MY · Johor · 1.63°N 104.25°E

tanjung balau beach

A rocky-cove beach north of Desaru, with a fishermen's museum of old boats and nets.

Best time
March to October, when the sea is calmer. The north-east monsoon, roughly November to February, brings heavy rain and rough surf, though the museum still makes a wet-day stop.
How long
Half a day
Getting there
About 4–4.5 hours' drive from KL, or about 1.5 hours from JB on the Senai–Desaru Expressway.
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MY · Johortanjung balau beach1.63°N 104.25°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,A rocky-cove beach north of Desaru, with a fishermen's museum of old boats and nets.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingTanjung Balau BeachMY, Johor
KLtanjung balau beach
≈ 330 km from KL, as the crow flies
Rocks at Tanjong Balau

Photo: jcko81 · CC BY 3.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Tanjung Balau is a public beach on Johor's east coast, just north of the Desaru Coast resorts, where soft sand is broken up by dark rocks and moored fishing boats. Local families come for picnics, and the Muzium Nelayan, a fishermen's museum with over 50 boats and some 250 pieces of old fishing gear, is a few minutes down the road.

Makan

  1. Ikan bakarGrilled fish with sambal at the stalls by the beach or in Bandar Penawar.Map ↗
  2. Otak-otakSpiced fish paste grilled in leaves, a Johor snack.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. The beachSand and rocky outcrops, with toilets, parking and food stalls by the shore.Map ↗
  2. The rocksLow headlands and boulders along the shore, best explored at low tide.Map ↗
  3. Muzium NelayanBoats, nets and traps from a century of east-coast fishing, plus a gallery of finds from the Desaru shipwreck.Map ↗
  4. DesaruThe resort beaches and the water park are a short drive south.Map ↗

Good to know

  • The open coast has strong currents. Keep to paddling unless the sea is flat calm.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.