Introduction

Welcome to my mini guide to the Genting Highlands in Malaysia! Located just an hour’s drive away from Kuala Lumpur, the Genting Highlands is a popular mountain resort town in Malaysia. This scenic hilltop destination boasts a cool and refreshing climate, making it a perfect retreat from the hot and humid weather of the lowlands. Read on to find out my honest thoughts about my trip to the Genting Highlands!

A Little Bit About the Genting Highlands

Genting Highlands, also known as Resorts World Genting, is a hill resort consisting of a range of hotels, resorts, and attractions. It is situated on the peak of Mount Ulu Kali, which stands at an elevation of 1,800 meters above sea level. The development of the Genting Highlands started in the 1960s, and since then, it has become one of Malaysia’s most popular tourist destinations.

What to See and Do in the Genting Highlands

• Take a ride on the Cable Car: The Genting Skyway cable car ride is one of the best ways to enjoy the stunning scenery of Genting Highlands. The cable car ride takes about 15 minutes and covers a distance of 3.4 kilometers. You can choose to ride in a standard cabin or a glass-bottomed cabin for a more thrilling experience. At the top of the mountain, you can enjoy several attractions, including a casino, a theme park, and a snow world.
• Visit Chin Swee Temple: This beautiful temple is not only a religious site but also a popular tourist attraction. The temple complex has a statue of Buddha, a pagoda, and several shrines dedicated to other deities. You can also visit the Chin Swee Caves, which are located next to the temple. The caves are said to have healing properties and offer stunning views of the surrounding landscape. The cable car stops midway at Chin Swee Caves Temple so you can get off and wander around.

• Go Outlet Shopping: Genting Highlands has several outlet stores where you can find great deals on clothing, footwear, accessories, and electronics. Some of the popular stores include Adidas, Nike, Coach, and Calvin Klein. If you’re a shopaholic, you can spend hours browsing the stores and picking up bargains.
• Adventure Hikes: Genting Highlands has several hiking trails that offer stunning views of the surrounding landscape. If you’re a nature lover, you can take a hike through the rainforest and explore the flora and fauna of the area.
• Visit Waterfalls: Genting Highlands is home to several beautiful waterfalls that are worth a visit. Some of the popular nearby waterfalls include Chamang Waterfall and Tanglir Falls, These waterfalls are perfect for a refreshing swim or a picnic with family and friends.
• Have fun at Theme Parks: Genting Highlands is also known for its theme parks, including the famous Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park. The park has several rides and attractions, including roller coasters, carousels, and a Ferris wheel. There’s also a water park, a snow world, and an indoor theme park for kids.

How To Get to the Genting Highlands

The most convenient way to get to the Genting Highlands is by car or bus. If you’re travelling from Kuala Lumpur, you can take a bus from the Pudu Sentral Bus Terminal, KL Sentral, Jalan Pekelilling and other stations. Bus tickets are cheap (around £2)! I suggest checking out redBus to book your tickets online. Another option is to get a Grab taxi or rent a car for the day. It takes approximately 1 hour to reach Genting from central Kuala Lumpur.

How Long Should You Spend There?

A day trip to the Genting Highlands is plenty of time to see the main attractions. However, if you plan to go on hikes or visit the theme park, you may want to spend 2 days there. Brett and I were happy to leave after 6 hours, read on to find out why!

My Thoughts on the Genting Highlands

The day trip that Brett and I took to the Genting Highlands was a bit of a travel fail…Everything started off smoothly, we departed from Jalan Pekelilling Bus Station at 8 am and we arrived at Awana Station in Genting at 9 am, greeted by thick clouds. We couldn’t see a thing! Because we arrived so early, none of the shops or cafes were open so we wandered around the Premium Outlets Stores for about an hour before refuelling with a coffee at Starbucks. At this time, the cloud was still thick and we couldn’t see any further than 10 metres in front of us.

We decided to risk it and we headed to the Awana Skyway Cable Car (I had booked return cable car tickets the day before on Klook for £3.31 per person – super cheap!). We took the cable car to the first stop – Chin Swee Temple and wandered around the temple grounds for about an hour. We gave a small donation to enter the temple itself and climbed the spiral staircase to the top. Unfortunately, it was still rather cloudy at this point so we couldn’t see much! In the temple grounds, there is a huge Buddha which makes for a fabulous photo opportunity, as well as many other temple buildings to admire. Visiting Chin Swee Temple was my favourite thing about Genting, it was so peaceful and the views from there were stunning!

We then took the cable car to the top and entered the SkyAvenue Mall. Honestly, it was such a crazy contrast to come from this beautiful, peaceful temple into this crazy mall with massive screens, an indoor theme park and a casino. It just felt..wrong. It felt so commercialised and it wasn’t our vibe at all. It would probably be ideal if you have kids because there is loads for them to enjoy there, but we were just surprised and disappointed.

To me, the highlands have such natural beauty, and the development of Genting has seen that stripped away with big hotels, malls and theme parks.

Conclusion

In summary, Genting Highlands offers a variety of attractions and activities for all types of travellers. Whether you’re looking for adventure, relaxation, or entertainment, there’s something for everyone here. In saying that, I wouldn’t personally recommend putting the Highlands at the top of your list for your visit to Kuala Lumpur!

If you enjoyed this mini-guide, be sure to check out my other guides here!

If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact me via email: tianitravels@gmail.com or via social media.