Arrived in Johor Bahru (JB) about 2:30pm after a long scarey bus ride (about 3 hours) from Mersing. Eventually found a hotel to rest my weary bones. JB is a great place for sleaze as it is just over the causeway from Singapore and yet the prices are still in Malaysian Ringgits (about 2.6 RM to the $AUD). I stayed at the Compact Hotel, which is probably the closest to the Causeway and still in the sleaze/market district of JB. The room was large, clean and had king-sized bed and AC which was required - and all for RM 100.00 for the night (including breakfast).

 

Decided to go for a walk and get my bearings - now anyone who has never been into developing Asia it is hard to describe the scene fully. The huge crowds filling the streets, the smells of spices and curries combining with the smells of sewage and rotting garbage, the enticement of the food vendors, the enticement of the pleasure vendors, women in Muslim head to toe coverings and women in mini skirts that you wouldn't allow your daughter to leave the house wearing. The city of JB is one that has to be experienced to fully understand. Anyway followed my usual technique for getting bearings of doing increasing blockies so that I always had some idea of where my hotel was.

 

Within a couple of blocks of the hotel and I had been propositioned twice by SWs (more on these in another review). I had also found quite a number of "Gentleman's Saloons" and a couple of "Music Lounges" (more on these to follow as well). All this sex was being sold alongside the other delights of Malaysia - cheap food (YUM) and cheap DVD knockoffs. I armed myself with some Roti Canai and an armload of DVDs and wandered back to my room to recuperate.

 

Didnt recoup long ... just a shirt change and some fresh socks and back out onto the streets.

 

Now traveller advisory - JB is a very easy place to feel out of your league. Mostly the locals have a little English but dont expect it - if you have some mandarin or Cantonese you should be ok. Me i just did lots of pointing and mimes. I was also warned that after dark the streets could be very dangerous - in fact the local bank had photos of what looked like hit and runs and murders ... "would you like a corpse photo with your cash sir?". Unfortunately I didnt heed any of the warnings and went out most of the night on a walk of shame around JB.

 

If JB was an interesting place during the day it really hits its own of a night as the SWs and touts hit the streets in droves. The walk from one corner to the next is like navigating the length of a football field ... sidestepping all those who want to tackle you and lighten your wallet (legit or otherwise). The streets near the Sikh Temple seemed to have the most life with large numbers of lady boys and lady lady's plying their trade in the parks and streets - going rate seems to be in the area of RM 40 -RM 60. Just a word of caution here - the best looking girls here seem to be the Indian and sri lankan girls - however there are a large number of Indian and sri lankan lady boys - be warned and listen for the tone of voice ... look for fake tits... and adams apples (or scarves)...lastly look at the hands (blokes hands are larger)

 

In summary after the cleanliness of Singapore the sleaze of JB is a pleasantly dirty change.