Desaru Coast to Open RM10m Karting Circuit, Racquet Club
A weekend at Desaru Coast has long meant a beach, a golf round or a day at the waterpark. By the end of this year there will be a new reason to make the drive down: a competitive go-kart track, a kids circuit and a growing cluster of pickleball courts, all in one spot at Riverside.
Singapore-based Arina International Holding is investing RM10 million, through a lease and build arrangement, to construct a karting circuit that will open by the end of 2026. Construction has already started. The track sits at the heart of a wider sports and leisure project called The Sports Arina, built for both adults and children.
What is being built
The plans cover a competitive circuit fitted with professional-grade karts and a timing system, aimed at recreational drivers, corporate groups and motorsport fans, with race packages and organised events on the way. Alongside it sits an air-conditioned indoor kiddy circuit for children aged four to 12, with individual sessions and birthday packages planned.
The development will also add spectator seating, dining spaces and merchandise outlets. It builds on the three outdoor pickleball courts Arina opened at Riverside in July 2026, with three more courts and padel facilities lined up for the next phase.
Who is behind it
Arina International owns and runs the KF1 Karting brand and operates five kiddy karting outlets across Johor and Kuala Lumpur. The group is behind the 960-metre KF1 Kranji circuit in Singapore and has supported the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix since 2008, supplying temporary infrastructure such as hospitality facilities, track lighting and event-support spaces.
Its existing circuit in Johor Bahru already draws a strong Singaporean crowd, which is part of the reasoning for the new site. "We see strong potential for karting at Desaru Coast and are confident that the destination can attract recreational drivers and experienced enthusiasts from Malaysia and Singapore," said Arina International Chairman Richard Tan.
Why Desaru Coast
The investment is another sign of Desaru Coast shifting from a place you stay to a place you do things. The destination already offers the kind of racquet-sport crossover drawing crowds elsewhere in Malaysia, and it recently strengthened its motorsport-and-events pull when it was named host of the WAGC World Final 2026.
Desaru Development Holdings One Chief Executive Officer Izrin Hashim said the project reflected private-sector confidence in the destination and its move toward experiences beyond accommodation. Families will be able to pair pickleball and the kiddy circuit at Riverside with a trip to Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast, while the resort also has The Els Club Desaru Coast, with 45 holes across the Ocean Course by Ernie Els and the Valley Course designed with Vijay Singh.
Getting there
Desaru Coast runs along 17 kilometres of beachfront in southeastern Johor, spanning about 4,000 acres and home to four resort brands: Mandarin Oriental, Anantara, The Westin and Hard Rock Hotel. It is reachable from Singapore by road and ferry, and from Kuala Lumpur by road or by air via Senai International Airport. For anyone who wants a resort break with a bit of speed on the side, the end of the year just became more interesting.
