Come join Picnic in the Air at Senai

 

It’s already December and year-end celebrations in Johor will be boosted by a first-of-its-kind picnic experience dubbed Picnic in the Air 2025 hosted at Senai International Airport on 27 and 28 December 2025.

 

Picnic in the Air will introduce a fresh concept that combines cakes, creativity and community – in the spirit of Temasya Johor @ Kulai 2025 – which runs from 27 December 2025 to 1 January 2026, as an exciting catalyst for the Visit Johor Year 2026 celebration.

 

Organised by Destination Odyssey Travel Solutions Sdn Bhd (DOTS Event) in collaboration with Senai International Airport, Tourism Johor, the Kulai District Office and the Kulai Municipal Council, this event promises a weekend filled with culinary creativity, family-friendly activities and community spirit, all in a uniquely vibrant atmosphere.

 

For one special weekend, families, food lovers and travellers are welcome to enjoy a picnic experience in a cheerful open picnic space set against the backdrop of an international airport.

 

DOTS Event Chief Executive Officer, Olivia Ooi, said Picnic in the Air 2025 is not merely a food festival — it is a celebration of Malaysians’ love for food, creativity and togetherness.

 

“Holding it at Senai International Airport offers an extraordinary experience, bringing together people from various cultures through taste, stories and shared memories,” she said.

 

Over two days, Picnic in the Air 2025 will feature Malaysia’s best cake makers, pastry chefs and food artisans through a range of exciting activities such as cake competitions, tasting sessions and interactive showcases.

 

The first day, themed ‘All About Cake’ on 27 December, will highlight professional creativity and craftsmanship through a cake-making competition with several categories including Classic, Modern and Specialty Cakes.

 

Bakers are invited to participate in competition cake categories like Classic Celebration Layer Cake (round/square, 2–3 tiers), Modern or Theme Cake (3+ tiers; structural work allowed) or Specialty, Regional, Festival, or Cultural Cake (in any format).

 

Registration is still open. So bakers, register to join now and showcase your Caketastic creation to the world and stand a chance to win attractive prizes.

 

 

Dessert lovers may also join the Cake Lovers Sessions, a two-hour all-you-can-eat cake-tasting experience featuring creations from top bakers.

 

Come dressed in your best “cake-inspired outfit” and stand a chance to win our Best Dressed Competition.

 

On the second day, 28 December, the event will present ‘Kenduri Mangkuk Tingkat’, a special programme celebrating Malaysia’s culinary heritage and paying tribute to the traditional tiffin carrier — a symbol of family and home-cooked meals. The event will serve more than 30 iconic Johorean dishes, creatively presented in beautifully arranged tiffin sets.

 

Visitors will be able to enjoy a variety of Johor flavours including Laksa Johor, Mee Rebus Johor, Mee Bandung Muar, Nasi Ambeng, Nasi Briyani Gam and many more, along with traditional kuih such as Kuih Dangai, Kuih Siput and Kole Kacang.

 

Through collaborations with local food experts and traditional cooks, the event aims to showcase Johor’s rich culinary identity in line with the Visit Johor Year 2026 campaign.

 

Visitors can also experience the Interactive Tiffin Exhibition, featuring stories of Johorean families, demonstrations by local makers and modern interpretations of the classic tiffin carrier. The exhibition bridges nostalgia and innovation — highlighting heritage, creativity and community values.

 

“The hosting of Temasya Johor @ Kulai 2025 is not merely a year-end event, but a curtain raiser for Visit Johor Year 2026.

 

Through its key component, Picnic in the Air, we are confident this programme will offer a tourist-friendly, refreshing experience while positioning Kulai as a major gateway into the state of Johor.

 

We welcome visitors from across Malaysia and abroad to experience Johor’s unique culture, food and hospitality,” said Kulai District Officer, Encik Fizwan bin Dato’ Haji Mohd Rashidi.

 

Meanwhile, Tourism Johor Director, Muhammad Nazrul bin Abd Rahim, reaffirmed Tourism Johor’s commitment to strengthening destination promotion and organising large-scale programmes that create a positive economic impact for local communities in Kulai and throughout Johor.

 

“With the support of Tourism Johor, Senai International Airport, the Kulai District Office, Kulai Municipal Council and our partners in the tourism, creative and culinary sectors, this festival welcomes the public to enjoy a fun-filled weekend with family and friends in Johor.

 

Alongside this festival, there will also be a tourist arrival celebration at Senai International Airport, reflecting the State Government’s commitment to warmly welcoming visitors and strengthening collaboration with tourism stakeholders in line with Johor’s target of attracting 12 million tourists,” he said.

 

The two-day Picnic in the Air event planned for 27 & 28 December 2025 is a ticketed event with activities arranged from 10am to 6pm, hosted at the picnic ground, Senai International Airport, Johor.

 

Tickets are available exclusively through etix.my

(https://www.etix.my/Event/PCCAKE25)

Cake Lovers’ Session (Day 1 – 27 Dec): starting at RM 58 per person

Kenduri Mangkuk Tingkat (Day 2 – 28 Dec): starting at RM 58 per person

 

Visit official website for more information at www.picnicintheair.com/

 

Pulai Springs Healthcare Centre opens

 

The soft opening of the Pulai Springs Healthcare Centre on 30 November 2025 marked the Pulai Group’s entry into the Healthcare industry in Johor.

 

Signage enroute to the entrance of the
Pulai Springs Healthcare Centre

A bright and sunny morning augured well for the event as I arrived to join staff and invited guests to witness this significant milestone in the history of Pulai Springs.  

 

We first heard about the Pulai Springs Healthcare Centre in May 2024 during the resort’s Raya open-house event. This project aimed to develop an Ambulatory Care Centre (ACC) that offered specialists and general outpatient consultations, and community-focused healthcare services in the rapidly developing Pulai region.

 

It was exciting to learn that the Pulai Group was venturing into healthcare from the hospitality industry and I eagerly anticipated further updates about this project.

 

Speech by Pulai Group Executive Director,
Nick Mah

Then in May 2025, when the resort hosted its annual Raya open-house, there was a brief update on the ACC with an invitation to a sneak peek into the healthcare facilities that were fast taking shape.

 

We were told that guests would be escorted over, group-by-group after the refreshments and when I heard the announcement for the first group to assemble up front, I did not hesitate to join them for a first peek into the ACC.

 

While the main infrastructure was already in place, there was still much to be done for the fitting-out but it was clear that Pulai Springs was committed to providing convenient, accessible and professional medical healthcare to the Pulai community.

 

The ribbon-cutting ceremony at the
front entrance to the Reception

Fast-forward to November 2025 when I was among the guests gathered for the soft opening event of the Pulai Springs Healthcare Centre. As resort General Manager, Sunny Soo, warmly welcomed me upon my arrival, I took the opportunity to congratulate him and the Pulai Group for turning a vision into reality.

 

Many of the resort personnel were familiar with me as I have been a regular guest at the resorts’ events while my family and I frequently dined at our favourite Chinese restaurant, the Qing Palace. In fact, we continued to support the restaurant with takeaways during the long lockdown period due to the global pandemic.

 

A pair of dancing "lions" at the soft opening,
in true Chinese tradition

While the hum of gentle music played and conversations happened around me, I took a moment to reminisce about my relationship with this destination which started way back in the days when the main clubhouse was being constructed and the first press ads were designed to be published in the Singapore publication of the Straits Times.

 

At that time, I was Copywriter with Johor Bahru’s then leading ad agency. Our creative team was tasked with creating a series of full-page, full-colour press ads in the broadsheet newspapers to interest golfers and guests with the attractive facilities at the Pulai Springs golf resort.

 

Auspicious wishes from the dancing "lions"

I could still recall going to the meeting to present the design concept to the resort owners and feeling the thrill of getting our job approved for publication.

 

My reminiscing was not mere sentiments because when I met with one of the oldest staff members in the resort, Landscape Superintendent, Tey Chuan You, he could confirm that construction of the Clubhouse was ready around 1995.

 

Personally, I often joined my sister and her two sons to enjoy the swimming pool facilities at the resort since my brother-in-law was a member of the Pulai Springs golf resort.

 

The Pulai Group directors with resort GM,
Sunny Soo inside the healthcare centre

Back then when the boys were just kids, I would help my sister with carrying their swimming togs and snacks to the poolside. I remember they would poke fun at me – that from my casual dressing – I could easily be mistaken for their domestic helper.

 

A quick calculation of the span between 1995 and 2025 works out to some 30 years of my relationship with Pulai Springs as my two nephews are now already fathers of their own kids…

 

So there I was, witnessing the dawn of a new chapter as the Pulai Group expanded from hospitality into healthcare while preserving the warmth and service culture that Pulai Springs is renowned for.

 

“The launch of the Pulai Springs Healthcare Centre represents a meaningful milestone for the Pulai Group. As the region continues to grow, we recognize the community’s need for accessible, dependable healthcare. Our aim is to offer modern services while maintaining the comfort and hospitality that define Pulai Springs Resort,” said Executive Director of the Pulai Group, Nick Mah.

 

“The soft launch is only the beginning. Our long-term vision is to build a complete healthcare and wellness ecosystem that supports the community for many years to come,” he added.

 

Inside the treatment area

He emphasized that this soft launch was Phase One of the Pulai Group’s healthcare development roadmap as the adjacent land was earmarked for the future construction of a full-scale hospital that will provide more specialists services and increase the level of healthcare available to the community in this region.

 

In the long-term, the Group aims to create an integrated healthcare hub that will combine medical care, preventive healthcare, rehabilitation and wellness programmes. He also took the opportunity to express his appreciation to the team behind the project in Phase One that has turned their vision into reality.

 

In the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the Pulai Group was represented by Directors, Nick Mah, Chris Mah and Robert Kroehnert with resort GM Sunny Soo.

 

The panel of experienced doctors introduced included Dr Teo Pock Chin, Consultant Orthopedic, Dr Saguna Raman, Clinical Radiology, Dr Senthi Muthraman and Dr Zahra Amani, both Consultants in Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Dr Kelvin Tay, Medical Officer.

 

In true Chinese tradition, the event was graced by the presence of two dancing “lions” in full costume, accompanied by thunderous drum beats and clashing cymbals. This was followed by a traditional ritual of rolling fresh, whole pineapples into the front entrance of Reception, that symbolized the welcome of business success.

 

Patient registrations at the reception desk

Guests were then led into the healthcare centre for a preview of the facilities that supported general outpatient consultations, modern diagnostic services, preventive health screenings, professional medical services and care, as well as same-day results for selected screenings and diagnostic tests.

 

As I was leaving, I passed the clinic lobby and had to pause as I was pleased to see that patients were already registering themselves for medical consultations.

 

Pulai Springs Healthcare Centre is located at Persiaran Bukit Pulai Satu, 81300 Johor Bahru. Open daily 8am to 8pm. Specialists Clinics open from 9am to 6pm.

 

For enquiries, medical consultations, or to schedule medical screenings – that include tests with same-day results for selected services, Tel: +607 – 291 1999.

WhatsApp Tel: +6019 – 732 2121, Email: info.acc@pulaisprings.com

 

For more information, visit website: pulaispringshealthcare.com