3 CNY fairs in Johor Bahru to do your festive shopping

If you still haven't procured your Chinese New Year goodies, we've got your back.

Here are three locations you can visit across the causeway to do your festive shopping before we cross into the Year of the Snake.

1. Johor Bahru City Square

Located less than a 10-minute walk away from customs, Johor Bahru City Square's Chinese New Year fair offers several popular brands like Joymom's and Oloiya.

Here's what we found:

• Decorations
• Gifts
• Snacks
• Bak kwa
• Red packets

However, given the mall's largely Singaporean footfall, we found that the prices of the goodies were steeper compared to the other locations we visited in JB — for instance, pineapple tarts were priced at an average of RM32 (S$9.72) a jar.

There were also fewer promotions, and only around 30 stalls in total.

If you're seeking variety, this one's not for you.

2. Johor Jaya

If you're short of time, head directly to Johor Jaya.

Taking place from now till Jan. 28, the fair offers all the Chinese New Year essentials you might be looking for, such as:

• Decorations
• Gifts
• Snacks
• Bak kwa
• Yu sheng
• Mandarin oranges
• Hotpot ingredients
• Red packets

Furthermore, Johor Jaya's offerings are budget-friendly: we found melt-in-your-mouth pineapple tarts priced at just RM22 (S$6.68) a jar, as well as several other promotions, such as 3 cans of abalone for RM58 (S$17.61).

In addition, more mom-and-pop names seem to be available at Johor Jaya as well, compared to the fair at City Square Mall.

Keep in mind, though, that it can get quite warm at this outdoor fair.

The trip may also be a little out of the way, as the vicinity doesn't offer much to explore.

Word of advice: set the drop-off point on your ride-hailing app as "Johor Jaya Square" for easy navigation to the venue.

@mothership.nova Johor Jaya CNY Bazaar 📅: Till Jan. 28, 2025 📍: Jalan Dedap 14, Taman Johor Jaya, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta'zim, Malaysia #tiktoksg #whattoplay #whattowatch #malaysia #tiktokmy #jb #johorbahru #cny #chinesenewyear #cny2025 #yearofsnake #lunarnewyear #shopping #pineappletart #orange #cnyfood ♬ CHINESE NEW YEAR MUSIC INSTRUMENTAL - Schubert

3. Sutera Mall

Also running till Jan. 28, the Chinese New Year fair at Sutera Mall is a must-visit if you'd like a wealth of options.

We found:

• Decorations
• Gifts
• Snacks
• Bak kwa
• Hotpot ingredients
• Red packets

Prices are competitive, given the sheer number of stalls here.

Many vendors also run promotions like buy-five-get-one-free for cookies.

We also found hae bee hiam rolls for RM9.80 (S$2.97) per small bottle.

However, with so many options, shopping here can get quite overwhelming.

Some stalls are also repetitive, so we recommend walking through the entire fair to compare prices and promotions before making any purchases.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Nova (@mothership.nova)

Top photos by Fasiha Nazren.