Johor Bahru,is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia.The city of Johor Bahru is located at [show location on an interactive map] 1°29′N, 103°44′E. The city council administers the highly developed southern central coast of the metropolitan area, with a total area of 185 km² It is within walking distance from Singapore, and receives more than 60% of the country's annual foreign tourists via its bridges and road links to Singapore. It is one of the largest cities in Malaysia. The city is an important industrial, tourism and commercial hub for southern Malaysia and is part of one of Southeast Asia's most populous urban areas. The population growth rate of Johor Bahru is also among the highest in Malaysia. Johor Bahru also has a highly developed industrial base which has made the city one of the biggest industrial centers of the country.
Johor Bahru enjoys the unique distinction of being the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland.
Johor Bahru enjoys the unique distinction of being the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland.
How long does it take to get to Tanjong Leman?
- by car from Singapore 3 hours
- from Johor Bahru 2 hours
- by car from Kuala Lumpur 5 hours
- by bus and taxi from Singapore 3.5 hours
Is it safe to leave my car at Tanjong Leman?
Yes. We've been leaving cars at Tanjong Leman for 15 years and to date we've never had any problems. (Apart from guests forgetting to turn their lights off and finding a flat battery on return. You have been reminded, switch off!) There is a RM8 per day parking fee.
Is there a boat schedule from Tanjong Leman and how long is the boat ride?
Our boats are at 2 p.m., 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Note: Your boat time must be booked when making a reservation as they do not operate if we have no guests arriving or departing.
Departure from Sea Gypsy is at 1.30 p.m., 5.30 p.m. or 8.30 p.m.
Early boats may be scheduled upon request and subject to availability.
The journey takes 15 to 20 minutes.
Do you provide life vests?
Life vests, in 7 different sizes from baby to extra large, are provided and must be worn by law.
Do I pay the boat driver?
No, the boat charge is put on your Sea Gypsy bill.
Do your bus services from Singapore and Johor Bahru only run at weekends? NO.
Bus departs Somerset & Grange car park, off Orchard Rd:
- Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. for a 2 p.m. boat to Sea Gypsy.
- Friday 6 p.m. for a 9 p.m. boat to Sea Gypsy.
Arrives back in Singapore:
- Sunday departs Sea Gypsy on 4.30 p.m. boat, arrives Somerset 8 p.m.
- Monday through Friday departs Sea Gypsy on 1.30 p.m. boat, arrives Somerset & Grange at 5 p.m.
Bus departs Perling Mall car park, Johor Bahru:
- Sunday through Thursday 12 midday for a 2 p.m. boat to Sea Gypsy.
- Friday 7 p.m. for a 9 p.m. boat to Sea Gypsy.
Arrives back in Johor Bahru:
- Sunday departs Sea Gypsy on 4.30 p.m. boat, arrives Perling Mall 7 p.m.
- Monday through Friday departs Sea Gypsy on 1.30 p.m. boat, Perling Mall 4 p.m.
Do I pay the bus driver?
No, the bus fare is put on your Sea Gypsy bill.
Do we have to pay a deposit?
No. We send you a Confirmation Sheet detailing your booking and the exact charges. You fill it in with your credit card details and fax it back to us to confirm your booking. No booking is confirmed without the signed sheet. We do not put any charges on this card, we simply hold it in case of a "no show" or last minute cancellation.
How and when do we pay?
You pay on departure from Sea Gypsy. We accept Visa or MasterCard, most currencies or personal cheques from any Singapore bank.
Do we need to bring any Malaysian Ringgit?
Yes. Everyone needs some small change for a RM4 jetty fee at Tanjong Leman. The jetty is owned by a private company and they make the charge. If you are driving your own car from to Tanjong Leman you will need some Ringgit for the tolls and RM8 per night for the parking fee. There are some stalls at Tanjong Leman so you may like to bring money for a drink and they also charge to use the toilet.
Note: if you bring Singapore $ cash it is quite normal for the tolls and tickets booths to charge S$1:RM1, i.e. you get ripped off!
Do you have the same weather as Singapore?
No, thank heavens! Hard to believe but although Pulau Sibu is so close it has much more sun and much less rain. Quite often it can be raining all the way up the East Coast on the mainland but it is still sunny on the island. I live in Johor Bahru during the week and am finding it hard to tell that the monsoon is over this year!?
Do we need to bring beach towels?
No. We supply all linen.
Is there anything we should bring?
Adults: no.
Children: your bucket and spade because you naughty things are always leaving ours below the high tide line so they get washed out to sea. You lose them faster than i can buy them! Although if you can't bring one I'm sure we'll find one for you.
Babies: your baby alarm.
Can we plug in electrical equipment in our rooms?
Mmm, difficult. Preferably not but low voltage stuff is OK. Certainly NO HAIRDRYERS! (Don't worry ladies we all go for the natural look at Sea Gypsy.) Baby alarms are fine. If you need hot water for baby bottles we prefer to give you a thermos of hot water. We can boil and clean bottles and teats for you. We will also boil and cool water for you to make formula. So no electric kettles please but camera chargers are OK.
Do you have air conditioning?
Absolutely not. The whole idea of Sea Gypsy is to be by the sea, have the windows open and listen to the waves and the breeze in the palms. We have large overhead fans and 24 hour electricity.
Do you have hot water?
No. On the other hand it's never really that cold as we store it in black tanks that absorb the heat. Most of our guests just put on a swimsuit for breakfast and then head straight for the beach. By the time they're ready to shower for lunch a cool shower is welcome.
Note: We have our own well and the water is delicious to drink.
Do hand phones work at Sea Gypsy?
Not everywhere but there are "sweet spots" where signals can be found. Communication via text messaging is best.
Do you serve alcohol?
Yes. We have a fully stocked bar. Plenty of cold beer in the chiller, a comprehensive wine list and delicious cocktails that actually taste of alcohol because we make them all from scratch!
Note: We charge corkage for anyone bringing their own alcohol.
Can you cater to vegetarians or people with special diets?
No problem. We always ask when people make a booking if they are vegetarian or allergic to any food. It's amazing how many people are nowadays. We don't like to be caught on the hop as we can't exactly pop down the road to the shops!
Do you cater to parties?
Absolutely. Just let us know what the occasion is. We have a wonderful pastry chef here in Johor Bahru that can make the most amazing cakes in any shape, size or form. We're always happy to decorate the bar and restaurant for theme parties or fancy dress is also fun. Office Christmas parties are popular at the beginning of December.
Do we need to take Malaria tablets?
No. This is a non risk area for Malaria. All beds have dipped mosquito nets. Ten years of constantly cleaning the land means we only see mosquitoes at sun up and sun down despite being surrounded by jungle. Although I'd love to advocate herbal repellants for our environment I'm afraid chemical ones really work best. We recommend Off, or it's equivalent.
Sandflies
Oil is the answer to the Sandfly. Repellants, no matter what they may claim, really seem to have no effect. Oil stops them completely. It is irrelevant what oil, cooking, baby, etc., but we recommend sun oil to avoid being cooked. Do not substitute it for your regular sun lotion simply put it on over the top. The best tip in the world for Sandflies is to by a bottle of spray on tanning oil, pour a little out and add a small bottle of Tee Tree Oil and a few drops of liquid disinfectant (e.g. Detol). spray this on and no sand fly will touch you! The recipe comes from Australia, where they really know about sand fly problems, and is known as bush oil over there. (Amazing what I've been finding out since Richard started boarding school in Perth!)
Note: This is a great tip if you are traveling anywhere in the world that has Sandflies. My first encounter was in West Africa about a hundred years ago (or so it seems). Don't forget the mainland jetties are quite often the place where you get attacked and not the actual beach that you are going to. If in doubt put the oil on your feet and ankles before you get there.
- by car from Singapore 3 hours
- from Johor Bahru 2 hours
- by car from Kuala Lumpur 5 hours
- by bus and taxi from Singapore 3.5 hours
Is it safe to leave my car at Tanjong Leman?
Yes. We've been leaving cars at Tanjong Leman for 15 years and to date we've never had any problems. (Apart from guests forgetting to turn their lights off and finding a flat battery on return. You have been reminded, switch off!) There is a RM8 per day parking fee.
Is there a boat schedule from Tanjong Leman and how long is the boat ride?
Our boats are at 2 p.m., 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Note: Your boat time must be booked when making a reservation as they do not operate if we have no guests arriving or departing.
Departure from Sea Gypsy is at 1.30 p.m., 5.30 p.m. or 8.30 p.m.
Early boats may be scheduled upon request and subject to availability.
The journey takes 15 to 20 minutes.
Do you provide life vests?
Life vests, in 7 different sizes from baby to extra large, are provided and must be worn by law.
Do I pay the boat driver?
No, the boat charge is put on your Sea Gypsy bill.
Do your bus services from Singapore and Johor Bahru only run at weekends? NO.
Bus departs Somerset & Grange car park, off Orchard Rd:
- Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. for a 2 p.m. boat to Sea Gypsy.
- Friday 6 p.m. for a 9 p.m. boat to Sea Gypsy.
Arrives back in Singapore:
- Sunday departs Sea Gypsy on 4.30 p.m. boat, arrives Somerset 8 p.m.
- Monday through Friday departs Sea Gypsy on 1.30 p.m. boat, arrives Somerset & Grange at 5 p.m.
Bus departs Perling Mall car park, Johor Bahru:
- Sunday through Thursday 12 midday for a 2 p.m. boat to Sea Gypsy.
- Friday 7 p.m. for a 9 p.m. boat to Sea Gypsy.
Arrives back in Johor Bahru:
- Sunday departs Sea Gypsy on 4.30 p.m. boat, arrives Perling Mall 7 p.m.
- Monday through Friday departs Sea Gypsy on 1.30 p.m. boat, Perling Mall 4 p.m.
Do I pay the bus driver?
No, the bus fare is put on your Sea Gypsy bill.
Do we have to pay a deposit?
No. We send you a Confirmation Sheet detailing your booking and the exact charges. You fill it in with your credit card details and fax it back to us to confirm your booking. No booking is confirmed without the signed sheet. We do not put any charges on this card, we simply hold it in case of a "no show" or last minute cancellation.
How and when do we pay?
You pay on departure from Sea Gypsy. We accept Visa or MasterCard, most currencies or personal cheques from any Singapore bank.
Do we need to bring any Malaysian Ringgit?
Yes. Everyone needs some small change for a RM4 jetty fee at Tanjong Leman. The jetty is owned by a private company and they make the charge. If you are driving your own car from to Tanjong Leman you will need some Ringgit for the tolls and RM8 per night for the parking fee. There are some stalls at Tanjong Leman so you may like to bring money for a drink and they also charge to use the toilet.
Note: if you bring Singapore $ cash it is quite normal for the tolls and tickets booths to charge S$1:RM1, i.e. you get ripped off!
Do you have the same weather as Singapore?
No, thank heavens! Hard to believe but although Pulau Sibu is so close it has much more sun and much less rain. Quite often it can be raining all the way up the East Coast on the mainland but it is still sunny on the island. I live in Johor Bahru during the week and am finding it hard to tell that the monsoon is over this year!?
Do we need to bring beach towels?
No. We supply all linen.
Is there anything we should bring?
Adults: no.
Children: your bucket and spade because you naughty things are always leaving ours below the high tide line so they get washed out to sea. You lose them faster than i can buy them! Although if you can't bring one I'm sure we'll find one for you.
Babies: your baby alarm.
Can we plug in electrical equipment in our rooms?
Mmm, difficult. Preferably not but low voltage stuff is OK. Certainly NO HAIRDRYERS! (Don't worry ladies we all go for the natural look at Sea Gypsy.) Baby alarms are fine. If you need hot water for baby bottles we prefer to give you a thermos of hot water. We can boil and clean bottles and teats for you. We will also boil and cool water for you to make formula. So no electric kettles please but camera chargers are OK.
Do you have air conditioning?
Absolutely not. The whole idea of Sea Gypsy is to be by the sea, have the windows open and listen to the waves and the breeze in the palms. We have large overhead fans and 24 hour electricity.
Do you have hot water?
No. On the other hand it's never really that cold as we store it in black tanks that absorb the heat. Most of our guests just put on a swimsuit for breakfast and then head straight for the beach. By the time they're ready to shower for lunch a cool shower is welcome.
Note: We have our own well and the water is delicious to drink.
Do hand phones work at Sea Gypsy?
Not everywhere but there are "sweet spots" where signals can be found. Communication via text messaging is best.
Do you serve alcohol?
Yes. We have a fully stocked bar. Plenty of cold beer in the chiller, a comprehensive wine list and delicious cocktails that actually taste of alcohol because we make them all from scratch!
Note: We charge corkage for anyone bringing their own alcohol.
Can you cater to vegetarians or people with special diets?
No problem. We always ask when people make a booking if they are vegetarian or allergic to any food. It's amazing how many people are nowadays. We don't like to be caught on the hop as we can't exactly pop down the road to the shops!
Do you cater to parties?
Absolutely. Just let us know what the occasion is. We have a wonderful pastry chef here in Johor Bahru that can make the most amazing cakes in any shape, size or form. We're always happy to decorate the bar and restaurant for theme parties or fancy dress is also fun. Office Christmas parties are popular at the beginning of December.
Do we need to take Malaria tablets?
No. This is a non risk area for Malaria. All beds have dipped mosquito nets. Ten years of constantly cleaning the land means we only see mosquitoes at sun up and sun down despite being surrounded by jungle. Although I'd love to advocate herbal repellants for our environment I'm afraid chemical ones really work best. We recommend Off, or it's equivalent.
Sandflies
Oil is the answer to the Sandfly. Repellants, no matter what they may claim, really seem to have no effect. Oil stops them completely. It is irrelevant what oil, cooking, baby, etc., but we recommend sun oil to avoid being cooked. Do not substitute it for your regular sun lotion simply put it on over the top. The best tip in the world for Sandflies is to by a bottle of spray on tanning oil, pour a little out and add a small bottle of Tee Tree Oil and a few drops of liquid disinfectant (e.g. Detol). spray this on and no sand fly will touch you! The recipe comes from Australia, where they really know about sand fly problems, and is known as bush oil over there. (Amazing what I've been finding out since Richard started boarding school in Perth!)
Note: This is a great tip if you are traveling anywhere in the world that has Sandflies. My first encounter was in West Africa about a hundred years ago (or so it seems). Don't forget the mainland jetties are quite often the place where you get attacked and not the actual beach that you are going to. If in doubt put the oil on your feet and ankles before you get there.
