When you’ve traveled as much as I have, you start to appreciate the value of a great airport.
Good air conditioning, clean bathrooms, a diverse range of eating options, ample seating and plenty of power outlets are usually good places to start.
But in Singapore, Changi Airport goes one better.
They consistently win awards as the “World’s Best Airport” and they spend millions (billions?) on expanding the space and exceeding passenger expectations.
If you’ve never had the opportunity to fly into this marvel of aeronautical holding spaces, then here are just some of the delights that await you during a long layover.
The Free Singapore Tour
Changi is one of the world’s busiest transport hubs and because of that, many passengers only spend a few hours on Singaporean soil before jetting off to another locale.
The airport, probably along with the Singapore Tourism Board, decided to do something about this by allowing transit passengers (those who are only in Singapore for a few hours to catch a connecting flight) the chance to take a free guided city tour without having to get a entry visa.
You need to have at least 6 hours between flights to be able to enjoy one of the two tours on offer (the Heritage Tour or the City Sights Tour) , as they both last around 2.5 hours each and make 2 stops along the way.
Tours run from Terminals 2 and 3 at least twice a day.
The Shopping
Burberry, Coach, Ermenegildo Zegna, Gucci, Hermes and Hugo Boss are just some of the international designer names that have set up shop inside Changi – not to mention a whole host of high street beauty, fashion and jewellery brands.
If you head over to the brand-spanking-new Terminal 4, which opened in 2017, you can even admire a selection of shops whose storefronts are designed to replicate traditional Peranakan houses, so you can feel as though you experienced a little culture along with your spending spree.
But it’s not all about high-ticket designer goods, though, because Changi even boasts several 24-hour convenience stores and even supermarkets for you to stock up on snacks, wine and even ready-to-eat corn on the cob (yes, really).
Of course, it’s unlikely that you’ll have withdrawn Singaporean Dollars for a short layover, so if you plan on buying some duty free goods, then local credit cards, or international ones that don’t charge an exchange fee for spending/withdrawal, are perfect here, as then you won’t be left with notes that you can’t use later in your trip.
The Movie Theatres
If you haven’t already caught up on a back-catalogue of movies during your flight into Singapore, then Changi has just the thing for you: two 24-hour movie theatres that show film screenings free of charge.
The Enchanting Gardens
A zen-like atmosphere is usually the last thing you would associate with one of the world’s busiest airports, but to combat that, the cheeky scamps at Changi have installed not one, not two, but six (!) gardens and tropical plant exhibits.
You can wander through a rooftop cactus garden with its own bar (Terminal 1), admire over 500 bright sunflowers in the Sunflower Garden, complete with views of the runway (Terminal 2), or you can marvel at the lush greenery and waterfall inside the Butterfly Garden (Terminal 3).
The Rooftop Pool with Jacuzzi
Even though most of us dream of our beds after a multi-hour flight, swimming is probably one of the best things you can do to relax, unwind and stretch out your cramped muscles.
So be sure to head over to the pool is located on the rooftop of the Aerotel Airport Transit Hotel. Even if you’re not a guest, you can pay a small admission fee to use it. (Hotel guests get to use it for free.)
The Free-to-Use Rest Areas
All long-term travelers (or even just those who have had bad airline experiences) have had to spend at least one night at an airport and, as many will attest, it’s is neither pleasurable or comfortable.
So it’s pretty surprising that Changi offers free “snooze lounges” to its customers and has even been voted as the best airport in the world for sleeping in.
The areas feature business class-style reclining loungers and wide leather armchairs with big soft cushions.
Don’t take that as a sign that you shouldn’t pay for a hotel, though. That’s just cheap.
The Best of the Rest
And after all of this, I’ve still yet to mention the koi pond, the 12-metre-high slide, the “kinetic rain” art installation, the entertainment deck complete with Xbox consoles or the 96 different food and drink outlets.
Phew.
In essence, Changi Airport is a destination in itself and although Singapore shouldn’t be overlooked on your itinerary, if you find yourself simply transiting within the airport, you definitely won’t be bored – or disappointed.
This post was written in collaboration with BankBazaar.sg, a leading online financial marketplace in Singapore who likely don’t need telling how great their airport (or city) is – they already know.
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