What To Do In Desaru: 13 Best & Cheap Things To Do In Desaru

Desaru is a seaside town in the Malaysian state of Johor famous for its coastline and luxury resorts.

The fact that Desaru is only a couple hours’ drive from Singapore makes it a very convenient location for an affordable break from city life in Singapore!

Wondering what to do in Desaru when you’re here?

Fishing villages are a good place to start if you’re looking for seafood:

But there are some popular restaurants to check out too!

Recommended Desaru Tour Itinerary

It’s easy to see many of Desaru attractions on your Desaru trip if you have your own car!

There are fishing villages, resorts, farms and more!

Desaru One Day Trip Itinerary

If you want to visit Desaru in a day, these are some possible routes you can take:

Route 1: Desaru Fruit Farm > Desaru Ostrich Farm > Sungai Rengit Township (Seafood Lunch) & Teluk Sengat Crocodile Farm (Crocodile World) > Dinner at Kota Tinggi > Kota Tinggi Firefly Park

Route 2: Desaru Ostrich Farm > Desaru Fruit Farm (fruit buffet lunch) > Teluk Sengat Crocodile Farm (Crocodile World) > Dinner at Kota Tinggi > Kota Tinggi Firefly Park

2D1N Desaru Tour Itinerary

With 2 days to spare in Desaru, you can enjoy each place at a leisurely pace, soaking up your surroundings.

And you have an opportunity to stay overnight at one of the many seaside Desaru resorts along the coast!

Route 1

Day 1: Desaru Fruit Farm & Desaru Ostrich Farm > Local Seafood Lunch > Check-In Resort > Teluk Sengat Crocodile Farm > Teluk Sengat Restaurant (Dinner) > Kota Tinggi Firefly Park

Day 2: Breakfast > Desaru Coast Adventure Waterpark > Local Seafood Lunch> Back To Singapore

Route 2

Day 1: Teluk Sengat Crocodile Farm > Local Seafood Lunch > Desaru Fruit Farm > Desaru Ostrich Farm > Check-In Resort > Restoran Terapung Seafood Bujang Firefly > Desaru Firefly Cruise

Day 2: Breakfast > Museum Nelayan & Fishing Village > Local Seafood Lunch > Back To Singapore

Route 3

Day 1: Desaru Fruit Farm > Lunch & Fruit Fiesta At Desaru Fruit Farm > Crocodile Farm > Check-In Desaru Beach Resort > Desaru Beach/Free and Easy > Local Seafood Dinner > Desaru Firefly Cruise

Day 2: Breakfast > Desaru Ostrich Farm > Local Seafood Lunch > Back To Singapore

What To Do In Desaru: 13 Best Places To Visit

If you like being outdoors, boredom will not find you easily in Desaru!

Never seen fireflies before? Want to spend some time at the beach? Craving for some fresh seafood?

You can find it all in Desaru!

Also read: 27 Best Johor Attractions

Besides this, where else can you see a fruit farm, an ostrich farm and a crocodile farm in such close proximity to each other?

1. Pick Juicy Fruit At Desaru Fruit Farm

When it comes to what to do in Desaru, an easy go-to option that’s both family-friendly and educational is taking a trip to Desaru Fruit Farm.

Also read: Top 11 Eco Parks & Farms in Johor

Here, you can learn about how different fruits (and vegetables) are grown and pick some too!

There are over 100 fruits at this massive agricultural park.

Things To Do In Desaru Fruit Farm:

• Pet and feed the animals at the Mini Zoo
• Indulge in their free-flow fruit buffet
• Play paintball
• Ride an ATV
• Feed the fish at the koi fishpond

2. Visit Desaru Ostrich Farm

Desaru Ostrich Farm at Teluk Ramunia has the reputation of Malaysia’s largest ostrich farm.

They have 300 ostriches inside the fruit farm.

So if you’ve never seen one of these large flightless birds before, here’s your chance!

After an informative tour around the farm, you can check out their souvenir store where they make various products from the eggshells of the giant ostrich eggs!

Things To Do In Desaru Ostrich Farm:

• Ride an ostrich (additional fee)
• Feed ostriches (additional fee)
• Taste ostrich meat cooked in various ways
• Step on an ostrich egg
• Watch an ostrich egg-cracking demonstration

3. See Magnificent Reptiles At Teluk Sengat Crocodile Farm

Your day trip to JB is not complete without a visit to the Teluk Sengat Crocodile Farm!

First established in 1979, the farm houses an incredible 1000+ crocodiles.

A couple of which are extremely ancient (>100 years old)!

Also read: How To Go To Lotus Desaru From Singapore

The crocodile keeper might even show you around and let you know more about the large and powerful reptiles.

Things To Do In Teluk Sengat Crocodile Farm:

• See baby crocodiles (and maybe even hold one) and crocodile eggs (subject to availability)
• Observe the crocodiles feeding time (not fixed)
• Buy souvenirs (e.g. squid oil, coconut oil, and coconut oil soap)
• Try crocodile meat (satay)

4. Have A Splashing Good Time At Desaru Waterpark

If you have an extra day to spare and you don’t know what to do in Desaru.

You can go over to Desaru Coast Adventure Water Park! The 25-acre park is still relatively new and that means fewer crowds!

Desaru waterpark is definitely one of the place to visit in Desaru!

It boasts a huge wave pool, a man-made beach and 5 different zones to explore including one just for kids!

Things To Do In Desaru Waterpark:

• Practice surfing at Surf Wall
• Float along the Penawar River (longest lazy river ride in Malaysia!)
• Ride their 360-degree roller coaster (Kraken’s Revenge)
• Try all the available slides and rides

5. Walk On White Sand At Desaru Beach

Regardless of whether you are staying at a beachfront Desaru resort.

Also read: Top 15 Beach Resorts in Johor You’ll Absolutely Love (Include Johor Islands)

If you have time to spare, your bucket list of what to do in Desaru has to include taking a stroll along the white sand on Desaru beach.

The public beach faces the South China Sea!

It’s quiet and peaceful at this beach since swimming is not advisable due to strong waves.

There are no lifeguards here too so mind your kids!

Things To Do In Desaru Beach:

• Look out to the sea
• Watch the sunrise
• Enjoy the sea breeze
• Bask in the sunshine
• Rest under the Casuarina trees that fringe the beach
• Go surfing
• Jet-ski
• Bring along a picnic lunch

6. Get Your Adrenaline Going At Dash Outdoor Adventure

Dash Outdoor Adventure have many water sport activities for all ages. These are suitable for team building events or just to have fun with family and friends!

And they have two locations which are in very close proximity to the resorts along the Desaru coastline.

All their equipment is still new and of good quality and their staff are fully trained by international standards in the use of the equipment too!

Also read: 7 Awesome Water Parks In Johor

Things To Do In Dash Outdoor Adventure:

• Jet-ski
• Cycling
• Sailing
• Surfing
• Kayaking
• Zorbing
• Water skiing
• Wakeboarding
• Windsurfing
• And plenty more that you may not even have heard of!

7. Take The Desaru Firefly Cruise

What to do in Desaru at night?

Paying a visit to Desaru Fruit Farm? You may not be aware that they run firefly tours in the evening too!

The boats will cruise along the banks of Bujang River under the illuminating presence (literally) of thousands of fireflies in a bid to find a mate!

This spectacular natural light show will certainly impress city folk of any age!

You can also Book a firefly cruise with Desaru Fruit Farm.

Things To Do In Desaru At Night, Firefly Cruise:

• Feel the evening breeze
• Admire the glow of fireflies
• Cruise along the river
• Wander around the Desaru Firefly Valley Leisure Park
• On a clear night, you can stargaze!

8. Eating To Your Heart’s Content Of The Best Seafood In Desaru

As a coastal town, Desaru has plenty to bring to the table when it comes to fresh and affordable seafood. The seafood is one of the best Desaru food to try!

Have lobster on your mind? Jade Garden Seafood Corner can grant that wish for you but you may want to make a reservation first!

Also read: 11 Top Seafood Restaurants in Johor Bahru (Must Try Anyone Before You Leave!)

If the environment is what you’re after, there are restaurants like Nelayan Seafood By The Coast that face the sea. Or you can choose to have dinner in an authentic no-frills kampung setting at Sengat Seafood Restaurant!

Desaru Must-Try Seafood Restaurants:

1. Jade Garden Seafood Corner
2. You Kee Seafood Restaurant
3. Super Lobster Restaurant
4. Sengat Seafood Restaurant
5. Nelayan Seafood By The Coast

9. Dine On A Floating Boat Surrounded By Fireflies

Want to know what to do in Desaru that’s very unique to this Johor town and a perfect way to end the day?

Yes, you read the title right!

Picture this. You’re having a delicious local-style dinner in an unconventional venue – a boat!

And to top off the already romantic atmosphere, there are fireflies bathing the area in an otherworldly glow!

After dinner, you can hop on a boat and go closer to the fireflies!

10. Have A Scenic Game Of Golf At The Els Club Desaru Coast

Grab some buddies and indulge in a good old game of golf but with a fabulous view of the ocean and tropical greens at The Els Club Desaru Coast golf club.

It doesn’t even matter if you’re a golf professional or just a first-timer! The courses will be just as thrilling.

The Els Club Desaru Coast Courses:

1. Ocean Course – 9-hole course of Ernie Els championship design
2. Valley Course – Challenging grass slopes designed by Vijay Singh
3. Rainforest Course – Smooth 5-hole course with only the tree lines as obstacles (i.e. no bunkers)

When your appetite is ready, you can check out the 4 dining options at the club which overlook the beautiful golf course!

11. Visit The Tanjung Balau Fishermen Museum

Another name this beachfront museum goes by is Muzium Nelayan which translates to Fishermen Museum in English.

Its location has some historical value, as well as this, was formerly the site of a fishing village.

Inside the museum are several galleries with informative displays as well as real-life artifacts including boats and fishing nets!

Image credits:travel2malaysia.com.my

Things To Do In Tanjung Balau Fishermen Museum:

• Learn of local fishermen superstitions at the Fisherman’s Gallery
• With strong waves and storms common in the Desaru coastline, it’s no wonder that there is a gallery just on shipwrecks! (Desaru Shipwreck Gallery)
• Marvel at the huge collection of stones at the Geology Gallery
• Want to know more about sea navigation? Check out the Sea Gallery.

12. Soak Yourself At Kota Tinggi Waterfalls

When you’re running short of ideas on what to do in Desaru, You may consider Kota Tinggi waterfalls being worth the trip out of Desaru.

Best to relish on a scorching hot day, the waterfalls are near a resort (Kota Tinggi Waterfalls Resort) with a small water park too.

Facilities are in satisfactory condition.

On weekends, the locals will bring their families here to enjoy the refreshing water and being out in nature.

Also read: How To Get To Desaru From Singapore

Things To Do At Kota Tinggi Waterfalls:

• Soak and splash your stresses away at the waterfalls
• Try out the 3 slides at the water park

13. Explore Tanjung Balau Fishing Village

Naturally, with its sheltered bays and shallow waters, Desaru is home to many fishing villages.

Not least among them is the Tanjung Balau Fishing Village which is between Tanjung Buluh beach and the more renown Desaru beach.

It may be small but exploring the village will give you a new perspective on the daily lives of fisherman. Life seems to slow down here!

Things To Do In Tanjung Balau Fishing Village:

• Eat fresh and tasty seafood
• Visit Muzeum Nelayan at Tanjung Balau
• Fly a kite
• Explore the rocky beach at low tide
• Visit a local art gallery
• Observe the fishermen perhaps bringing in their catch of the day
• Watch the sunset

How To Go To Desaru From Singapore

There are a couple of reasons why you would want to consider hiring a private car service like SGMYTAXI from Singapore to Desaru:

1. You don’t have your own car
2. You don’t fancy driving up to Desaru or going through the hassle of public transport
3. You’ve already got transport at Desaru through a tour package (e.g. the one from Desaru Fruit Farm). However, the package doesn’t include transport from Singapore to Desaru

Private Car To Desaru From Singapore

A private car service will save you so much trouble getting from place to place! Which also leaves you more energy to enjoy your holiday!

Besides this, why should you have to deal with the additional stress of navigating through unfamiliar territory?

Pros:

• Straight from your doorstep in Singapore to anywhere you want in Desaru!
• Choose your own pickup and departure points and times.
• A convenient way to get through immigration (no need to exit the car to join the queue)
• Spacious and comfortable cars which you can choose from their fleet
• Affordable rates
• It’s easy to book a car via WhatsApp
• Reliable customer service
• Experienced drivers who are familiar with driving in Johor

Cons:

• Costly for solo travelers

Recommended For:

• Families with young children or elderly
• Groups of 3 or more people

Price Range:
SGD$90-100 per private car