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 Get There

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.

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

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 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.