What to do During a Long Layover at Singapore Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport is ranked among the world’s best airports. Compared to other airports, Changi Airport offers a wide range of activities and attractions which makes having a long layover at Changi Airport not necessarily a bad thing!
During a layover at Singapore Changi Airport, visitors can explore Jewel, which is home to the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. There is so much more to be discovered at Changi Airport during a layover from movie theaters to hidden gardens.
I wrote this post on what to do during a layover at Singapore Changi Airport to help you maximize your time here during a layover and so you don’t miss out on any of the must-do attractions.
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Singapore Changi Airport or just Changi Airport is a major international airport located in the country of Singapore. According to Changi Airport’s Official Site, this airport is listed as the “World’s Best International Airport.” Changi Airport serves more then 100 airline companies and offers flights all around the continents of Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America.
Before Covid, Changi Airport served over 68 million visitors and is considered to be the 18th busiest airport internationally.
Currently, there are a total of 4 terminals at Changi. The terminals are connected by the Skytrain or walkways.
Changi Airport is the main hub to Singapore Airlines which like the airport is considered one of the “Worlds Best!”
What to do During a Layover at Singapore Changi Airport
I’ve flown in and out of Singapore Changi Airport a few times now and have had layovers here that were 6+ hours long on multiple legs of my travels around different parts of the world.
I’ll be honest, I’ve never been to an airport quite like Changi. It’s an attraction in itself and there is so much to do and see. Whether you are here to just explore the airport or you have a long layover, here are some of the things to do at Changi Airport.
Browse the Shops
Shopping or at least window shopping is a great way to kill time while waiting for your next flight. I usually don’t buy stuff from stores in airports, but it’s always fun to browse travel, local, and high end shops. If you are feeling rich, Changi Airport has all the expensive stores like Gucci, Rolex, and Swarovski but there are also stores like Uniqlo and Apple that we can all afford.
Changi Airport has no shortage of stores ranging from book stores to liquor stores. If you enter Jewel, there is a whole other shopping experience for visitors.
Here is a directory of all the Shops at Changi Airport.
Don't Miss the Rain Vortex at Jewel Changi Airport
The HSBC Rain Vortex at Jewel Changi Airport is that classic photo you see all over Google Images and it so happens to be the main photo of this post.
The Rain Vortex is considered the “World’s Tallest Indoor Waterfall.” The water flows 40 meters from the roof to the floor, impressive! It’s quite stunning to see especially with all the greenery surrounding the waterfall. If you have a long layover at Singapore Changi Airport, this would be my #1 recommendation.
Another awesome feature about the Rain Vortex is that there are light shows at night. The Canopy Bridge is a great place to stand and watch the light show.
Attractions at Jewel Even Adults Can Enjoy!
What if I told you, as an adult, you can enjoy a walking net, bouncing net, mirror maze, and hedge maze at an airport!
Get your tickets in advance through the Jewel Changi Airport website and you’ll have the most fun ever at an airport. We spent hours here acting like kids again, I couldn’t believe I was having this much fun at an airport.
We walked on the elevated nets, had a blast on the bouncy nets, got lost in the mazes, enjoyed the canopy park, and relaxed in the forest valley.
Worried about your luggage at Changi Airport? No problem, there were luggage storage places throughout the airport and each attraction at Jewel had individual lockers for your items.
Exercise and Charge your Devices
A cool feature we saw while walking around Changi Airport was the Power Cycle Station. Why not get some exercise while charging your devices? How does it work? It’s quite easy, simply plug in your device and start pedaling.
Leave the Airport and Discover Singapore
If you have a long layover and have done most of the attractions withing Changi Airport, why not see a bit of Singapore? There is a Free Tour kiosk at the airport and I read about it online. If you have a layover of 5.5 hours or longer you can join the free tours they offer.
Two tours are offered, there is a Heritage Tour and a City Sights Tour. Each tour is 2.5 hours long and completely free.
Unfortunately, when we were here, the tours were cancelled because of Covid. The kiosk had no information that stated this, which would have been nice, but it does say the tours are suspended on their website.
Jill and I had a 7 hour layover in Singapore and decided to leave the airport and explore Gardens by the Bay in Singapore. We hailed a cab to Gardens by the Bay. The cab ride was only about 20-30 minutes and the cost was around 20 Singapore Dollars.
While at Gardens by the Bay, we did the OCBC Skyway, which offered spectacular views of the park, Singapore Skyline, and Marina Bay Sands Resort. After the Skyway, we walked around Gardens by the Bay for another hour or so before catching a taxi back to Changi Airport.
Looking to explore more of Singapore? Check out my 3-day Singapore Itinerary.
Relax and Catch a Movie at the Free Movie Theater
If movies are your thing, then you would love Changi Airport. There are two theaters in the airport where visitors can enjoy a Blockbuster movie free of charge. There is a movie schedule with times posted on the outside of the theater. The theater is an actual theater with a large tv screen and theater style seats. The theater shows movies 24/7.
Rest and Sleep
There are so many dedicated areas around Changi Airport to rest and sleep. There are areas specifically set aside for this, not to mention comfortable seating options scattered throughout the airport.
For a fee, many of the lounges offer pay-per-use lounges where visitors can use the amenities there and even take a nap.
Stroll Through the Many Outdoor Gardens
Sometimes, all you need is fresh air and a break from both people and being inside. At Changi Airport, there are multiple outdoor gardens that are worth exploring, especially during a long layover. Changi Airport has several small gardens around the airport. Most are located outside but accessible from within the airport.
Some of the gardens we walked through and enjoyed include the Butterfly Garden, Cactus Garden, Discovery Garden, and Water Lily Garden.
Try Some Local Singaporean Food
One of my favorite parts of traveling is trying local food. I actually enjoy trying local food at airports and am rarely disappointed.
Changi Airport has several food options, one of my favorite areas here to try local cuisine was at Singapore Food Street on the 2nd floor in Terminal 3. All the vendors here are set up to look like an old 1960s food street.
We ate here twice and I loved both dishes. The first item I had here was a bowl of rice with egg and salted pork. Our second visit, we tried steamed dumplings.
Ordering here is pretty easy. There are screens set up where you select the restaurant you want to order from and you select a dish from the tablet. You then pick up your meal from one of the food vendors.
Visit the Butterfly Garden
One of my favorite gardens at Singapore Changi Airport is the Butterfly Garden. This garden is unique as it’s the “World’s First Butterfly Garden in an Airport.” I’ve yet to see another airport with a butterfly garden. According to Changi Airport there are over 1,000 butterflies within the garden and up to 40 different species. There is also a 6m tall waterfall within the garden. The butterflies have fresh fruit to eat and visitors can enjoy the many butterflies while walking on the designated path.
Additional Things to do During a Layover at Singapore Changi Airport that we Missed out on
It’s no joke, that visitors need an entire day to explore Changi Airport. There is so much to do and see here, where long layovers just are not enough. In total, Jill and I spent about 14 hours at this airport and we were unable to do everything that Changi Airport had to offer. This doesn’t even include browsing all the shops and restaurants inside Jewel. Because of time constraints or not being fully prepared, here are a few of the activities and attractions that are offered at Changi Airport, that we missed out on.
Freshen Up with a Shower
After a long flight, wouldn’t it be nice to freshen up with a shower? While at Changi Airport, you can! Terminal 1, Terminal 2, Terminal 3, and Jewel, all have lounges that offer showers to visitors. I felt prices were a bit high between $16 and $20 to use the shower, but at least towels, soap, and shampoo is provided. We choose to use our time wisely and explore more of the airport and Singapore itself. But for others that really can’t stand airplane germs and have a long layover, then taking a nice shower at one of the lounges might be a great option!
Go for a Swim at the Pool
If you want to feel like you are at a resort while on a long layover, then head over to the swimming pool and jacuzzi at Changi Airport. You can relax in a pool or hot tub and watch planes take off and land.
Slide Down the World's Tallest Airport Slide
The Slide @ T3 is considered the “World’s tallest slide inside an airport.” The slide is 12 meters in height or about 4 stories high. This slide is not just for kids, adults can enjoy the slide as well.
Conclusion
Spending a long layover at Singapore Changi Airport is not only recommended but it should be added to your Singapore itinerary as t is an attraction in itself. With world-class amenities, fun attractions, and great dining, there is no shortage of ways to make the most of your time at the airport.
Honestly, a layover at Changi Airport feels more like a vacation, with it’s lounge areas, nature-themed gardens, swimming pools, and family friendly activities. Singapore Changi Airport truly is a world-class airport and sets the global standard.
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