Now, let’s all admit it, layovers aren’t exactly what you’ll put under the category of “gifts from God”. They can quite often be a troublesome affair, and frankly, a waste of time (hours are incredibly precious on holidays).
Regardless of my opinion on layovers, it’s an indispensable part of travel and if you have the (unfortunate situation) of having layovers for your flights, it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom.
Better still if that layover happens to be in Singapore, you’re in luck because here’s our handy guide on how to maximise your time during your layover at the world’s number one airport.
Less Than Two Hours
When your transit time is less than two hours, there isn’t really much time to do anything too meaningful, and the duration isn’t that long to wear you down. But that doesn’t mean you should just find a corner, plonk yourself down, and just use your phone mindlessly until your next flight.
I mean sure, you could do that, but that would mean missing out on the Heritage Zone in Terminal 4, or the Butterfly Garden and the Zone X Arcade in Terminal 3. I haven’t even touched about the various shopping and eating one can do.
I could keep going, but you get the idea. Singapore Changi Airport offers a host of attractions just within the transit itself across all four terminals that your dreaded layover will just whizz by before it’s time for your connecting flight.
Two to Six Hours
If you have anywhere from two to six hours before your connecting flight, there are plenty of amenities both inside and outside of transit to keep you occupied.
Our first recommendation would be to explore Jewel Changi Airport, the new entertainment hub opened during the first quarter of 2019. Besides snapping photos of the HSBC Rain Vortex, which happens to be the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, to challenging your fear of heights at the Sky Nets at the very top of Jewel, the new jewel of the Changi Airport has everything you can ask for.
If you don’t plan to leave the transit area, you can instead catch a movie (for free!) at one of two 24-hour theatres located in Terminal 2 and 3. For a truly relaxing time however, there are several spa facilities like Spa Express and Be Relax for massages or foot reflexology sessions to ease those aches.
More Than Six Hours
Now we’re talking.
Here’s where you can take the opportunity to explore a city that you would otherwise have glossed over as a pit-stop, as many layovers are.
The Singapore Changi Airport offers a Free Singapore Tour with two itineraries for you to choose from – the Heritage Tour and the City Sights Tour. Both tours last roughly 2.5 hours and present two largely different facades which make up Singapore today.
The Heritage Tour peels back the layers of Singapore’s history starting in Colonial district and ending off at the various ethnic enclaves representing the major races and cultures that encompass Singapore. The City Sights Tour places a focus on the modern Singapore cityscape with the technological marvels and architectures that make up the Singapore skyline today. From the iconic Marina Bay Sands to the Gardens By The Bay, you’ll explore the Marina Bay district including a stop at the Merlion Park.
You can, of course, plan your own day trip into the city, and there are many sights and sounds to experience from the historical Tiong Bahru enclave to the colourful and vibrant Haji Lane. If you need any inspiration and help, check out our Singapore City Guide for recommendations!
If heading into the city is too much work, you can opt for laze and chill session in one of the airport hotels available. Between YotelAir Singapore in the newly built Jewel Changi Airport and Aerotel Singapore housed in Terminal 1, for some much needed snooze.
