Legoland Malaysia: Why You Need to Add This Resort-Theme Park to Your Travel Bucket List

As a thirty-something-year-old, I didn’t think that I would enjoy Legoland very much, thinking that it’s an attraction targeted towards kids. But during my three-day visit to the resort-slash-amusement park, I learned two things: One, is that it is an attraction built primarily for kids’ entertainment, and that, two, adults can very much enjoy it too, anyway.

Legoland Malaysia Resort is a Lego-themed (yes, those colorful bricks we loved as kids) attraction located in Johor, Malaysia. The first of its kind in Asia, Legoland Malaysia opened on September 15, 2012, and was designed to be a premier attraction for families with young kids.

If your travel bucket list includes visiting all of Asia’s best amusement parks, then you should be adding this to the roster. Legoland Malaysia is undoubtedly an exciting destination for the young and young-at-heart, boasting over 80 rides, slides, shows, and attractions. And since this is Legoland after all, you can also expect some of the finest, grandest, and most impressive Lego builds here—lots and lots of it.

Legoland Malaysia features more than 15,000 Lego models scattered all around the resort that, combined, comprise over 60 million Lego bricks. And, yes, it’s a huge park—the size of 50 full-size football pitches, to be exact.

And yet, these are all just the tip of the iceberg. As the Lego Movie OST that plays non-stop in the Legoland Hotel elevators would go: “Everything (here) is awesome.”

Read on to know more on why you need to add Legoland Malaysia to your itinerary when in Malaysia.

Legoland Malaysia Resort attractions

Legoland Malaysia Resort is made up of four major attractions: the Legoland Hotel, Theme Park, Water Park, and Sea Life Malaysia.

Legoland Hotel

As a Legoland first-timer, the excitement began for me when I noticed our bus approaching a colorful building in the distance—a structure that stood out among this area of Johor, mostly a backdrop of grass and hilly vegetation. Red flags fly from the structure’s tips, like a castle would in medieval times. Moving closer, I realized that the building’s multi-colored pillars were made to imitate none other than Lego bricks. Giant Lego soldiers were mounted by the foyer, while a green dragon peeks from the awning. We had arrived at Legoland Hotel.

Inside, a castle sits in the middle of the lobby, surrounded by a moat filled with hundreds and hundreds of pieces of colorful Lego bricks. Kids run happily around the lobby, zooming in and out of the playhouse castle, and building (or knocking down) Legos in the castle “moat.”

Legoland Hotel has six floors, each decked in a different theme: pirate, ninja, kingdom, adventure, and friends. I’ve never slept in a pirate-themed room before, but I guess there’s a first time for everything!

Legoland Hotel has over 260 rooms, all of which are built to accommodate families. The smallest room type features a master bedroom and a kid-sized bunk bed with a pull–out. The bathrooms are all equipped with a second, lower, and smaller sink for the kiddies. We love the thoughtfulness that went into designing these rooms!

Legoland Theme Park

Within Legoland Malaysia Resort, you can find the star attraction: The Legoland Malaysia Theme Park. With eight amazing themed areas and over 40 exciting rides and attractions, Legoland Theme Park is a wonderland waiting to be explored by families of all ages.

My peers and I explored all eight themed areas, starting at—literally—The Beginning, the park’s first area. At Lego City, young ones can take charge, mastering firefighting skills or earning their Lego driver’s licenses. Feeling like a master builder? Unleash your inner engineer in the Imagination zone, where you can design and test your own incredible vehicles. And don’t forget to stop by Lego Technic, where you can find high-speed rides. We very much enjoyed The Great Lego Race, a roller coaster ride that utilizes VR technology!

Prepare to be swept away to a land of valiant knights and daring quests in Lego Kingdoms, where you can also find castles to walk into and a thrilling dragon roller coaster ride. Craving excitement? Land of Adventure offers thrilling rides and jungle adventures. The Dino Island ride features a 12-meter high waterfall, where you’ll certainly get wet as you traverse down it aboard a canoe.

If you’re a Ninjago fan, train alongside your favorite heroes at Lego Ninjago World and master the art of Spinjitzu to battle evil. And, lastly, no Legoland experience is complete without witnessing the wonders of Miniland, a massive display of iconic landmarks built with Lego bricks. The structures are so detailed—it truly is a marvel to see. Miniland is Legoland’s tribute to its neighboring cities and countries around Asia, featuring 17 different iconic landmarks from within Malaysia, Singapore, and all around Asia, including the Philippines. The Philippines’ display features a fishing town in Bolinao, Pangasinan, showing the quintessential charming life in the province.

Miniland is considered to be the centerpiece of Legoland, and a true testament to the incredible things you can build with your creativity and bricks of Lego.

Legoland Water Park

There’s no better way to spend a hot day at Legoland Malaysia Resort than at its very own water park. Legoland Malaysia Water Park is a watery wonderland designed for families with kids of all ages. Boasting over 20 thrilling rides, slides, shows, and games, this park is guaranteed to bring out the inner child in everyone.

Want to ride a wave? Catch a wave (or two) at the Lego Wave Pool, the park’s centerpiece. They play movies on a huge projected screen above the pool, too, so you can watch while you swim. Feeling mellow? Cruise down the Build-A-Raft River, where you can design your own raft using giant Lego bricks. It’s the perfect way to relax and soak up the Malaysian sunshine.

For a more adrenaline-pumping experience, try the exhilarating Lego Slide Racers that consist of mat slides where you can race down against your friends. Test your courage on the Lego Joker Soaker, an interactive wade pool that features a surprise—a giant tipping bucket that will drench you in a wave of laughter (and maybe a little water).

Younger children will have a blast at the Duplo Splash Safari, a colorful play area featuring mini slides, water jets, and tipping buckets. And to make the most out of your Water Park experience, don’t miss out on the park’s two most exciting slides, Tidal Tube and Wave Rider. Both slides are 240-feet high, with heart-thumping twists and turns. Tidal Tube features an enclosed tunnel, while Wave Rider is an open-body slide tunnel for the most terrific thrills.

Sea Life Malaysia

Last but not the least (and personally this writer’s favorite), is Sea Life Malaysia, also located within Legoland Malaysia Resort. As the name suggests, this attraction allows you to immerse yourself in the wonders of the underwater world.

This captivating aquarium boasts over 13,000 fascinating creatures representing 120 different marine species. Divided into eleven themed zones, Sea Life Malaysia offers a diverse, educational and, sometimes, even emotional journey through various ocean habitats. Who knew staring at a jellyfish tank illuminated with a deep ruby red lighting could make you feel existential feelings? Or that watching a black tropical seahorse swim gracefully in its tank is a mesmerizing experience?

The Sea Life adventure begins with a coral reef experience teeming with colorful fish, playful clownfish, and (the aforementioned) majestic seahorses. As you journey through the captivating ocean tunnel, you’ll find yourself surrounded by mesmerizing sharks, graceful stingrays, and schools of shimmering fish gliding overhead.

Once of the most memorable exhibits here is getting up close with creepy crawlies of the deep at the rockpool exhibit, where you can even touch a starfish under the watchful eyes of the aquarium staff. (Find the odd-looking sea cucumber somewhere in the same tank too!)

Sea Life Malaysia is dedicated to fostering a love and respect for the ocean. Throughout the exhibits, interactive displays and educational talks provide valuable insights into ocean conservation efforts. It’s a mesmerizing experience and a wonderful way to instill the importance of protecting our oceans’ delicate ecosystems to both the young and old.

Food and Shopping

Stomach grumbling after a thrilling day of rides and building Legos? Legoland Malaysia has you covered with a variety of dining options to refuel and keep the fun going. There are a total of eight restaurants within the Legoland Theme Park and one buffet-style dining option within Legoland Hotel.

For a satisfying feast, head to Bricks Restaurant at Legoland Hotel. This buffet-style haven offers a delightful spread of international and Asian favorites. From fluffy pastries and delicious fried rice for breakfast (if you’re staying at the hotel) to piping hot pasta and juicy grilled meats for lunch and dinner, there’s something to tempt every taste bud. Plus, with endless cups of Milo for the little ones, it’s a family-friendly win.

Need a quick bite between rides? Theme park stalls offer classic favorites like burgers, hotdogs, and refreshing ice cream to keep your energy levels up. Craving something more specific? Look out for restaurants serving Asian and Western cuisine throughout the park.

And no trip to Legoland is complete without a souvenir! The Big Shop, the largest Lego retail space in Asia, is a treasure trove for Lego enthusiasts of all ages. Here, you’ll find everything from the latest sets and classic favorites to exclusive Legoland Malaysia merchandise. Watch out for the super cute Lego keychains—from colorful bricks to Lego Harry Potter and Lego Star Wars characters. I couldn’t resist and bought about nine keychains. (No regrets though!)

Aside from The Big Shop, find seven other Lego shops all around the theme park to satisfy your shopping needs.

How to get to Legoland Malaysia Resort

While there are no direct flights from the Philippines to Legoland Malaysia Resort in Johor Bahru, getting there is easy. Instead of flying directly to Malaysia, fly via Singapore instead. Singapore’s Changi Airport is actually closer to Johor than the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. Land transit between KL and Johor would take about 4 hours, while Changi Airport to Johor is only 1-2 hours depending on your mode of transportation and factoring in your time spent at the immigration border between Malaysia and Singapore. (Don’t worry, this is also a quick and no-hassle experience.)

Once you land in Singapore, a quick and affordable option is the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) train. This whisks you from Changi Airport to Jurong East Station in about an hour.

From Jurong East, hop on the comfy Causeway Link bus (around SGD14 or PHP600) for a scenic 1.5-hour ride directly to Legoland’s doorstep. While the bus ride might take a bit longer than a taxi, it’s a budget-friendly option perfect for families.

Alternatively, taxis are available at the airport and Jurong East, offering a faster but pricier option. No matter your choice, flying in via Singapore is still a much faster and more affordable option than flying in via Kuala Lumpur.

Legoland Malaysia Resort isn’t just a theme park; it truly is an immersive world with offerings that will capture the heart of every single member of the family. From thrilling coasters to interactive building experiences, people of all ages will find something to enjoy here.

What makes Legoland Malaysia stand out is how it’s placed the local culture front and center, making sure anyone who visits still gets to feel the quintessential Malaysian experience despite being in an international theme park. Legoland Malaysia offers a unique blend of theme park fun and Southeast Asian charm—a great recipe for a truly memorable vacation.

ALSO READ: LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort Offers Memorable Adventures for Filipino Travelers

Legoland Malaysia Resort

Location: Iskandar Puteri, Johor, Malaysia
Buy tickets: www.legoland.com.my
Facebook: LEGOLAND Malaysia
Instagram: @legolandmalaysia
YouTube: LegolandMalaysia