A New Perspective: 6 World Cities From Above

No one would deny that the Empire State Building and Top of the Rock are the go-to places for a bird’s-eye view of the Big Apple, even though the queuing alone can cost you a couple of hours. The iconic Empire State Building, being the third tallest building in the city, offers a magnificent view of the streets below as well as the New York Bay.From above, Central Park looks like a giant green rectangle amidst a sea of beige blocks. Also in sight are the classic pieces of architecture, such as the silver-crowned Chrysler Building, triangular Flatiron Building and numerous copper-green rooftops. Top of the Rock, with a similar height and location, offers visitors similar views with a relatively cheaper admission fee. It is also far less crowded and, most importantly, ensures tourists leave with the iconic Empire Building in their photos. Top of the Rock, 45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY, USA, +1 212-332-6868
Empire State, 350 5th Ave, New York, NY, USA, +1 212-736-3100

Paris never lacks places in which to enjoy the city from above -the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Tour Montparnasse, Centre Pompidou, Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris (commonly known as Sacré-Cœur), etc. You can literally observe the city from any angle you prefer.Depending on your location, the views can differ greatly. Arc de Triomphe has a close-up view of the Champs Elysees, while the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame allow visitors to survey the renowned river, La Seine.The much loved Eiffel Tower can be spotted from most attractions due to its distinctive height. At night, it will be lit up in gold, sending out two light beams that sweep across the city. Every hour until 1 a.m., the Tower will also sparkle. Scare Coeur, 35 Rue du Chevalier de la Barre, Paris, France, +33 1 53 41 89 00 Eiffel Tower, Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, Paris, France, +33 892 70 12 39 Arc de Triomphe, Place Charles de Gaulle, Paris, France, +33 1 55 37 73 77 Notre Dame, 6 Parvis Notre-Dame – Pl. Jean-Paul II, Paris, France, +33 1 42 34 56 10 Centre Pompidou, Place Georges-Pompidou, Paris, France, +33 1 44 78 12 33 Tour Montparnasse, 33 Avenue du Maine, Paris, France, +33 1 45 38 52 56

In the daytime, Hong Kong may look like a city packed with countless high-rising buildings. At night, however, ‘The Pearl of the Orient’ never fails to impress tourists from all over the world. The iridescent skyscrapers in Hong Kong Island, like Central Plaza, Bank of China Tower and HSBC Main Building, paint a spectacular night view. The latest addition, the International Commerce Centre (ICC), illuminates the Kowloon side with its light animation. Every night at 8pm, more than 40 buildings along the harbour will participate in a light and sound show, A Symphony of Lights. Organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, it is the world’s largest permanent light and sound show according to the Guinness World Records. Traditionally, observatories are located in Hong Kong Island, with the Victoria Peak being the most popular choice among tourists. Diners would go to View 62 (formerly R66), a rotating restaurant at Hopewell Centre that overlooks the harbour and other tall buildings below.After ICC was built, Sky100, its 360-degree indoor observation deck on the 100th floor, became tourists’ new favourite destination for its full view of the Kowloon Peninsula, Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Island. Central Plaza, 18 Harbour Road, 灣仔 Hong Kong, +852 2586 8111 Bank of China, 1 Garden Road, Hong Kong HSBC Main Building, Hong Kong International Commerce Centre (ICC), 1 Austin Rd W, West Kowloon, Hong Kong View 62, 62 N View St, North Point, Hong Kong

The beauty of Shanghai can be appreciated from either The Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower or Shanghai World Financial Center, both situated near the Huangpu River. Their locations allow tourists to see the modern Pudong area beneath as well as the historic Puxi area across the river.The Bund at Puxi houses a rich collection of 52 structure, each having a unique history and architectural style. One can easily recognise the glowing green rooftop of the art deco Sasson House, the neoclassical HSBC Building, and the Big Ben-like Customs House from above.At night, most buildings at the Bund are lit up in golden yellow, while those in Pudong gleam in vivid colours. Along with the reflections on the river, the Haungpu River transforms into a technicolour scene of yesterday and today. Shanghai World Financial Centre, 100 Century Avenue, Pudong, Shanghai, China, +86 21 3867 2008 Customs House Shanghai, 137 Jiujiang Road, Huangpu, Shanghai, China

For fear of collapsing during earthquakes, buildings in Tokyo are relatively short, which makes it harder to view the city from above – there are a limited number of observatories.Besides the popular Tokyo Skytree and Tokyo Tower, tourists can also mount the Metropolitan Government Building and Bunkyo Civic Center for a panoramic view of the city. Until 2006, the former was the tallest building in the city and is still frequently featured in Japanese science fictions as a symbol of authority.Admission to the observation decks is free-of-charge and visitors can see the Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Gate Bridge from the building. If the weather is good enough, they can also catch a sight of Mount Fuji glowing at sunset from afar. Tokyo Skytree, 1 Chome-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida, Tokyo, Japan, +81 3-5302-3470 Tokyo Tower, 4 Chome-2-8 Shibakoen, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, +81 3-3433-511 Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, 2-8-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, +81 3-5321-1111
By Cassie Wong