10 Cool Restaurants with Amazing Views

Eating out in another country is always a cool experience. There are literally thousands of great restaurants around the world that offer exquisite dining experiences and gastronomic delights, but only a select few are able to offer a view to match. Here is the travelphant.com top 10 list of cool restaurants offering amazing views.

The Dining Pod at Soneva Kiri, Koh Kood, Thailand

Soneva Kiri on Koh Kood will soon be offering what is sure to be an unforgettable dining experience! Enjoy picture-perfect scenery as you are winched 16 feet into the air above the shoreline in the dining pod. This brilliant concept will seat up to four people who will be served by a flying waiter harnessed to a zip-line.

Mount Burgess Dining Room, Emerald Lake Lodge, Canada

Sample Rocky Mountain cuisine as you look out over the vivid aquamarine of Emerald lake in Yoho National Park. The restaurant is open year-round and offers a seasonal menu that includes free-range elk, bison and caribou.

Visit the Emerald Lake website for more photos [Link]

Felix, the Peninsula, Hong Kong

Dining at the legendary Peninsula hotel in Hong Kong does not disappoint. The top floor Felix bar offers superb views of the iconic Hong Kong skyline, and with an interior designed by Phillipe Starck there is as much to see inside as out.

Al Mahara - Burj Al Arab restaurant Dubai

The dining experience at the Burj Al Arab’s signature restaurant 'Al Mahara' is unique. This underwater themed restaurant begins with a mock submarine ride from the reception to the dining area. The tables are situated around a giant glass aquarium full of fish that adds to the restaurants submerged theme.

Just to give you an idea of the prices. The 5 course set meal here will set you back about US$200 per person and that excludes any wine (US$100+ per bottle). 

Also adding, though not as enjoyable, is the cold air temperature. As the name (which translates to oyster) suggests, the dishes here are mainly seafood, though there is fusion with other meats and Asian flavours. The surroundings make you feel as if your food was plucked freshly out of the ocean. With a dinning experience as exciting as this, it is no wonder that this place was named one of the 50 best restaurants in the world.

Restaurant 6.8, Palopo, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

Marvel at the uninterrupted views of Lake Atitlan and the surrounding volcanic landscape as you sit down to dinner at 6.8 Palopo. Sunset is an especially beautiful time to take in these dramatic sights either seated in the relaxed dining room or from the glassed terrace.

O2 Lounge, Moscow, Russia

The views from the O2 Lounge in the Ritz-Carlton are truly spectacular. Excellent sushi and cocktails are available while you admire the fabulous skyline that includes the mighty Kremlin and Red Square.

 View from the O2 Lounge

Khan El Khalili, Cairo, Egypt

The Khan El Khalili restaurant, situated in The Mena House Oberoi in Cairo, is just a stone's throw away from the world-famous pyramids and the view is second to none. Admire the work of the ancient Egyptians while filling up on continental or oriental cuisine, available 24-hours a day.

Bukhari, Uma Paro, Bhutan

The setting for Uma Paro's Bukhari restaurant is a circular pavilion with a fireplace in its centre. Set among pine trees, the restaurant enjoys picturesque views of the Paro Valley. Dishes range from healthy COMO Shambhala eating to Indian, Bhutanese and Western.

 For more photos of Uma Paro visit their website [Link]

Skyline restaurant, Queenstown, New Zealand

Most definitely the best spot in Queenstown to watch the sun go down! Set high above the town, the restaurant offers spectacular views across the Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu. Dinner is served buffet style and you can always pop along to the Skyline bar afterwards if you haven't quite had your fill of the sights

 Photo Source [Link]

Le TK, Tsara Komba Lodge, Madagascar

Le TK restaurant in the Tsara Komba Lodge is perched on a hill overlooking the Indian Ocean. At lunchtime you often see fishermen paddling their dugouts past the beach. Enjoy views of Madagascar’s Grande Terre island and the Tsaratanana Mountains.

Cool Bridges around the World

Most often bridges make us wonder how technology made possible their construction. They are a means of getting from one point to another but although we walk or drive on them (almost) daily, we don't always stop to admire them. Many bridges made history because of their uses, locations and popularity. Some of the most famous bridges in the world can be either walked across or climbed and some are open for the pedestrians for special occasions only.

Kintai Bridge, Iwakuni, Japan  
The Kintai Bridge is a historical wooden arch bridge, in the city of Iwakuni, in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. The bridge was built in 1673, spanning the beautiful Nishiki River in a series of five wooden arches, and the bridge is located on the foot of Mt.Yokoyama, at the top of which lies Iwakuni Castle.

The bridge is composed by five sequential wooden arch bridges on four stone built piers as well as two of wooden piers on the dry riverbed where the bridge begins and ends. Each of the three middle spans is 35.1 meters long, while the two end spans are 34.8 meters for a total length of about 175 meters with a width of 5 meters.


Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney, Australia

The most recognizable landmark in Sydney is, without a doubt, the vista of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. The bridge connects the central business district with the North Shore and offers dramatic views of the harbor. It is the place where crowds gather to watch the New Year's Fireworks and climbing the bridge is one of the most appealing attractions for those visiting Sydney. The bridge opened in 1932.

Pedestrian access is possible on both sides and the bridge can be access from several places on either side. The southeast pylon has always served as a looked out point. Guided tours are available for those who want to climb the southern half of the bridge. Both daylight and night climbs are available. It is also possible to climb the upper arches of the bridge and it is possible to view the bridge's internal structure.

Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, USA

It is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Finished in 1883, the bridge connects Manhattan to Brooklyn and is a landmark featured in many movies. Miranda and Steve (Sex and the City: The Movie) chose to meet on the bridge to reunite and continue their marriage. Romantic, yet with a possible tragic end and one if them wouldn't show up.

The bridge has a wide pedestrian walkway available for walkers and cyclists, located in the center of the bridge. Its role of allowing pedestrians to cross gained significant importance during times of trouble when the usual means of crossing the river weren't available (after the 911 attacks is one of the most recent moments).

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, USA

The Golden Gate Bridge has to be the most photographer bridge in the world. The bridge spans over the Golden Gate, the opening of the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean connecting San Francisco to Marin County. The construction began in 1933 and the bridge was completed in April 1937.

The bridge is open for pedestrians during the daylight hours. However, pedestrians are allowed only on the east sidewalk (city side). It takes about an hour to walk on it and you can also visit one of the vista points. If possible, plan to walk on the bridge on a clear day. Guided tours also include the bridge (and of course, you'll also learn about the bridge during the tour).

Galata Bridge, Istanbul, Turkey

Galata Bridge spans the Golden Horn in Istanbul. The first plans to construct a bridge at the location where Galata Bridge stands now were laid in 1502, but Leonardo da Vinci's ambitious plans were not put into practice. Michelangelo was asked to design a bridge as well but he refused, so the idea of building a bridge in the located was postponed.

It was only in 1845 that Galata Bridge was built. In 1863, the first bridge was replaced by a wooden one. A third bridge was completed in 1875 and by 1912 the forth bridge was completed in the same location. Unfortunately it was badly damaged in a fire and it was only in 1994 that a new bridge was reconstructed just few meters from the old one. All city tours in Istanbul include the bridge and the passageway to the Old City of Constantinople.
 
Bosphorus Bridge, Istanbul, Turkey

Bosphorus Bridge is one of the bridges in Istanbul which spans the Bosphorus straight, connecting two continents (Europe and Asia). The bridge has a total of eight lanes. Each direction has three lanes, a sidewalk and an emergency lane.

 
During the first four years of service pedestrians were allowed on the bridge. Today, the only possibility to cross it by foot is in October when anyone can sign up for a "fun run" (at the same time when the Intercontinental Istanbul Eurasia Marathon takes place in the city).

Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic

Charles Bridge is a pedestrian bridge crossing the river Vltava in Prague. At the time it was built, the bridge provided the only link between the Old Town and the adjacent areas. It is protected by three towers. It is decorated with 30 statues (replicas of the original ones) and during the tourist season, it is filled with vendors, artists, musicians and tourists.

For the most spectacular views of the Old Town, make sure to walk on the bridge at sunset. The beautiful lit Prague Castle creates interesting views against the evening sky and the setting sun.

Tower Bridge, London, England

Often wrongly referred to as London Bridge, Tower bridge spans over the Themes and has become an iconic symbol of the British capital. The bridge's two towers are connected by two horizontal walkways. Construction started in 1886 and two five years to be completed. The bridge was needed because of the rapid development of commercial ties between East End and London.

The high level walkways, once having a bad reputation of being a haunt for pickpockets and prostitutes, are now open as part of the Tower Bridge Exhibition. The views from above are absolutely magnificent and contribute to the tower's high popularity among tourists.

Pont des Arts, Paris, France

It is a pedestrian bridge in Paris, which crosses the river Seine, connecting Institut de France and the central square of the Louvre. In 1804 a steel bridge was completed on the location where Ponts des Arts stands today. But in 1976 several deficiencies were reported on the bridge because of the damage sustained during the two world wars and because of the collisions caused by boats. By 1984, the present bridge was constructed.

Today it is a live studio for painters, photographers and artists who are drawn to the unique location and scenery. It is a popular (and romantic) location for picnics, during the summer, both among tourists and locals.

Rialto Bridge, Venice, Italy

Rialto Bridge is one oldest of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal (Venice). The first crossing over the Canal was a pontoon bridge built in 1181. Thanks to the development of the Rialto Market the traffic on the bridge increased and by 1255 it was replaced by a wooden bridge. During the early 15th century, shops were built along the sides of the bridge which insured the money for maintenance (because of the taxes paid by shop owners).

It partially caught fire in 1310, while in 1444 it collapsed under the weight of the crowd watching a boat parade. It collapsed again in 1524. The present stone bridge was completed in 1591. On either side of the bridge there are rows of shops.

Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy

It is a Medieval bridge which spans over the Arno River, in Florence. It is believed that a bridge was first built by Romans. It first appeared in a document in 996 and had quite a troubled history. It was destroyed by a flood in 1117, reconstructed in stone and swept away in 1333 again. In 1345 it was reconstructed again. During the World War II the Germans didn't destroy the bridge (unlike destroying all other bridges in Florence.

It is said that the term "bankruptcy" originated here. When a merchant couldn't pay his debts, the table on which he sold his goods (banco) was broken (rotto) by soldiers and the process was called "bancorotto" (broken table). Even today the bridge has shops over the bridge making it a major tourist attraction in Florence. Initially, butchers occupied the shops but today most shops offer jewelry and souvenirs for sale.

Jacques Cartier Bridge, Montreal, Canada

The bridge crosses Île Sainte-Hélène in the centre of the Saint Lawrence River in Montreal. It is the second busiest bridge in Canada. Construction started in 1925 and the bridge, originally named Montreal Harbour Bridge, was finished in 1940. In 1934 it was renamed to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Jacques Cartier's first voyage up the river.

During the summer the bridge is closed to vehicular traffic for the firework competition held at la Ronde. It becomes passenger only during the event (mid June to mid August annually, during the day). It is also closed for traffic for the Oasis Montreal Marathon, each year in September.

Chain Bridge, Budapest, Hungary


Spanning over the Danube and connecting Buda to Pest, Chain Bridge is one of the most beautiful bridges in Europe. It opened in 1849 and it was the first bridge over the Danube. Anecdotes and urban legends have always been linked to the bridge. It's a famous urban legend that the lions at both ends of the bridge don't have tongues, while the tunnel built under the Buda Castle is said to be there only to offer rain protection to the bridge (as both have the same length so the bridge can easily fit into the tunnel).

It is possible to walk on the bridge. At night, the views are magnificent regardless of which direction you are looking to. For a spectacular view, climb on the top of the Citadel and look down. You'll see the square at the Buda end and the entire bridge.

Coolest Viewing Platforms around the World

The travel and tourism industry has progressed loads in past couple of decades and has been a source of huge amount of income for many countries. Many countries are therefore highlighting there God gifted beauty and promoting tourism. Amazing scenery has been spread by nature all around the world and to take real taste of it people have made amazing high platforms to get a clear panorama. Some of these platforms are amazing examples of design engineering and here we have compiled some of the most amazing viewing platforms around the world.

Not sure where this first viewing platform is but we have a feeling it's Greece. If anybody knows then please drop a comment at the end of this post.

Aurland Lookout
Breathtaking viewing platform designed by Todd Saunders and Tommie Wilhelmsen, located in Aurland, Norway

  

 

 

Top of Tyrol
Beautiful viewing platform located 3,000 m above sea level at the Stubai Glacier in Tyrol, Austria.

Iguazu Viewing Platform
Spiral viewing platform located over Iguazu waterfall in Brazil.

 

Dachstein Skywalk
Located 2.700 m above sea level, this cool skywalk is one of the most popular destinations in Styria, Austria.

Willis Tower Skydeck

Formerly named Sears Tower, Willis Tower is a 108 story skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois. Glass boxes extend out 4.3 feet from the Skydeck on the 103rd floor, providingamazing views of the city.

Il Binocolo

Spectacular metal viewing platform located in Merano BZ, Italy.

Landscape Promontory

Located in Switzerland, Landscape Promontory is a high scenery platform designed by Paolo Burgi as a part of Cardada project.

5 Fingers Viewing Platform

Creative viewing platform in Krippenstein, Austria was cleverly named “5 Fingers” by virtue of its hand-like shape.

Grand Canyon Skywalk

Grand Canyon Skywalk is a tourist attraction along the Colorado River on the edge of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, U.S.A.