Changi Airport - Fun day out without flying
Having travelled quite a bit and passing through many airports, we can safely say that Changi Airport is unlike many other airports all over the world. While many airports main function is for passengers to board flights and disembark just like cruise and bus terminals, Changi Airport has transformed itself as a unique destination by itself. People simply go to the airport to eat, watch a free movie or a football game on a bigscreen, enjoy a cool tallest indoor manmade waterfall surrounded by lush gardens, even do a bit grocery shopping, tapau (take away) some food and then head back home.All without going to transit or airside areas to board a packed plane.You can walk from one terminal to another and to Jewel except for Terminal 4 which is standalone by itself. Some of the foodcourt stalls do sell delicious local fares. With MRT and buses plying to and from Changi Airport, it makes a trip to the airport very convenient.
For most people a half day trip to the airport is sufficient. While you can indeed spend a whole day day at the airport, it does kind of feel weird being among people pulling their luggage at a busy airport, whether they just landed or coming early to check-in to check out the talked-about waterfall in Jewel with the 5-minutes light shows in the evening.
The waterfall is called Jewel Rain Vortex is surrounded by green and lush Shiseido Forest Valley with live plants and shrubs. There is also a 3D waterfall at T2 called the Wonderful, though it can’t beat the real thing and you will probably have seen better elsewhere. The airport is after all a transportation hub surrounded by plenty of shops, food places and other amenities with Changi Airport having a lot more amenities than an average airport elsewhere around the world.
Many airports especially in Asia and the Middle-East are trying to compete with Singapore for the best airport title. Probably the compactness of this city-state plus availability of public transportation by mrt or buses, makes it convenient to just swing by the airport to meet up or hang out with friends or family for a meal. Students are also known to use the airport as a studying corner. Many airports worldwide are not located near the masses and are quite a distance away.
Food-wise at every terminal there is a food-court. The food-court include staff canteens at terminals 1, 2 and 3. which are open to the general public as well. Of course if you are a staff there there is a discount given.
At basement 2 of T3, there is a large Kopitiam food-court, and there is also an equally large staff canteen at T1 and T2. Though at T2, Its kind of weird to see a bar inside staff canteen, so the ambience there is more of coffee-shop style than a hawker centre. The canteen at T2 is near carpark T2A which is towards the direction of Hub and Spoke, Go-Cycling rental bicycles and Jurassic Mile. You have to take a lift to level 3M to get there, M which stands for mezzanine.
At T1, the staff canteen is at the basement of the terminal. At basement 2 of Jewel, there is Food Republic though the diners are likely travellers or locals visiting Jewel. Being in touristy areas, these are airports afterall, the prices are slightly higher. Unless you need a plate of char kway teow urgently, which can set you back by $10. You can actually find delicious and good value meals such as at Sukiya at Jewel for less than $10.
Well, even 7-11 has a sitting cafe, and you can buy and warm up vacuum packed pre-cooked meals there. How convenient. As for snacks, Don Don Donki sells tasty sweet potatoes for $2.90 each. If you don’t mind shuttling to T4, it does has a foodcourt too with a good selection of cuisines and the dessert chendol.
The airport is family friendly and kids friendly with wide spaces, that even schools make excursions to the airport. There is a canopy park complete with slides and bouncing nets, but it’s a paid attraction. There are indeed plentiful free activities around the airport to while your time away. If you are adventurous and would not mind the heat, there’s a walking trail just outside Terminal 2 that will lead you to life-size dinosaurs at the 2.2km Jurassic Mile.
There are some small but beautiful outdoor parks, Bamboo Grove and Jurassic Bark, along the way to Jurassic Mile. Bamboo Grove touted itself as the world's first outdoor bamboo garden in an airport. There are indoor gardens but there are also outdoor gardens for some fresh air. If you are to it, you can rent bicycles there and cycle along the Eastern Corridor that can lead you to Changi Point and Changi Village, where you can return your bike there without returning back to the airport.
For transit travellers they can also see a bit of Singapore without having to go too far and the walking and cycling is probably greta to stretch legs a bit after sitting for too long in the squeeze airplane! There are shower facilities near the bicycle rental shop. But for transit travellers they would also prefer to go for the two-hour free tour of Singapore organised by Changi airport and get driven around. It's free after all.
The airport organised themed events especially around local festivals to draw people and families to the airport. So Changi airport indeed is a place where you can enjoy a day out without actually flying and burning too much cash, as no passport is needed.
Historically, Changi Airport replaced Paya Lebar open and opened progressively starting in 1981 for Terminal 1. Terminal 2 opened in 1990 and Terminal 3 opened in 2008. The standalone Terminal 4 opened in 2017. The new kid on the block, a lifestyle destination located right next ti Termianl 1, opened in 2019. Well, we can still admire the parked airplanes or those taking off or landing from the viewing galleries if plane watching is your thing. The food options are wide with the foodcourts drawing the most crowd. Obviously so since it’s cheaper than eating at restaurants which dotted all over the terminals and at especially at Jewel.
For most people a half day trip to the airport is sufficient. While you can indeed spend a whole day day at the airport, it does kind of feel weird being among people pulling their luggage at a busy airport, whether they just landed or coming early to check-in to check out the talked-about waterfall in Jewel with the 5-minutes light shows in the evening.
The waterfall is called Jewel Rain Vortex is surrounded by green and lush Shiseido Forest Valley with live plants and shrubs. There is also a 3D waterfall at T2 called the Wonderful, though it can’t beat the real thing and you will probably have seen better elsewhere. The airport is after all a transportation hub surrounded by plenty of shops, food places and other amenities with Changi Airport having a lot more amenities than an average airport elsewhere around the world.
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| Food at T3 food-court at Basement 2 |
Food-wise at every terminal there is a food-court. The food-court include staff canteens at terminals 1, 2 and 3. which are open to the general public as well. Of course if you are a staff there there is a discount given.
At basement 2 of T3, there is a large Kopitiam food-court, and there is also an equally large staff canteen at T1 and T2. Though at T2, Its kind of weird to see a bar inside staff canteen, so the ambience there is more of coffee-shop style than a hawker centre. The canteen at T2 is near carpark T2A which is towards the direction of Hub and Spoke, Go-Cycling rental bicycles and Jurassic Mile. You have to take a lift to level 3M to get there, M which stands for mezzanine.
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| Waterfall at Jewel surrounded by forest |
Well, even 7-11 has a sitting cafe, and you can buy and warm up vacuum packed pre-cooked meals there. How convenient. As for snacks, Don Don Donki sells tasty sweet potatoes for $2.90 each. If you don’t mind shuttling to T4, it does has a foodcourt too with a good selection of cuisines and the dessert chendol.
The airport is family friendly and kids friendly with wide spaces, that even schools make excursions to the airport. There is a canopy park complete with slides and bouncing nets, but it’s a paid attraction. There are indeed plentiful free activities around the airport to while your time away. If you are adventurous and would not mind the heat, there’s a walking trail just outside Terminal 2 that will lead you to life-size dinosaurs at the 2.2km Jurassic Mile.
 |
| Food at T2 canteen at level 3M |
For transit travellers they can also see a bit of Singapore without having to go too far and the walking and cycling is probably greta to stretch legs a bit after sitting for too long in the squeeze airplane! There are shower facilities near the bicycle rental shop. But for transit travellers they would also prefer to go for the two-hour free tour of Singapore organised by Changi airport and get driven around. It's free after all.
 |
| Where to go, what to do |
Historically, Changi Airport replaced Paya Lebar open and opened progressively starting in 1981 for Terminal 1. Terminal 2 opened in 1990 and Terminal 3 opened in 2008. The standalone Terminal 4 opened in 2017. The new kid on the block, a lifestyle destination located right next ti Termianl 1, opened in 2019. Well, we can still admire the parked airplanes or those taking off or landing from the viewing galleries if plane watching is your thing. The food options are wide with the foodcourts drawing the most crowd. Obviously so since it’s cheaper than eating at restaurants which dotted all over the terminals and at especially at Jewel.
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