*This post includes affiliate links for Qatar Airways
Having a longish layover at Singapore Changi airport?
Well chosen! Changi (IATA code SIN) is one of the best hubs to transit between Europe and Southeast Asia or Australia.
Visit the city of Singapore
All you need to do is to walk to a registration booth either at terminal 2 or 3 transit areas
Do not leave the transit area or step outside!
There is a catch: You must present your passport and a boarding pass at the tour desk!
But if you are transiting from one airline to another, you might not be able to collect your boarding pass until a few hours before your scheduled flight and that is exactly what happened to us.
So we still didn’t get to visit the city and the mini-state of Singapore.
We started our 6-month trip by testing a new *Qatar Airways route from our home base Helsinki, Finland to Doha, Qatar at the end of October 2016 and continued to Singapore with the same operator.
We had a 16-hour layover in SIN before hopping on a Jetstar flight to Denpasar, Bali.
The reason to choose the long layover was to be able to finally really visit Singapore, not only to pass through the airport as before.
But Jetstar check-in can only be made three hours towards the departure.
What a disappointment! No way to go round these rules (yes we did try, asking both the Jetstar staff and tour booth).
Activities and Rest at Singapore Changi Airport
But no worries! Singapore airport has plenty of things to do.
There are lot of different lounges to choose from. We tested Plaza Premium lounge at terminal 1 and truly speaking it wasn’t exactly one of the best lounges I have visited, but OK to have a snack and relax for a while.
Whether you don’t have a priority pass to access the lounge areas or feel more like just grabbing a coffee and a pastry, you can always choose from many of the restaurants and cafés in common areas.
After having lunch you can stretch your legs in one of the garden areas.
Try Cactus Garden or Water Lily Garden at terminal 1, Orchid or Enchanted Garden at T2 or visit the first ever airport Butterfly garden (with more than 1000 butterflies!) at T3.
If nature isn’t your thing you can choose to swim at rooftop pool (for around 12 euros) or go watch a movie.
Options are endless!
And when you get tired they even have free snooze lounges provided.
No wonder why Changi has been voted to be the best airport to sleep in.
Our 16 hours flew so fast that I almost felt sorry to leave so soon!
P.S. Book your flights with *Qatar Airways here.