Day 1: LEGOLAND - MINILand – Johor Bahru

MINILand

At the heart of every LEGOLAND® is the much-loved true-to-life miniature version of Asia’s iconic landmarks.

MINILAND dazzles in every way as a magnificent masterpiece built with over 30 million LEGO® bricks that showcase famous attractions from 17 Asian countries such as the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur , Singapore’s Merlion, India’s Taj Mahal and even Johor’s own unique landmarks. Many of the icons and attractions are animated at the touch of a button, so visitors of all ages can enjoy the sights, sounds and splendour of every work of art.

Johor Bahru

Johor Bahru stands proud as a bustling city with potential to become a major tourist, entertainment, commercial, shopping and dining hub at the southern shores of Malaysia, and lies just across the Causeway from Singapore. It is represented here by a few famous buildings such as Dataran Bandaraya, a football field, the Tourist Information Centre, the old railway station, the Sultan Abu Bakar mosque, the Sultan Ibrahim building, the Dato Jaafar building, the palace at Bukit Serene, the Church of Immaculate Conception, the Chinatown Heritage area, and some shophouses and a town square.

Istana Bukit Serene is the royal palace and official residence of the Sultan of Johor. The Palace opens to breathtaking views of the Straits of Johor and Singapore city skyline. Built in 1933 and completed in 1939, the Palace with high tower measuring 35m and sprawling gardens playing host royal to gatherings and celebrations, is a prominent historical landmark that stands tall as a symbol of the modern Johor sultanate. Based on one of Johor’s most beloved and iconic landmarks, this majestic palace is constructed using over 278,023 LEGO® bricks at the Johor cluster in Miniland.

I have visited Johor Bahru a few times, and this model captures the feel of the city. I would have liked to see Kota Iskandar featured in all it’s glory as well as Puteri Harbour, but that would be too self-referential (Legoland is located in Puteri Harbour).