| Location | Gelang Patah, Iskandar Puteri, Johor |
| Distance from Singapore | About 2 km across the Tebrau Strait |
| Best checkpoint | Tuas Second Link |
| Typical drive time | Under an hour from most Singapore addresses, checkpoint queue excluded |
| Known for | Coastline, golf, waterfront resorts, duty-free shopping |
| Nearest airport | Senai International Airport |
Forest City sits on the Johor coast, about 2 km across the Tebrau Strait from Singapore, in the Gelang Patah area near Iskandar Puteri. It is a coastal development rather than a town, built around a 4 km public coastline, two 18-hole golf courses and a small cluster of hotels.
In 2025 the development recorded around 4 million coastal visitors, over 100,000 golfers, 57 international events at the golf resort and more than 260,000 hotel guests. Malaysia has since designated it a Special Financial Zone, which is driving the current wave of building.
The Classic Course has placed in the Top 100 Golf Courses in Asia for seven straight years from 2020 to 2026. In 2026 it climbed 14 places to No. 36 in Asia and held No. 1 in Malaysia. The Legacy Course ranked No. 49 in the Asia-Pacific Top 100 for 2024 to 2025.
Between the two courses the resort runs more than 50 tournament dates a year, covering pro-am events and corporate days. Booking a weekend tee time needs advance planning during tournament season.
The waterfront drew most of those 4 million visitors in 2025. It suits a slow afternoon, a walk and a meal rather than a packed schedule. Families with young children get more out of it than sightseers do.
Forest City holds duty-free status, which makes it a straightforward stop for alcohol and selected goods on a day trip. Check your Singapore allowance before buying, since the limits on return depend on value and time spent outside the country.
Operators on site run both. Book ahead on weekends and public holidays, when the coastline fills.
Golfers building a day or weekend around a round. Families after coastline without the extra 60 to 90 minutes of driving that Desaru demands. Groups looking for somewhere quieter than the JB city malls.
It suits you less if nightlife, heritage streets or dense hawker food is what you came for. Forest City is a planned development, and the food scene reflects that. For street-level atmosphere, Mount Austin or JB city centre do it better. Weighing Forest City against the other coastal options? Our comparison of Desaru, Malacca or LEGOLAND covers how those three differ on travel style and family fit.
| Option | Time | Best for | Trade-off |
| Private car | Under an hour plus checkpoint | Groups, golf bags, families, door to door | Higher upfront cost than the bus |
| Public bus plus taxi | Two hours or more | Solo travellers with light bags | Multiple transfers, awkward with golf clubs |
| Self-drive | Under an hour plus checkpoint | Confident drivers with a Malaysia-ready vehicle | VEP, insurance, parking and the return queue |
Tuas Second Link. Forest City sits on the western Johor coast, so the Second Link runs both closer and lighter than the Causeway on most days.
We use the same routing for LEGOLAND Malaysia, Bukit Indah and Iskandar Puteri, so pairing Forest City with a LEGOLAND day works without backtracking. Our Causeway jam guide covers the best crossing windows by day and time.
We have run private car hire between Singapore and Malaysia since 2010, with over 200,000 completed trips and more than 100,000 customers served. More background sits on our about page.
Door-to-door pickup from any Singapore address. One vehicle across the border, so you clear immigration in the car rather than queueing for a second ride on the Malaysian side. Golf bags, strollers and luggage travel with you. Our Singapore to Johor Bahru private car page covers the fleet and current rates.
No, and this catches people out.
The Johor Bahru to Singapore Rapid Transit System Link is targeted for completion in December 2026, with passenger service expected to begin in January 2027. It will cut the Bukit Chagar to Woodlands North crossing to about five minutes.
The RTS terminates at Bukit Chagar in JB city centre, on the opposite side of Johor from Forest City. You would arrive there and still need onward transport across the state. For western Johor, the Tuas Second Link stays the practical route.
Forest City is a coastal development in Gelang Patah, near Iskandar Puteri in Johor, about 2 km across the Tebrau Strait from Singapore.
A private car via the Tuas Second Link is the simplest route, taking under an hour from most Singapore addresses excluding checkpoint queues. Public transport requires a bus to Johor Bahru followed by a taxi.
Under an hour of driving from most Singapore addresses. Add a checkpoint buffer, which swings widely by day and time.
It suits golfers, families after a quiet coastline, and anyone shopping duty-free close to the border. It suits travellers hunting nightlife, street food or heritage sightseeing far less.
The Classic Course ranked No. 36 in Asia in 2026 and No. 1 in Malaysia, and has held a place in Asia's Top 100 every year since 2020. The Legacy Course ranked No. 49 in the Asia-Pacific Top 100.
Yes. Forest City holds duty-free status.
Tuas Second Link. It sits closer to western Johor and carries lighter traffic than the Woodlands Causeway on most days.
No. The RTS Link terminates at Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru city centre, on the other side of Johor from Forest City. Passenger service is expected from January 2027 and will mainly benefit JB city trips.
Yes. Both sit in the Iskandar Puteri area and both use the Tuas Second Link, so pairing them in one day works with a private car.
The 4 km coastline and the hotel pools suit young families. The development has less to offer teenagers, who tend to prefer LEGOLAND or the JB malls.
