Though referred to as a hill station, Genting is a modern and very heavily developed resort 2000m above sea level. About 50km north of KL, it’s in stark contrast to the Old English style of other Malaysian upland resorts. There are no walks here, no quaint stone village, and in general little public space to stroll about and enjoy the mountain scenery. Genting’s raison d’être is Resort World Genting, a glitzy casino billed as the only one in Malaysia.
Big changes are set for 2016, though, when 20th Century Fox World opens with a 10,000 seat stadium and a theme park based around movies such as Ice Age, Life of Pi and A Night At the Museum.
At the time of writing, you could get to Genting on a day package. This included a bus trip to the base of the hill where the 3.4km-long Genting Skyway whisked you up in an 11-minute ride above the dense rainforest. There’s no shortage of places to eat, including cheap fast-food outlets and noisy food courts, and if you want to stay overnight, the resort has a choice of six hotels (book online).
Expect Genting to look like a giant construction zone throughout 2015 and 2016.
