Genting Highlands, Pahang Malaysia

Gong Xi Fa Cai!! Happy Lunar New Year!! How was your Chinese New Year (CNY) celebration? We spent our CNY break in Genting Highlands, Malaysia. Finally, after hearing so many fun and thrilling stories about this place we got the chance to pay it a visit and spent some rest and relaxation there. The weather was absolutely fantastic. It's a breath of fresh air from the usually humid and hot weather in Singapore. Enjoying the cool breeze at high altitude was truly invigorating. There were some drizzling though in the afternoon but that didn't stop us from enjoying the place.

We stayed at the First World Hotel which caught us by surprise by its enormity. Apparently, the hotel holds a Ripley's record of having the "most number of rooms in the world" at 6,118 rooms. It is by far the longest hotel reception / check in counter I have seen. There are about 30 counters attending to its guests and you need to get a queue number before you can actually checked in. It took us 45 mins before we got accommodated. I'm assuming primarily because it's a peak season since it's Chinese New Year. There are really too many guests at the time of our visit. There were also some DIY check in kiosks where you can do your own check in but it's not for everyone. For those on tour package like us, we have to wait long in the reception counter. Contrary to its humongous size, everything in this hotel is about simplicity. From the ambiance to the interior to its amenities, expect nothing but basics. We stayed at a deluxe room and there's really not much to talk about. I would commend the cleanliness of the toilet though and if for that alone we were already ok for our 2 nights stay.

One of the most popular attractions in Genting is its multi-million ringgit Theme Park. Known to be Malaysia's biggest theme park, there are a lot of things that kids and kids at heart can enjoy in this entertainment venue. However, not all are worth trying. I think the Outdoor and Indoor Theme Parks are the most enjoyable and thrilling. Concept wise, I did like this place. Experiencing fun and adventure with a cool, crisp, fresh air is definitely worth the long travel just to get to this hub. But clearly, most of the resorts' amenities already need an update. The "run down" atmosphere of some attractions contradicts the nice, cool ambiance of the weather. I hope on our next visit, we could see more new things.