ALEX MAYALL

I visited The Chimney Lift, which is Battersea Power Station's viewing platform. It's a very managed experience, much less freeform than other viewing platforms. There's an exhibit and light show while you wait to go up, which can be dull or interesting depending on your level of engagement.

The highlight of the visit is the pop when the lift emerges into the open air. Quite an emotionally engaging half second!

Downsides were: the height, which is laughable by global standards; the view, which is somewhat out of town; and the surprising amount of waiting around in corridors you have to do.

Worth a visit for locals, but not for tourists.

I had a weirdly hard time finding the entrance to the tower, but when I did I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the Mahanakhon SkyWalk.

The lift experience was quite strange. There was a cg goat character knocking over market stalls or something, but the platform was excellent.

What makes the SkyWalk stand out is that you're literally on the top of the tower. You can turn 360 and see Bangkok's bizarre decentralised cityscape all around you, no glass. It's exhilarating, honestly, and that's before the "stand on glass platform" mini experience.

Bangkok's cityscape is odd and flat, not much to see but the manner in which you see it makes this a must-do for the Bangkok tourist, in my opinion.

The viewing platform at the Taipei 101 is a treat for skyscraper enthusiasts. Not only is it really high up (the 101 is the 11th tallest building in the world as of writing and was once the world's tallest), but you get to get up close with the tuned mass damper!

The tuned mass damper is a large heavy orb whose free swing reduces the effect of earthquakes on the tower. It's very fun to get up close to something so structurally important to such a large tower.

Also, the gift shop is actually up in the tower. Anything you buy there you can say you bought 500m up in the air.

Definitely a default tourist activity for Taipei visitors.

The One World Observatory at the One World Trade Centre is an experience of contrasts.

The main positive is the view. New York is truly iconic, and the skyline is astonishing to see. Such weird topology laid out in front of you is a modern marvel.

The downside is the commercialisation of the space. Yes, many other platforms are paid experiences. Yes, many other platforms have bonus upgrades. But unique to the One World Observatory is the horde of salespeople, clearly on commission, that try to upsell you on some photo service the second you step out of the lift. It's jarring, it's unpleasant, and it's not befitting the serenity of the ideal platform visit.

If you can safely navigate the salespeople, I do highly recommend the One World Observatory, but I haven't visited the other New York platforms yet (see my hitlist).

I do think I'm left a little bitter at the Burj Khalifa "At The Top" experience. For starters, it's not even at the top. The main viewing platform is 456 metres high, which is not much more than half the way up.

The next offence is that there are two higher viewing platforms: one at 555 metres for over 2x as much, and another at 585m (highest in the world) for over 3.5x as much.

To get to the highest viewing platform in the world you must pay about £150, and you're only 70% of the way up.

Finally, and this is changing, but the most exciting thing on the landscape of Dubai is the Burj itself. To be inside it looking out is a little lacklustre, though the wacky artificial islands are a fun sight.

Overall it's still probably worth saying you've been up the tallest building in the world, but at max you've only been 70% of the way up it, and you'd have paid through the nose to do so.

In true British style, the "View from The Shard" (that's the name of the viewing platform) is 70th percentile in all respects.

The lift is good, but the Burj Khalifa's is better. The view is good, but One World Trade's is better. It's got some open air elements, which is rare, but it's not anywhere near as exposed as the King Power Mahanakhon.

As a full package though, it's very nice! Among the London set, it has the advantage that it's paid, so you can always get a slot. The free ones book up too quickly.

Check out the toilets while you're there. You can sit with the view.