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Ampang Lookout Point used to be a famous place where people would come up and enjoy the beautiful skyline of Kuala Lumpur.
People used to be able to climb up the Panorama Tower and have this elevated view of Kuala Lumpur. Sadly, the place closed down and is now abandoned…
One day, I was hiking at Ampang hill and passed by the entrance to the abandoned Ampang Lookout point. To my surprise, the “Do Not Cross” signs were gone. So I walked in to explore what happened to the place, and here’s what I found.
I Walked Into The Abandoned Buildings At Ampang Lookout Point
The first thing I noticed was the facade of the old restaurant. The roof was stripped of its tiles, and the walls were gone, leaving the sky peeking through from behind the building.
Image via Mushamir Mustafa
I walked inside the building and noticed how bare everything was; no tables, chairs, or signage. The only thing I could spot was an old logo which indicated that this particular building used to be a restaurant that served western dishes. But there’s nothing else here.
Image via Mushamir Mustafa
The roof of the place was already caving in, but I can still see that its architecture seems to be influenced by Minangkabau architecture.
If you were to hike up further from the abandoned western restaurant, you would find the panorama tower. I took the stairs to get up there, but it was worth it because you got to see a much bigger view of KL.
Image via Mushamir Mustafa
Growing Up, I Had Fond Memories of Ampang Lookout Point
Growing up, I enjoyed eating at Ampang Lookout Point several times before they closed down, since it’s literally a stone’s throw away from my house in Ampang.
The last time I came here was at night, and compared to coming in the day like this, it was much more beautiful.
It had picturesque surroundings and a stunning city skyline. When wind or mist blew through, you could feel the chill of the mountainside run through your body, and it was such a lovely vibe.
Image via The Star
I’m sure people remember Lookout Point when they were younger. Folks went up there for the atmosphere and vista. It was considered the best place to go after a long week at the office.
There were even guests who travelled to the place typically for birthday celebrations, romantic dates, or friend gatherings. The food was your standard local and Western food: Chicken chop, mee goreng, BBQ chicken, milo ais, teh tarik – all the hawker stall favourites of the average Malaysian.
It had so many places to take photos and eat good food. When all of those disappeared and Look Out Point shut down, it sure was disappointing for all of its loyal patrons.
Tragic landslide at Ampang Lookout Point in 2012
Tragedy struck in November 2012 when a landslide occurred. According to this article, they were renovating the building to be further away from the cliff initially, but due to a mix of bad weather and constant rains, the soil was completely filled with rainwater, which led to a loss of integrity of the hillside soil.
Image via The Star
When I was up there exploring, I saw a sign stating that the area was closed by the government owing to identified soil erosion.
According to the sign, this soil erosion was found at the bottom of the Lookout Point, at a spot close by the road which was being used to arrive at the Lookout.
Image via Mushamir Mustafa
Since this had been identified as a potential threat to the visitor to the Lookout Point, it was closed for good.
What a tragic conclusion, but I believe it was necessary given that there was clearly a “risk” from what I saw of the restaurant’s construction, which to this day is left dangling over a potentially fatal precipice.
A few years ago, the cliffs here were covered in a blue tarp to stop the erosion from getting any worse than it was. But now that there are trees that have sprouted up here and their roots have reached deep enough into the soil to hold the ground in place, the blue tarp has been removed.
Image via Mushamir Mustafa
When nature is allowed to take its course, landslides reduce in number. Perhaps this could be a lesson for future generations to take note of, and for more stringent laws around developing in hilly areas to remember to keep trees strategically planted in high-risk places?
Will Ampang Lookout Point Ever Return To Its Former Glory?
Nowadays, people would only head to the lower parts of Lookout Point, where people are doing roadside stall businesses where they sell food and such.
However, it is illegal for them to be doing that as they don’t have a permit for it. So, every once in a while, the Kajang city council would tell them to go away. Still, they would just come back anyway.
Diners dice with danger as they sit at the edge of a steep slope at what has become the new look out point in Bukit Ampang, Selangor. — Muhamad Shahril Rosli/The Star
Image via The Star
There’s still no update on the area—no business transitions, no court orders, no development, etc.—and it’s basically a sitting hazard up here.
It used to be a good place to come to Ampang since there isn’t much to do here. It’s a real shame that this area is closed down. Let’s hope the problem is fixed so that the location may once again be accessible to visitors.
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For more stories like this, read:
I Explored An Abandoned Hotel in Langkawi, Here’s How It Looks Like – In Real Life
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