a number of gems inside. You’ll find your usual chips and candies, but look out for the fresh pastries baked in-house daily. There’s even imported Japanese snacks you won’t normally find at our local Don Don Donki. For those with a sweet tooth, you can check out their other dessert-centric outlet, Avery-Day in Nusa Bestari. As if that weren’t enough, you can also find Ta-Daa Box for a refreshing cup of bubble tea, which comes with a soft toy blind box.
If you live life in the fast lane, the RUD Karting Centre might just be your homeground. Go karts here move at a speed of 90km/h – that’s almost twice the speed limit allowed on Singapore go kart tracks. Plus, you don’t even need a driver’s licence to be a speed demon here.
Image credit: @celiainjb via Instagram
The racecourse here also opens till the wee hours of 2am, with floodlights illuminating the track to make you feel like Jensen Button or Lewis Hamilton cruising through our CBD during the F1 night race.
Before you whizz off, there’s still a quick safety course to attend so you don’t crash into one of the 16 tight turns the racecourse has to offer. You’ll also be fitted with a helmet that’ll protect your noggin.
Thai, Swedish, and Balinese massages are commonplace at most massage parlours, but we’re betting few of you have tried a traditional Malay massage (RM95). Here’s your chance to at Lawa Lawa Spa, which specialises in this technique. Unlike other massages that aim to release knots, Malay massages are best suited to aid in relaxation and lower stress.
Image credit: Lawa Lawa Spa via Facebook
Ladies, you can even up the pampering ante by booking a nails session as well. Their specialty is the hour-long Lawa Lawa Manicure (from RM29), which includes cuticle care, a hand massage with skin-boosting serum, and nail polish.
Image credit: @zonixclub via Instagram
A list of late-night activities wouldn’t be complete without clubbing, and Zonix Club is the place to be in JB. They have unique weekly events like Thirsty Thvrsday (from RM62.64/pax) for a liquid buffet – basically free-flow drinks for the whole night. There’s also Wonderlust Wednesday, which has free entry for ladies. The first 10 groups to enter on Wednesdays also get a free bottle for their party.
Image credit: @zonixclub via Instagram
Visit Zonix Club’s website to stay in the loop of upcoming events and to purchase tickets in advance for easier entry on the actual day.
Image credit: @iamirenetan via Instagram
Have a feast of seafood without bleeding your wallet dry at Ba Wang Crab Seafood, where you’ll find crab, stingray, and squid dishes from RM72.
Image credit: @leoyap725 via Instagram
Crowd-favourite items here are dishes like claypot butter crab (RM143), pumpkin tofu (RM25), and hot plate oyster egg (from RM30).
What to do in JB at night
Whether you missed the last bus back to Singapore or are just an insomniac finding it hard to sleep during your travels to JB, there’s still plenty to do to keep you occupied as this list proves.And if you find yourself needing to stay the night, we’ve got you covered with these 11 best hotels in JB you can check into before heading back home in the day.More JB articles to bookmark:
Cover image adapted from: Mango Light Cyber Cafe via Facebook, Avery-Day via Google Maps, @celiainjb via Instagram
Last updated by Syahiran Sean on 23rd August 2024.
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