Wanderlust - 04.2020

wanderlust.co.uk April 2020 151

When’s an airport a destination in its own right? When it’s Singapore Changi. As the light

hub bags yet another gold gong, Olivia Lee spends 24 hours under its tropical glass sky...

Before you arrive

Singapore might be the only

country in the world that

considers a day trip to the

airport a fun way to spend

a Saturday. When that airport

has a sunlower garden, a giant

slide and the world’s tallest

indoor waterfall though, it’s easy

to understand the appeal.

Changi International Airport,

located in the east of

Singapore, has just secured

‘World’s Best Airport’ for the

19th consecutive year in our

Reader Travel Awards. Our

readers aren’t alone in this

opinion – Changi has received

more than 600 ‘Best Airport’

awards since it opened in 1981,

making it the most decorated

airport in history.

Perhaps that’s because it’s

home to the only airport

butterly garden in the world, or

Singapore’s largest hedge maze.

Or maybe it’s because of the free

movie theatres and the rooftop

pool that overlooks the runway.

Whatever the reason, Changi

deinitely deserves all the praise

it gets. After all, there aren’t any

other airports we’d happily

suggest you spend 24 hours in.

The layout

Changi Airport has four

terminals, plus the newly-built

Jewel Changi Airport – a 10-story

glass-domed retail complex

connected to terminal 1, packed

with eateries, gardens and

shops. Many of Changi’s sights

are beyond security, aimed at

Pocket

FIRST 24 HOURS IN...

CHANGI AIRPORT,

SINGAPORE

Chasing waterfalls
The Rain Vortex is
the world’s largest
indoor waterfall

ASK A LOCAL

“Singaporeans love

Changi Airport – it’s so

clean and green. People

often go for the day,

especially to Jewel Changi

Airport for all the gardens

and cool restaurants.

If you’re there in the

evening, make sure you

watch Jewel’s

light show.”

Stefanie Bay-Evitt,

who’s visited Changi

Airport over 70 times.

Your cut-out and keep travel companion

transit passengers or those

departing Singapore. Jewel,

though, is pre-security; geared

towards day-trippers and those

with enough time before or

between lights.

Getting around

As many of the sights are within

the terminals, you’ll need to

travel to see them all. T1, T2 and

T3 are inter-connected, so you

can walk between them (or take

the Skytrain). Passengers lying

from T4 – a 12-minute bus ride

away – can visit attractions in all

terminals, but not vice versa.

Jewel can be accessed by

anyone, but transit passengers

(with at least ive hours to

spare) will need to clear

immigration to visit. ⊲