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Tag Archive : Durian Desserts

[JB Travels] One Day Durian Road Trip to Johor: From Kulai to Tangkak Back to Singapore

[JB Travels] One Day Durian Road Trip to Johor: From Kulai to Tangkak Back to Singapore

If you’re a durian lover like me, you’ll know that durian season calls for a proper feast. What a better way to do it than with a day trip across Johor. Gather your foodie friends, prep your stomachs, and hit the road for a delicious 1-day itinerary from Kulai to Tangkak and back to Johor Bahru (JB).

Read more: [JB Travels] One Day Durian Road Trip to Johor: From Kulai to Tangkak Back to Singapore

We had a big group, so we rented a car for 12 hours at RM420, with an additional charge of RM35 per extra hour. In the end, we exceeded the time by 4 hours, but it was still a worthwhile trip. Totally worth it for the durian experience. Alternatively you can join Durian Day Trip Tour and quote “HAZELOFFKLOOK” for 5% discount with minimum spend of S$50.00.

First Stop: Kulai – Breakfast and Walk Around

Kulai Kelapa Sawit Lei Cha

Our journey began bright and early in Kulai, a charming town with a small Hakka village known as Kelapa Sawit. It’s a popular weekend escape spot for locals, and for good reason.

Hakka Lei Cha Kulai

We started the day with a hearty yet wholesome Hakka breakfast at Volcano Coffee House Lei-Cha. Their extensive menu features a variety of Hakka specialties, and we basically ordered them all—Lei Cha, Abacus Seeds, Hakka Fried Pork, Yong Tau Foo, and Choy Ban. Overall, everything was pretty decent, though the Abacus Seeds were a bit underwhelming and could probably be skipped. The standout dish? Definitely the Hakka Fried Pork—it was a crowd favourite.
We kicked off the day with a healthy yet hearty Hakka breakfast at Volcano Coffee House Lei-Cha. Their menu is quite extensive and basically we ordered all Hakka speciality dishes. Lei Cha, Abacus Seed, Hakka fried pork, Yong Tau Fu and their Choy Ban. All are pretty decent except the Abacus Seed maybe can skip this. The Hakka fried pork was everyone’s favourite.                                                          

Kulai Man Ting Fong-Hazeldiary Kulai Man Ting Fong-Choy Ban Hakka

You can also try out Man Ting Fang, famous for their Lei Cha (Thunder Tea Rice). The bowl came packed with crunchy vegetables, tofu, peanuts, and a savoury green tea soup—perfect fuel before a durian feast. The flavours here are much stronger.

Kulai Man Ting Fong-Choy Ban Hakka-1

Don’t leave without trying their handmade Choy Ban (Hakka Dumplings). It is freshly made on the spot and there are priced at RM1.50 per piece. we loved it so much, we tapao-ed a few boxes back.

Kelapa Sawit Wall Art

Kulai Kelapa Sawit Mural Art Kulai Kelapa Sawit Mural Art-1

Right after breakfast, we strolled around to snap some photos at the Kelapa Sawit Wall Art, an Instagram-worthy area filled with vibrant murals showcasing Hakka heritage and rural life.

Durian Feast at Tangkak – Two Stops for the King of Fruits

After fueling up in Kulai, we hit the road for a 1.5-hour drive to Tangkak—a town known for housing some of Johor’s best durian farms. Along the way, we started spotting durian sellers lining the streets of Johor.

Mt Ophir Durian Farm

Mt Ophir Durian Tangkak

Our first stop was a scenic one, located near nature with stunning views of Mount Ophir. We reached around 2PM, but unfortunately, there were only two varieties left: Milk Durian (Susu) and Durian Kampung, both priced at RM16/kg. The durians were smooth, creamy, and had a pleasant bittersweet note—it was love at first bite. Although the farm is highly recommended online, we were a little let down by the limited selection. We were hoping to try Mao Shan Wang, but it wasn’t available.

Ho Lee Seng

Ho Lee Seng Durian Tangkak-Johor
Ho Lee Seng Durian Tangkak

We couldn’t resist a second round and made a quick 10-minute drive to Ho Lee Seng. Here, we finally got our fix of the highly sought-after Mao Shan Wang (Musang King), and even discovered a cheesy, creamy variety that was unexpectedly addictive. Prices for Mao Shan Wang start from RM30, depending on the grade. Each durian had a beautiful golden-yellow flesh and was incredibly flavourful. It was so good that everyone ended up tapao-ing some home. The durians were vacuum-sealed, making them easy to bring back to Singapore.

If you’re up for more, Tangkak is also famous for its beef noodles and chendol. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time this round but it’s something to bookmark for next trip!

Dinner Back in JB – Halal-Friendly Seafood

After a satisfying durian adventure, we made our way back to Johor Bahru for dinner and ended the day at a Chinese Muslim restaurant. It is an ideal spot for groups with halal preferences. We initially planned to dine at Ong Shun Seafood, a popular Muslim-friendly zi char spot, but unfortunately, it was temporarily closed for a few days due to not meeting hygiene standards set by the authorities. A quick Google search led us to an alternative, and it turned out to be a pleasant surprise with good food and reasonable prices.

Ghanim Seafood Restaurant

Located in JB, Ghanim Seafood Restaurant offers Chinese-style seafood dishes in a Muslim-friendly setting. The food was flavourful, portions generous, and prices reasonable. Recommend to give it a try if you are looking for halal seafood choices.

Alternatively, there are many other seafood restaurants in Johor Bahru to check out as well.

It was a great trip overall, even though we didn’t manage to squeeze in any shopping due to the long travel time between Singapore and Tangkak. That said, our main mission was durians—and we fulfilled that! The durians in Tangkak were not only fresh and delicious but also much more affordable compared to those in Johor Bahru. We even spotted some JB stalls selling durians at RM98/kg, whereas the ones we had in Tangkak were priced significantly lower, making the journey well worth it.

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[SG EATS] 99 Old Trees Durian Café at Outram Park- Durian Desserts start from S$1.80

[SG EATS] 99 Old Trees Durian Café at Outram Park- Durian Desserts start from S$1.80

99 Old Trees has moved to Outram Park with bigger space and Instagram-worthy décor. Durian lovers should be familiar with this brand as they offer fresh durians harvested in Malaysia and durian desserts like mousse and ice-cream under their sub-brand Stinky. Read More

[SG EATS]2019 Durian High Tea Buffet At Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel

[SG EATS]2019 Durian High Tea Buffet At Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel

More durian desserts options are available in town! Durian High Tea Buffet 2019 by Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel is back from 3 June to 31 July 2019. The buffet spread includes selection of local delicacies apart from the durian selection. Read More

[SG EATS] 99 Old Trees Launches SukaWa –‘Omakase’ style Durian Experience

[SG EATS] 99 Old Trees Launches SukaWa –‘Omakase’ style Durian Experience

*Updated on 28 Jan’21* – 99 Old Trees has moved to new location with cafe concept at Outram Park. Click here for the new address.

Durian season is back again and estimated to take place from 6 June to 31 August 2019. 99 Old Trees located within a walking distance from Farrer Park MRT Station is a trusted retailer of quality durians. They get their durians from Fook Gor Durian Farm and for more information, you can click here. Read More

[SG EATS] Taiwan Porridge Fare At Coffee Lounge & Durian Fiesta 2019 | Goodwood Park Hotel

[SG EATS] Taiwan Porridge Fare At Coffee Lounge & Durian Fiesta 2019| Goodwood Park Hotel

My last visit to Coffee Lounge for their Taiwan Porridge at Goodwood Park Hotel was few years back with my colleague. I am glad to be back to savour their traditional Taiwan Porridge fare this time. The well-loved Taiwan Porridge is the signature offering at Coffee Lounge since its inception in 1984. Read More

[SG EATS] Exquisite Durian Feast At The Line | Shangri-La Hotel Singapore

You know durian season is back when everyone starting to post durians on their social media platform. There are quite a few hotels offering durian buffet at this durian season as well. The Line, Shangri-La Hotel Singapore has brought back its durian buffet, which is available during dinner time. The buffet features three popular durian varieties- Hong Xia (Red Prawn), D21 and D24 along with tropical fruits such as rambutan, longan and mangosteen. Read More

[SG EATS] Ding Dong At Amoy Street- New Creation Menu


Ding Dong first opened in 2013 at Ann Siang Hill has since relocated to Amoy Street since 2016. Believe it or not but this is my first visit here. The restaurant offers innovative dishes that meld familiar and traditional flavours of Asian cuisine with innovative plating, and modern, progressive culinary techniques. Read More

[SG EATS] Hao Chi Durian – All Types of Durian You Can find from Malaysia!

[SG EATS] Hao Chi Durian – All Types of Durian You Can find from Malaysia!

The King of Fruit has arrived! And by that I am referring to durian. The true season for these thorny delights lies between June and August, and that means now is the best time for you to bliss out on the prized, wickedly-pungent fruit. Just so you make full use of the season, we’ve rounded up five popular haunts for you to buy your durians. Read More

[SG EATS] Ellenborough Market Café Swissotel Merchant Court – July & August Buffet Highlights

[SG EATS] Ellenborough Market Café Swissotel Merchant Court – July & August Buffet Highlights

Hello guys! I am back with buffet updates from Ellenborough Market Café Swissotel Merchant Court. If you have been reading my blog posts, you should know by now that Ellenborough Market Café constantly has new offerings for their buffet spread. Read More

[SG EATS] 6 DURIAN DESSERTS TO TRY AT HIGH TEA BUFFET MARRIOTT CAFÉ

[SG EATS] 6 DURIAN DESSERTS TO TRY AT HIGH TEA BUFFET MARRIOTT CAFÉ

The durian season is back again! Have you got your durian cravings yet? Other than visiting durian stalls, hotels are launching durian desserts to attract customers. And Marriott Café is offering durian dessert spread for their High Tea buffet from now till end July 2016. I visited and tried the desserts over the weekend. Aww… I am blessed with the treats. Read More