Genting Highlands is an integrated resort and hotels, casinos, and a theme park in Malaysia, atop Gunung Ulu Kali, Pahang, at 1,740 metres altitude. Benefitting from its tremendous upper position, the resort has a very cool temperature generally ranging from 15-25^o Celcius with serene mountainous ambiance.

The hill resort was founded by the late Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong, beginning its development in 1969. The first hotel Highland Hotel (now named Theme Park Hotel), was opened in 1971. At the same year, it was granted the only casino license in the country. Coping up to attract more visitors, the famous Genting Skyway cable car was built in 1997 and until today bears the reputation for "World's Fastest Mono Cable Car System".

Aside of becoming home to the only legal casinos throughout Malaysia and the 2006-2013 Guinness World of Records’ largest hotel in the world for its First World Hotel, it has an outdoor and indoor theme parks, plaza, as well as a temple and number of farms.

How to go to Genting Highlands

By plane

There is no direct flight to and from Genting Highlands. The nearest airport to Genting is in Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). From there, you can take a bus from KL Sentral train station.

However, you can go by a costly 30-minute-helicopter flight. Sabah Air provides the charter service.

By bus and cable car

Go Genting Express Buses leave in half an hour to hourly basis from various terminals in Kuala Lumpur. First bus departs at 8 AM or 8:30 AM. Buses from Puduraya depart every 30 minutes; KL Sentral train station buses depart half-hourly and hourly; Hentian Pasarakyat buses depart every hour; Gombak buses depart half-hourly and hourly; Pekeliling buses depart every 30 minutes with first bus at 7 AM. There are basically two ways of reaching Genting by bus:

Bus plus cable car

All bus rides takes one hour to reach the bus stop beside Genting’s Skyway cable car. Then, you will continue with cable car, which takes around 15-20 minutes. On normal weather, the cable car service runs continuously, while in bad weather, you have to wait around 40-50 minutes or more for the ride.

The bus ride costs 5.00 MYR for a one-way trip, and the cable car costs 5.00 MYR too. It is better to buy them as a package since it will cost less than if you buy tickets separately.

There is also Go Genting Golden Package for 47.00 MYR (+4.00 MYR for national public holidays), which offer a one-day round trip by bus and cable car to and from Kuala Lumpur. As a plus, this golden package includes buffet lunch at Coffee Terrace or Outdoor Theme Park day pass. Decide the time you want to return from Genting upon purchasing this package.

Direct bus

There are direct buses to and from Genting:

From KL to First World Bus Terminal: buses departing at 8 PM and 9 PM on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
From First World Bus Terminal to KL Sentral: buses departing at 8 PM, 9 PM, and 10 PM on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
From First World Bus Terminal to KLCC: buses depart on the latest at 8 PM. Travel time is two hours and costs 35.00 MYR. Reservation is available at bus counter No. 3.
From Singapore to/from Genting: “Solitaire” superluxury bus runs daily (87.00 SGD from Singapore and 77.00 SGD to Singapore). Other direct bus services are Five Star Tours, Konsortium, Grassland, and Starmart.

By taxi and car

Reaching Genting by taxi and car from Kuala Lumpur takes around one hour via Karak Highway. Below are the taxi fares from Kuala Lumpur to Genting Highlands:

Executive Taxi : 150.00 - 200.00 MYR
Regular Taxi : 60.00 - 70.00 MYR

Tourist attractions in Genting Highlands

Monte Carlo Casino

As one of the three casinos in Genting Highlands and the largest of all, you can explore and find various choices of table games and poker machines. It is located at Genting/Highlands Hotel. Foreign passport holders can enter the VIP zone “International Room” if they sign up to Genting WorldCard.

The casino is open 24 hours and requiring attires restrictions for no T-shirt, shorts, and sandals. Moslems and person beyond 21 years old are prohibited to enter the casino. Though declared non-smoking, many visitors smoke nonetheless. Bags are not allowed inside, requiring you to store your belongings in lockers rented for 3.00 MYR and a deposit if you store more valuable goods such as laptop.

First World Plaza and First World Indoor Theme Park

First World Plaza is a mixture of shopping mall with replicas of world landmarks and the Indoor Theme Park with its numerous rides scattered around the plaza, mostly suitable for families. It features float rides that overlooks the shopping mall from the above and a number of other rides. First World Plaza also has entertainment such as bowling and haunted house.

First World Indoor Theme Park fares are as follow:

The Day Pass: 30.00 MYR (adult) and 28.00 MYR (children). It gives pass to all rides including Rainforest Splash Pool, excluding Signature Attractions, such as Ripley’s Museum (30.00 MYR), Snow World (17.00 MYR), and Genting Sky Venture (50.00 MYR).
Express Lane Pass*: 54.00 MYR (adult) and 50.00 MYR (children). This pass features all rides and attractions at First World Indoor Theme Park and Outdoor Theme Park for one time. Included for Indoor Theme Park: 4D Motion Master, Adult Bumper Car, Carousel, Euro Express, Junior Bumper Car, Mini Train, Monorail, Reindeer Cruiser, Ride De Paris, Rio Float and Flying Dragon. For Outdoor Theme Park: Outdoor Theme Park: Astro Fighter, Corkscrew, Double Deck Carousel, Flying Jumbo, Matahari, Mini Train, Monorail, Pirate Ship, Pirate Train, Spinner, Sungai Rejang Flume Ride, Tea Cup and Flying Coaster.

*First World Outdoor Theme Park is currently closed for 3-year-renovation, from September 2013.

Chin Swee Cave Temple

The popular religious site cum tourist spot Chin Swee Cave Temple is located not far from the First World Hotel. It is a cave temple built by Genting’s founder Lim Goh Tong, originally to worship Chin Swee in 1975. The massive complex had undergone many refurbishment and renovations to become as it is today, and there are various deities’ figures in shrines and altars nowadays venerated on the temple.

Several notable spots to visit around the temple are as follows:

Original temple hall of Chin Swee altar: located below the complex, inside a rocky chamber
Nine-storey pagoda
Sky Terrace: overlooking the vast valley, located on the top of the complex
Ten Chambers of Hell
Massive Buddha statue: a 15 meters statue on a jungle canopy

Free shuttle bus and van are provided from the First World Hotel, routing First World Hotel - Chin Swee Caves Temple - First World Hotel on these schedule:

9 AM – 12 PM (Hourly)
2 PM – 9 PM (Hourly)

Travel tips in Genting Highlands

Though becoming a part of Go Genting Golden Package, the Genting Outdoor Theme Park is currently closed for 3 years, starting from September 2013, to undergo the first Twentieth Century Fox Theme Park in the world. You may choose to get the buffet lunch benefit at Coffee Terrace instead.
Sheltered walkways and escalators connect all hotels in Genting except Awana, making it very convenient also wheelchair-friendly. Awana Skyway and Genting Resort are connected by cable car, operating on weekend and public holiday.
There are many choices of food in Genting, though seem to be quite overpriced. For tasty budget delicacies, try Penang Food Village at Theme Park Hotel or international buffet meal at Genting Hotel’s Coffee Terrace. The buffet meal serves local, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Nonya, and Western cuisines. Breakfast is at 35.00 MYR nett (5:30 AM - 10:30 AM), lunch is at 55.00 MYR nett (12 PM - 2:30 PM), and dinner is at 65.00 MYR nett (5 - 9:30 PM) with half price for children.
Do bring and wear warm clothes in Genting Highlands. At times, especially during nighttime, the temperature can go as low as 10^o Celcius.