Genting Highlands (1700m above sea level 3°24'6.51″N, 101°46'2.62''E) is a mountain peak within the Titiwangsa Mountains on the border between the states of Pahang and Selangor of Malaysia and is home to a famous mountain resort by the same name which can be reached by car from Kuala Lumpur in one hour. It is also accessible by the world's fastest and South East Asia's longest cable car called Genting Skyway (3.38km). In 2006, the resort had 18.4 million visitors Genting Highlands was founded by the late Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong in the late 1960s.
2,000 meters above sea level, Genting Highlands, a magnificent city on the hilltop, is but a mere 50km from Kuala Lumpur. It offers a cool respite from the hustle and bustle of the city capital. Crisp invigorating mountain air complemented by majestic scenery spreads out before your eyes. Lush green tropical rainforest shrouded in a veil of perpetual mist makes it hard to believe that you are just minutes away from the sweltering equatorial heat and the ever dusty city. Here, consistent temperatures between 16 and 23 degrees provide natural air conditioning.
Genting Highlands Resort offers the bountiful harvest of nature together with a staggering potpourri of international standard facilities. Besides the cool air and scenic surroundings, this hilltop city also houses the country's one and only casino. However, one should not underestimate its value as this casino has been featured in many films produced by Hong Kong, Taiwan, and even Hollywood. Besides the casino, this hilltop resort also has a theme park of its own and an entertainment center
It is sometimes informally known as the Las Vegas of Malaysia, dubbed the 'City of Entertainment' as it is the only legal land-based casino in Malaysia, run by Resorts World Bhd, a sub-company of Genting Group. The resort, Genting Highlands Resort, also features many hotels owned by Genting subsidiaries including Genting Hotel, Highlands Hotel, Resort Hotel, Theme Park Hotel and Awana Genting. First World Hotel has a total of 6,118 rooms, making it the largest hotel in the world.[2] It surpassed MGM Grand Las Vegas, the former largest hotel in the world with 5,690 rooms.
Other facilities in this resort include theme parks, a Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum, a wind-turbine sky diving simulator, world-class golf course and shopping malls.
There is a computerised system outside First World Hotel which can automatically calculate the number of parking-bays left in four hotels; Genting Hotel, Highlands Hotel, First World Hotel and Resort Hotel.
Genting Highlands is also home to a 100 million year old forest
