Since the inception of commercial flight in the 1950s, flying has become more than a transportation experience. The evolution of airports sprang from finding comfort due to long air travels and creating a welcoming atmosphere for the weary traveller.
Singapore’s Changi International Airport is named the world’s best airport for the seventh consecutive year. Changi is one of Southeast Asia’s largest and busiest transit hubs as the city-state is a powerhouse in the ASEAN economy.
But Changi airport is more than just an airport. A wide array of shops, activities and dining options await visitors to make their journey comfortable. Hungry travellers before and after flights are treated to a myriad of local and international choices that Changi airport offers for one of a kind dining experience.
They even have a food court that offers the best of Asian street food. The airport has four terminals, and each one provides expansive dining options for travellers. Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are interconnected by the Jewel Changi, giving visitors a more immersive experience of Singapore. The airport also offers heaps of activities for its visitors.
What to do in Changi
The massive Changi airport is not only a haven for people who want to travel in style, but it is also an entertainment and commercial hub with a chockful of things to do aside from worrying where your next gate is.
The airport has become a mixed-use space and has managed to let us worry less about the hassles of air travel. Here are a few things that you can do during a short layover:
Explore Jewel Changi.
Near Terminal 1, the Jewel Changi features lush indoor gardens in the Shiseido Forest Valley that let you forget that you are at an airport. It has a mesmerising 50-meter HSBC Rain Vortex waterfall, a feat in physics and technology.
The Canopy Park, Canopy Bridge and Manulife Sky Nets that take your mind away from the stress of travels. Get lost in the Hedge and Mirror Mazes and discover your inner child at the Discovery Slides. It also has Topiary Walk and Foggy Bowls that children will enjoy.
And the Changi Experience Studio, a digital attraction where you can enjoy interactive games and experience the magic of technology.
Butterfly Garden.
Located at the roof of Terminal 2, the butterfly garden is home to over 1,000 butterflies with up to 40 different species. The education corners let the visitors learn and get to see up close a butterfly’s lifecycle. Access to the butterfly garden is free and is a must-visit during a layover.
Movie Theatre.
Waiting for a flight or killing time is never fun, not if you get to hang at a movie theatre. Located at Terminals 2 and 3, you can relax and enjoy a movie in this comfortable theatre. It shows a variety of films, old and new, perfect for a travelling movie buff.
Shopping.
Changi has over 350 retailers from different brands from all over the world. They cater to shoppers young and old with options ranging from Zara to Burberry. There is enough to fill an empty suitcase for your next destination.
But if you are not fond of walking a strip full of retail stores, you can shop online before your arrival and collect them once you have arrived — the pleasures of technology and travel in one.
Changi Airport truly is a destination itself, which makes a traveller wonder what is left for Singapore to offer. Trust us, there are more great sights to see and more great food to eat in Singapore. Changi is just the tip of the iceberg.
