Most of the tallest buildings in Southeast Asia can be found in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur is ranked 10th among cities with most buildings above 100 meters with a combined height of 34,035 meters from 244 high-rise buildings and prestigious office space.

The Petronas Twin Towers, standing at an altitude of 451.9 meters (1,483 ft), is the tallest building in Southeast Asia and in the world since its inauguration in 1998 to 2004. Although it’s no longer the tallest builing in Southeast Asia, the Petronas remains the tallest twin towers in the world.

Is rising to the top of some of the tallest buildings in Southeast Asia worth the price and time? Or the rooftop bar will be okay? Let’s see!

Top 10 Tallest Buildings In Southeast Asia as of July 2020

1. Exchange 106, MALAYSIA

Exchange 106, the tallest building in Southeast Asia, is ready to open its doors for the first batch of tenants in December, with office space occupying around 46,452 square meters. It has a total of 96 floors and a record height of 492 meters.

Exchange 106 is a supertall skyscraper that was completed in 2019 in Kuala Lumpur, the building is not far from Menara Petronas, this building was built at a higher height more than the roof of the Petronas Tower in December, 2017. The PNB 118 tower nearby will surpass its height in a few months.

2. Vincom Landmark 81, VIETNAM

Vincom Landmark 81 is currently the tallest building in Vietnam and in 2018 it took the crown for the tallest building in Southeast Asia from the Petronas Towers. It was built as the center of a multipurpose urban area called Vinhomes Central Park. The tower has a multilevel observation deck on the top floor. The building was fully completed in April 2018 and fully operational at the end of 2018.

The highest occupied floor is 383 meters or 1,255 feet, which is occupied by the observation deck. This building has reached its peak in April 2018 with 81 floors. At 461 meters in height, Vincom Landmark 81 has been the tallest building in Southeast Asia until the completion of Exchange 106 which reclaimed the title for Malaysia.

3. Petronas Twin Towers 1 and 2, MALAYSIA

Petronas Towers is the name of the complex that houses the Petronas Twin Towers, at the same height (451.9 m = 1,483 feet) they are the first and second tallest buildings in Malaysia and currently hold the record for the tallest twin towers in the world.

The Petronas Twin Towers held the record of being the tallest building(s) in the world from 1998 to 2004, until it was surpassed by Taipei 101.

4. Four Seasons Place Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA

Four Seasons Place is a mixed-use commercial and residential building consisting of hotels, apartments, and shopping centers. [3] It was developed by the Ipoh-born Singaporean tycoon, Ong Beng Seng, in partnership with Tan Sri Syed Yusof Tun Syed Nasir and Sultan Selangor. This is actually the fourth tallest building in Malaysia with 342.5 m (1,124 feet).

5. Menara TM, MALAYSIA

Menara TM (also known as Menara Telekom) is a 55 meter high, 310 m (1,017 ft) office skyscraper in the Pantai Valley, southwest of Kuala Lumpur. Construction began in 1998 and was completed in 2001, it only took three years to complete. Currently, Menara TM is the fifth tallest building in Malaysia.

6. Gama Tower, INDONESIA

Menara Gama (previously known as Menara Rasuna and Menara Cemindo) is a skyscraper located on Jalan H R Rasuna Said, South Jakarta. In 2016, it was the tallest building in Jakarta, as well as Indonesia. It is 285.5 meters (937 ft) high and the main building is a hotel and luxury office tower.

7. Treasury Tower, INDONESIA

Treasury Tower is 57 skyscrapers as high as 279.5 m (917 ft) in the District 8 complex in Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD) in South Jakarta. It is currently the 2nd tallest building in Indonesia. This is a commercial office tower in the Jakarta 8 District complex. District 8 is a mixed complex of 10 towers, were 3 office towers including Treasury Tower, one hotel & 6 residential / apartment towers.

8. Astaka Tower A, MALAYSIA

The Astaka Tower A is a 72-story, 278.8 m (915 ft) high-rise residential skyscraper in Johor Bahru, this is the only skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur that is on this list. Menara Astaka A and Menara Astaka B form the Astaka Complex, where Menara A is taller inside the complex and is also the sixth tallest building in Malaysia.

9. Menara Ilham Tower, MALAYSIA

Menara Ilham (also known as Menara Ilham Baru, or abbreviated as IB Tower) is a mixed skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur City Center. It was proposed in 2009 and next year the construction began, which culminated five years later, in 2015. It was designed by SA Architects Sdn Bhd and Foster + Partners. Foster + Partners is a British company that has built many buildings in various countries such as Spain, Saudi Arabia, Canada, the United States, Germany, and many others. It is also the tallest building in Southeast Asia with 274m (899 ft).

10. Star Residences RT1, RT2 and RT3, MALAYSIA

Star Residences RT3 is a 58-story residential skyscraper with a height of 265 m in Kuala Lumpur. It is located within the Star Residences Complex, which consists of three towers, RT1, RT2, and RT3, being RT3 and RT2 at the same height, while RT1 is slightly shorter.

Honorable Mentions are:

11. Wisma 46, INDONESIA

Wisma 46 is a 461-story office skyscraper, 261.9 m (859 ft). This tower is the oldest on this list, completed in 1996, and is the tallest building in Indonesia since its inauguration until 2015 (19 years). At present, this is the third highest building in Southeast Indonesia, Asia.

12. PBCom Tower, PHILIPPINES

Philippine Bank of Communications (also known as PBCom Tower) is an office skyscraper in the Makati Central Business District. It has a height of 258m or 848ft. Only a few centimeters higher than the Grand Hyatt Metrocenter. It was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, an American architect company that has also built many tall buildings throughout the world, including the construction of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

13. Grand Hyatt Metrocenter, PHILIPPINES

Grand Hyatt Metrocenter is a 57-use skyscraper with 578.5 m (848 ft) in Taguig City, Metro Manila. Its construction was proposed in 2008 and four years later, in 2012, it began construction and reached its peak in 2012. This is actually the tallest building in Taguig City and the second tallest building in the Philippines.

14. Raffles Hotel, INDONESIA

Raffles Hotel is a mixed skyscraper in South Jakarta. The tower is 253.3 meters high (slightly higher than the previous one). Menara Raffles is located in the Ciputra World Jakarta 1 complex, which consists of 3 buildings: DBS Bank Tower (194 m), Ciputra World Housing Tower (206.9 m), and Raffles Hotel (253.3), the highest in the complex and the 7th tallest building in Indonesia, Southeast Asia.