October 5, 2019
As one of the most talked-about airports in the world, Changi Airport became one of the top 10 busiest airports globally, welcoming 65 million passengers in 2018. In surveys conducted by the airport rating organization SKYTRAX, it was named the world's best airport for six consecutive years. We had 12 hours here before our flight, and it must be said that even this amount of time can fall short for an airport like this.
After check-in, our first stop was Jewel, the structure that branded Changi. At the center of this shopping mall complex inside the airport stands the world's largest and tallest indoor waterfall. Costing $1.7 billion to build, Jewel has become a popular destination for both travelers and non-passenger visitors.
The complex consists of 10 floors in total: five underground and five above ground. It houses over 300 stores, and the waterfall is surrounded by an indoor forest made of real plants and trees, maintained 24/7 by 150 gardeners. Play nets designed for youth and children also draw great interest here, to the point that queues form just to enter.
Hotel options are available inside the airport for long layovers; the carpets used were specially selected both to give a luxurious feel and to reduce noise. Cleaning robots working 24/7 are another notable detail of the airport.
Among the sculptures placed throughout various points in the airport, the most eye-catching is the water-drop-shaped structure known as the world's largest kinetic sculpture. It is quite soothing to watch.
If you carry an empty bottle with you, it is possible to refill it with free water from sensor-activated water dispensers across the airport, saving you from drinking water expenses that are usually costly at airports.
Transportation between the airport's four terminals is provided by the Skytrain, which passes right through the waterfall area. Passport control is handled entirely by automated machines: your passport information page and fingerprints are scanned, completing the exit process without waiting in any lines or needing an officer.
Inside the airport, there is a sunflower garden, a free play area for passengers, and a cinema showing movies 24 hours a day. Additionally, thanks to sleeping pods placed at various points throughout the airport, Changi is also known as one of the best airports in the world for sleeping.
Spending 12 hours at an airport usually feels like a dull necessity, but Changi manages to turn this duration from a mere wait into a travel destination in its own right.