After arriving here yesterday, we woke up and decided to hit the Genting Outdoor Theme Park nice and early to avoid the crowds and, more importantly, long lines for the rides. After a wonderful buffet breakfast at our hotel, we started off following directions to get to the park. After walking for what seemed like forever through corridors and escalators, we finally reached the entrance. As we stepped outside, we realized it was quite cold and very foggy. Forget the crowds; there was hardly anyone in sight. The colorful rides sat shrouded in the morning mist, giving the park an almost surreal, quiet atmosphere. The first thing I tried was the Spinner. It was a nice ride, but the spinning motion made the mountain chill feel even more biting. I was the only one who tried this.


After that, we came across Cyclone. We both decided to try this one and got on; it was a simple rollercoaster which we enjoyed, its bright tracks providing a sharp contrast to the gray Highland sky. Then we tried the Pirate Train. As the ride started and we entered the dark passageways, we kept expecting something to show up and scare us. But nothing at all happened! And before we knew it, we were out. After that, I decided that we should try only the thrill rides going forward. Next up was the Grand Prix Fun Kart, which was okay.


And after that came the highlight of my visit there: The Space Shot. I had tried the Big Shot ride at the Stratosphere Hotel before and so was really looking forward to this. It was simply amazing. I was seated with a middle-aged couple from India. As we climbed higher and higher, they were talking about how easy this ride was and how nice the view from up there was. And then suddenly, we started our free fall, which silenced them until the end of the ride. From that height, even through the clouds, the scale of the Genting complex was impressive. I then tried the Corkscrew which was fun. I sat right in front. My neighbor was a local Malaysian guy from Penang. Since we would be visiting there in a few days, I asked him about transport options from the airport to our hotel there.

We then tried the Sungei Rejang Flume Ride, Flying Dragon, and Rolling Thunder Mine Train. The Mine Train took us on a bumpy, fast-paced journey through themed tunnels and rocky outcrops. We were running out of time since we had to check out of our room and someone was supposed to pick us up at 12:00 PM for our transfer back to Kuala Lumpur. So the last ride I tried was the special ride they had newly started: the Flying Coaster. This was Asia’s first hang-gliding roller coaster and was very, very enjoyable, simulating the feeling of soaring through the air while horizontal.


After that we went back to our room and picked up our bags. We were not taking the Genting Skyway to go down but someone was going to pick us up from outside the lobby of the hotel. We waited and waited and then finally after more than one hour a driver came to collect us. We got into the minivan and met a couple from Mumbai who were also on vacation there. They were also going to be in Kuala Lumpur so we all discussed things to do and places to see there.



After being on the road for an hour and a half, we reached our hotel in Kuala Lumpur: Hotel Grand Continental. The tall building stood prominently in the city center, offering easy access to the transit lines. As we waited to be checked-in, I requested the front desk manager for a room with a nice view. We took the key and went to the 23rd floor to our room. The room was just fantastic. It was huge and open on two sides. On one side, we could see the Petronas Twin Towers and Menara KL in a single view. It was simply amazing. We had booked a standard room, but I suspect we received a fantastic upgrade.


We stepped out for a quick lunch. We found this small restaurant very close to our hotel called Hamid’s, which served excellent Roti Canai and Daal. We relaxed in the room that afternoon and then I went for a quick swim in the pool which was nice and refreshing. In the evening we had decided to meet one of our friends (who was working in Kuala Lumpur) at KLCC. We went to the Sultan Ismail LRT station which was a short walk away from our hotel on the Ampang Line. We took the train to Masjid Jamek and then took the Kelana Jaya Line to KLCC. The trains here were great, even better in some ways than the MTA and PATH trains in the New York Metro area. We got off the train and took the exit which directly took us inside Suria KLCC which was a huge mall.


We met our friend there and then walked out to the KLCC Park to see the Petronas Twin Towers. They were simply amazing! And pictures couldn’t really do justice to their beauty as seen in person. The park provided a lush, green sanctuary right at the foot of these steel-and-glass giants. We chatted and walked around there until it got dark so we could see the towers as they would light up. And we took lots and lots of pictures. We had dinner at the food court at Suria KLCC, where there were plenty of options to choose from and we all could eat something of our choice.



🛏️ Hotel Grand Continental
🚇 Sultan Ismail to KLCC via Masjid Jamek
🚇 KLCC to Sultan Ismail via Masjid Jamek