When I think about Agoda, it’ll always brings me back to the first time hearing about it. Back then, hotel bookings weren't just a few clicks on an app. Spending some time on the phone and getting your booking sorted was the norm.
As much as it was the system back then, it was mah fan. Then Agoda and sites similar to it came about, the process of booking a hotel became much easier. Great for my convenience but not for my wallet.
When I knew that Agoda now caters for big family trips, I had to check it out. Coincidentally, I’ve been thinking about trying out Genting’s new attraction; Genting Skyworlds Theme Park. The TikTok and Reel videos filmed at the park accompanied by stereotypical travelogue-ish background music got to me - and I’m just a mere mortal man.
So before any trip, the first and most imperative thing to do is to book your stay. We chose this place called GEO38 Premier Suites, a serviced apartment located in Gohtong Jaya for a 3 days and 2 nights stay. The accommodation was strategic for us since it’s near Ratha Raub, an Indian restaurant famous for their fish head curry alongside crunchy but soft roti canai.
We love booking homes and apartments for the added space and home-like feel - great if you’re traveling with a big family with grandparents and children! Some apartments even come with a guest services team - so make sure you do your research and pick what works best for you.
While we’re already on the site, we clicked on the ‘activities’ tab and saw the Genting Skyworlds Theme Park option as the first result. Not only was it convenient to buy the theme park tickets on the same site as our accommodation, the price of the tickets were slightly more affordable too - and we got them bundled with another attraction; Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Odditorium. Literally three birds with one stone!
The suite? It turned out to be spectacular. They provided us with 1 king bed and 1 queen bed at an attractive rate on top of a strong WiFi connection, fully air conditioned rooms and a stunning view of the highlands. Thankfully the place was close to pharmacies and convenience stores so you can bet we borong all the Maggy cups for a compulsory Genting ritual - a breezy and cozy supper by the mountains.
The day after, we travelled up the hills of Genting for the big one; Genting Skyworlds Theme Park. Greeted by talented dancers, our booking gifted us the best thing to have at a theme park: a number of complimentary Virtual Queue reservations for our rides; which means we could skip the queue! It was a much better saving than buying it directly from the park entrance itself!
The rides were thrilling and in a family of four, all of us had different favourites. However, we can all agree that the theme park food was surprisingly amazing as well (for context, most snacks and food vendors at theme parks are average at best based on our experience). Beyond the thrills, the highlight of the park was the overall design; characters and places from your favourite movies brought to life in front of your eyes are always a treat.
Unfortunately on the third day, most of us were down from food poisoning. We shall not name and shame the restaurant as we feel the combination of our dishes was also quite questionable (don’t judge us).
The doctor advised us to stay in Genting instead as the drive down may be too extreme for any of our grumbling tummies. But because of this, we had to skip our Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! Odditorium and focus on our recovery. We ended up booking another night elsewhere.
To our surprise, we realised that both our tickets for Ripley’s and Skyworlds were valid for at least a few weeks; which means it wasn’t just valid for the intended date of visit. After a full day of recovery, we decided to visit Ripley’s with our tickets.
As avid travelers, short vacationers, glampers or whatever term for bloggers use to describe wanderlusts, Agoda’s extension of services is incredibly convenient. If you’re the type who loses attention fast while planning your trips, the site is an ideal platform for you to stay focused and enjoy your trip with ease. Everything you need including accommodation, flights, activities and local transport in one place.
What’s more, if you're planning a trip for larger families or groups, Agoda’s Shopping Cart feature helps you checkout multiple rooms (up to 8 at one time) in a single transaction, with extra value deals!
So what are you waiting for, get planning your next trip now! Don’t say I never payung, okay?