I’ll be honest when I first heard “Genting Highlands,” I thought it was another casino town sitting on top of a hill. I was completely wrong. This place is a mountain resort city that floats at almost 1,800 meters above sea level and it has a lot more to offer than just slot machines and blackjack tables. There are theme parks, a cable car ride that’s worth the trip on its own, the cool mountain air after weeks of the heat in Kuala Lumpur, and the temples hidden in the hillsides.
Genting Highlands turned out to be one of the surprising places on my whole trip to Malaysia. If you are planning a day trip from Kuala Lumpur or thinking about staying the night, here is everything I wish someone had told me before I went there.
Where Exactly Is Genting Highlands?
Genting Highlands is located in the Titiwangsa Mountains in Pahang, officially just beyond Kuala Lumpur, but so close to it that many think of it as the capital’s backyard getaway. It’s just under an hour outside the city, and the altitude is really what makes the whole thing work; in KL you’re already sweating through your shirt before 9 AM, while up here the mercury is generally between a pleasant 15°C and 25°C all year long. Frankly, even that felt like some kind of small miracle after spending days in Malaysian humidity.
The name, Genting, actually means narrow passage in Malay, and that also made sense once we actually arrived as you can see the resort is squeezed along a ridge of the mountain. The whole place was pretty much hacked out of the jungle in the 1960s by some businessman called Lim Goh Tong, whose ambition was to build a hill resort where you could get away from the humidity, and now it brings in millions of tourists a year. It has expanded a lot since then.
Getting There
There are a few ways to reach Genting Highlands from Kuala Lumpur, and the option you pick really depends on your budget and how much you want the journey itself to be part of the experience.
By bus: This is what most budget travelers do, and it’s what I ended up choosing. You catch a bus from KL Sentral or Gombak up to the Awana SkyWay cable car station. Bus fares are cheap, usually somewhere in the RM20 to RM30 range for a one-way ticket if you book through a regular transport operator, though premium or combo packages can run higher. The bus ride itself takes a little over an hour depending on traffic.
By cable car (Awana SkyWay): Once you reach the base station, this is where the trip actually gets fun. The Awana SkyWay is one of the fastest cable car systems in the world, and the ride up takes around 10 minutes, gliding you straight over the rainforest canopy. On a clear day, the views are incredible. On a foggy day, which happens a lot up here, you get this eerie, magical feeling of gliding through clouds with the jungle disappearing beneath you. Either way, don’t skip it. Some cabins even have glass floors if you want your heart rate up a little.
By car or taxi: If you’re driving yourself or grabbing a Grab, it’s a fairly straightforward drive up the mountain, though the road does wind quite a bit near the top. Parking can get tight on weekends and public holidays, so keep that in mind if you’re planning a Saturday visit.
My honest advice: bus plus cable car combo is the way to go. It’s affordable, and the SkyWay ride is genuinely one of the highlights of the whole day, not just a way to get from point A to point B.
Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park
This is the newer outdoor area of the park, and likely the biggest attraction for thrill-seekers, families, and children. You’ll experience it themed to different worlds from films and stories rather than random rides which feels like it adds an element of design and imagination to the experience. The key thrills are high-intensity roller coasters and spinning thrill rides if you’re looking for that adrenaline rush, and those are generally the attractions people talk about the most. If you are more after a calmer affair, the classic family merry-go-round is always a good choice for those wanting to join in without taking a tumble into the void.
Just note that this park is generally only open between 10 AM and 6 PM depending on the season/day of the week and will occasionally be closed mid-week for reasons other than during school holidays. Check before you arrive if this is the case, as a ride on a Wednesday may not be an option, especially if not summer/holiday season.
There is a common risk of rain up in the mountains, so I would make sure to pack a light waterproof/poncho, as a spontaneous downpour occurred during my own visit and meant the outdoor rides were closed for a significant amount of time.
SkyAvenue: Shopping, Food, and Nightlife
SkyAvenue is a big mall and entertainment place located at the top, and this is where you really feel like you are in a “city in the clouds.” When the sun sets, the whole area gets lit up with lights and signs that make it look like something from a futuristic movie, not just a mall in Malaysia.
You can find lots of food options like restaurants from other countries and local food courts in SkyAvenue where you can get a good meal for around twenty to thirty Malaysian Ringgit. If you want to have dinner, it will cost more, around eighty to one hundred and fifty Malaysian Ringgit depending on where you go in SkyAvenue. I ate at one of the food courts in SkyAvenue. It was really good value. Some of the best food I had during my entire trip.
SkyAvenue also has things besides food like a 3D movie theater, lots of stores with local and international brands, and bars on the roof where you can have a drink and enjoy the views of the highlands at night in SkyAvenue. This is also where people go to have fun at night because Genting Highlands is always busy late at night thanks to the people who go to the casino and eat late.
Resorts World Genting and the Casino
I want to talk about something that made Genting Highlands very famous. It is home to the legal casino in Malaysia and it is really big. The SkyCasino is on two floors. It has many games like slot machines and tables for blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and poker.
You do not have to like gambling to see the casino. I did not go to Genting Highlands for the casino. The casino building is worth a visit just to see how big it is. They also have shows at the Arena of Stars. The Arena of Stars can hold around 5,000 people. So it is a good idea to check what shows are on when you visit Genting Highlands if you like concerts or stage shows. The SkyCasino and the Arena of Stars are interesting places to see at Genting Highlands.
Chin Swee Caves Temple
This was the one area where I found peace, one of the nicest little quiet spots on the entire trip. It’s a Taoist temple that’s literally carved into the hillside that’s just a short distance from the neon and chaos of SkyAvenue. There’s this gigantic Buddha statue, and all the gold, and when it’s foggy like on my visit, the mist comes all the way down through the temple grounds.
So it feels kind of calm, peaceful, and kinda out there.
Why I recommend it: It is completely free! If you need to escape the crowds and theme park noise, this is exactly where I’d go. It is also nice to know there is another side to Genting Highlands mountain beyond the casino and “amusement park. It’s also got spirituality and culture too!”
Where to Stay
If you are only going to Resorts World Genting for a day, you do not need to think about where you will stay. If you want to feel the highland vibe after the sun goes down or see the resort all lit up at night, it is a good idea to stay overnight.
Resorts World Genting has hotels to choose from right at the top from hotels that are not too expensive to hotels like the Genting Grand and the new resort towers, all of which are close to SkyAvenue, the casino, and the theme parks. Resorts World Genting hotels are very convenient. If you prefer to stay somewhere that is not too busy, there are some smaller hotels along Jalan Genting, the road that leads to Resorts World Genting. These smaller hotels are often good value and offer a more peaceful place to stay, but you will need to find a way to get to the main things to see and do.
Best Time to Visit
Genting Highlands is a place that stays nice all year because of where it’s located, but there are some things to keep in mind. Weekends and holidays can get really busy around Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, and when schools are off, so if possible plan to go on a weekday. It rains a lot all year because of the weather up in the mountains, so mornings are usually better, with clearer skies, while afternoons often have rain. If you really want to ride, get to SkyWorlds early before the weather changes.
My Practical Tips
A few things I picked up along the way that might save you some hassle:
- Bring a light jacket even in the middle of summer down in KL. The temperature drop up here is real and it gets noticeably chilly in the evenings.
- Rain gear is genuinely useful, not optional. I got caught out without it once and regretted it.
- If you’re doing a day trip, budget around 4 to 6 hours minimum to actually enjoy the main attractions without rushing.
- Book cable car and theme park tickets online in advance where you can. It saves a good chunk of queuing time on busy days.
- The food court options inside SkyAvenue are budget-friendly and honestly some of the tastiest, most convenient meals you’ll find up there.
At a Glance Verdict
| Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Scenery and Views | ★★★★★ |
| Family Friendliness | ★★★★★ |
| Value for Money | ★★★★☆ |
| Ease of Access from KL | ★★★★★ |
| Weather Reliability | ★★★☆☆ |
Final Thought
Genting Highlands turned out to be one of those destinations that basically reset all my preconceived notions. I arrived expecting a casino town and left having taken a cable car through the clouds, walked through a hillside temple cocooned in a mysterious layer of fog, eaten strawberries that I’d picked by myself, and spent the evening watching a neon-covered shopping mall blaze a highlight into the darkened mountain face. It is a peculiar, multilayered destination, part theme park, part spiritual oasis, part party central, and for some reason it all coheres somehow.
If you are planning any significant time in KL, do not think of Genting Highlands as a sort of side-quest. It is absolutely worthy of a full day out.
Pack a poncho. The mountain air will do the rest.
If you enjoyed this Genting Highlands guide, you might also like our article on Penang Hill: The Ultimate Travel Guide — another one of Malaysia’s most scenic hill destinations.
