City of Entertainment- Genting Highlands

If you are holidaying in Kuala Lumpur, you might want to consider taking a trip out to the famed ‘City of Entertainment’, Genting Highlands. Genting Highlands is an integrated development featuring a theme park, hotels and casinos located at the summit of Gunung Ulu Kali, a peak rising to a height of 1800 meters above sea level. This resort area can be easily accessed by an hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur, for it is located approximately 35 km away from the Malaysian capital, near the border of Selangor.

You can alternatively also access the resort via a thrilling cable car ride originating from the town of Gohtong Jaya, located at the foot of the peak. The ride up the peak is quite exciting as Gunung Ulu Kali is blanketed by a thick rain forest cover, and the summit of the pinnacle is almost always enveloped my ethereal mists.

The Genting Highlands resort development was founded in 1971 by Lim Goh Tong, a Chinese immigrant who had arrived in Malaysia in 1937. The idea of founding a multi-purpose resort within easy access from Kuala Lumpur, struck Lim one day when he was having tea at the Cameron Highlands resort. He then went on to pool all his resources to facilitate the creation of such an entertainment hub and the Genting Highland resort project was launched. The resort opened for business in 1971.  The Genting Highland resort was also granted the only casino license in the country, by the then Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman. Over the next thirty years, the simple entertainment hub grew by leaps and bounds, so that today it is quite expansive in size and encompasses a wide range of leisure options like theme parks, hotels, a cable car system and more. It still remains the only option for legal gambling in Malaysia, so if you are a fan of Las Vegas, then glitzy glamorous Genting Highlands should feature on your radar screen

Additionally, it is worth noting that Genting Highlands is blessed with a year round amiable climate, which features temperatures ranging from 20°C to 25°C during the day and 15°C to 20°C at nighttime, so if you are looking for a respite from the searing KL heat, a Genting Highlands getaway may be a perfect solution.

Attractions

First World Plaza shopping mall

The First World Plaza shopping mall complex at the Genting Highland resort aside from hosting shops and retail outlets, also hosts an indoor theme park and the First World Hotel. Gaily adorned with a multi-hued façade, statues, neon lights and replicas of popular landmarks the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, the Petronas Towers and more, the mall also hosts an indoor theme park equipped with various small rides like a ferris wheel. Other than rides, the mall also features several gaming and entertainment centers like a Ripley’s Believe it or not Museum, Vision City Games, Genting Cyberworld, a rock climbing studio, a 28 lane bowling alley, a children’s playground and  snooker rooms.The Plaza also hosts concerts and shows at its Pavilion Hall regularly.

 

Theme park

The larger theme park located outside the mall, offers attractions like SnowWorld, a 4D Motion Master Ride, the Genting Sky Venture, which features a wind tunnel and offers visitors a sky-diving experience. A house of horrors called the Haunted Adventure and a Rainforest Splash pool are other attractions on offer at the theme park.

The Genting Skyway

The Genting Skyway gondola ride was founded in 1997. The skyway is one of the longest and fastest gondola lifts in Southeast Asia extending over 3.38 from the base station in Gohtong Jaya up to the summit of the Gunung Ulu Kali peak.

Valley View Gardenia

Valley View Gardenia is a beautifully landscaped garden and park located near the Theme Park Hotels. Littered with fountains, gazebos, flower-lined walkways, the garden is a restful tranquil spot in the hub of activity, Genting Highlands

The Casino

The Genting Highlands casino is undoubtedly its biggest draw. As the only legal gambling spot in Malaysia, it is inundated with crowds all day long. The casino however offers limited access and admits only non-Muslims who are aged 21 and above. On offer at the casino are popular gambling games like poker, blackjack, baccarat and slot machines.

Food and Beverage outlets

The resort features a wide variety of food and dining outlets. Restaurants, cafes, food courts are available on site at the resort’s various hotels and at First World Plaza Mall. All these various dining outlets offer a variety of local and international eats.

Hotels

The Genting Highlands resort offers a wide range of accommodation options at its various hotels like The Theme Park hotel, the First World Hotel, the Resort Hotel, the Highlands Hotel, the Awana Hotel and so forth.