World's Highest Hotels and Their Locations

This is the most recent and factual list of the world's tallest hotels. Prepared by Emporis, the world's leading company for building data, the ranking includes 100 tallest buildings intended for hotel use. Here's the tip of the overview - world's highest hotels and their locations.

 

10.Swissôtel The Stamford. Singapore.

Height: 226 m (741 ft). 73 floors.

By chooyutshing

Touching the sky,  Swissôtel The Stamford is the highest hotel in Southern Asia and the seventh tallest skyscraper in Singapore. The complex was opened in 1986 - when completed, it was the tallest hotel on the globe. It was renovated in 2001 and currently offers 1,263 rooms.

By teddy-rised

9. JR Central Hotel Tower. Nagoya. Japan.

Height: 226 m (741 ft). 53 floors

By kamoda

Nagoya, the fourth most populous city in Japan, is home to a gigantic JR Central Towers complex. The structure houses a department store, office space and a hotel. The two towers are based on a 20-storey podium that looks like a gateway to the city. This unique entrance has become the city's remarkable icon. The hotel, located in one of the towers, was completed in 2000.

View of Nagoya from JR Central Hotel Tower. By \Ryan

According to Emporis, Oasis Skyway Garden Hotel in Shanghai is also  226 m (742 ft) high and therefore, it shares the ninth place on the list with the Nagoya's complex.

8. Lanko·Grand Hyatt Hotel. Chongqing. China

Height: 258 m (846 ft). 60 floors.

Chongqing's Skyline By marsbelle

Lanko Grand Hyatt Hotel (unfortunately, no picture available) is the second tallest building in Western China. Its construction was completed in 2004. The hotel is located in Chongqing, largest and most populated municipality in China. The city is one of the fastest developing regions in the country - it has been heavily investing in the construction industry and infrastructure.

7. Grand Lisboa. Macao. China.

Height: 261 m (856 ft). 47 floors.

By gorriti

Shiny Grand Lisboa Hotel, opened in December 2008, towers above Macau, the special administrative region in China. The complex's design is quite "unique" - it resembles the lotus flower, which is the symbol of Macau, although some say it looks more like a Pokemon than a building. Anyway, the hotel was designed by DLN Architects & Engineers, one of the most famous Hong Kong architectural studio.

By Richo in HK

6. The Cullinan I. Hong Kong. China.

Height: 270 m (886 ft) 68 floors.

By Baycrest

The Cullinan I, also called the Cullinan North Tower, is Hong Kong's tallest residential tower. The hotel is part of a complex called the Cullinan (named after the largest diamond in the world). The construction was developed by Sun Hung Kai Properties and it was completed in 2008.

5. Baiyoke Tower II. Bangkok. Thailand

Height: 304 m (997 ft). 85 floors

Night view of Bangkok from Baiyoke Tower. By Reschundzartzugleich

Baiyoke Tower II, located in the Central Business District of Bangkok, is Thailand's tallest building. Completed in 1997, it is also the highest hotel in the region of Southeast Asia. The 84th floor houses a 360-degree revolving roof deck, open daily from 10.30 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. Baiyoke, as the country's tallest building, will soon be surpassed by the Ocean One Tower (367 m high) that is scheduled to be completed in 2012.

By Reschundzartzugleich

4. Jumeirah Emirates Towers .Dubai. United Arab Emirates

Height: 309 m (1,014 ft). 56 floors

By reflexer

Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel is an exclusive business hotel that includes 40 luxury suites, accounting for exactly 10% of the complex's all rooms. The hotel is located in the heart of the city of Dubai (United Arab Emirates) and it is connected with Emirates Office Tower, which is slightly higher than the hotel, boasting the height of 350 m. Both buildings are connected by a podium that houses the Boulevard shopping gallery.

3. Burj Al Arab. Dubai. United Arab Emirates

Height: 321 m (1,053 ft). 60 floors. 

By Jonathan Bourke

Burj Al Arab is one of Dubai's most famous buildings and the country's national landmark. The hotel's unique design resembles the shape of an Arabian sailing ship. The complex stands on an artificial island and is connected to the mainland by means of a private bridge. The hotel is an ultra exclusive complex. It houses eight restaurants (one of them is located 200 m above the Persian Gulf), two-storey suites equipped with Jacuzzi in every bathroom and plasma screens, as well as reception desk on every floor. The cost of the investments is estimated at US$ 650m.

By Pete the painter

2. Ryugyong Hotel. Pyongyang. North Korea.

Height: 330 m (1,083 ft). 105 floors. 

By Pricey

Ryugyong Hotel, located in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, is the country tallest building. The construction of the complex began in 1987 and was stopped in 1992 because of the government's financial troubles. The construction was inactive for 16 years, but it has been restarted in April 2008. Ryugyong is the first complex outside New York and Chicago with more than 100 floors.

By yeowatzup

1. Rose Tower. Dubai. United Arab Emirates.

Height: 333 m (1,093 ft). 72 floors. 

By pjf@cpan

Dubai is definitely a leading destination in terms of world's tallest hotels. Next to Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, ranking 3rd and 4th on the list respectively, it houses the Rose Tower, the world's tallest building used exclusively as a hotel. The construction of the complex commenced in 2004 and was finished in 2007. The official opening of the hotel is scheduled for December 2009.

By Paolo Rosa

To see the full list of 100 tallest hotels go to emporis.com.

The official source of the data used is © Emporis 11/2009.

Top 10 Most Eco-Friendly and Green Countries

The environment is a big and serious issue, but it is not as bad as you might believe when thinking about the condition of our planet. Yes, there are extremely badly polluted places on our Earth (see Most Polluted Cities) that cry out to heaven for vengeance, but fortunately, some areas and even entire countries where the air is fresh and invisible ( as it is supposed to be), the water stays crystal blue (and not poisonous and dark) do exist around the globe.

The Columbia University's Center for International Earth Science Information Network and Yale University's Center for Environmental Law and Policy have published a list of the world's cleanest countries. The Environmental Performance Index (EPI), created by the universities, ranks the countries by such indicators as polices on environmental health, air pollution, climate change, water resources, productive natural resources, as well as biodiversity and habitat.

Here we present ten (out of 149 surveyed countries) cleanest and eco friendly states: 

10. France

Tree and lavender fields.

Apparently, European states account for 14 of the top 20 world's cleanest countries, and France, with its green policy, ranks tenth on this eco list. Climate change is one of the biggest issues for the French government and therefore, various steps have been taken in order to keep the country clean and green. France has ratified the Kyoto Protocol and is committed to reduce its greenhouse gases emission by 5.2% from the 1990 level. In 2004, France closed down its last coal mine, and now gets 80% of its electricity from nuclear power, so CO2 emissions are relatively low.

Moreover, the green policy is also reflected in such actions as public system improvement - fast trains, metros, bike programs, introducing taxes on cars, packaging, plastic products, electronic devices, and batteries, suspending GM commercial crops and investing in new energy sources.

9. Colombia.

Coffee plant. Colombia.

According to the ranking, Colombia is the second cleanest country in the Americas and world's ninth cleanest state. After years of deforestation linked to the conversion of large areas to illegal coca plantations and oil palm plantations, the country is now moving toward ecological standpoints by supporting the eco-friendly agricultural policies. The country scored 99.9 of EPI index in the category of cropland policy - around 40% of agriculture areas remain uncultivated at any given time so the soil is allowed to lie fallow.

For many years, globetrotters were warned against traveling to Colombia due to the armed conflict, drug violence and kidnappings, but today the country gets back on the track, especially thanks to improving security situation. Among main travelers' magnets is the country's abundant nature, amazing biodiversity, breathtaking landscapes of glaciers, rain forests and clean, empty beaches.

8. Latvia.

Super clean and neat streets of Riga, Latvia.

Latvia, a tiny Baltic country, is one of the few states that actually reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Around 35,000 sq km of the country is occupied by forests, mires and peat bogs that work like a filter converting carbon dioxide to biomass. The process is called "CO2 sequestration" and it is working really well in Latvia as the country boasts the lowest CO2 emission per capita among the European Union states. Latvia also has a very sufficient policy related to renewable natural sources, which is second best after Sweden. 

Riga, the capital of Latvia, is considered to be the cleanest city in Europe. The city's main areas as well as its environs are litter-free and neat, which is a big achievement taking into consideration the fact that Riga, with one million inhabitants, is home to nearly half of Latvia's total population.

7. New Zealand

Eco event, part of International Day of Climate Action, New Zealand.

New Zealand is green, wild and sparsely populated. The country's natural treasures - lakes, coasts, and mountains -  are protected by a number of environmental policies and programs. Therefore, the country scored really high (84.9) on the effective conservation index in contrast to other countries in the region that showed only around 30 of EPI index.

In the area of emissions related problems New Zealand needs to improve, though. Unfortunately the country's greenhouse gas emissions are increasing - in 2007 the emission was 22% higher then it was in 1990. The transport sector is the main culprit - currently the emissions from this sector account for 19% of New Zealand's total greenhouse gas output. The country signed the Kyoto Protocol, so if the levels of emissions exceed the Protocol's limits, New Zealand will have to take responsibility for any excess emissions.

6. Austria.

Pitztal Glacier and Lake Rifflsee in Austria.

In the last two decades Austria, a tiny landlocked country covered with enormous impressive Alps, has been facing a number of ecological problems. Due to its location between a few large European countries, Austria has always been a land of transit. Traffic on the country's superhighways increased from 600,000 vehicles a year in 1970s to around 10 million a year in 1990s. Also around 40% of Austria's forests was damaged by emissions and acid rain by 1991.

As a result, the country has started implementing various programs and polices concerning environmental protection. Today, Austria produces more than half of its electricity by hydropower. 62.89% of the electricity supply comes from renewable energy sources such as wind, hydropower, solar and biomass power plants.

5. Costa Rica

Volcan Arenal, La Fortuna Costa Rica.

Putting Costa Rica in the fifth place on the world's cleanest countries list is quite controversial as according to various other research, the country is not as ecological as the EPI index says. Still Costa Rica scored 97 or more in such categories as forestry, climate change and air pollution. The country has improved especially in the forestry area. Deforestation used to be Costa Rica's main environmental issue - between 1973 and 1989 the country's forest was disappearing by 2.3% each year.

Today, the country is renowned among eco travelers for its biodiversity - Costa Rican nature is wild and abundant. Almost 25% of the country is protected by extensive national park system in order to preserve wild plants and animals. Moreover, this tiny country boasts almost 6% of the world's bio diversity.

4. Finland

Students celebrating Flora's day, Helsinki. Finland.

Wilderness, remoteness, and purity - these three words perfectly describe Finland, the country of endless forest and the land of the thousand lakes. The state is covered by trees in 78% and lakes take up 10% of its area. Moreover, Finland is inhabited by only 5.3 million people (it is the most sparsely populated country in the European Union) so there are not many potential contributors to general pollution.

Despite thriving wood industry, Finnish forests continue to grow thanks to decades of forestry research and environmental policies. Most of the country's paper pulp plants are equipped with filters reducing emissions. Also tap water in Finland is super clean, drinkable and tasty.
The area for improvement is the reduction of air pollution - Finland needs to work a little bit harder in order to meet the limits of the Kyoto Protocol.

3. Norway.

Hola Valley. Norway.

Norway, the remote Scandinavian land of a thousand fjords and islands, always climbs high in various rankings such as "best country to live", "world's richest states", "most peaceful country". EPI also puts the country at the top of its eco list, giving it the overall score of 93.1 - just like Sweden. Norway's quality of water, sanitation or ozone levels get 100 of EPI and almost all of its electricity is generated by hydro power plants.

Nevertheless, Norway finds it difficult to meet the Kyoto Protocol levels. At present, the country's Kyoto target for 2008 - 2012 is to limit its greenhouse gas emissions to the level of no more than 1% higher than in 1990.

2. Sweden.

Donsö island settlement in the Gothenburg archipelago. Sweden.

Without dispute the Scandinavian countries are among the cleanest in the world, and Sweden is just another example of a state where environmental issues are not being ignored or neglected. The country also scored 93.1 and together with Norway its shares the position of the runner-up on the list of the world's greenest countries.

In contrast to Norway, however, Sweden managed to meet the obligations laid out by the Kyoto Protocol and between 1990 and 2003 it has been the only Nordic nation that reduced its emissions. In 2008, another index (Climate Change Performance Index), which compared 57 countries that jointly emit around 90% of the world's annual emission of carbon dioxide, also showed that Sweden has done the most of any surveyed states for reducing the output of greenhouse gases.

1. Switzerland.

Samnaun, Switzerland.

Despite the fact that the Swiss environment is under constant pressure from pollutions coming from industry, agriculture, transport and tourism, the country scored 95.5 of an environmental performance index (EPI), and as much as a 100 in areas such as sanitation and water quality, pesticide regulation or forestry. Switzerland is also super active with regard to recycling and anti-littering regulations. Moreover, the quality of Swiss air is among the best in Europe. The state has managed to meet all its national and international commitments to emission reduction.

As an alpine country, Switzerland is very sensitive to climate change - delicate valleys and mountainous regions are particularly fragile, so no wonder the state does its best to protect its precious environment.

Top Ten World's Tourism Earners

Tourism is a huge industry. It is an important pillar of many economies that generates billions of dollars annually. Without revenues from tourism even the world's strongest and most prosperous countries could shake. Despite the economic downturn, which has stopped many people from traveling, the world's most popular destinations still receive enormous numbers of visitors, who leave enormous amounts of money in the pockets of their hosts.

In 2008 there were 922 million tourists traveling to foreign countries (reflecting 2% growth year on year) where they spent US$ 944 billion, according to the World Tourist Organization. Of course, 2009 is to bring a decline in tourism due to the recession - in the first four months of the year there were 8% less people traveling around our globe in comparison to the same months of 2008. Still, by 2010 international arrivals are estimated to reach 1.6 billion.

Austria

$21.8 billion

Winter in Brixen, Austria.

Tones of white fluffy snow perfect for skiing, Alpine hiking, cafes of Vienna, chocolate stores filled with the most delicious pralines, a superb cultural offer... It's hard to say "no" once you are there? So you don't, and neither do other tourists. Austria is a tiny country of great travel opportunities both in summer and winter months, and Austrians know how to make loads out of it. Tourism is an extremely important part of the country's economy - it accounts for almost 9% of Austrian GDP.

Turkey

$22.0 billion

Somewhere in Turkey.

How not to visit (and spend money) a country with such a variety of archaeological, historical and natural sites (the state is home to two of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World). Over recent years Turkey has become one of the most popular travel destinations - between 2000 and 2008 the number of visitors increased from 8 million to almost 40 million! Therefore, the country is the world's eight most visited state (by number of arrivals) and the ninth revenue owner.

Australia

$24.7 billion

Surfing in Australia, Gold Coast.

Whether you come for surfing, best caffee latte in the world, or business, Australia is one of those countries you can easily fall in love with. The Opera House, Uluru, Great Ocean Road, fascinating outback, golden beaches and multicultural atmosphere...the country has a wide array of tempting offers for backpackers, holidaymakers and travelers, who left almost US$ 25 billion in the country in 2008, reflecting a 10% increase year on year. No wonder tourism is an important pillar of the Australian economy.

United Kingdom

$36.0 billion

London.

United Kingdom, and more specifically London, is a must-see for every traveler. The capital of Great Britain is the second most visited city in the world, with a number of visitors totaling to almost 15 million in 2008. With the strong British pound, the country is also one of the most expensive destinations where coffee may cost you twice as much as in other European countries. Still 30 million of visitors annually prove United Kingdom is worth what it earns.

Germany

$40.0 billion

Hohenzollern Castle in Germany.

Germans are creative and inventive. They know how to make a product for sale out of everything, be it sausage, potatoes or yodeling. They don't have an Eiffel Tower, never-ending golden beaches, or Gaudi's architectural masterpieces that dot Barcelona, but still, tourism brought Germans US$ 40 billion in 2008. Be it fairy-tale castles, Berlin's liberal atmosphere, kebabs that conquer its Turkish archetype - something must have attracted 25 million people that came to visit Germany in 2008 and made the country the world's ninth most popular tourist destination.

China

$40.8 billion

Cong Sheng Temple, Dali, China.

China is a colossal country of enormous travel opportunities and diversity that cannot be found anywhere else. It is becoming a more and more popular destination - in 2008, 53 million tourists arrived to China, making it the fourth most visited country in the world. By the way of comparison, in 1978, the country received about 230,000 foreign tourists. Among main areas generating the highest income for China are Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou - these are the richest and the most frequently visited regions.

Italy

$45.7 billion

Vineyards in Rocchetta Belbo,Piedmont in Italy.

Tourism is one of Italy's most profitable industrial sectors, with revenue of over US $45 billion. Rich art, superb cuisine, fashion and culture attract millions of visitors per year from around the world. Italy boasts 44 World Heritage sites, which is more than any other country on our globe, and its ancient cities, Mediterranean beaches and richness of tradition have been travel and money magnets for centuries.

France

$55.6 billion

Eguisheim, France.

No matter what you search for, you will find it in France. Millions know it, and they keep coming for superb skiing in the French Alps, laid-back surfing in Biarritz, crazy partying in Paris, relaxing in Boulogne or sampling best quality wine in Burgundy. In 2008 France was visited by 79 million people, which made it the world's number one destination by the number of visitors, and the country boasts the title of the world's third biggest tourism earner.

Spain

$61.6 billion

Valdoviño Beach, Galicia, Spain.

Golden beaches, medieval towns, flamenco dancers, fruity sangria, Barcelona's museums, ski slopes of Pyrenees - this (and much more) is Spain. Over the recent years the country has surpassed Italy, its Mediterranean rival, and now it is the world's third most popular travel destination. In the last two decades tourism has become a vital contributor to Spain's economy, generating around US$ 60 billion annually.

United States

 $110.1 billion

New York.

In 2008, 35 million tourists visited Times Square, 31 million took a stroll down the Las Vegas Strip, 24 million saw the National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington. The United States is the second most visited country in the world - the US regained its number two position in arrivals, which it lost to Spain after 11 September 2001. Moreover, the USA is the number one state in terms of revenues generated by tourism. In 2008 the country earned over US $ 110 billion, which is almost twice as much as Spain, the world's second biggest earner.

Best Destinations To Hide

Want to disappear? Here are five places where you can go and never be found.

In our era of air transport, satellite telephones and mass tourism, Selkirk-style adventure seems nearly impossible. But castaway lore remains as strong as ever in popular culture, as television's Lost and Survivor, and films like The Blue Lagoon and Cast Away attest. 

Our daydreams of total isolation remain alive and well, seasoned with subplots of romance and conquering adversity. But could they ever come true? If you're ever seized by the urge to really get away from it all--or need to escape, say, an insider trading scandal--is there anywhere left to go and never be found?

Fortunately, it is still possible to get off the grid--it just takes a little more time, effort and willpower than it used to. After talking to travel experts, we've come up with a list of our favorite places to drop out of civilization. In these places you'll find shaky communications, worse transport and beautiful scenery. But be warned: Most are the kind of places where camping gear, physical fitness and hunting skills would come in handy.

Auyuittuq National Park, Canada

What and Where: An 8,300-square-mile park on Baffin Island, part of Canada's 
Nunavut territory.

How: Fly from Ottawa or Montreal to Iqaluit, capital of Nunavut. Then charter a flight to Pangnirtung, about 17 miles south of the park. From there hire someone to take you in via boat if it's summertime, or snowmobile in the winter. Note that access is impossible while the ice is breaking up around June or freezing over around October.

Pros: Hard to leave even if you want to.

Cons: Polar bears in the spring; near-total darkness and possibility of hypothermia in the winter.

Socotra

What and where: Island in the Indian Ocean, 210 miles south of the Arabian Peninsula and 106 miles west of the Horn of Africa. Belongs to Yemen.

How: From mainland Yemen, hop a fishing boat or take one of two weekly flights, weather permitting. Hurricane-strength winds buffet the island from May to August, making ship dockings and plane landings difficult.

Pros: Pristine sandy lagoons and beaches, abundant marine life, exotic endemic plants and birds, no major predators. Fewer than 45,000 residents in 3,625 square kilometers.

Cons: Hurricane-strength winds four months of the year. Alcohol is illegal.

Kamchatka Peninsula

What and Where: A 182,356-square-mile peninsula of volcanoes, geysers, forest and wildlife in the Russian Far East between the Sea of Okhotsk and the North Pacific.

How: Fly from Moscow or Anchorage to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the peninsula's main urban area. Go north until the peninsula's only highway ends.

Pros: Skiing and trout-fishing possible.

Cons: Predators include brown bears, wolves, lynx and weasels. The peninsula has 29 still-active volcanoes.

Laguna San Rafael National Park, Chile

What and where: A 6,726-square-mile national park on the Pacific Ocean in southern Chile.

How: From Puerto Montt, the nearest major seaport, take a cruise into the park and jump ship--preferably with kayak and fishing rod.

Pros: Mountain scenery, great fishing.

Cons: Rains all year.


Mongolian Hinterland

What and Where: Landlocked nation between Russia and China.

How: Fly to the capital Ulaanbaatar via Beijing or Moscow; head in any direction.

Pros: Generous hospitality rooted in nomadic culture. Horseback riding and falconry popular pastimes. Home to the 13th-largest lake in the world (in surface area) as well as taiga forest and the Gobi desert.

Cons: Weather can be extreme. Mutton-centric diet.


Tristan da Cunha

What and Where: A British territory in the South Atlantic. One of the most remote settled archipelagos in the world, with fewer than 300 residents.

How: Boat only. It takes five to six days from Cape Town, South Africa, about 1,700 miles away. Scheduled ships run about once a month.

Pros: No need to rough it--rent a furnished guest house instead.

Cons: Swimming in the ocean is not safe. The main island is an active volcano.

Papua New Guinea 

What and Where: Country occupying the Eastern half of the island of New Guinea, north of Australia between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific.

How: Fly to the capital, Port Moresby, from Australia. From there charter a small plane to drop you in a jungle settlement or beach village.

Pros: Cellphone coverage limited to the capital and a few towns. Cannibals not seen or heard from for decades. Gorgeous beaches, coral and marine life on northern coast.

Cons: Occasional tribal warfare in Highlands region, separatist movement on Bougainville Island.

World's Coolest Observation Decks

You could be standing on air.

That’s what it feels like when you step inside one of the glass boxes that protrude from the 103rd-floor Skydeck at Chicago’s Willis (formerly Sears) Tower. After all, the seamless, apparently unsupported glass floor is the only thing between your toes and the urban mosaic 1,300 feet below. Even if you’ve been to hundreds of observation decks, the effect of the Ledge is still unnerving.

And really, a skyscraper observation deck should make you feel like you’re flying. Decks, at their best, are a mechanism for transforming the engineering genius of super-tall buildings into pure visceral magic. Emerge from the elevators at the top of places like Toronto’s CN Tower and you get a double hit: a dizzying view and a powerful sense of immersion in the building’s unprecedented scale.

Fortunately for altitude-loving travelers, the demand for that total skyscraper experience is seemingly endless. There are currently so many observation decks opening that it’s hard to keep track. 

Burj Khalifa,
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

 Note that while the observation deck at the newest world’s tallest building (around 2,717 feet) is called At the Top, it’s not. It’s on the 124th floor of 163. What it offers is massive double-height windows, an open-air terrace, and an unparalleled perspective, which tends to make the real Dubai look a lot like the architectural models you see on display over town.

Observe This: Buy tickets online well in advance if you want to visit at sunset. Note that a special $108 ticket will allow you to cut the line.

The Willis (formerly Sears) Tower

Chicago 

How do you make the observation deck of a 37-year-old skyscraper that hasn’t been the world’s tallest since 1998 feel new again? You attach a series of magnificently scary glass boxes, collectively known as the Ledge, to the venerable Skydeck. The illusion that you’re standing unsupported 103 stories above the ground is a real crowd-pleaser.

Observe This: The boxes are hung from a moving steel frame that allows them to be retracted into the building to make way for the window-washing rig.

Guangzhou TV & Sightseeing Tower

Guangzhou, China

Scheduled to open to the public in November, this astonishingly skinny, shockingly tall (2,001 feet) tower has two primary functions: to support a TV antenna and to show tourists a good time. Attractions include a guided open-air climb up 600 feet along a winding staircase through a jungle of structural steel, a tiered sundeck at the very top where weary climbers can lounge on bleachers, and yes, the World’s Highest Ferris Wheel.

Observe This: Supposedly the two revolving restaurants won’t be serving soup because the tower’s swaying motion will turn attempts to eat it into a Charlie Chaplin routine.

Shanghai World Financial Center

Shanghai, China

On the 100th floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center Observatory, the top tier of a three-layer observatory is 1,555 feet up and still the world’s highest. Architecture geeks will love it for the fact that it spans the building’s most distinctive feature, the rectangular cutout that makes the whole building resemble a giant bottle opener.

Observe This: Check out the elevator artwork by Toshio Iwai on the way up.

Grand Canyon Skywalk, 

Arizona

Whose idea was this? Cantilevered way, way out over the Grand Canyon’s west rim, with the Colorado River some 4,000 feet below, this U-shaped glass bridge is arguably the world’s highest observation deck. It’s certainly the most mind-blowing one.

Observe This: Deck visitors have to don paper slippers over their shoes to keep from scuffing the glass.

SkyTower, Auckland

New Zealand

SkyTower, at 1,076 feet the “tallest man-made structure in New Zealand,” doesn’t hold any world records, but it is home to two high-adrenaline attractions: Sky Jump, an opportunity to BASE jump while safely attached to a wire, and Sky Walk, a stroll around the tower’s pergola while snuggly harnessed and tethered to an overhead rail.

Observe This: A similar Skywalk is available at the Sydney Tower in Australia, and the Macau Tower in China features bungee jumping.