How To Go To Rawa Island (Ultimate Guide: Includes All Options)

Getting from Singapore to Rawa Island is not difficult:

You just need to choose a suitable mode of transport to reach Mersing Jetty first!

Be it a private car service, taking the public bus or driving there!

Hiring a private car service upfront:

Straight from your doorstep in Singapore to Mersing Jetty!

This is the most convenient mode of transport with regards to the land portion of the journey to Rawa Island!

Read also: How To Go To Tioman Island From Singapore

The drive typically takes 3 hours from Singapore to Mersing Jetty. Or more, depending on the traffic at the Singapore-Johor border.

Why You Should Book A Private Car From Singapore To Mersing Jetty:

• Choose your own departure time and location
• No need to exit from the car at immigration
• Don’t have to wait for or share the ride with strangers
• Relax in a comfortable car with ample leg room and storage space
• Cars are well-maintained
• Experienced drivers know the quickest way to Mersing Jetty!
• Easy booking process
• Affordable rates

We suggest you to book a private car service from Singapore to Mersing Jetty with SGMYTAXI.

After 3 hours or so on the road, you will find yourself in Mersing where you can take a boat to Rawa Island from Mersing Jetty.

Click here for more information on booking a boat to Rawa Island.

Read also: How To Go To Mersing Jetty From Singapore

Driving to Mersing Jetty takes roughly 3 hours. This can be much faster than taking public transport!

Read also: 15 Fun Things To Do In Rawa Island

This is the route you will take from Singapore to Mersing Jetty:

Route:

Singapore (via Laluan Persekutuan 3/AH18) – Johor Bahru- Kota Tinggi – Jemaluang – Mersing

View route details and map here:

Once you reach Mersing, you can hop on a boat to Rawa Island from Mersing Jetty.

The ride from the jetty should take no more than 40 minutes!

How to book a boat to Rawa Island.

Take the early buses so you can maximize your time on Rawa Island!

A one-way trip is typically 3 hours and 30 minutes with no heavy traffic at the border between Johor and Singapore.

Read also: Tioman Vs Rawa: Which Island Is The Best For First-Timer From Singapore

There are 4 main bus operators that run the route between Singapore and Mersing Bus Terminal.

The buses will typically drop off passengers at Mersing Bus Terminal.

The bus terminal is walking distance (10-15 minutes) from Mersing Jetty.

Bus Operators:

• Transnasional
• Starmart Express
• KKKL Express
• Causeway Link (only one-way from Mersing to Singapore)
  

Bus Departure Location:

• The Plaza (Transnasional)
• Golden Mile Tower (Starmart Express)
• Boon Lay (Starmart Express)
• Bugis MRT Exit D Taxi Stand (KKKL Express)
• Kovan Hub (KKKL Express)

Bus Departure Time:

• Daily from 9:00 to 22:00 (Transnasional)
• Daily from 6:31 to 7:17 (Starmart Express)
• Daily from 6:00 to 6:31 (KKKL Express)

Bus Ticket Price (Range): ~SGD $34

Duration: Between 3 to 5 hours

Book a bus from Singapore to Mersing via easybook.com or alternatively, you can book a bus through busonlineticket.com.

To get to your chosen resort at Rawa Island, just book a boat ride with the resort!

Both resorts have speedboats to ferry their guests to the island!

Details on how to get to Rawa Island from Mersing Jetty.

Another option to get from Singapore to Rawa Island is to take a coach to Mersing Jetty.

Read also: How To Get To Mersing Jetty

Coaches depart early in the morning once a day from Singapore to Mersing Jetty.

Make sure you get to the departure point in time (at least 30 minutes before) so you don’t miss your coach!

Coach Operators:

• Discovery Singapore
• WTS

Coach Departure Location & Time:

• Bugis MRT Station Exit D at 6:30 for Discovery Singapore
• Singapore Flyer #01-06D at 6:30 for WTS

Coach Return Location & Time:

• Ferry terminal at 16:30 (for Discovery Singapore) and 18:00 (for WTS)

Coach Ticket Price (range): SGD $21 to $30 for a one-way trip

Duration: ~4 hours

Book a coach from Singapore to Mersing Jetty via Discovery Singapore or WTS.

Read also: Rawa Island Package Review (Which Rawa Island Resort & Package Should You Go For?)

Arrange beforehand with your chosen resort for a boat ride to Rawa Island from Mersing Jetty.

More on booking a boat to Rawa Island.

There is no direct flight from Changi Airport to Rawa Island.

Hence, you then have the option of hiring a private car service to ferry you directly to Mersing Jetty if you happen to land at Changi Airport. With no need to wait for a bus or other passengers!

Book a private car service from GoIslands via WhatsApp or Facebook.

Just because Mersing happens to be in Johor doesn’t mean it’s close to Johor Bahru. Johor is a big state!

In fact, you will need to journey for at approximately 2.5 hours from Johor Bahru to Mersing Jetty.

Read also: How To Go To Tioman Island From Johor Bahru

Don’t like the idea of driving or taking the bus?

You might want to consider hiring a private car service from Johor Bahru to Mersing Jetty instead!

A private car service is by far, the most hassle-free and comfortable way of getting to Mersing Jetty from Johor Bahru! Remember, it’s a 2 to 2.5 hour journey!

Advantages Of Taking Private Taxi From Johor Bahru To Mersing Jetty

1. No long queues as with public transport!
2. Travel in comfort with plenty of legroom.
3. Pick up straight from your doorstep and at the most convenient time for you!
4. The drivers know the roads very well!
5. No need to worry about finding parking (or car park fees) as is the case if you were to self-drive!

We suggest to book a private car service with SGMYTAXI.

It’s a matter of arranging a speedboat with your respective Rawa Island resort before you arrive at Mersing Jetty!

More on the matter of booking a speedboat to Rawa Island.

With regular buses departing from JB Larkin Terminal on a daily basis, it’s easy to catch a bus from Johor Bahru to Mersing Jetty where you can take a boat to Rawa Island!

There are many bus operators to choose from!

Bus Operators:

• Maraliner
• Causeway Link Express
• S&S International (M) Express
• Plusliner
• Transnasional

Bus Departure Location: JB Larkin Terminal

Bus Departure Time: Daily from 7:25 to 23:00, every ~1-3 hours

Bus Ticket Price (Range): RM12.70 – RM17.60 (Adults), RM9.50 – RM17.60 (Child)

Duration: ~2.5 hours

Book a bus from Johor Bahru to Mersing.

It takes just a quick boat ride to Rawa Island from Mersing Jetty. Both resorts on Rawa Island provide this transport for their guests.

More information on getting a boat ride to Rawa Island.

If driving for 2 hours or so doesn’t bother you too much, you can easily travel to Mersing Jetty from Johor Bahru via either of the two routes listed below:

Either go through Kota Tinggi or by-pass Kota Tinggi via Bandar Penawar before heading up to Mersing Jetty.

The latter takes 50 minutes more, typically.

Route 1:

Johor Bahru (via Laluan Persekutuan 3/AH18) – Kota Tinggi – Jemaluang – Mersing Harbour Centre – Mersing Jetty

View route details and map here:

Route 2:

Johor Bahru (via Jalan Jemaluang/Laluan Persekutuan 3/AH18 for 14km) – Bandar Penawar (via Lebuhraya Senai-desaru/E22) – Kota Tinggi (via route 92 and 99) – Mawai (via Jalan Jemaluang/Laluan Persekutuan 3/AH18 again) – Mersing

View route details and map here:

As for where to park your car, there is a guarded car park beside Mersing Jetty. The parking rate is RM15 to RM18 a day.

For more information on taking a speedboat to Rawa Island from Mersing Jetty, click here.

There are 3 viable options to go to Rawa Island from Kuala Lumpur:

1. Bus to Mersing Jetty
2. Self-Drive
3. Flight

It takes up to ~5.5 hours for a one-way bus trip from Kuala Lumpur to Mersing Jetty.

Note that heavy traffic getting out from Kuala Lumpur can affect the total duration significantly.

From TBS (Terminal Bersepadu Selatan), you can take a direct bus from Kuala Lumpur to Mersing.

Bus operators:

• S&S International (M) Express
• Transnasional
• Sanwa Tours (M) Sdn Bhd
• Sepakat Liner (Mersing)

Bus Departure Location: TBS (Terminal Bersepadu Selatan)

Bus Departure Time: Daily from 9:00 to 23.45

Bus Ticket Price (Range): RM32.80 – RM41.50 (Adult), RM28.50 – RM38.30 (Child)

Duration: ~5.5hours

You can book a bus from Kuala Lumpur to Mersing through easybook.com.

You just need half an hour more before you land on Rawa Island!

At Mersing Jetty, hop on a boat straight to your resort.

How to arrange with your resort for a boat ride to Rawa Island.

It’s possible to drive from Kuala Lumpur to Mersing Jetty but beware that this will take at least 4 hours’ of travel time depending on the outgoing traffic from Kuala Lumpur, of course!

If you do decide to drive to Mersing on your own, these are the routes you can take from Kuala Lumpur to Mersing Jetty.

Route 1:

Kuala Lumpur (via Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan/E2) – Ayer Hitam (Take exit 244-Ayer Hitam) – Kluang & Kayang (via Route 50) – Mersing

View route details and map here:

Route 2:

Kuala Lumpur – Cheras – Kajang – Kuala Pihah – Bahau (via Jalan Bahau)- Muadzam Shah – Kuala Rompin (via Laluan Persekutuan 3/AH18) – Endau – Mersing

View route details and map here:

Route 3:

Kuala Lumpur – Hulu Langat – Muadzam Shah – Kuala Rompin (via Laluan Persekutuan 3/AH18) – Endau – Mersing

View route details and map here:

You may be wondering how to get to Rawa Island now that you’re at Mersing Jetty!

Not to worry, at Mersing Jetty, there should be a boat that goes straight to your resort.

More on arranging a boat ride to Rawa Island.

While there are no direct flights to Rawa Island from Kuala Lumpur, the nearest airport to Mersing Jetty is Senai airport in Johor Bahru.

With regular and hourly flights between Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Senai airport, you can avoid the long drives altogether!

A private car service to Mersing Jetty from Senai Airport will undoubtedly save you precious time having to wait for the bus!

In addition to that, it’s a comfortable way to get through the 2.5 hour-journey from Senai Airport to Mersing Jetty.

Why You Should Book A Private Car From Senai Airport To Mersing Jetty:

• No inconveniences that come with public transport (e.g. fixed schedules, queues, etc)
• Enough leg room and luggage space for your travel buddies and you!
• Inexpensive rates if your group has 4 or more members
• Easy to book
• Drivers know the fastest route

We recommend to hire a private car service from Senai Airport to Mersing Jetty with SGMYTAXI.

The final step is to take a speedboat ride to Rawa Island from Mersing Jetty!

Details on getting to Rawa Island from Mersing Jetty via speedboat.

Taking a flight is not an option (since there are no direct flights from Malacca to Johor) so you will have to decide between taking a bus or driving to Mersing Jetty yourself!

Be prepared for a long journey if you choose to take a bus from Malacca to Mersing!

Only S&S International (M) Express provides bus services from Malacca to Mersing.

Bus Departure Location: Melaka Sentral

Bus Departure Time: Daily at 7:45 and 12:45

Bus Ticket Price: RM25.1 (Adult), RM18.8 (Child)

Duration: 4 hours, 19 minutes

Book a bus from Melaka Sentral to Mersing here.

At Mersing Jetty, take a speedboat to Rawa Island. You can liaise with your respective resort regarding this last leg of your journey!

Check out how to book a boat ride to Rawa Island.

This ambitious drive will practically take you from one side of Peninsula Malaysia to the other, going around a national park (Endau Rompin National Park) in the process!

Starting from Malacca and driving to Mersing, there are a couple of routes you can choose to drive.

Allocate 3.5 – 4.5 hours of driving time. Traffic congestion will play a role too.

Route 1:

Malacca – Jasin (via Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan/AH2/E2) – Ayer Hitam (Take exit 244-Ayer Hitam) – Kluang & Kayang (via Route 50) – Mersing

View route details and map here:

Route 2:

Malacca (via Lebuh AMJ/Route 19 for 14km) – M109 (3.6km)- Tangkak (via Jalan Merlimau / Jasin/M25) – Chaah – Paloh – Kluang & Kayang (via Route 50) – Mersing

View route details and map here:

A 30-minute speedboat trip lies between you and Rawa Island the moment you get to Mersing Jetty!

Learn more about the speedboat ride to Rawa Island.

Rawa Island is quite far from Penang so flying is the way to go!

Especially if you want to avoid driving continuously south-east across Peninsula Malaysia to Mersing (~8 hour journey).

There is no direct flight fly to Rawa Island from Penang.

However, the nearest airport to Rawa Island that you can fly to from Penang is Johor Bahru’s Senai Airport.

AirAsia has multiple flights a day from Penang to Senai Airport! These direct flights take close to an hour.

Hire a private car service to get to Mersing Jetty from Senai Airport. This will inevitably save you precious time! Plus, you get to travel comfortably and leave no opportunity for delays!

The drive typically takes 2.5 hours from Senai Airport to Mersing Jetty.

Why You Should Book A Private Car From Senai Airport To Mersing Jetty:

• No need to wait for the bus!
• Don’t have to share the ride with strangers
• Pleasant ride with enough leg room and storage space for your travel buddies and you!
• Well-maintained cars
• Reasonable rates
• Drivers are very familiar with the route
• Booking is easy

We recommend you to book a private car service from Senai Airport to Mersing Jetty with SGMYTAXI.

When you are at Mersing Jetty, you will then need to undergo a short boat ride to reach Rawa Island.

Resorts on the island will usually arrange a boat schedule.

Do read the next section regarding the speedboat ride to Rawa Island.

At Mersing Jetty, you need to get the following done before boarding a boat from Mersing Jetty to Rawa Island:

1. Pay the Marine Park Fee and Johor National Park Fee at Mersing Harbour Center
2. Register at your respective resort reception ( Alang’s Rawa Resort or Rawa Island Resort) with your travel voucher.

Johor National Park Fee At Mersing Jetty

Marine Park Entrance Fee At Mersing Jetty

Read also: How To Go To Tioman Island From Mersing Jetty

Arrange your boat transfer with your chosen Rawa Island resort in advance:

1. Both resorts offer Rawa full board packages that include boat transfers between Mersing Jetty and Rawa Island, meals and accommodation.
2. The resorts will provide the speedboat departure times upon booking confirmation.
3. Let them know your preferred boat departure time.

Boat trips are more frequent during the best time to visit Rawa Island with the peak months being March to September.

On the other hand, boats do not run during the monsoon season (November to February).

Read also: Best Time To Visit Tioman Island

You might be dizzy from all the available transportation methods available to get to Rawa Island from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Malacca and even Penang!

Thankfully, you have this guide to set you on the right course and give you confidence to undertake the journey to Rawa Island for your weekend getaway!

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