We absolutely love visiting animal cafés whenever we travel! So far, we’ve ticked off two in Korea — Samoyed Café Winters Village and Meerkat Friends — plus one in Japan. And now, we finally got to visit Malaysia’s very first capybara café: Capyba Cafe in Johor Bahru.
My sister often drives to Johor for a quick day trip or weekend escape. It’s literally just a stone’s throw away from Singapore, and with the exchange rate being about three times better, things like spa treatments, shopping, and fashion are so much more affordable there.
Getting there:
If you’re driving via Tuas, the journey is usually quicker—though you’ll need to pay exit toll fees on both the Singapore and Malaysia sides. Don’t forget to submit your SG Arrival Card through the MyICA app before heading out! Woodlands checkpoint generally has lower tolls for cars and motorcycles, plus it gives more direct access to central Johor Bahru. Tuas, on the other hand, is super convenient if you’re planning to hit spots like Legoland or Puteri Harbour.
First Impressions of Capyba Cafe
Capyba Cafe is tucked into a row of shoplots, and parking can be a little tricky since the area is filled with restaurants and cafés. We went on a weekday morning before noon and were lucky—it wasn’t too crowded.
The café itself is cute, decorated with capybara plushies and even sells capybara-shaped desserts. Admittedly, the place looks a little tired, but that didn’t dampen the excitement.
The café has two levels:
- Ground floor – a regular café space where you can relax with your food and drinks.
- Second floor – the highlight, where you meet the animals!
And guess what? It’s not just capybaras—you’ll also find a pony, two sheep and six alpacas (one hidden in their toilet!).
Meeting the Animals
After placing your order at the counter, you will receive a small cup of carrot sticks. Once you have finished your food or drinks, simply show your receipt and the staff from the second floor will let you upstairs. For safety, the door to the animal area is always locked, and staff will guide you in. Each group gets about 30 minutes to interact with the animals.
When we went, the animals were still having their breakfast, so most of them were not too interested in us—except for a few greedy alpacas who came charging over for carrots! Some were quite friendly, though you had to watch out for their occasional spit (classic alpaca behaviour!).
The capybaras, however, were the stars. They were incredibly gentle and let us pet them. Staff reminded us to only stroke their heads (but not the sheep). At one point, the capybaras even hopped up onto the seating area to chill right beside us—so cute!
Final Thoughts
We had such a lovely time at Capyba Cafe – it is not every day you get to pet capybaras, alpacas, and even a pony all under one roof! The café is easy to get to, surrounded by plenty of shops, and makes a fun little stop if you’re in Johor Bahru.
If you’re an animal lover like us, this spot is definitely worth adding to your JB day-trip itinerary.