The Great Malaysia Road Trip: There's Much to Do in Desaru!

As dawn approached and the first rays of sunlight peeked over the majestic Sungai Johor Bridge, the smooth and powerful engine note of a liveried BMW 4 Series pierced through the silence in the air.

We had finally arrived in Desaru, Malaysia's premier tourist town located along its eastern coast.

This would be our first location of many throughout our seven-day, six-night Great Malaysia Road Trip. And from the looks of it, Desaru was already setting a very high standard for our expectations.

Having crossed the 1.7 km-long landmark bridge, there were two locations that our hosts and mBassador winners Kai Ling and Chanel were keen on visiting: the Desaru Fruit Farm, and the Desaru Ostrich Farm. They outline the resort town's goal of providing an authentic resort experience that can be enjoyed by the whole family!

With adventure and getting to the great outdoors in mind, the risk of getting injured is always there. As such, we highly recommend checking out suitable insurance plans from our title sponsor DirectAsia, so you can have complete peace of mind while holidaying with your loved ones.

Fun with Fresh Fruits

We arrived at the fruit farm expecting to find a small plot of land, but were pleasantly surprised to find that it's a massive 180-acre plot of tropical fruit land, complete with its own shop that sells the farm's produce, and some domesticated animals for fellow tourists to interact with.

As we toured around Desaru Fruit Farm with our friendly guide, we got to see all sorts of flora being grown, and fruits being harvested. From durians to rose-apples to even longans, the plantation had an incredibly diverse selection of fruits that you could see, touch, and eat.

Our guide proudly showed us a beautiful and healthy longan tree that was growing along a small river, which you simply would not find in Singapore. There was also a humble bee garden nearby, where honey was being produced by the bees, and ultimately collected by staff there for consumption.

In between our farm tour, we were even treated to a sumptuous feast held at their in-house restaurant, with most of the food provided straight from the plantation itself. From apples to mangoes, the fruits were truly sweet and refreshing considering the 40.0°C heat we had to endure.

It's clear that the Desaru Fruit Farm resonates with families from all walks of life with its vibrant attractions. Throughout our visit, we met up with over a dozen other visitors both young and old, with some hailing from as far as Japan!

For those looking for a bit more adventure, they can also have a go with the farm's all-terrain vehicle (ATV) offering. Fellow guides from the farm will bring you around the land as you ride on the ATVs through the orchard trails, providing a unique experience for all.

Before we hit the road once more, we made sure to get some tapioca chips and dried guava from their shop which were simply delicious!

Address: 92, 82200, Johor, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 9AM - 6PM (Mon to Sun)

Obsessed with Ostriches

Our next stop was the Desaru Ostrich Farm, which is about 30 minutes away from the fruit farm by car. Located in a fairly nondescript area by the sea amongst roadside restaurants and Kampung Changi (not to be confused with Singapore's Changi), it provides visitors with a truly intimate experience with the ostriches there!

The staff there, who double as the birds' caretakers, showed true joy in educating us about the many ostriches there. We had the opportunity of feeding some of them, and our hosts even got to pet some of the friendlier ones. 

Like many other animals, the ostriches being cared for in the farm all have their own distinct personalities. Some showed great interest in visitors such as us and sought for petting, while others were content with just resting on the ground and completely ignoring their surroundings unless you provided food.

The farm's staff also has children-friendly live lessons to educate the young ones about these non-flying birds!

Apart from ostriches, the farm also rears Norwegian chickens, goats, and even a pony. And just like the ostriches, fellow visitors are allowed to feed these animals with the supervision of the on-site staff.

The Desaru Ostrich Farm also features a small restaurant, located near the main entrance. They serve various types of food that use ostrich eggs as the main ingredient. While we're no foodies, we were able to appreciate the rich and milky texture of the eggs and delicacies provided!

Address: Jln Teluk Ramunia, Kampung Changi, 81600 Pengerang, Johor, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 9AM - 6PM (Mon to Sun)

With that, it was time to bid farewell to the lovely town of Desaru, and jump back onto the expressway towards our next destination. Stay tuned as we cover our journey in Melaka in the next instalment!

We'd like to once again thank our title sponsor DirectAsia and supporting sponsor YHI Singapore for supporting us on this Great Malaysia Road Trip! We'd also like to thank SGRentaCar for providing us with a smooth and reliable Honda support vehicle for the crew that made this trip possible.

Photo Credits: Muhammad Mu'tasim (@mutasimdrives) and ACube Creative (@weareacube)

Read More: The Great Malaysia Road Trip: Preparation to Go Up North!

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