The World From Above is a series on The Trusted Traveller that will be rolled out throughout the year. In each post I’ll be taking you above the world one region at a time. From Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa, and Oceania, nothing will be missed.
If your new here you might want to go back and check out my other World from Above posts from North America and Europe.
Now however its time to tackle a new region, Asia. With the help of some of my most well travelled friends, we’ll be taking you through Asia from above. Giving you the low down on how you too can get the best views from above from Japan to the UAE and everything in between. We’re here to help inspire you to get that view too.
So lets get right into it with the first 14 Asia from Above photos.
Museum of Hanuman Dhoka Palace in Kathmandu, Nepal
Alejandro – Mi Viaje por el Mundo
In the center of the bustling city of Kathmandu you can find one of the 3 Durbar Squares in Nepal, which has been declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. The square was the center of political, cultural and religious activity of Kathmandu, here you will find several buildings, mainly temples, with an unique architectural style. The photo was taken from the Hanuman Dhoka Palace Museum, this gives you a panoramic view of the Kathmandu valley which is entirely surrounded by mountains. After the 2015 earthquakes some of the buildings in this photograph, including a few in Durbar Square, no longer exist.
Lebua Sky Bar, Bangkok
James – Escaping Abroad
An incredibly stunning view of Bangkok can be seem from one of the highest rooftop bars in the world. Located on the 63rd floor, you’ll be 820 feet high with unmatched views of the city. Sip a cold drink, listen to live music, and enjoy views of brightly lighted boats floating down the Chao Phraya River. The sky bar was also featured in the Hangover 2 movie for those who get a kick out of visiting famous film locations. There is a dress code and other restrictions so be sure to adhere to the guidelines if you want to get in!
The Peak, Hong Kong
Sally – Our 3 Kids v The World
This breath taking view of Hong Kong from above was taken from the top of the Peak Tramway. The Sky Terrace located above the Peak Tramway, is one of the main attraction for people visiting Hong Kong and its really quite affordable at approx. $12AUD. There are shops and a few restaurants also located in Sky Terrace, we stopped at Bubba Gump’s for some shrimp on our visit last year. I suggest you visit during the day and the night as the view is spectacular and visiting during day and night gives it a different prospective. If you’re lucky you might get a low fog day and be able to see right across to the Kowloon side of Hong Kong.
Marina Bay from the Singapore Flyer
Gia – Mismatched Passports
Taken from one of the 28 capsules of the Singapore Flyer, this remarkable view captures the fast-paced industrialized city of Singapore. Asia’s largest Giant Observation Wheel, the Singapore Flyer stands at a height of 165m. This magnificent piece of engineering offers a stunning 360 degree view of Singapore’s top attractions such as Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, Raffles Place and Merlion Park. Whether done during the day or at night, a 30-minute ride on the Singapore Flyer is a magnificent experience for locals and tourists alike.
Pattaya Park Tower, Thailand
Karolina & Patryk – Karolina&Patryk.com
If you ever visit Pattaya, be sure to visit Pattaya Park Tower! Views from the top are breathtaking. You will see from above the Gulf of Thailand, beautiful beaches, skyscrapers and the whole city of Pattaya. Park Tower is basically a hotel but you can buy a ticket to get to the 56th floor. If you are brave enough, you can slide down by the Sky Shuttle, Speed Shuttle or the Tower Jump. This experience is unforgettable!
Landing approach, Mehrabad International Airport, Tehran, Iran
Clemens – Anekdotique
Looking for the most stunning view of Tehran, Iran? Try to get a flight to Mehrabad International Airport and hope for a clear sky. On a sunny day you will get an unforgettable view of the metropolis with the snowy Alborz mountains in the back. As most of the time the airplanes land in the same direction, try to get a seat on the left side of the plane. Good luck!
Banaue Rice Terraces, Philippines
Aileen – I Am Aileen
Said to be the greatest engineering masterpiece of the ‘Igorots’, this view of the Banaue Rice Terraces is truly an iconic landscape in the Philippines. At approximately 5,000 feet above sea level, this view was taken from a vantage point called as the ‘View Point’ which is located just 4 kilometers from the Banaue town proper. There are other rice terraces in the area that are listed under the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list, but this spot is one of the most picturesque. Truly, this is a masterpiece as it exemplifies how humans can harmonize with nature in order to come up with a sustainable agricultural system using traditional techniques.
Huashan Mountain, China
Alice – Tea Cake Travels
If you haven’t passed out already from looking, you can get yourself up here on Huashan Mountain in China. Balancing yourself on a tiny wooden plank, just with a simple harness and a wire nailed into the mountain side, you can look down and enjoy the views of these truly ancient and magical mountain. This place is notoriously known as one of the most dangerous hiking trails in the world. When you’re up there, it definitely feels like it but it’s worth every second! You can find this wooden sky walk plank on the East Peak. Go for it!
The 17 Islands Marine Park, Flores, Indonesia
Jon – Jon is Travelling
This group of tiny, uninhabited islands off the coast of Flores are some of the most unspoiled paradises in Southeast Asia – probably because they are so hard to get to (it requires a really long and uncomfortable bus ride). If you do make it there it’s pretty easy to find this viewpoint, as only one of the islands has a hill that you can walk up. It’s a fairly hot climb, but looking down over the reef, the contrasting blues of the ocean and that amazing beach (one of the best I’ve been to in Southeast Asia for swimming) is one of the highlights of any trip to Indonesia.
Elephant Mountain, Taipei
Jen & Kiki – Wanderlust Explorers
We recently visited Taipei, Taiwan. To get a great view of the city and Taipei 101 you can easily hike Elephant Mountain, which is located on the eastern end of the city. There is a nice trail, but it is steep with over 1000 stairs. We arrived around sunset and had a spectacular view. Pro tip: Grab a beer at the 7/11 to enjoy while you watch the sun go down!
An Unknown Hill, Above an Unknown Valley, Several Hours from Sapa, North Vietnam
Jon – Two Monkeys Travel
This photo is the result of 5 hours of mud, rivers, rocks, one waterfall and a burned out clutch! We had been riding our 100cc motorbike through the north of Vietnam for just 2 days when we met Hai, a local from Sapa, who insisted that he show us the best trails in the area; places that only a few locals know about! The trails were little more than goat tracks covered in rocks and thick deep mud, the younger children in the small villages we passed had yet to leave the mountain, so had never seen a foreigner (the adults had, of course), especially a white one with hairy arms like mine. So they pointed, chanting white monkey in Vietnamese, which was eventually the inspiration for the name of our travel blog, Two Monkeys Travel.
Shwesandaw Pagoda, Temples of Bagan, Myanmar
Tom – Aperture Hour
The view is from the top of the Shwesandaw Pagoda which is located close to the village of Old Bagan. The five story pagoda is situated to the west of most of the other pagodas which means that at sunrise you catch the most beautiful views as the sun appears on the horizon. Although busy during the day, at 5am there were just a few other tourists around and with five different levels there is plenty of space for everyone to take photos.
Grand Hyatt, Kuala Lumpur
Vaughan – The Travel Manuel
There’s a lot of debate about when the Petronas Twin Towers looks best, most people, however, agree that at night time they certainly look the most dramatic. Because we live in Malaysia (though not in KL) we have been lucky enough to see them at all time of the day. This views comes from our room at the Grand Hyatt. Apart from the towers though, if you look carefully near the base you’ll notice colourful jets of water shooting up, this is the lake at the base of the towers and every evening the fountains dance to music. It’s such a cosmopolitan environment and one of our favourite places to spend the evening in Kuala Lumpur.
And one from me!
Westin Miyako Hotel, Kyoto
We love a little luxury from time to time when we travel and the Westin Miyako gave us exactly that on our 3 weeks trip across Japan. Not only was the hotel pretty fabulous it also offers some pretty nice views from its rooms, bar and guest viewing terrace. This view looks north with the Higashiyama mountains surrounding the town. If you look closely you can see dozens of temples and shrines tucked in between the trees.
This is part one in a series of two posts about Asia From Above. Come back in the coming weeks for part two.
Over to you!
What would you include on your top list of Asia From Above views?
Let me know using the comments section below or join me on social media to start a conversation.
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