Genting Highlands

Genting Highlands (Tanah Tinggi Genting; ; ), otherwise known as Resorts World Genting, is a hill resort in Malaysia developed by Genting Group.

The hill resort is at an average elevation of 1740 m within the Titiwangsa Mountains on the border between the states of Pahang and Selangor of Malaysia. Resorts World Genting is operated by Genting Malaysia Berhad (formerly known as Resorts World Bhd), which also operates Awana chain of resorts & hotels. It is accessible by car from Kuala Lumpur in one hour, or also accessible by a cable car called Genting Skyway (3.38 km which at its opening used to be the world's fastest and South East Asia's longest gondola lift.

History
The idea of creating a hill resort located in proximity to Kuala Lumpur came up in the late Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong's mind during a business trip to the Cameron Highlands in 1964. He mooted this idea while enjoying the fresh and crisp air from the balcony at his hotel room. A private company called Genting Highlands Berhad was set up on 27 April 1965, with the late Tan Sri Haji Mohammed Noah bin Omar, Tan Sri Lim successfully obtained approval for the alienation of 12,000 acre and 2,800 acre of land from the Pahang and Selangor State Government respectively between the years 1965 and 1970. An anomaly happened during the obtaining of the land approvals. While the Pahang state government swiftly approved a freehold lease, the Selangor state reluctantly approved a 99-year lease. As a result, Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong met the then Menteri Besar of Selangor, Dato Harun Idris and telling him that a freehold lease will be more feasible than a 99-year lease. Finally, the Selangor state government agreed to grant a freehold lease.

On 18 August 1965, a technical and construction team began the herculean task that would take four years to complete the access road from Genting Sempah to the peak of Gunung Ulu Kali. On 31 March 1969, the late YTM Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia’s first Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the company’s pioneer hotel, the then Highlands Hotel, marking the completion of the access road to Genting Highlands Resort. The Prime Minister was impressed that the private sector, without the assistance of the Government, could develop a mountain resort for the enjoyment of all Malaysians; subsequently a gaming licence was suggested to help accelerate the development of this remote area.

In 1971, the first hotel at Genting Highlands was successfully completed and was then named Highlands Hotel (now renamed Theme Park Hotel). The Genting Highlands Resort continued to expand since the opening of the first hotel in 1971. Development of the area continued with care taken to ensure the maintenance of the natural beauty of the rainforest of the region. In 1997, Genting Highlands Resort further boosted its facility attraction with Genting Skyway cable car system that provides a 3.38 km transport to the hilltop. Genting Skyway is also recognised as the "World's Fastest Mono Cable Car System" with a maximum speed of 21.6 km/h and the "Longest Cable Car in Malaysia and Southeast Asia".

In 2013, it was Genting announced a new 1,300 room hotel expansion to the current First World Hotel, a new 10,000 seat arena and reconverting the current theme park to RM1 billion Twentieth Century Fox World theme park.

Attractions
Known as the ‘Fun City Above the Cloud’, Genting Highlands is the only legal land-based casino, Casino de Genting, in the country and is owned by Genting Malaysia Berhad, a subsidiary of Genting Group.

Hotels
Resorts World Genting has five hotels. One of the five hotels, the First World Hotel, holds the Guinness World of Records as the largest hotel in the world from 2006 until 2008, with a total of 6,118 rooms.


 * Genting Grand
 * Maxims
 * Resort Hotel
 * Theme Park Hotel
 * First World Hotel

Dining

 * Bakery: pastries, sandwiches & desserts
 * Coffee Terrace: Asian and Western buffet
 * Genting Palace Restaurant: Cantonese cuisine
 * Hainan Kitchen: Hainanese cuisine
 * Imperial Rama: Fine Dining Thai-Chinese cuisine
 * Ming Ren Restaurant: Xinjiang cuisine
 * The Olive: Fine Dining Western cuisine
 * VIP Restaurant: Thai-Chinese cuisine
 * Spice Garden: Indian cuisine

Nightlife

 * The Patio Bar & Lounge

Theme Parks
The Genting Theme Park is closed from 1 September 2013 to make way for the world’s first Twentieth Century Fox Theme Park. Other rides and attractions located in First World Indoor Theme Park, SnowWorld, Sky Venture, Genting Bowl, Vision City and Funtasy World Video Games Park are opened as usual.

Genting Skyway
Genting Skyway, located at the Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor side of Genting, Malaysia, is a monocable gondola lift serving the Genting Highlands Resort. Its lower station is located near Gohtong Jaya, and its upper station is located at Highlands Hotel of Genting Highlands Resort.

Amenities
The resort has five performance venues.
 * Arena of Stars
 * Genting International Showroom
 * Genting International Convention Centre
 * First World Plaza

Other attractions

 * Awana Genting Highlands Golf & Country Resort
 * Chin Swee Caves Temple - located 10-minutes drive from Resorts World Genting, the temple site is built 4,600 feet above sea level.
 * Genting Strawberry Farm
 * Highlands Mushroom Farm
 * Highlands Vegetable Farm
 * Highlands Daylily Farm

Climate
Genting Highlands enjoys a spring-like climate, with yearly temperatures no higher than 25 °C and rarely falling below 14 °C yearly.