High Up in the Clouds
Perched on a mountaintop and nestled on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur dwells one of the happiest places on Earth.
Created by STORIES OF ERNE™ on January 16, 2023
Travel Pass to a Phenomenal Paradise
Since I was the tender age of five, my parents developed the habit of taking me along whenever they feel like entertaining themselves in theme parks. During their generation, these venues of fun and adventure were not as sophisticated as today's modern set-ups. They could simply be ordinary contraptions assembled in localities, dedicated sections within shopping malls, or organized events during fiestas in faraway municipalities in our homeland. The fun rides, the realistic mascots of my superheroes, plus the challenging games and their attractive prizes - these were the goodies I have always been craving for! Fast forward to my adulthood, the inner child within me still hasn't lost its itch. Hence, my eagerness to travel to these playful environments never stopped there and still reverberated within me until today.
During my tours in various countries around the world, I was blessed to experience a lot of theme parks, this time more luxurious than those nostalgic events from my childhood years. However, nothing has absolutely prepared me for the journey of my life when I landed in Malaysia!
Tourist Bus from Kuala Lumpur to Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
I accompanied a small tour group as we commenced our voyage with this colorful bus ride from Kuala Lumpur's transportation hub to the assigned terminal that would transfer us to Genting Highlands, their country's premier mountain resort.
Cable Car Terminal to Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Tourist Bus from Kuala Lumpur to Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
"A mountain resort? But how do we get there?" As we disembarked our artistically painted vehicle, this was my prevailing thought.
"Cable cars! We will be ascending to the heavens in style!" Our tour guide announced.
Imagine the look on my face - I was surely smiling yet at the same time my facial skin turned pale because I never tried a cable car before. I was already visualizing this scenario, being suspended so high above the ground.
"Will it be safe? What if something wrong will happen to the mechanical systems? Will I be ready in case of any emergency?" I pondered restlessly.
Cable Car Terminal to Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Nevertheless, I pushed forward. Without hesitation and knowing my adventurous nature, I respectfully fell in line with the rest of the tourists waiting for their turns on the cable cars.
Cable Car Terminal to Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Cable Car Terminal to Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Cable Car Terminal to Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
The atmosphere within this building was obviously vibrant as you could feel people's tension. While a few were quiet, majority were simply exhilarated, and of course I was one of them! It was finally the greatest opportunity for us to hop on Southeast Asia's longest and fastest cable car line!
Cable Car Terminal to Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Cable Car Terminal to Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Cable Car Terminal to Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
"Yahooooo!!!" We screamed at the top of our voices the instant our cable car exited the building, following its upward path. And what a spectacular view it was! Our vantage point was perfect as we could appreciate the panoramic surroundings from a bird's eye perspective.
Cable Car System to Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Everything was sailing smoothly until we felt our cable car suddenly vibrating when it passed thru the first towering pillar high up in the hillside. That made me worried, and I immediately held on to the carriage handles for dear life! I thought our unit was going to plunge into the abyss below!
Cable Car System to Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Fortunately, one of my companions calmed me down by explaining that it was normal. As he had been frequenting these rides several times already in the past, the cable cars have the actual tendency of slightly shaking when traversing thru the wheel tracks on these columns (you can see a close-up photo of these mechanisms above). And true to his word, we felt these same occurrences every time we passed thru the rest of the pillars. Picture the heart-pumping journey of this cable car with over 3 kilometers one-way! You could probably have a nervous breakdown if you weren't aware of this fact in the first place, right? Have you experienced the same? Thank goodness that was the reason!
Cable Car System to Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
And do you know what made our voyage thru the dense mountains even more death-defying? It was the thick fog! Because visibility was extremely poor, we couldn't see where we were heading, adding to the suspense. Oh well, amidst the foggy weather and the long ride, I can say that it was truly one of the most enjoyable experiences I've had! And without knowing it, we eventually reached the arrival gates of our ultimate destination at the peak - the Genting Highlands!
Exterior Attractions of Epic Proportions
The welcoming scenes were majestic! As we entered the arrival halls, we were immediately greeted by a sensual smorgasbord of sights: restaurants, cafes, shopping kiosks, game booths, including a luxurious hotel lobby lounge and its check-in counters.
Hotel Lobby Lounge at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Hotel Check-in Counters at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Hotel Elevator Lobby at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
In fact, I was confused on what to try first since it was an overwhelming encounter. It was a great thing though that we also had the privilege of having a tour guide who patiently directed the specific itineraries for us.
Signage for Outdoor Theme Park at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Mini Train Ride at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Mini Train Ride at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
We started with the outdoor pleasures. And oh boy, it was certainly fantastic! I for one became a kid again when we rode on a mini train that showed us around the entire resort, encompassing a staggering 4,500 hectares (11,000 acres)!
Outdoor Facilities at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Hotel Complex at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
It was surely a convenient way of commuting around the complex. Besides, who would possibly want to cover everything just by walking, isn't it? Be my guest!
Hotel Complex at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Hotel Complex at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Hotel Complex at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Hotel Complex at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Hotel Complex at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Along the way, we made stopovers to certain featured attractions. Plus, we had the chance to be fascinated by the luxury hotels sprouting in the area. They were buildings with multiple floor levels. I could imagine the astounding depths of the structural elements the developers had to dig to withstand these extremely heavy loads.
Hotel Complex at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Such a pity as some of them weren't clear due to the prevailing fog. And the coolest part about this train ride was that it kept coming back for more passengers, meaning it repeated and recycled its journey with intervals throughout the entire estate. Thus anyone could alight and board these vehicles at their convenience anytime of the day.
Outdoor Theme Park at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Outdoor Theme Park at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Outdoor Theme Park at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
The amount of amenities in the outdoor theme parks were mind-blowing! From aquatic habitats, adventure rides, fun fairs, and extreme experiences were at your disposal. They have it all, even dedicated outlet stores selling popular global brands!
Outdoor Theme Park at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Hotel Complex and Outdoor Theme Park at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
During my explorations, I've noticed that while the resort was filled with lots of people, everything was well-managed in an orderly, clean, and secure fashion. So, everyone had their satisfying portion of the fun.
Interior Adventures with Electrifying Fun
Moreover, we also had time allocated for the resort's indoor offerings. Again, upon entering their massive spaces inside, there were countless spectacles to choose from. Like the outdoor venue, more thrilling rides, adventures, and activities were likewise available within.
Indoor Facilities at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Everywhere you looked, striking details decorated the atmosphere including enormous statues of famous figures, renowned tourist spots around the world, and signage that caught your undivided attention. My jaws dropped!
Indoor Theme Park at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Indoor Theme Park at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Indoor Theme Park at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Indoor Theme Park at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Indoor Theme Park at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Indoor Theme Park at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Indoor Theme Park at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
In terms of lighting systems, it was flooded with all sorts of colorful illuminations. These vibrant displays were installed on strategic spots where access to people was straightforward.
Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
And my personal favorite - the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum! I made a point of saving some of my time to investigate this beloved attraction, investigating all the interesting stuff that were currently exhibited there. Of course, due to their renowned reputation of arousing our curiosities with all sorts of oddities around the planet, I lingered there for a while.
The whole tour group also spared time to replenish themselves with mouthwatering meals and refreshing drinks. There were many culinary delights to choose from, thus there was no problem in re-energizing our hungry and thirsty conditions. All in all, it was definitely an environment catered tp people from all walks of life!
Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
Without a doubt, this culmination within the indoor environments was only partial as there were still so much more to cover. However, we did the best as we could in experiencing all the fundamental adventures it had to offer.
A Day Trip is Absolutely Not Enough
Too bad, we only had a few hours to invest in this mountain resort. Due to its whopping dimensions of real estate, including the countless activities, events. and experiences we can do there, it was merely impossible to compress all of them into a single day. I haven't even peeked at their casino, convention center, and other hotel chains. Will I come back? Well actually, it's not a question of traveling back to this entertainment haven, but a question of when. So yes, I'll definitely return to this cherished destination!
Hotel Complex and Outdoor Theme Park at Genting Highlands (Photo: © 2023 storiesoferne)
If you're the adventurous type and could afford a bit of fear-inducing moments such as the cable car ride, water sports, and other extreme activities, the Genting Highlands is definitely one that would challenge you to escape your comfort zone. Although this all-in-one Malaysian amusement park and hotel complex is tucked away and hidden in an otherwise peculiar location, it's absolutely a life-changing experience you won't regret. And I highly recommend it!
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STORIES OF ERNE™
Meet the Author
ERNE is an Architect, Environmentalist, and Adventurer. On the Hive Blockchain, he is the Creator of the Architecture+Design Community. If you are passionate about architecture, the natural environment, and global travel, feel free to connect with him. He will gladly welcome you into his world.
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