By Rachel Will
Video and Photos by Dimas Anggakara

Few cities are better suited for soaking up atmosphere in a rooftop bar than Kuala Lumpur.  In 1998 the 452-meter Petronas Twin Towers dethroned the then-world’s tallest building, Chicago’s Sear’s Tower, and put the Malaysian capital on the map with for its height upset and striking scalloped façade, influenced by Islamic design. The Kuala Lumpur city center now fans around the 88-story structure, with an idyllic all-weather running track and children’s pool at its base. High-rise hotels and office building crowd around the green respite, with new developments fighting for limited real estate. Beyond the towers, Kuala Lumpur’s architectural identity adheres to an expanse of sky rises stretching to the hills, a sprawl typical of Southeast Asia. For a visitor looking for the best view of Kuala Lumpur’s iconic skyline, rooftop bars across the central green provide an ideal vantage point, and the city certainly has no shortage of these elevated watering holes.