Getting to Genting Highlands from Kuala Lumpur – Take a Grab or Bus?
At an elevation of 1800m, the Genting Highlands are often a complete surprise to those who arrive into the heat and chaos that is Kuala Lumpur.
An hour north of KL, they have transformed the peak of Mount Ulu Kali into Malaysia’s very own Vegas with accommodation, luxury brands stores, theme parks and lots of razzle dazzle.
Triprovider set off one Monday morning to see what all the fuss was about so welcome to our guide on spending a day at Genting Highlands!
BOOK your GENTING DAY PASSES !
It was definitely an experience both ways but let’s review the Grab ride first.
Once downloaded, the Grab App is very easy to use. Put in your pickup and drop off location and you’re given a few different taxi options, but we mostly just use the first one which is the cheapest.
And at 61RM it certainly is cheap for a one hour trip!
That equates to around SGD 18 – INR 1158 – IDR 216653 – CNY 98 – PHP 785 – AUD 20
Be aware that Grab has the same issues that a taxi might have like drivers cancelling on you or accepting a ride and not turning up.
This happened to us for this trip so we cancelled and re-booked. Funnily enough, the 2nd driver was sitting just around the corner where the first driver was so obviously his buddy didn’t want the fare.
All our trips were pleasant with great drivers.
We were dropped off at the Awana Skyway/Premium Outlets which is where the bus also arrives and departs from.
Most tourists will opt for the bus from KL as the preferred option seeing it is cheap and frequent.
You can buy tickets from the red booth at the bus terminal which is at street level underneath KL Sentral Shopping Centre and Train Station.
From KL Sentral shopping centre you will come down the escalators into the train station. Turn right and go behind the escalators, there is a door leading to another escalator taking you downstairs to the bus terminal outside.
It is open from 0700 till late.
Tickets are 10RM one way per adult at time of writing. Super cheap for an hours ride!
Buses run frequently from 0830 to 2130 at 15 to 30 minute intervals and returning from Genting from 0830 to 2050.
** TIP – Buy your tickets as early as you can, the morning buses sell out quickly, especially before holidays so even a week is advisable. **
Once the bus arrives, they will check your ticket and you can sit in the seat allocated to you.
You can also book tickets online through various agencies and Genting Resorts itself recommends RedBus.
This was the case with several buses tonight so we were lucky the 8pm turned up on time and we grabbed our seats quickly.
The bus terminal is located downstairs above the Awana Skyway building across from the Premium Outlets. We have no idea what happened to the customers whose bus didn’t arrive or was delayed but we have noticed that getting a refund from the booth or online can be a painful experience so we hope that doesn’t happen to you!
So we made very quick time back to KL, mainly because our young driver was lets say carefree and a little too cavalier for our liking. But this is not an uncommon occurrence in Asia where speed is king and traffic regulations are dismissed with a minimal concern.
There are a LOT of speed bumps coming down the mountain from Genting and this guy missed a couple whilst playing on his phone therefore giving us a nice jolt which we might now consider to be an added ride from the theme park! Anyway, we made it back to KL Sentral in one piece!
Car – you can of course also drive up here if you have a car (if you don’t mind a few windy bends to reach the top!)
The Awana cable car is a cool little experience on its own and it takes up to where all the action is.
The views from the cable car are awesome but we encountered a foggy, rainy morning so the mist was also captivating even though we couldn’t see anything!
Skyway tickets can be bought from booths (card only) at the Skyway Terminal. You then scan the tickets at the turnstile and wait in line for the next car.
Highly recommended you pre-purchase your tickets beforehand to save time.
It operates from 0700 to 2300.
Chin Swee Caves Temple
Along the way there is one stop at the Chin Swee Caves Temple which is highly recommended so make time for it in your plans.
There are beautiful rock gardens, a large open square where there is a temple, monuments and a traditional bell to gong as well! See the large buddha resting on the hillside and the pagoda down below!
There are a few restaurants and shops here as well.
The temple and grounds can easily keep you busy for an hour. Just be aware that there are about 10 downward escalators from the cable car (they never seem to end!) but the effort is worth it!
You’ve reached the top! Enter the world of huge advertising screens, bright lights, masses of people and a myriad of eating and shopping outlets. Not to mention the world’s biggest hotel (First World Hotel – 5731 rooms!).
We are here like most others for the Skyworlds Outdoor Theme Park but first we take a seat for lunch right in the centre of all the action just so we can soak it all in. They have a concert arena here also and if listening to a looping, repetitive ad for upcoming shows on the big screen doesn’t you annoy then nothing will!
Lunch done we head for the entry turnstiles of the Skyworlds outdoor theme park. There is also an indoor theme park (separate ticket) called Skytropolis but this is mainly for younger kids so if you have a young family, hours of fun will are waiting for you here!
But we want the real action, rollercoasters and thrill rides….but the weather says otherwise. Rain is falling but not hard enough to close the rides but hard enough to get wet! If rain closes the park between 11am and 3pm you can get a full refund and half refund for 3pm-6pm.
They say today’s crowd is average but we would hate to wait for a busy day (weekends, holidays) as wait times are still 30-45 minutes. If you use the Skyworlds App, you can skip the queue on 3 rides of your choice and if we had used this today, we could have saved an hour and squeezed in 2 more rides so is worth using!
The rides are ok, pretty much standard theme park fare with a few high-end thrill rides, a few virtual rides and some ground level rides as well. Well worth a day out.
BOOK your SKYWORLDS DAY PASSES here!
Genting Skytropolis Theme Park
The indoor theme park for younger kids is called Skytropolis and it has lots of rides and activities to keep the kids busy for a few hours!
Music, flashing lights and bright colours abound. You can’t miss Skytropolis as soon as you walk into the main doors. Buy your tickets HERE or click the link below!
Conclusion
As mentioned, there are several hotels here and you could easily spend 2-3 days here. There are a plethora of eating and drinking options and besides the 2 theme parks, there are concerts, a casino and other attractions like Ripleys Believe it or not to keep you busy. And don’t forget the Premium Outlets down the bottom too. Ralph Lauren to Adidas, its all there.
A highly energetic and fun place to visit.
Triprovider give the thumbs up to Genting Highlands!
CLICK to BOOK your GENTING tickets today!
What is it? – A tourist resort on top of a mountain!
Where is it? – An easy drive one hour north of Kuala Lumpur
When is it? – Every day!
Why do it? – Escape the heat of KL and have some family fun at the Theme Parks!
How long do I need? – A full day but you can also choose to stay a few days, there are many hotels here!
How much is it? – Click our link above to view the theme park and cable car ticket prices. Plus bring extra cash for shopping and food!
Tips for visiting the Genting Highlands –
Tip – If coming by bus, buy your tickets as early as you can as the morning buses book out quickly!
Tip – Ideally pick a clear day to make the most of the views!
Tip – Link your Skyworlds tickets to the Skyworlds App to make use of the “skip the queue” option which is very handy as queues are up to 45 minutes even on average days!
Tip – Avoid weekends and holidays if you can as the place goes nuts!
Tip – For Skyworlds, bring an umbrella or rain poncho as it rains a lot here but they can be bought at the park if need be.
Tip – Grab drivers are not frequent at night so be aware if choosing Grab to return to KL! Pre book a transfer HERE if you want to have peace of mind!
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Greg Kodric is an avid traveller who loves nothing better than a good wander around the streets and back streets of each new destination he visits.
“I enjoy sitting somewhere with a local brew and just watching the locals get on with their daily lives. It’s fascinating to explore the sights, sounds and smells of somewhere new.
As well as visiting the usual tourist attractions, I like to compare the differences between places, the brands and products on offer and of course the local cuisine. I hope you enjoy my articles!”
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