It’s no secret that travellers despise lengthy layovers – but if there’s one location you wouldn’t mind having a long layover, it’s Singapore! After all, the country’s efficient immigration and swift transit make it quick and straightforward to get out of the Airport and into the city centre. Within 30 minutes, you can be observing this bustling city filled with a diverse blend of cultures, cuisines, energies, sites, and sounds. If the stopover hours aren’t enough, Singapore Changi Airport, one of Southeast Asia’s main transportation hubs, has over 4 terminals to explore. You’ll have access to a diverse selection of stores, services, theatres, gardens, entertainment centres, and more – all within the Airport.
What’s more?
The Airport has been recognized as the best in the world for the last six years! So, if you have a layover in Singapore, expect to be blown away.
This guide will show you the enormous possibilities that you have to make the most of your long layover in Singapore.
1. Take A Free Guided Tour From The Airport
Changi Airport and Singapore Airlines provide free tours to any passenger with a layover of at least 5.5 hours at Changi Airport.
The tours are 2.5 hours long and are delivered in English. You have 2 tour options:
- Heritage Tour
- City Tour
Due to immigration rules, transit travellers may only depart and enter the Singapore airport once during a layover. Therefore only one of the trips is available.
The Heritage Tour includes visits to historical landmarks like City Hall, a stop at the famed Merlion statue, and treks through Chinatown, Little India, and Kampong Glam areas.
The Singapore Flyer, the Esplanade, Marina Bay Sands, and the Merlion are all included in the City Tour.
Regardless of whether you are a digital nomad, expat or just travelling on a holiday, take advantage of free tours offered at Changi Airport.
2. Walk Down Orchard Road
Orchard Road, one of the city’s most renowned avenues, is the epicentre of shopping in Singapore, comparable to London’s Oxford Street or Hong Kong’s Nathan Road.
You could spend the entire day walking the main road flanked by local and foreign department shops, boutique stores, offices, spas, luxury hotels, entertainment areas, world-class restaurants, and cafes.
Whatever you want – you’ll find it on Orchard Road.
The shopping complexes along Orchard Road are equipped with almost anything under the sun. There is usually some sort of festival or activity going on in the malls and retail complexes. This means Orchard Road possibly has more things to do than any other place in Singapore.
3. Grab A Drink At Clarke Quay
The charming riverbank complex is jam-packed with buzzing bars and restaurants, boutique stores, and pulsing nightclubs, drawing a regular stream of visitors as well as Singapore’s party animals.
Clarke Quay’s position makes the most of the magnificent body of water that emerges from the city’s major river. You’ll be greeted with outdoor seating available in an almost unlimited number of cafes and restaurants located along the water’s edge.
Under the futuristic, jelly-like canopy, you’ll discover some fantastic retail choices and a plethora of bars, making this a true bar-paradise. Having a drink there is a must-do thing.
4. Explore China Town
Regardless of how many times you’ve visited Singapore, seeing Chinatown is something you must do.
There is just so much to explore. You’ll find some of the best food in Singapore and a range of different stores to browse through. Don’t forget to try Singapore’s famous chilly crab!
Other attractions include Singapore’s oldest temple, Thian Hock Keng Temple, Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Eu Yan Sang Chinese Medical Hall, and Maxwell Road Food Centre.
China Town plays an integral part in Singapore’s history and culture. You’ll find it easy to speed a couple of hours here.
5. Visit Gardens By The Bay At Night
Gardens by the Bay is one of the most famous sites in Singapore.
And for good reason. You’ll discover a massive, colourful, futuristic park in Singapore’s bay region that has garnered several architectural prizes.
The famed Supertree constructions provide an impressive skywalk above the gardens, and the over-sized seashell-shaped greenhouses replicate icy mountain climates. There are hundreds of trees and plants to uncover, making this a terrific destination for both young and old.
Ideally, visit at night time when the Garden is completely lit up.
Enjoy Your Long Layover In Singapore
Singapore Changi Aiport has done well to set itself apart from the competition in the world of airports. The amenities provided are primarily complementary and are even better than those supplied by other airports that charge for the same thing.
But where the real beauty of Singapore lies is outside the Airport.
With a long layover in Singapore, take the opportunity to get out of the Airport and explore some of the fantastic sites that Singapore offers. Singapore’s efficiency with public transport means you can see so much in just a few hours.
