British hotel chain Premier Inn analysed the average visibility and cloud coverage for 100 of the world’s viewpoints, with Padar Island ranked second clearest in Asia.
Published in July, Premier Inn’s latest study examined weather data throughout the year 2023. The weather data was gathered for each viewpoint, including the average cloud coverage, number of days per year with more than 50% cloud cover, average visibility, and average visibility grade. The average visibility distance in kilometres was, afterwards, turned into a score by taking into account the frequency of visibility extremes.
In terms of viewpoints in Asia, the viewpoint at Mehtab Bagh in Agra, India, was declared by Premier Inn as the continent’s clearest viewpoint, notching a Visibility Score of 43 out of 100. The Mehtab Bagh – also known as the ‘Moonlight Garden’ – sits just north of the Taj Mahal on the opposite bank of the Yamuna River. Ranked the second clearest viewpoint was the one on Padar Island which was situated in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Padar Island has blossomed into a favourite spot among hiking enthusiasts; the island’s summit, in particular, has been acclaimed by tourists for offering stunning views of the surrounding islands as well as panoramic beaches.
Rounding off Asia’s top five clearest viewpoints were China’s Tianmen Mountain, South Korea’s Seoul Sky, and Japan’s Kengamine Peak. Additionally, another Indonesia-situated viewpoint, the one on Mount Batur, Bali, was ranked the 11th clearest viewpoint in Asia. The complete list of Asia’s clearest viewpoints according to Premier Inn can be seen below:
1. Mehtab Bagh Viewpoint, India
2. Padar Island Viewpoint, Indonesia
3. Tianmen Mountain, China
4. Seoul Sky Viewpoint, South Korea
5. Kengamine Peak, Japan
6. Tokyo Skytree, Japan
7. Bagan Viewing Tower, Myanmar
8. Victoria Peak (The Peak), Hong Kong
9. Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia
10. The Chocolate Hills, Philippines
11. Mount Batur, Indonesia
12. Langkawi Sky Bridge, Malaysia
13. Lebua Sky Bar, Thailand
14. Singapore Flyer, Singapore
15. Burj Khalifa, United Arab Emirates
As for the world’s clearest viewpoints, the one on Grouse Mountain, Canada, took the crown as the clearest viewpoint in the world, with a Visibility Score of 91 out of 100. Following behind Grouse Mountain was the Cerro Otto Panoramic Deck in Argentina, with a Visibility Score of 82 out of 100. Furthermore, viewpoints across the United Kingdom managed to occupy four different spots within the top ten clearest viewpoints in the world.
Victoria Falls, nestled on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, is ranked as the one offering the most crystal-clear viewpoint on the African continent. Meanwhile, the viewpoint on Ben Lomond, New Zealand, was declared as the clearest viewpoint in the Oceania region.