I’ve encountered some fascinating Chinese customs on this Malaysian island before, like the Valentine’s Day-esque Chap Goh Mei.

After witnessing Thailand‘s Jay Festival, I also already knew that Chinese traditions, especially when practiced outside China, tend to take on an extra level of intensity, like a cultural survival instinct.

But CNY Pai Ti Kong in George Town is a senzory overload. It’s a ceremony of cacophonic chaos, I thought to myself as I tried to decipher the event on the overcrowded streets.

Just meters apart, a priest was blessing roast pigs, costumed youngsters were dancing, and unknown firestarters created random clouds of smoke and sparkles. This is Pai Ti Kong story

I can hardly convey this confusion with words. But I could clearly read its traces in the puzzled glances of other foreigners I exchanged bewildered smiles with, while our eyebrows contorted into question marks. We all asked ourselves probably the same – What in the world is going on here?

Just meters apart, a priest was blessing roast pigs and kim chua (folded gold joss papers), costumed youngsters danced to eardrum-shattering music, and unknown firestarters created random clouds of smoke and sparkles. Some authoritative figures tried to maintain order with whistles and frantic hand gestures. It still looked improvized instead of coordinated.

I managed to dig up some details about the program at Pengkalan Weld (Weld Quay), mainly because I identified a local agency seemingly in charge of the event’s PR – Brainway Marketing. The info I got sadly offered just a provisional schedule of a brass band performance, traditional dancing, singing, drumming, and acrobatic acts. But Pai Ti Kong is so much more.

So what exactly happens on the 9th day/8th day of Chinese New Year? This is Pai Ti Kong story.

Different nations observe their calendars differently - check out how New Year celebrations differ around the world!

What is Pai Ti Kong?

Pai Ti Kong is a significant celebration among the Hokkien Chinese community. This traditional festival falls on the ninth day of the Lunar New Year (the date varies between late January and mid-February) and it is considered a second New Year for the Hokkiens.

Pai Ti Kong is dedicated to the Jade Emperor (Thien Kong), revered as the ruler of Heaven in Taoism. On this day (his birthday, in fact), he is believed to descend to earth to receive offerings made by people.

During the festival, believers express their gratitude to the deity for past blessings and seek prosperity for the coming year. In addition to grand offerings, their practice involves midnight prayers, clouds of incense, firecrackers, and fireworks.

Pai Ti Kong is seen as a day of renewal, where one seeks to start the year afresh, with not only ears ringing from all the pyrotechnics but also – good fortune.

What is the meaning of Pai Ti Kong?

The meaning of Pai Ti Kong comes from the Hokkien phrase “praying to the Heaven God”. Pai Ti Kong is a day to ask for the Jade Emperor’s divine protection.

In Chinese characters, Pai Ti Kong is written as 拜天公.

• 拜 (Pai) – means “to worship” or “to pray”
• 天 (Ti) – means “heaven” or “sky”
• 公 (Kong) – means “lord” or “deity” (referring to the Jade Emperor)

The pronunciation of the phrase can differ, depending on who is the speaker.

Pai Ti Kong in Hokkien (Min Nan Chinese) is pronounced Pài Thian Kong.

Pai Ti Kong in Mandarin (Pinyin) is pronounced Bài Tiān Gōng.

While the meaning is always the same (honoring the Great Jade Emperor, or 玉皇大帝, Yù Huáng Dà Dì), there are multiple variations in spelling and pronunciation of Pai Ti Kong. This is because of the subtle regional differences, influences of dialectal accents, and the lack of Romanization standards in Hokkien.

Pai Ti Kong or Pai Thee Kong is most commonly used by Hokkien speakers in Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia and Singapore.

Other common variations include:

• Baai Tin Gung (Cantonese)
• Pài Tien Gong (Teochew)
• Pai Tien Kung (Hakka)
• and many other versions such as: Bai Ti Kong / Bai Ti Gong, Pai Tian Gong, Pei Ti Kong, Pai Tee Kong / Pai Tee Gong, Phai Thien Kong / Pai Thnee Kong, Pai Teen Kung

After all, Hokkien is largely a spoken language, so different spellings emerge when people try to write Pai Ti Kong in English.

Hokkien New Year history

The Hokkien New Year traces its roots to the Fujian province in Southern China. Pai Ti Kong originated from a legend dating back to the Ming Dynasty, when wokou, ruthless Japanese pirates, attacked a seaside village. In other versions of the event, the attackers were debt collectors, Mongols, or even rival warlords looking to seize Hokkien lands.

Regardless of the enemy’s identity, the Hokkien people had nowhere to hide. So they sought shelter in a sugarcane field, among the towering green stalks. For eight days and nights, they survived on nothing but sugarcane’s sweet juice, while praying to their heavenly god for protection against the invaders.

On the ninth day, the enemy vanished, and the villagers came out of the plantation unharmed. Attributing their survival to the Jade Emperor’s intervention, they started the tradition of worshipping the divine protector, offering him prayers and thanks on the ninth day of the Lunar New Year. This practice has been passed through generations, eventually forming the heart of Pai Ti Kong history.

As skilled seafarers, Hokkiens migrated to various parts of Southeast Asia, bringing their customs with them. By the 17th and 18th centuries, they had established significant communities in places like Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.

It was in these new lands that the observance of Pai Ti Kong took root and blossomed into larger, more public celebrations. Something that started practically as a family affair evolved into a vibrant Festival of Jade Emperor, complete with lion dances, dragon parades, and fireworks.

If you are interested in unusual ways to celebrate a New Year, check out the one that I spent inside Singapore Airport!

Pai Ti Kong Traditions & Rituals

Preparations for Hokkien New Year

While the Festival of the Heavenly God is celebrated on the 9th day of the Lunar New Year, in this calendar a day starts at 11 pm. So the preparations will begin already on the evening of the 8th day of the Chinese New Year.

Traditionally, people should clean their homes and set up makeshift altars – tables with red tablecloths – in front of their houses, businesses, or temples. As the king of 33 heavens, it is believed that the Jade Emperor needs open-air worship, so he can receive the prayers.

Two red candles are placed on each side of the table for divine light and protection. The altar essentials also include a censer, for inserting joss sticks after making prayers and wishes.

Some Hokkien families will wear traditional Chinese outfits for the day. Many will dress in red, as it symbolizes good fortune and attracts positive energy like a magnet.

Pai Ti Kong offerings

To please the Jade Emperor, tables are adorned with carefully arranged offerings.

Pai Ti Kong sugarcane

Probably the most essential offering of all, as it is a direct tribute to the Pai Ti Kong legend of hiding Hokkien ancestors from enemies, sugarcane (甘蔗, gān zhè) is here to symbolize protection, resilience, and sweet life.

Two stalks of sugarcane are often tied to both sides of the altar, creating a symbolic gateway for god’s arrival, and invoking protection.

Businesses also place sugarcane at their entrance, believing it will bring financial growth and success in the year ahead.

In Hokkien, sugarcane is pronounced kam chia, which sounds conveniently close to kam xia, meaning “thank you“.

Pai Ti Kong food

Food offerings to the Jade Emperor typically compose a grand birthday banquet. Once the prayers conclude, food and drinks will be shared among family and guests, ensuring everyone partakes in the blessings.

The menu typically includes:

1. Whole roasted pig

Even though the Jade Emperor is believed to be a vegetarian, his devoted followers still prepare animal sacrifices on his birthday.

Nothing screams abundance quite like an entire roasted pig sitting at the center of the Pai Ti Kong altar’s food offerings.

Back in the day, only the wealthiest families could afford to sacrifice a pig. Offering one to the Jade Emperor shows a willingness to share prosperity with the divine.

The pig must be whole (from snout to tail), as this symbolizes a complete and prosperous life. Its crispy golden skin represents cleanliness and sincerity in worship.

However, if one is not able to provide a whole roast pig to the Jade Emperor, poultry such as duck or chicken can serve as worthy substitutes. Just like the pig, these roasted birds must be presented whole, with their feet and heads intact. The same applies to whole-boiled crabs.

2. Fruits

To ensure a fruitful year ahead, it is essential to add a variety of fruits to the Pai Ti Kong table.

The pineapple is unavoidable on the Pai Ti Kong altar, as its significance goes beyond just being a tasty fruit. Its golden flesh represents wealth and luck. In Hokkien, pineapple is called ong lai (旺来), which sounds like “prosperity is coming”.

Beyond pineapples, an array of fruits is arranged at the altar, each chosen for its meaning:

Mandarins and oranges – chéng (橙) sounds like the word for “success“, and their golden hue symbolizes prosperity.

Pomelos – yòu (柚) sounds like the word for “protection” (佑), ensuring divine blessings and safety.

Apples – píng guǒ (苹果) sounds like “peace”, so the fruit promises a calm and stable year ahead.

Bananas – their curved shape is believed to pull luck toward the family.

3. Cakes

Pai Ti Kong altar is unthinkable without a selection of symbolic cakes, each carrying a deep cultural meaning. The must-have cakes are:

Huat Kueh (Huat-koé, in Hokkien) – Translating to “prosperity cake”, huat kueh (fa gao in Mandarin) is a fluffy, steamed rice flour cake that “blooms” at the top, splitting into a signature four-petal shaped crack. The word huat means “to rise” or “prosper”, making it a perfect offering for financial success, career growth, and general good fortune.

Thni Kueh (Thni-koé, in Hokkien) – This sticky, sweet glutinous rice cake, often shaped in a round mold, symbolizes a harmonious life, with good fortune “sticking” to the family. Thni kueh can have a brownish appearance, from palm sugar. Essentially the same as nian gao (“year cake”) in mainland China, this dessert is commonly referred to as kuih bakul in Malaysia.

Bee Koh (Bí-koé, in Hokkien) – Another glutinous rice cake, bee koh is a traditional Nyonya dessert popular in Penang. It is made with glutinous rice grains, coconut milk, and sugar, often flavored with pandan leaves for fragrance. In festive presentation, this pudding-style cake is steamed in a banana leaf, and infused with meanings of unity, prosperous, and stable life.

Ang Ku Kueh (Âng-ku-koé, in Hokkien) – Also known as the red tortoise cake, ang ku kueh is a glutinous rice cake, molded to resemble a turtle. The shape symbolizes longevity and endurance, the color represents good luck and happiness, and the sticky texture signifies strong family bonds. In the center of the dumpling, there’s usually a sweet filling – mung bean or peanut paste.

4. Ngor Siew Th’ng

Ngor Siew Th’ng, also known as “pink pagoda candy”, is a traditional Hokkien sweet molded into the shape of a pagoda. Made entirely of sugar, it typically comes in a bright pink color or pastel shades.

The candy symbolizes longevity, prosperity, and divine blessings.

5. Mee Suah

No birthday banquet is complete without mee suah (misua), the famous longevity noodles. These delicate, thin strands symbolize a long and smooth life ahead. Their unbroken nature represents continuous good fortune.

Typically, these wheat vermicelli are cooked in a rich chicken or pork broth and sometimes topped with hard-boiled eggs to double the luck.

Some families prefer to stir-fry the noodles with mushrooms and dried shrimp, adding extra layers of umami.

For an additional boost of blessings, elders may insist that you slurp the noodles without biting them, ensuring uninterrupted longevity.

6. Eggs

Eggs may seem like a humble offering, but in the context of Pai Ti Kong, they hold deep symbolic meaning. They represent fertility, renewal, completeness, and the cycle of life.

The most common variation is red-dyed hard-boiled eggs, where the color symbolizes joy, blessings, and protection.

7. Drinks

Besides food, a grand banquet needs a drink to toast the respected guest of honor, in this case – the Jade Emperor.

Rice wine is normally offered in small cups as a way of celebrating and showing sincerity.

Tea (usually oolong or pu’er tea) symbolizes purity and respect.

Some families also serve sugarcane juice, directly referring to the Pai Ti Kong legend, and reinforcing the idea of sweet survival and a smooth year ahead.

Flower offering for Pai Ti Kong

Offering flowers is an integral part of Pai Ti Kong rituals, symbolizing purity, respect, and good fortune.

The Five Types of Flowers Offering (五色花供, ng se hu in Hokkien) is a traditional floral arrangement presented to the Jade Emperor as part of the grand ceremony. Each type of flower carries a specific meaning, representing different aspects of blessings.

While flower types can vary, the traditional five include chrysanthemum (long life and resilience), lotus (purity and wisdom), peony (business success and financial stability), orchid (love and harmony), and plum blossom (endurance and new beginnings).

Paper offerings at Pai Ti Kong

In Chinese folk beliefs, material wealth exists in both the earthly and spiritual realms. Pai Ti Kong bridges these worlds by having devotees burn paper representations of valuables. The practice is rooted in their hope for a transaction – exchanging paper gifts for blessings.

Pai Ti Kong paper offerings can come in various forms:

– gold and silver joss paper (jīn zhǐ & yín zhǐ) – gold for deities, silver for celestial beings, it represents wealth and prosperity

– gold ingots (yuán bǎo) – stacks of boat-shaped ingots made of joss paper can form large pyramid-shaped towers, representing financial achievement and fortune

– heaven money (tiān jīn) – paper currency, sometimes with printed images of the Jade Emperor, serves as a symbolic tax to the celestial world; some devotees write their names and wishes  on the notes before burning them in bundles

– other paper goods – some families create paper clothing designed for heavenly beings, or paper replicas of luxury homes, cars, yachts, smartphones, and even servants, all meant to provide a comfortable afterlife for divine figures

Paper offerings are burned in order, from smaller to larger items. The belief is simple: the bigger the offering, the greater the blessings in return!

Some devotees toss long sugarcane stalks into the fire as an extra offering, watching as the smoke carries their prayers to the heavens.

Fake money ends up in flames at Songkran in Cambodia too. Here's what to know about the Khmer New Year!  

Pai Ti Kong prayers

During Pai Ti Kong, devotees recite prayers to express gratitude and seek blessings from the Jade Emperor.

The Pai Ti Kong prayer process begins with lighting long joss sticks, a symbol of communication with the heavens. Worshippers bow three times before placing joss sticks into the altar urn. They silently say thanksgiving prayers and mantras.

While some follow structured prayer texts, others simply offer their heartfelt words. In general, prayer includes an offer of gratitude for the past year’s protection, and expressing new wishes for the coming year – for good health, happiness, prosperity, and peace for the prayer’s family.

Pai Ti Kong wishes can then enter an area of personal aspirations and could include career success, wealth attraction, academic achievements, longevity, and a fulfilling life.

At the end of the prayer session, devotees clap their hands together or raise them to the sky while shouting the Hokkien prosperity chant three times: “Huat Ah! Huat Ah! Huat Ah!” (meaning: “Prosper! Prosper! Prosper!”)

Once prayers are completed, devotees burn gold paper money and symbolic items as an offering to Ti Kong and the heavenly realm.

Pai Ti Kong fireworks

What begins as a small ceremonial blaze at the altar escalates into a grand spectacle above – the fireworks. During Pai Ti Kong, skies explode in a riot of colors, noise, and light, in a very celebratory reverence for the Jade Emperor. It is believed these little rockets will carry prayers and gratitude to the heavens.

In Hokkien tradition, firecrackers are also a way to express welcome to Ti Kong. And the rule is: the louder, the better. Long chains of red firecrackers are set off in rapid succession, believed to chase away bad luck and evil spirits and secure a year of abundance ahead.

Lion and Dragon Dance for the heavenly god

Followed by thunderous beats of drums and clashing of cymbals, traditional performances such as lion and dragon dance are a living tribute to the Jade Emperor.

These performing troupes visit homes, shops, and temples, with leaping lions and flying dragons bringing fortune and protection.

In places like Penang, the grand street parade will see multiple performances of these animated animals, infusing the Pai Ti Kong event with energy and communal pride.

Where is Pai Ti Kong celebrated?

While Pai Ti Kong’s origins lie in Fujian, the Chinese regions of Xiamen, Quanzhou, and Zhangzhou uphold the tradition today with temple processions and massive communal feasts.

However, the festival is widely observed in Hokkien communities around the world. It has taken on a life of its own in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, and other diaspora hubs (Bangkok, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sydney).

Malaysia hosts some of the most lavish Pai Ti Kong celebrations outside of China. One can witness these events in Kuala Lumpur (Petaling Street – Chinatown, and Klang) and Johor Bahru, but the undisputed epicenter of the Pai Thnee Kong celebration in Malaysia is Penang.

The most important island temples during Pai Ti Kong are Kuan Yin Teng or Goddess of Mercy Temple on Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, and Thean Kong Thnuah Temple, also known as the Jade Emperor’s Pavilion, in Ayer Itam (not far from Kek Lok Si Temple).

In George Town, streets around Weld Quay, especially next to Chew Jetty and other Clan Jetties, come alive with massive altars, lion dances, and sky-filling fireworks.

During Pai Ti Kong in Penang, road closures are implemented to accommodate the influx of visitors, as well as performances and rituals taking place in the street. Typically, there are phased road closures around the Pengkalan Weld area. The part between Gat Lebuh Chulia and Gat Lebuh Acheh closes for the entire day, while other streets join in the afternoon. Follow official announcements for real-time updates!

When is Pai Ti Kong?

Pai Ti Kong follows the Chinese calendar, always falling on the ninth day of the first lunar month. This means that, in the Gregorian calendar, Pai Ti Kong date shifts each year.

Below are some upcoming Pai Ti Kong days:

🏮 2026 – January 25 (Wednesday)

🏮 2027 – February 14 (Sunday)

🏮 2028 – February 3 (Thursday)

🏮 2029 – February 11 (Sunday)

🏮 2030 – February 11 (Monday)

While Pai Ti Kong officially falls on the ninth day, beware that devotees begin their prayers at night of the eighth day, so if you want to experience loud firecrackers, lion dances, and massive feasts, plan to arrive a day earlier.

Where to stay in Penang during the Hokkien New Year?

A popular place to stay in Geroge Town during Pai Ti Kong is the Seven Terraces Hotel. This restored heritage mansion is just a 5-minute walk from the Goddess of Mercy Temple, but more importantly, the hotel hosts a traditional dragon dance at its premises during the festival, offering guests an immersive experience. Compare prices for your dates on Booking, Agoda, or Trip.

For mid-range comfort, you can check out Muntri Mews, a stylish heritage hotel with spacious rooms, a café downstairs, and a quiet lane for relaxation. Find the best price for your date on Booking or Trip.

Another solid option is Areca Hotel Penang, a family-friendly heritage hotel with great service, located near Komtar for easy access to different areas. You’ll find the perfect rate on Booking, Agoda, or Trip.

If you don’t need deluxe amenities, a price-friendly option in the neighborhood is a cozy Li’s Inn. Room prices start below 20 euros already. For the best rates, check Booking or Agoda.

Pai Ti Kong in Penang – Conclusion

With car traffic banned during the Pai Ti Kong holiday, the road alongside the Clan Jetties in George Town becomes a grand pedestrian promenade.

If you get there earlier, you’ll be able to enjoy a relaxed stroll between giant joss sticks decorated with dragons, playful dancing mascots, and food stalls offering everything from boiled eggs and skewered meat to Turkish coffee brewed in the sand.

But once the program kicks off, especially after 8 p.m., expect a pedestrian traffic jam as the crowds pour in. You can relive the Pai Ti Kong atmosphere in our Pipeaway Walks video, giving you a glimpse of the joyful chaos.

Pai Ti Kong allows us to come together in a cheerful spirit that postpones tomorrow

There is an informal competition between Clan Jetties, trying to overshadow each other with artistic programs and extravagant altar set-ups. With so much happening at once, even the local security forces have a dubious success rate while trying to maintain order.

When the firecrackers and fireworks take over, the crowded streets magically clear up in explosive circles. People might be on top of each other already but don’t underestimate what some unexpected spark can do for opening up the space.

Hokkien Pai Ti Kong is a celebration that can last until 4 a.m., with locals who have to work the next day grumbling about the uncontrolled noise this night produces, especially in the context of the ongoing Chinese New Year celebrations. Long, lively, and loud.

Pai Ti Kong tradition in Penang is one of the strongest in the world. It allows Hokkiens and the rest of us to come together in a cheerful spirit that postpones tomorrow.

Happy New Year, happy Pai Ti Kong!

How do you like Pai Ti Kong? Would you like to celebrate the Hokkien New Year in Penang?
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The authors of all photographs are mentioned in image titles and Alt Text descriptions. In order of appearance, these are:

Photos with odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) - nicholaschan, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. 
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Changi Airport Singapore proved that an airport doesn’t have to be an obstacle on the way to the final destination. An airport can be – the destination

Not everyone loves airports, I get it. Most are cold, soulless, generic buildings, without personality or surprises. A nuisance of long-distance traveling, almost unavoidable.

But Changi International Airport is not just any airport. So when I was booking my Scoot flight from the Philippines to Thailand via Singapore, I intentionally chose the longest available layover. Between the three offered transit times (1 hour, 8 hours, and 23 hours), the lengthiest connection seemed the most appealing.

Launched 44 years ago, it was already impressing with its Terminal 1, then 2, 3, and 4. But with the newest addition of the retail/entertainment complex Jewel, Changi Airport Singapore cemented its reputation as an extraordinary place.

It proved that an airport doesn’t have to be an inevitable obstacle on one’s way to the final destination. An airport can be – the destination. The one you don’t want to leave.

In today’s Singapore Changi Airport review, peek inside this iconic place! Find out why it is so famous, what makes it special, and most importantly – what to do in Changi for 24 hours!

If you're considering spending the Western New Year in Singapore, why not stay longer in the neighborhood? Visit the Malaysian island of Penang, and discover the Hokkien New Year!

Singapore Changi Airport guide

Singapore Changi Airport history

Wondering about Changi Airport’s origins? Singapore Changi Airport opened in 1981, on a patch of land that served as a British military airstrip during World War II.

With a dramatic increase in passengers, Paya Lebar Airport, the country’s previous main hub, was bursting at the seams in the 1970s. It was clear that simply expanding Paya Lebar would be like trying to fit an elephant into a carry-on suitcase. Singapore decided not to patch up the old but to start afresh.

Due to the possibility of land reclamation, the new location wouldn’t have space constraints, noise pollution and safety concerns, as Paya Lebar had with its first neighbors. And so, in 1975, the construction of Changi Airport began.

From the very beginning, Changi’s design was meticulously planned, with functionality and future growth and expansion in mind. Every detail was scrutinized, from runway capacity to terminal layouts, ensuring that the airport could handle the increasing demands of global travel.

On July 1, 1981, at 7:00 am, Singapore Airlines flight SQ101 brought the first passengers, 140 of them, from Kuala Lumpur to Changi’s virgin runway.

The airport didn’t just rest on its laurels after its grand opening. Over the decades, it expanded with new terminals and infrastructure. Changi’s history is one of relentless innovation and an almost obsessive commitment to passenger experience.

Where is Singapore Changi Airport?

Singapore Changi Airport (IATA code: SIN, ICAO code: WSSS) is located on the eastern edge of Singapore, approximately 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the city center. It sits near Changi Beach and is well-connected by the East Coast Parkway (ECP) expressway, Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) via the East West Line and (soon) Thomson-East Coast Line, as well as various bus routes.

Singapore Changi Airport terminals

Singapore Changi Airport is split across four passenger terminals and Jewel Changi Airport. Each terminal offers a distinct vibe while contributing to the overall idea of a seamless travel experience.

Terminal 1 – The OG of Elegance

The original terminal that started it all in July 1981, Terminal 1 is as classic as it is modern. Over the years, the H-shaped terminal has undergone several facelifts, blending nostalgia with state-of-the-art features. Known for its rooftop pool (yes, you can take a dip while waiting for your flight!), it’s a favorite for those who love a touch of relaxation with their travels.

Terminal 2 – Efficiency Meets Comfort

Debuting in December 1990, and then reopening in 2023, after the pandemic-era expansion, Terminal 2 has always been about making travel smoother. It’s a hub for families, thanks to its kid-friendly amenities and wide dining options. After a recent upgrade, it boasts smart features that make everything from checking in to boarding feel effortless.

Terminal 3 – Futuristic Flair

With its iconic green walls and natural skylight design, Terminal 3 feels like a sanctuary more than an airport. Opened in January 2008, it’s famous for its Butterfly Garden – because, why not? Throw in a massive duty-free shopping area and luxurious lounges, and it’s easy to see why many travelers secretly hope for a longer layover here.

Terminal 4 – Compact, Yet Cutting-Edge

Launched in October 2017, Changi Terminal 4 may be the smallest but it’s also the most high-tech. With automated check-ins, facial recognition boarding gates, and contactless everything, it’s the future of travel rolled into a boutique experience. Plus, its Peranakan-themed shopping street adds a splash of Singaporean culture.

Terminal 5?

Currently under construction and set to open in the mid-2030s, Terminal 5 is Changi Airport’s ambitious leap into the future. When completed, it will be one of the world’s largest airport terminals, capable of handling 50 million passengers a year – almost doubling Changi’s current capacity. Expect a mega terminal that runs on smart technologies, integrates eco-friendly infrastructure, and offers a passenger experience tailored for the next generation of travel.

Jewel Changi Airport – The Crown Jewel

Though technically not a terminal, Jewel Changi Airport deserves its own spotlight. Opened in April 2019, Jewel is connected to Terminals 1, 2, and 3. It’s a S$1.7 billion-worth wonderland of attractions, including the Rain Vortex and an entire indoor forest! Whether you’re shopping, dining, or just gawking at its architectural brilliance, Jewel at Changi is a destination worth traveling for.

Singapore Changi Airport architecture and design

Changi Airport’s architecture is a masterclass in balancing aesthetic appeal with operational efficiency.

From expansive glass facades that flood spaces with natural light to the abundance of greenery that turns waiting areas into tranquil retreats, the design philosophy prioritizes openness and comfort, creating a welcoming environment for passengers.

The original building of Terminal 1 set the standard with its efficient layout. As newer terminals were added, the architecture evolved to incorporate cutting-edge technologies and innovative features, like automated check-ins and energy-efficient systems. Terminal 3’s unique roof, designed with skylights shaped like inverted cones, diffuses sunlight to minimize glare while maintaining a bright ambiance.

Perhaps the most striking example is Changi Airport Jewel, an architectural marvel that seamlessly combines retail, nature, and entertainment. Its iconic centerpiece, the Rain Vortex – the world’s tallest indoor waterfall – is surrounded by the Shiseido Forest Valley, a multi-tiered garden. Jewel embodies Changi’s ethos: to turn the mundane act of transit into an unforgettable experience.

Every architectural decision at Changi is made with the traveler in mind, from intuitive signage to ergonomic seating in open, uncluttered spaces that reduce stress levels. The result is an airport that feels more like a part of the journey, than a waypoint.

Can you walk between terminals at Singapore Airport?

Yes, you can walk between the terminals at Singapore Changi Airport, but it depends on where you want to go. Here’s a quick breakdown of how to navigate this mini-city of an airport:

1. Terminals 1, 2, and 3 are connected via air-conditioned link bridges, which include travelators, the moving walkways that save your leg energy for duty-free shopping. For quicker transfers, Changi Skytrain, a free automated train service, also links these terminals at frequent intervals.
2. Terminal 4 is separate from the other three. While it isn’t connected by walkways or Skytrain, Changi Airport shuttle buses provide free and frequent transfers to Terminals 1, 2, and 3, and back.
3. Jewel is directly linked to Terminals 1, 2, and 3 via pedestrian walkways with travelators, making it easy to explore between flights. If you’re flying in or out of Terminal 4, you’ll need to hop on the free shuttle bus to reach Jewel.

For long layovers, walking between terminals is an excellent way to soak in the architecture and amenities. Whether you choose to stroll, glide, or ride, Changi makes terminal-hopping a simple, quick, and efficient routine.

How long does it take to clear immigration at Changi Airport?

Clearing immigration at Changi Airport is now faster than ever, thanks to a fully implemented passport-less clearance system. For most travelers, the process takes an average of 10 seconds (yes, seconds!), a significant improvement from the previous 25 seconds.

Singapore residents can clear immigration using only facial and iris biometrics, while foreign visitors still need to present their passports upon arrival but can use the biometric system when departing. Blink, and you are through!

As long as you have submitted your SG Arrival Card within three days before arriving in Singapore, passing through immigration should be as smooth as Singapore Sling.

Singapore Changi Airport attractions – the highlights

Now that you have a basic sense of orientation at Singapore Changi Airport, it’s time to look deeper into what truly makes it a destination in itself. Before I share how I exactly designed my 24 hours at Changi, I wanted to highlight the most popular attractions that you should consider including in your layover bucket list.

1. Singapore Changi Airport waterfalls

Most airports struggle to keep their drinking fountains working. But Changi has not one, not two – but multiple waterfalls!

When someone mentions ‘Singapore Changi Airport waterfall’, the first association is usually the Rain Vortex (Jewel Changi Airport). Standing at 40 meters, it’s the world’s largest indoor waterfall, gushing dramatically through Jewel’s lush heart, jungle-like atrium. The record-breaking wonder looks like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, and by night, it turns into a light-and-sound spectacle.

If you thought waterfalls were strictly an H2O affair, think again. In the departure hall of Terminal 2 (public area), there is an immersive digital waterfall – the Wonderfall. This ultra-HD, 14-meter LED display mimics the look and feel of water torrents crashing into boulders. No risk of getting splashed, but just as mesmerizing.

Well, there are also smaller waterfalls hidden around the airport – find them at the Tropical Rainforest Vivarium, or in the Butterfly Garden.

2. Canopy Park Jewel Changi

Imagine a theme park in the clouds, and you’ll get Jewel Changi Airport Canopy Park. The playground at Jewel’s top level features foggy bowls to walk through, sky nets to bounce off of, and artsy flower sculptures that invite a selfie. Canopy Park Jewel Changi is part jungle, part trampoline park, and 100% unexpected from an airport.

3. Jewel Changi Mirror Maze

Lost in transit? No worries, because you can get lost on purpose in the Jewel Changi Mirror Maze. There is also a classic Hedge Maze, but the labyrinth made of mirrors and upgraded with greenery is an optical illusion playground that puts your navigation skills to the ultimate test. These mirrors reflect, distort, and confuse your sense of direction – basically, it’s the funhouse version of looking for your departure gate at a massive airport.

4. Changi Experience Studio

Learning about an airport can be high-tech entertainment. Located at Level 4 of Jewel, the Changi Experience Studio is an interactive museum where visitors can play aviation-themed games, explore a virtual control tower, and even race against a Boeing 747. Spoiler: the plane wins. Or was I sitting on the bike powering the aircraft, which means that – I won? In any case, a fun calory-burn.

5. Butterfly Park Changi Airport

Changi’s Butterfly Garden in Terminal 3 is the world’s first butterfly habitat in an airport. Home to over 1,000 butterflies from 40 species, this tropical paradise lets you trade pre-flight stress for fluttering beauty and fresh jungle vibes. The garden even includes a 6-meter-tall grotto waterfall.

6. Singapore Changi Airport Pool

Why pace the terminal when you can do laps in an airport rooftop pool?

Adjacent to Terminal 1’s Aerotel Transit Hotel, this swimming pool with a jacuzzi is perfect for pre-flight relaxation.

If you prefer to workout, there is even a little gym attached.

Warm up for Changi Airport shopping with a quick treadmill session!

7. Changi Jurassic Mile

If you thought Singapore Changi Airport was all about futuristic wonders, you were wrong. It can transport you to prehistoric times too!

Changi Jurassic Mile is a 1-km outdoor dino trail lined with life-sized T-Rexes, raptors, and even a dino hatching from an egg. Whether you’re cycling, walking, or running for your life from a Velociraptor (relax, they’re statues… I think), it’s a roaring good adventure.

Changi Jurassic Mile is located just next to Terminal 4, but you can also walk or cycle to it from Terminal 2 (rent your bike at Hub & Spoke for 10 Singaporean dollars per hour).

Don’t confuse this attraction with Jurassic Bark, a dedicated outdoor space for much friendlier creatures – your dogs. The first dog run facility within an SE Asian airport is located close to Changi’s Terminal 2, and next to the flowering garden trail beloved by butterflies.

8. Singapore Changi Airport Slide

Why take the stairs when you can launch yourself down the world’s tallest airport slide? Located in Terminal 3, this 12-meter-high slide provides fun for both kids and adults. To get 10 free rides down the Slide@T3 (and that’s actually the maximum number of rides you can take in one day), all you need to do is sign up for a free Changi Rewards membership.

9. Singapore Changi Airport Cinema

A great way to cut down the long layover time is to watch a movie. Cinemas in Changi’s Terminal 3 screen blockbusters for free, making them the ultimate escape from overpriced coffee and boarding gate boredom.

Changi Airport Movie Theater in the transit zone, just next to Ambassador Transit Hotel, Level 3, is open 24 hours, and has 50 seats.

In the public zone of T3, Level B2, ST3PS is open from 10 am to 10 pm and, besides movies, it also screens live football matches, or hosts yoga sessions and live performances on its stage.

10. Singapore Changi Airport Kinetic Rain

Forget ordinary airport art – Changi’s Kinetic Rain is a hypnotic, 1,216-piece moving sculpture in the public zone of Terminal 1 (departure hall) that shifts into mesmerizing patterns. It’s like a ballet performance, only with bronze droplets gracefully morphing into waves, airplanes, and abstract designs. Watching it is oddly soothing.

How to spend 24 hours at Singapore Changi Airport?

With the overview of Singapore Changi Airport’s main attractions, let’s craft the ultimate layover itinerary. I will be sharing exactly what to do in Changi for 24 hours, or at least how I filled up my layover time, step by step, hour by hour.

But just one more burning logistical question to address first: Can I bring luggage to Jewel? Technically, yes, you can normally come to Jewel with your suitcase. But should you? Probably not. If you’re planning to explore Jewel’s top-level attractions, like the Walking Net or the Bouncing Net, lugging a suitcase around is not just a bad idea. It’s not even permitted! There are free storage boxes near these facilities, but they are designed to keep your smaller valuables, such as wallets and purses, not full-sized carry-ons.

What to do with your luggage?

Transit passengers – Luggage storage at Changi Airport

If you are a transit passenger like myself, chances are your checked bag is already en route to your final destination. But even bulky hand luggage can become a nuisance if you start dragging it around an airport packed with adventures.

Thankfully, there is a solution for that. Each of the four Changi terminals has a dedicated baggage storage point in the transit zone (always on Level 2). Additionally, this service operated by Smarte Carte is available in the public zones too, at Terminals 2, 3, and 4, as well as Jewel (always on Level 1).

You should be strategic about where to store your belongings. While the fee guarantees a maximum of 24 hours of storing, you are not allowed to access your bag at your convenience, just because you forgot to take something out of it. If you request your bag at certain moment, and wish to keep it stored again afterward, you’ll need to pay once again.

Changi baggage storage charge for regular-sized hand luggage (below 10 kilograms) is SGD 11 (1 Singaporean dollar equals 71 European or 73 US cents, so the basic price is approx. 8 euros/dollars). If you have just an item smaller than A4 paper, they’d charge you 6 Singaporean dollars. Luggage weighing more than 10 kilos would leave you without 16 dollars. And if you travel with larger objects (over 70 x 90 cm), such as a bicycle or a surfboard, you’d have to pay SGD 19.

I decided to store my bag at Jewel, as having it in the vicinity of the entertainment zone that doesn’t allow it, seemed the most convenient. I would feel really bad if I were forced to leave the public area of the airport just in order to access something from the bag if I had left it in the transit zone.

Passengers from Singapore – early check-in

If you are starting your journey in Singapore, you can still enjoy 24 hours of hands-free airport exploration, if you choose the right airline.

There is an Early Check-In Lounge at Jewel (Level 1). Unlike airports that allow checking-in only 2 hours before departure, Changi lets you do it much earlier, depending on your airline.

• 3 hours before departure – Most airlines.
• 12 hours before departure – Japan Airlines, Jetstar, Cathay Pacific.
• 18 hours before departure – Scoot (except flights to Jeddah).
• 24 hours before departure – AirAsia, Singapore Airlines (except USA-bound flights), Turkish Airlines (selected flights).

Flying one of these airlines? Congratulations – you get to experience Changi like a VIP, luggage-free, for a full day, if you want so!

Now, with logistics sorted, let’s dive into the ultimate hour-by-hour Changi layover itinerary. Get ready for a day of waterfalls, mazes, butterflies, and a rooftop swim!

Singapore Changi Airport things to do – my personal itinerary

As a transit passenger at Changi Airport, you can only exit and re-enter the transit area once. So besides deciding where to store your bag, you also need a solid game plan – one that maximizes your time without the regret of missing a must-see attraction.

I won’t lie – I spent a day and a half just planning. But it was worth it, as in the end, I managed to experience the best of Changi Airport – Jewel and Terminals 1, 2, and 3 – while aiming to minimize the feeling of being rushed.

However, I did have to make some tough calls. At certain places, I stopped only to take a photo. Terminal 4? Saved for another time. Free Singapore Tour for transit passengers? Also skipped – it would have eaten up too much of my precious layover time.

To make the most of these 24 hours, I divided my Changi itinerary into three strategic phases:

1. Exploring the transit zones of Terminals 1, 2, and 3 – Since these terminals are seamlessly connected, I wouldn’t have to leave the secure area.
2. Exiting the transit area to explore the public zones and Jewel – This would let me visit attractions that require stepping out while ensuring I had enough time at Jewel.
3. Re-entering the transit area for any missed experiences – A final round-up of cool spots I did not have enough time for earlier.

Timing is Everything

One thing I quickly learned? Jewel attractions have the most restrictive opening hours. That’s why I prioritized visiting Jewel in the afternoon and evening, leaving overnight hours for attractions that operate round the clock.

Now, let’s break down my hour-by-hour itinerary, so you can plan your own ultimate layover adventure at Changi!

Changi T1 – Transit Zone

10:30 am – Landing by ‘Success’

After a somewhat delayed landing, I found myself at C pier of Changi Terminal 1, face-to-face with “Success”, Ng Eng Teng‘s sculpture symbolizing strength, confidence, perseverance, ambition, and reliability. Well, Scoot, you shaved 30 minutes off my itinerary, so no sculpture for you!

“Success” has been installed on the eastern part of the terminal back in 1984. Together with the sculpture named “Achievement” (symbolizing versatility, innovation, dynamism, foresight, and planning, at the D gates – coincidentally where I’d be departing from 24 hours later), this long-standing artwork by the Grandfather of Singapore Sculpture is also known as “The Spirit of Man”.

Weary travelers were already dozing in the rest area, but for me, there was no time for naps. I craved fresh air and sunlight. And where better to start than Changi Terminal 1’s three outdoor gardens?

10:45 am – Cactus Garden

After a couple of travelators, an escalator, and some old-fashioned stairs, I pushed through double doors sealing off the Singaporean heat – and stepped into Changi’s oldest themed garden, the Cactus Garden.

While the planes were lifting off all around me, some surely heading to America, Africa, and the rest of Asia, cacti, succulents and other desert plants from these continents were on display in this little rooftop oasis.

The footpath circled around over 100 species of arid plants from around the world, including the Peruvian Apple Cactus, Indian Prickly Pear Cactus, as well as Mexico-native Golden Barrel Cactus, Old Man Cactus, giant Ponytail Palm Trees, and tequila-responsible Century Plant (no samples included).

There were even Sago Palms, a primitive species that survived in southern Japan since the Jurassic period. Well, the oldest specimens here were over 50 years old, still respectful.

Among the real prickly plants were also steel cacti, a signature work by American artists Richard Turner and Eric Carroll. It was just a tiny preview of Singapore Changi Airport’s dedication to immersive places that blend nature, art, and fun.

11:00 am – Water Lily Garden

Descending back to Level 2 of Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 1, with more shops and coffee shops, and another set of double doors brought me out to the peculiar Singaporean heat. But this time, to a garden with plants that couldn’t survive without water.

Water Lily Garden is home to, well, water lilies, and other aquatic vegetation. Next to serene ponds, there were also plants such as yam/taro, which, just like rice and lotus, required wetland to become a yielding food crop.

It’s an educational moment at the airport, raising awareness about marginal, submerged, and floating plants as a vital part of the freshwater ecosystem. They support wildlife by providing protection, food, and a place for reproduction.

At this zen garden, even shelters for humans came in the shape of water lily leaves. You could use them to hide from the sun. You could even enjoy your snack here. But don’t get into spawning, if you know what I mean.

11:15 am – Discovery Garden

The last in Terminal 1’s trifecta of outdoor gardens was arguably the most futuristic. Instead of classical flowerbeds, Discovery Garden features three tree-like steel structures dressed in foliage. Elevated walkways meander around the towering displays, offering a close-up view of the greenery.

This mini rainforest was designed to showcase the harmony between nature and technology. It allows visitors to watch plants and planes at the same time.

As I chilled among these decorative treetops just meters away from the runway, it felt like a preview of Supertree Grove, Singapore’s futuristic botanical utopia at Gardens by the Bay near Marina Bay Sands.

Singapore, with a now-iconic bio-futuristic aesthetic, was clearly committed to integrating nature into urban spaces, even at one of the most bustling airports. Or – precisely because of that?

11:30 am – Tropical Rainforest Vivarium

Besides the outdoor gardens, Terminal 1 had several indoor areas sprinkled with vegetation and fish ponds.

Tucked away, near the Skytrain to Terminal 2, the Tropical Rainforest Vivarium, or better – paludarium, as it included both terrestrial and aquatic flora and fauna, seemed to be overlooked.

The biomes of Southeast Asia and South America are squeezed inside the half-open container, with 53 plant species and 8 types of animals. A forest stream ran through this serene showcase of biodiversity, with shy fish and shrimps hiding inside. So they say.

To be honest, I haven’t seen any animal. But if there had been a stool installed in front of the display, I could have easily spent minutes, or hours, meditating in front of this tiny but lush habitat, listening to the soothing sound of trickling water, and enjoying the scent of the jungle. All of that without a single mosquito bite!

11:45 am – Singapore Changi Airport rooftop pool

With all the back-and-forth between air-conditioned halls and steamy outdoor gardens, my body was practically begging for a refreshment.

As hopping inside the Vivarium was not an option, I took a quick escalator ride up and arrived at Aerotel Singapore Changi (Terminal 1’s transit hotel I would revisit the same evening). But I wasn’t here to check in yet. The next door on the left-hand side automatically opened to one of the most luxurious airport amenities worldwide, launched back in 1995 (!) – the Singapore Changi Airport rooftop pool.

Besides an open-air swimming pool with planes flying over it every few minutes or so, the place was offering a jacuzzi, cabanas, and a poolside Aerobar with cocktails, beer, and snacks. There was even a quiet, children-free hammock zone.

The gym had a treadmill, a stationary bike, weights, yoga mats, and a pilates ball. It was tiny, but it did add to a resort-like layover experience.

An entry fee for an adult is SGD 25 (besides pool access, it includes a towel, a locker, and shower facilities). The hotel guests, however, can use it for free.

The pool is open daily from noon to 10 pm, but double-check before your visit. For the year-end, they had it opened at 10 am already, so you might be able to take your refreshing dip even if you have an earlier flight.

Changi T2 – Transit Zone

1:00 pm – Enchanted Garden

Light rain made me abandon the pool haven, and thankfully so, as I was now an hour behind my planned schedule. So I rushed to catch my first Skytrain ride to Changi Terminal 2, getting a fleeting outdoor glimpse of the Jewel dome along the way.

Between the usual forest of shops, Changi Airport T2 welcomed me with its Enchanted Garden, 400 square meters of ferns and flowers, including orchids. One of these was even named after Changi – Dendrobium Changi Airport.

As I walked over timber decking paths and passed under floral arches, I should have triggered motion sensors to play Borneo rainforest sounds, including insects, frogs, and birds.

But, to be honest, the treat was more visual for me. If they were there, fauna sounds were certainly not immersive enough for me. The soundscape was dominated by the water cascading into a koi pond with a mini viewing platform beloved by kids.

The centerpiece of the garden were two larger, and two smaller glass bouquet sculptures decorated with mosaic and stained-glass work, each containing seasonal fresh flowers.

My expectations of magic brought to life were possibly too high, but the Enchanted Garden was still a place providing a welcome breather from the usual airport madness, contributing to Changi’s reputation as a green oasis.

1:15 pm – Gourmet Garden

I really wanted my next stop to be the 2 Bears Hideout. It’s Terminal 2’s sweet playground with a climbable beehive, a bounceable honeycomb, and a slide out of Momma Bear’s tummy so glideable that it seemed to be coated in honey. Unfortunately, this whimsical place was only for kids aged 6-12. If you’re an older traveler looking to slide off some energy before the flight, you’ll need to head to Terminal 3 or Jewel.

But what started with a bear-adise, continued with a lush dining area called Gourmet Garden. It’s a long 24-hour dining street with a biophilic design.

On one side, there was a Greenwall and suspended blade planters with foliage. On the other, there were floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a prime position for plane spotting. This is the ideal place to enjoy your meal while watching aircraft activity on the tarmac.

Singapore Changi Airport’s food offer is a journey in itself. The Gourmet Garden starts with Asian fusion cuisine, offered by places such as Chef Wei HK Cheong Fun (Hong Kong-style dim sum), Wee Nam Kee (Hainanese chicken rice), Ippudo Express (Japanese ramen heaven), The Satay Club by Harry’s (elevated Singaporean skewers), Buk Chang Dong Soon Tofu (Korean secret-recipe soft tofu stew), and The Hainan Story (Hainanese thick toast breakfast and Kopi Gu You, butter coffee from way before bulletproof coffee became a trend).

If you head further south, you’ll find renowned international brands such as Hard Rock Cafe, Gopizza, Luke’s Lobster, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Hudsons Coffee.

For an additional wow factor, you could order your artisanal coffee, tea, or chocolate from Ella, Singapore’s first robot barista.

While tempted like a bear in front of honey, I had a different plan for lunch. But first…

1:25 pm – Dreamscape

Dreamscape was THE Enchanted Garden for me. It was everything I would expect from an immersive indoor garden that merges nature with technology.

Imagine walking on water. No, really!

A huge pond covered with glass panels lets you stroll above colorful fish living their usual life underneath. All along, you’re surrounded by 20,000 plants, raising your gaze to the ceiling.

The Dreamscape has a digital sky that mimics real-time weather conditions above Changi, together with planes and occasional birds flying overhead.
Every 15 minutes, the passenger is transported to a fantastic reality. The chorus of 100 creatures delivers a serenading soundscape, but the true magic is visual.

Expect fish, turtles, stingrays, otters, and boats floating in a virtual pond above you. With the real aquatic world beneath your feet too, this is the closest you can get to the Moses experience. Changi created a real-life wonder of biblical proportions.

Check out the Dreamscape experience at Changi in this YouTube short video!

1:45 pm – Free Singapore Tour Check-in Counter

I wouldn’t be joining the Free Singapore Tour, so I just passed by their check-in counter. I didn’t sign up only because I’d already seen Singapore, and my 24-hour airport adventure was already packed.

These free guided tours are exclusively for transit passengers with at least 5.5 hours to spare. The tour itself takes 2.5 hours, but additional time is needed for check-in and security procedures, which seemed too much for my situation. When I return to Changi with another long layover, I’ll certainly hop on one of these tours, and report back.

If it fits you, you can choose between three bus itineraries giving you a quick taste of the island state before your next flight from Changi Airport. These are your tour options:

1. City Sights Tour – Modern Singapore (Marina Bay, Merlion Park, Gardens by the Bay)
2. Heritage Tour – Cultural hotspots (Chinatown, Kampong Gelam, Civic District)
3. Changi Precinct Tour – Explore life beyond the airport in a quaint local village

These tours are a great way to maximize your layover, adding a mini-adventure to your travel itinerary without spending a cent. Well, if you have baggage, you will have to pay for the storage at the airport.

Registration counters for free Singapore tours are located near Gate F50 at Changi T2 and Gate A1-A8 at Changi T3.

If you decide to visit Marina Bay, make sure to hop on the Singapore Flyer, one of the biggest Ferris wheels in the world. You might not have enough time during the free sightseeing tour, but you can always extend the visit to this impressive city-state!

1:50 pm – Sunflower Garden

The final transit attraction I wanted to see at Changi’s Terminal 2 was just slightly trickier to find. I didn’t notice any signposts to it until I was already at Level 3, where further upgrading renovations were underway. But basically, just between the Free Singapore Tour booth and the Dreamscape, or more precisely, between the Fragrance‘s pork jerky and Lotte‘s duty-free wines, you should be able to find a somewhat hidden elevator bringing you to the top.

I stepped outside on a bright terrace, and a field of golden flowers greeted me. The Sunflower Garden opened in 2002, as another themed space to provide travelers a respite from the bustling airport life.

I always believed sunflowers turned their heads towards the sunlight. I don’t know how they did it (please drop the comment if you know), but here, as you walked around, between groups of different sunflower varieties, they were all looking at you, the observer. How on earth did they manage to make this blooming audience focus on the circling spectators? Beats me.

Changi’s shiny rooftop garden isn’t just a decoration for yet another viewing mall of the runway and aircraft parking bays. It is a special holiday spot for blooming flowers which come here after spending about 90 days in the airport’s nursery. The facility produces at least 2,000 sunflowers every single month!

And don’t worry if your flight lands in the wee hours. The Sunflower Garden never closes, with special lighting bathing the blooms at night. I had the best intentions to return in the evening, but with so many things going on at Changi, I simply forgot. So if you visit, send me a picture of the “moonflowers”!

2:00 pm – Ambassador Transit Lounge – lunch and shower break

Airport food can get pricy. If you’re having a longer layover like me, an airport lounge access would help your wallet. I didn’t travel in the business class, but thanks to my credit card (that I regularly pay bills for), I can enter quite a few lounges for free.

Singapore Changi Airport has a dozen of them. Additionally, some restaurants and even one spa participate in the program by offering their services as an alternative to your usual airport lounge visit.

I opted for something more standard – the Ambassador Transit Lounge on Terminal 2, conveniently located on the Mezzanine Level (Level 3) right next to the Sunflower Garden.

This Changi lounge offers a maximum 3-hour stay. When the receptionist figured out the length of my layover, he was quick to slap a sticker on me, to make sure I didn’t overstay. “Don’t worry, I have no time to stay here for 3 hours”, I said laughingly.

Unlike many other lounges, this one didn’t have a free-flowing bar. They gave me two vouchers for alcoholic drinks. I used only one, for a meh Shiraz.

I wouldn’t call the food offer spectacular either, but for a quick free snack, it was fine. From papadam to nacho chips, from spring rolls to donuts, the lounge was trying hard to provide a cosmopolitan gastronomic experience. Between spaghetti aglio olio, roasted chicken, and fried fish, probably the most interesting offering was the mee soto live station, where you could sample Singapore’s beloved chicken soup with noodles.

Due to renovations, half of the lounge was covered in plastic sheets and scaffolding. But I was already happy with the opportunity to lick some ice cream while my camera batteries recharge.

At the end of the stay, I hit the shower. Mid-airport refresh is always welcome.

Jewel Changi Airport Singapore – public zone

3:15 pm – Concierge and baggage storage

Another light tropical rain drizzled over the Skytrain windows as I glided back to Terminal 1, wondering if the Dreamscape sky in T2 got cloudier too. No time to check. I already canceled the primary idea of exploring all transit zones before Jewel. Time flew quickly, and I decided to revisit the T3 transit zone at night, when Jewel puts its attractions to sleep anyway.

While leaving Changi Airport T1 through the automatic passport-control system was swift and efficient, don’t forget to submit your Singapore Arrival Card before stepping out!

Officially in the country, I was just a short walk from Jewel, the most sparkling part of Changi’s airport necklace.

First, I got rid of my bag at the Baggage Storage (Level 1, near the Early Check-In Lounge). Keeping my cabin-sized bag for a day cost 11 Singaporean dollars (paid with a credit card).

Not far from the storage, I sorted out my tickets for the Canopy Park attractions at an unassuming Jewel Concierge Counter (this one could be marked better, so passers-by don’t confuse it with some lounge reception).

If I hadn’t visited the Ambassador Transit Lounge, where I simultaneously fed myself and my phone and camera batteries, I would’ve probably had another stopover at Jewel. The Experience Concierge on Level 2 is a place where you can borrow a power bank for 12 hours, free of charge. Keeping your battery levels high on the go, as you click and click around Jewel – how thoughtful!

3:30 pm – Rain Vortex and Shiseido Forest Valley

With my hands free and shoulders light, I walked straight to the center of Singapore Changi Airport Jewel, a stunning glass-domed complex that houses the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. The Rain Vortex, sometimes referred to as HSBC Rain Vortex (sponsor alert!), starts operating at 11 am on regular days, and 10 am on weekends. Even waterfalls need a break, and Rain Vortex takes it at 10 pm.

Otherwise, the continuous pouring of water from the roof to the basement is hypnotic. The 40-meter tall thunderous spectacle (that’s 131 feet, if you prefer to walk on water, vertically) makes other airport attractions feel like mere drinking fountains. But the aquatic marvel is not just a pretty feature. As it falls down the funnel, the rainwater naturally cools the air and controls the climate inside. Later on, it is reused in the building.

Check out Jewel Rain Vortex in action in this short YouTube video!

Opened in 2019, the Rain Vortex was designed by Moshe Safdie, the Israeli architect who entered the Asian market in 2011, with the iconic triple-tower of Marina Bay Sands, featuring the largest infinity rooftop pool, as well as Rain Oculus, another skylight/waterfall at Marina Bay’s mall.

Surrounding Changi’s Vortex is the Shiseido Forest Valley, a multi-tiered indoor rainforest with 900 trees, 60,000 shrubs, and some of the freshest airport air you’ll ever breathe. The species in this impressive botanical garden range from Brazil to Australia.

The sponsor in the valley’s name provided its signature Ultimune scent for the western walking trail, making the hike uphill an experience for the nose too. If you’re more into soothing white noise experience, opt for the eastern trail’s waterfalls.

The recommended time for each trail is half an hour, but that’s very generous. Unless you are taking a gazillion of selfies, or stumbling upon the bodies of influencer-wannabes doing that. Luckily, there are several entry/exit points between Level 1 and Level 4, to leave the trail at your convenience.

If you are even more short with time, you can get your glimpse of Jewel without ever leaving the transit zone. The interterminal train, connecting T2 and T3, crosses through the Jewel, slowing down in the center of the building, just enough for a quick peek at the Forest Valley.

You don't have to pay anything to see the waterfall and the forest at Changi Airport. Basic access to Jewel Changi is free.

4:00 pm – Topiary Walk, Discovery Slides, Foggy Bowls, Petal Garden / Canopy Park

Hiking up the airport forest led me to a 14,000 sqm recreational wonderland perched on the top floor of Jewel – the Canopy Park. This garden sitting above the retail/entertainment hub is fused with playful experiences and attractions, offering everything from mist-filled playgrounds to sky-high nets.

A basic Canopy Park ticket (SGD 8, or a bit cheaper if you book online here) gets you access to the Topiary Walk, Discovery Slides, Foggy Bowls, and Petal Garden.

I wasn’t able to detect the last one. Even the rotating staff wasn’t sure where to find the display of the flowers, probably because it was covered by the temporary exhibit of Disney Cruise Line.

Topiary Walk made up for it. This nature-inspired pathway was lined with sculpted topiaries of orangutans, parrots, peacocks, bears, elephants, and other animals. Practically a zoo made of plants, a botanical safari. The vibrant floral displays are fun places for photo ops.

Discovery Slides, designed by Carve and Playpoint, had an exterior of a sleek, polished steel shell that reflected the surroundings in funhouse-like distortions. The top of the 7.5-meter-high structure doubled as a viewing deck, offering the highest vantage point over Jewel and panoramic views of the Rain Vortex. The yellow playscape had four slides for all thrill levels – an open family slide, two enclosed spiral slides, and a steep drop slide (out of operation during my visit, sparing some screams). It’s a great warm-up for the Canopy Park, turning even adults into kids.

Foggy Bowls were essentially Canopy Park pits that should emit cool fog, providing the illusion of floating clouds. I’m not sure how frequently this interactive play space filled with artificial mist, but every time I passed by, it just looked like a waiting room.

Canopy Park is open daily from 10 am to 9 pm (on weekends and public holidays, the working hours extend to 10 pm).

If you want to explore Canopy Park as well as the rest of Jewel with a guide, book an affordable 2.5-hour tour here.

4:30 pm – Walking Net / Canopy Park

We’re not playing anymore, I thought to myself as I stepped on the Walking Net, a tightly woven rope bridge suspended 25 meters above the ground.

If you’re not too confident in your balance skills, or you have a fear of heights, maybe you could consider skipping this attraction. I’ve seen more than just kids calling for their mommy.

At some parts, the 50-meter-long net was passing over a five-story-high void, with escalators and shoppers getting small under your feet. It is suspenseful, knee-shaking, and heart-racing for some, and pure terror for others.

All participating net walkers needed to leave their bags and loose items (including selfie sticks!) at the free lockers near the entrance to the Bouncing Net. Good luck with figuring out how to close those little boxes – it’s almost a puzzle in itself!

Both sky nets are open from 10 am to 9 pm, for visitors taller than 110 cm. The standard adult rate for the Walking Net is SGD 18.90 (child rate 13.90), and it includes access to Canopy Park’s four basic attractions. You can save some of your dollars if you book your tickets through this link.

4:45 pm – Bouncing Net / Canopy Park

The neighboring Bouncing Net doesn’t get higher than 8 meters above ground, but it does come with the safety-instruction video you need to watch before entering the Walking Net’s rebellious sibling.

While jumping is encouraged on the trampoline-like attraction, somersaults are not permitted. But you can bounce, play with a ball, and generally spend some energy while racing through the 250-meter-long network of nets.

Even if I visited it alone, I had a blast on this adrenaline-packed and childhood-invoking activity. So I can imagine that a group visit with people you know can only upgrade the chaotic fun level. Refuse to grow up, and sweat it out!

The bouncier net is also the pricier one, though. A standard adult ticket costs SGD 24.90 (child 19.90), and it also includes the four basic Canopy Park attractions. Save some money when booking here.

5:05 pm – Mastercard Canopy Bridge

Another branded attraction, the Canopy Bridge is for those who want to be able to say that they got the closest to the Rain Vortex.

Suspended 23 meters above ground, the bridge had a glass-bottomed middle section. But if you checked the scare-o-meter, the Walking Net still beats it.

The cool feature was the fog produced at the entrance/exit parts of the Canopy Bridge. The mist effect came in intervals, so wait a little if you want a cinematic cloudy backdrop.

Was Canopy Bridge the best spot for Rain Vortex photos? Not really. The Skytrain tracks might photobomb your shot. But the real advantage? Fewer crowds. If you wanted an undisturbed, tourist-free photoshoot, this was your golden ticket. Some of us could even call it priceless, as the sponsor in the name would suggest.

Canopy Bridge entrance costs SGD 13.90 (child ticket 11.90), and again, it’s bundled with the four basic Canopy Park attractions. For cheaper Canopy Bridge tickets, look here.

5:20 pm – Hedge Maze / Canopy Park

In Changi’s world of superlatives, the Hedge Maze at Jewel is promoted as Singapore’s largest indoor hedge maze. But it should really hold the title “the easiest Escape Room ever”. If I could say that I wasted any of my time at Changi Airport, it’s those 4 minutes dedicated to “searching” for the exit.

The issue with Canopy Park’s Hedge Maze was that the limited space it’s been set up in didn’t allow many dead-ends or wrong turns. So basically, it was just a winding path in between the 500 trees. Only people who have truly poor orientation skills, which means those who start going back for no reason, would find the maze truly challenging. For everyone else, this was a true definition of “a walk in the park”. In some sections, the bushes were even so thin that you could see through to the other side.

Towards the end of the maze, you should find a circular staircase leading to a watchtower which provides an aerial view of your accomplishment. From up there, the layout looked much more dense and intricate than what it actually was on the eye level.

The Hedge Maze closes at 9 pm, but the last entry is at 8:30. Because apparently, they believe it takes 30 minutes to complete a 4-minute challenge.

Anyway, if you do want to stretch your legs and not your brain capacity, prepare to pay SGD 13.90 for this attraction (SGD 11.90 for a child). Again, the ticket pairs with those basic Canopy Park offerings, so you’ll get some extra worth.

If you want to save some bucks, I found the cheapest tickets for the Hedge Maze here.

5:30 pm – Mirror Maze / Canopy Park

If you love labyrinths, the Mirror Maze is a much more intriguing attraction to invest in. You’ll almost want to stay longer in this kaleidoscopic neon-lit adventure adorned with greenery!

The Mirror Maze will tease your brain and challenge your perception, practically turning you blind. Luckily, they hand you a foam stick, a pink guiding wand that should detect mirrors before you experience an embarrassing face-first collision with your own reflection.

The final room, which combined projections, sounds, and mirrors, was quite magical. Many people just rushed through it, but for the calming effect, stay there for a moment before heading back to the airport reality!

The standard rate for the Mirror Maze is SGD 18.90 for adults and 13.90 for children. As usual, on your way to the maze, you can freely explore the four basic Canopy Park attractions (Topiary Walk, Discovery Slides, Foggy Bowls, and Petal Garden – but beware, that fog and those petals might be harder to find than the maze exit!).

Those who want to buy extra souvenirs can find the cheapest Mirror Maze tickets here.

5:50 pm – Changi Experience Studio

Descending one level to L4, I entered Changi Experience Studio, a place offering a very informative and interactive journey through the world of Singapore Changi Airport. I thought one hour would be enough for these 3,000 sqm. In the end, I wished I could have stayed for another hour, and explored every little piece of information displayed at this high-tech, modern museum-style attraction.

Upon entering, I got a “blank leaflet”, a futuristic personal travel guide that interacts with 20 digital touchpoints throughout the studio. It’s a cutting-edge light technology where optical infrared markers on the travel guide enable the projection to follow it as we move it around, even taking into account the shifting of the position of the pages.

See these interactive Changi Experience Studio travel guides in action in this short YouTube video!

The first of its kind, the Changi Experience Studio educates through entertainment. Ten zones offer games, simulations, and immersive storytelling, all about aviation and Changi (well, that plus smiling competition, or Le Petit Chef’s dinner).

From learning about the airport’s history and development to understanding its behind-the-scenes operations, there was a ton of information for aviation geeks, curious travelers, and anyone who loves pressing buttons to see what happens.

I loved the gamification of learning at this place which easily seduces you to collect trolleys through the airport, dispatch taxi pick-ups, sort baggage, or even race against a plane – on a bicycle.

Digital butterflies from the entrance returned for a grand finale in music & light spectacle of the Garden of Harmony.

Just before the exit, Singapore Airport revealed its vision of the future (as if what we’re seeing today is NOT futuristic enough). If any airport were to venture out beyond Earth’s atmosphere, it should truly be Changi’s Terminal 6.

Changi Experience Studio tickets cost SGD 25 for adults, and SGD 17 for children. It is open for play & learning from 11 am to 8 pm, or from 10 am on weekends and public holidays.

If you want to save several dollars per ticket, the cheapest online ticket for Changi Experience Studio is available here.

7:30 pm – Rain Vortex – Lights, Music & “Snow”

I reluctantly left Changi Experience Studio because the Rain Vortex’s night show was calling.

Every evening at 8 and 9 pm (extra showtimes on public holidays), the Light & Music Showcase sponsored by Trip.com takes place. At that moment, the waterfall that plays with natural sunlight throughout the day becomes a moving canvas for a choreography of dynamic lights and a synchronized soundtrack.

I watched the show-off from the top level of Jewel (I’d find better spots later on – check out the 9 pm section), mainly because I heard that they would “let it snow” at the Canopy Park, just after the Vortex show. I expected massive snow-producing machines to cover the airport in white, and I couldn’t spot the location where that sudden climate change would happen.

“Oh, it’s happening right now”, a staff member said when I asked. The snow was literally falling 10 meters away from me, and I still couldn’t see it.

The location was close to that escalator heading down under the Walking Net. A small snow-producing machine was pumping out snowflakes that were hard to spot if you weren’t actively looking for them. That also meant I almost had a personal snow show, which was totally fine.

Changi T3 – public zone

8:10 pm – Flora Inspiration  & Daisy

A quick walk from Jewel’s Level 3 or a Skytrain ride from Terminal 1’s Level 2 to Terminal 3’s Level 2 will bring you right next to the entrance of Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, an IHG hotel. Here, you’ll be greeted by the Flora Inspiration. Han Sai Por‘s sculptures resemble giant seed pods, as another tribute to Singapore as the Garden City.

But I loved, even more, the kinetic sculpture between the terminal entrances 4 and 5. Daisy, conveniently placed between two charging stations, is a 13-meter-tall flower-shaped propeller, painted in red and white, Singapore’s national colors.

As I observed this artwork by Christian Moeller, it was also looking back. I could walk left, and the flower would turn towards me. I’d go back, and it would follow me there as well. Daisy’s light sensors detected the presence of onlookers, allowing it to interact with them. Testing its limits was truly fun!

8:30 pm – Hello Kitty + Snow Show + Marching Drummer Boys      

My main reason for hopping over to the public zone of Changi Airport T3 at this very moment was the seasonal appearance of Hello Kitty and Sanrio friends like Pompompurin, Cinnamoroll, and Kuromi.

The iconic Japanese bow-wearing feline celebrated her 50th birthday and showed up in a version of an 8-meter-tall sculpture.

When Mariah Carey‘s inevitable Christmas anthem spilled from the speakers, another snow forecast came true, sending kids (and adults) into festive squeals of delight.

Then the Marching Drummer Boys appeared (well, four boys, and one girl, I’d say), adding to the lively atmosphere.

There was much more to Hello Kitty’s Carnival at Changi. But, hey, you missed it, and you’ll just have to explore new surprises on your Singapore Airport visit!

Jewel at Changi – public zone

9:00 pm – Rain Vortex – Lights, Music & “Snow” – take two

I returned to Jewel for another edition of Trip.com’s Light & Music Showcase, this time seen from the ground level. It was a much better place to enjoy it. Even the snowfall scheduled at Shiseido Forest Valley after the show (technically, at one of the access points to the Vortex) felt richer and more noticeable. A unique opportunity to experience a touch of winter wonderland in tropical Singapore!

But for a less exploited spectacle of Jewel, head to the Basement 2 level, where you’ll find the base of the Vortex, an acrylic tank shifting colors, and providing moments your Instagram and TikTok audiences will love.

Changi T2 – public zone

9:25 pm – The Wonderfall

Before returning to the transit zone, I decided to visit the three terminals’ yet-unseen public zone attractions. The Wonderfall was certainly not to be missed.

In the center of Changi Terminal 2’s check-in area, a digital waterfall became an iconic landmark. Made up of 892 LED tiles, some of which were curved, to enhance the cascading effect, the water rushes in front of our eyes, leaving us in awe of the grandeur.

If you pay attention, you might spot a kingfisher bird or butterflies (of course, what is Changi without butterflies!). But if you wait long enough, you’ll witness the 4-minute “Rhythms of Nature”, a light-and-sound show scheduled every half an hour.

Take a look at Changi Airport T2 Wonderfall in this YouTube short video!

9:35 pm – Flap Pix

Another artwork worth seeing at Changi T2 public zone is Flap Pix. Located near the link bridge toward Jewel Changi Airport (T2, Level 3), this art installation uses vintage technology of the airport departure board that once displayed flight and gate numbers, destinations, and departure times.

Now, the shifting 1,080 split-flaps transform into Singapore-themed scenes or personalized portraits. That’s right, the camera can take a photo of your face, and display it on the flipboard, as if you’re scheduled for the next departure.

Changi T3 – public zone

9:50 pm – ST3PS

Another direct Skytrain ride from T2 to T3 (with night views of the Rain Vortex), only to see the last attractions before they shut the light for the day.

In the Basement 2 area, ST3PS operates from 10 am to 10 pm. A stepped theater with a green wall features an ultra-high-definition screen (6 meters wide and 3.5 meters high). It’s a place to see free movies and live sports matches. The stage hosts performances on weekends and even yoga sessions on Thursdays and Fridays.

When I passed by, “Pirates of the Caribbean” was on. For the exact movie schedule during your visit, look here. Every week has its own theme, ranging from animation and fantasy to music and dance.

9:55 pm – The Slide@T3 + Climb@T3

Another attraction that closes its operation at night (at 10:30 pm) is The Slide@T3, the world’s tallest airport slide, launched back in 2010.

The tubular slide, which stands at an impressive 12 meters, can take you down four floors, from Level 1 to Basement 3. For a milder experience, there’s also a smaller one-story slide, with the entrance at Basement 2.

At the Customer Service Counter at Basement 2, you can redeem 10 rides per day, as long as you have signed up for Changi Rewards e-Card. Registration is free.

Bonus Slide Tip: If you’re flying out of Changi Airport T4, there’s another, boarding pass-activated slide straight to H1-H8 gates. Now that’s how you make an entrance!

Right next to The Slide@T3, there is Climb@T3. Starting at the Basement 3 level, you can test your skills at an 8-meter-high bouldering wall. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced climber, there is a mix of challenging routes suitable for any level.

The Rock School Singapore operates this unique facility from 11 am to 8 pm, and on weekends and holidays until 9:30 pm. So make sure to come earlier than me. Or even better: book ahead!

If you prefer solid-ground entertainment, just across the Playground at the Basement 2 level, there is Changi Airport’s arcade game empire Zone X (normally closing at 10 pm, on weekends at 11 pm).

Changi T1 – public zone

10:20 pm – Arrival Garden + Kinetic Rain

After collecting my bag at Jewel’s luggage storage, I proceeded back to Changi Terminal 1. As I was prepared to head airside, I made a stopover at the Arrival Garden, which usually welcomes newcomers to Singapore.

At this hour, in the shade of the tall palms and other tropical flora, and just an occasional shimmer of Swarovski Crystal Clouds floating at Jewel’s entrance, some passengers were already snuggling in their makeshift beds for the night. It looked like outdoor camping, just indoors. With airport trolleys instead of tents.

The transit zones of Changi have free-to-use rest areas or so-called Snooze Lounges. You just have to get there early enough to claim your spot (first-come, first-served). I was lucky enough to get a proper bed in a Changi Airport hotel, mainly because I hadn’t sleep much in the previous days either. Otherwise, I’d probably spend the entire night watching movies at Terminal 3.

But before I checked in at my hotel inside Changi Airport, and checked Terminal 3’s transit offerings, I had to take a moment for myself. And there’s no better place to float away with than the Kinetic Rain, unveiled in 2012 as the largest moving sculpture in the world. The artwork is so mesmerizing, and yet so ignored by many passengers these days.

I can still recall the moment, ages ago, when I first saw it. Standing on the travelator, I was gliding up to the check-in area of Changi T1, while this hypnotizing moving sculpture locked my gaze.

Separated in two parts (each measuring 10 by 4 meters), the Kinetic Rain consists of 1,216 bronze droplets suspended from the ceiling, each controlled by computer-driven motors that create ever-changing patterns. The silent dance of the droplets forms fluid shapes that resemble waves, birds, an airplane, a hot-air balloon, or even a dragon. I could watch it all day long. Well, if my eyes wouldn’t already be half-closed.

Hypnotize yourself with the Kinetic Rain sculpture by watching this YouTube short!

Changi T3 – transit zone

11:00 pm – Birds in Flight

After quickly getting back inside Terminal 1, checking in at Aerotel, mainly to drop off my bag at this point, I hopped on the Skytrain to Terminal 3. It’s nice to know they operate all until 2 am, resuming at 5 am. In this small pocket of Skytrain sleep time, one would have to use travelators to navigate between the terminals.

Just at the exit of the Skytrain, the “Birds in Flight” stainless steel sculpture welcomed me back to Terminal 3. The art installation created by the Singaporean artist Baet Yok Kuan depicted the mid-flight of the Arctic terns, seabirds with lengthy annual migrations across the planet.

A frozen image of the blue birds is a fitting metaphor for all of us congregating at the airport for a brief moment until we fly away to a new stop on our itinerary.

11:10 pm – Changi Airport Movie Theater

Besides ST3PS in the public zone of Terminal 3, there is an actual Changi Airport Movie Theater that operates 24/7, available only to passengers, in the transit zone of the same terminal.

I didn’t see any signs pointing at it, so I approached an unmanned information desk (well, I also did it just to see how it works).

The cardboard character with a comic-style speech bubble saying “Need help?” was pointing at the screen, offering a chat with Changi’s ambassadors. I chose the language (besides English, available options were Chinese, Malay, Tamil, and Korean), and the type of assistance (medical, lost & found, locating a facility), and just like in those customer service calls, I was informed I was the first one in the queue, and that the estimated waiting time was less than 30 seconds.

After 10 seconds of elevator music, a lady named Iris appeared on the screen. I asked about the location of the cinema, and she pointed me to an escalator going up. Sensing my disorientation, she asked whether I saw the Guardian store on my right-hand side (“the orange-colored shop”), and explained I would find an escalator behind it going up, directly to the cinema.

It’s a quick, efficient, and economical system. This staff member is probably covering many information desks, instead of sitting on one, boring herself to death.

The Changi Airport Movie Theater, located just next to the Ambassador Hotel Changi on Level 3, had about 50 comfy seats, and I’ve seen some visitors using them just for napping.

If you’re actually into movies, the repertoire rotates six titles every day. They could range from “Tom and Jerry” to “Spider-Man” and “Dune”.

Terminal 3’s free cinemas are truly a perk. No tickets, no queues – just walk in, grab a seat, and enjoy the film while waiting for the flight.

11:20 pm – Buterfly Garden

Right behind the Ambassador Transit Lounge was a Level-3 entrance to the Butterfly Garden, a two-story tropical sanctuary you won’t find at any other world airport.

Over 1,000 butterflies live in this serene oasis, from Common Rose (due to the red and white pattern on its wings, it was chosen as Singapore’s national butterfly in 2015) to Leopard Lacewing, Blue Clipper, and dozens of other species.

While this butterfly airport is much busier during the day, with colorful little aircraft landing on pineapple runways, it lives 24 hours a day, just like Changi.

During the day, butterflies are mostly active between 8 am and 5 pm, like all working class.

At nighttime, you have a rare opportunity to observe the caterpillar-to-butterfly metamorphosis up close, through a special emergence cage showcasing their life cycle.

Alternatively, you can put a detective hat on, and try to spot these fascinating creatures as they enjoy their beauty-sleep on the trees.

Butterfly Garden, with its calming water features and attractive nectar-producing plants, will easily make you forget you’re inside one of the world’s busiest airports.

11:40 pm – Koi Ponds + Crystal Garden

Stepping out of the Butterfly Garden at Level 2, I arrived at Changi’s Koi Ponds, where these ornamental fish had already parked themselves in the corners, fast asleep.

Around the ponds, passengers who didn’t score a bed in the Snooze Lounge were sprawled on armchairs, or even on the carpeted floor.

At the Central Plaza, in front of the Louis Vuitton, even Crystal Garden dandelions, spheres made of hand-blown Bohemian glass, flickered softly, as if shutting down.

Most Singapore Changi Airport stores close their doors between 9 pm and 1 am, so even the shopping options became somewhat scarcer.

The entire airport was gradually switching to a lower speed, completely unconcerned by the New Year knocking at the door. Even I wasn’t sure when we entered it. There was no countdown, fireworks, or a spectacle of a sort. It’s an airport after all.

But not just any airport. Changi is an airport that lives spectacle every day of the year and didn’t need to show off around midnight, just to prove a point.

Changi T1 – transit zone

12:25 am – Aerotel Singapore Changi

I got back to my hibernation quarters – the Aerotel, Changi Airport transit hotel at Terminal 1.

Transit hotels have always been a mystery to me, as I never felt an urge to use them. But here, at Singapore Changi Airport, taking a break to relax from numerous attractions in a proper bed made perfect sense. Aerotel offers flexible hourly booking, which means you can just take a 6-hour nap, with no need to pay for an entire day!

Dark wood doors led to a long corridor with 32 rooms. The ambiance light was already suggesting this was a place where one should keep the noise level down, as someone could sleep at any time of day.

From a dimly lit hallway, my keycard led me into a room with spacious twin beds and a green-tiled bathroom with also quite roomy shower. It felt like a regular upscale hotel room, except for the fact that a narrow vertical window was opening to the runway.

I already admitted I was tempted to end the rest of my 24 hours at Changi by joining a movie marathon in the cinema. But after being awake for 22 hours now (my last encounter with a bed was in Davao, the Philippines), I thought it was equally important to report on the most passive of all airport activities – sleeping.

Before I hit that warm shower (getting wet at Changi for a third time in one day!), and those inviting bed sheets, I had to test Aerotel’s gastro offer.

On the room table, there was chamomile tea, and a selection of biscuits, dried fruits, and nuts, with the operation manager’s personalized hand-written message, wishing me a restful stay as I unwind with a soothing cup in my hand, and a crunchy snack in the other.

But I had something else on my mind. The Aerotel stay came with a complimentary meal, anytime. While the idea of ordering an all-day breakfast after midnight felt decadent enough to try, I didn’t feel ready for croissants and granola bowls yet. Among vegetarian, chicken, and fish options, I decided to go with the Indonesian staple rice dish – Nasi Goreng and Beef Satay.

I ordered it from the room and waited for it in an elegant restaurant space, empty except for me. Because who eats beef skewers with peanut gravy in the early hours of the New Year?! Despite the awkward timing, the chef personally brought a tasty dish to my table.

Filled and fulfilled, I was ready to go horizontal in this pleasant Singapore Changi Airport accommodation, surely the most luxurious way to wait for one’s boarding.

To find the best prices of stay for your dates, check out Aerotel's offer on Agoda, Booking, or Trip.   

6:00 am – SATS Premier Lounge Changi – breakfast

Credit card companies frown upon lounge hoppers. They expect you to consume just one lounge visit per airport stay, and not milk the system. Repeated use of these “entitlements” within a single airport may result in charges.

But as I was going through a 24-hour (!) stay at Changi, and now, after midnight, it was even a completely new fiscal year, I decided to push my luck and set my course toward another Changi Airport lounge – Terminal 1’s SATS Premier Lounge.

Also a 24-hour facility offering a maximum 3-hour stay, this time it came with fully available alcoholic beverages (tempting, but not at sunrise), and shower facilities (but did I really need a fourth scrub in 24 hours?).

The breakfast offered here was very Asian. While I found this fantastic (as who needs another scrambled egg start of a day?), it was sad that the staff didn’t really know much about the displayed food. Even basic questions – Is this sweet or savory? What goes with what? – were met with blank stares.

SATS Lounge Changi didn’t seem to offer the best representation of Asian cuisine in terms of quality either, but I liked the opportunity for a gastronomic journey, from make-your-own Nyonya-style Laksa to Malay Nasi Lemak and South Indian Medu Vada fritters with Sambar stew. I also tried a selection of non-spectacular cakes and pastries, but hey, you cannot win them all. My credit card better doesn’t charge me for this.

8:50 am – Leaving Singapore Changi Airport (or not?)

It was time to say goodbye to Singapore Changi Airport. I passed by Ng Eng Teng’s “Achievement” statue, wrapping up my personal round-the-clock achievement of the longest airport layover.

Five minutes before the flight was scheduled to depart for Phuket, Scoot was ready to board us.

But we didn’t depart. A young member of the crew hastily walked through our plane section, asking us “to unfasten the seatbelts because we are refilling”. Supposedly, this should help us evacuate immediately in case of emergency. I thought it was a strange instruction, but I assumed she was talking about getting more passengers on board. Later she remembered the word she was looking for was – petrol. We were refilling our tank.

I dozed off, and at 9:50 am, I woke up to passengers pulling their luggage from overhead bins. As I looked through the window, it was dark outside, adding to my confusion. Did I just oversleep an entire day?

A neighboring seatmate brought me back from my sleepy delirium, explaining these were smart windows with adjusted brightness, and telling me that the crew’s instruction was to disembark due to a “technical issue”. We were still at Changi?! Did I just wake up in “Groundhog Day”?

Ten minutes later, we were asked not to disembark but to sit back, until the captain provided new instructions. And he made an announcement soon indeed, saying there would be a reassessment of the situation in 70 minutes (“seven-zero”, he clarified for the impatient ones), until the engineers decided whether some cargo issue was solvable or not. Until they connected to a ground AC, they would switch off the plane’s one. We were welcomed back to the tropics.

“If you need anything, ask the flight attendants”, the captain said. I asked for water, but the young attendant was confused. She wanted to say they had it, but she had to ask first. After a few minutes, she came back saying that I could refill my bottle in the galley, as they were trying to save cups.

Soon, the attendants brought some cardboard boxes, filled with comforting snack packs – an industrial croissant, potato crisps, and a miniature bottle of water. A male attendant distributed these, repeating the phrase “Happy New Year”, in an unsuccessful attempt to bring smiles to the faces of nervous passengers.

Our confused female attendant accidentally smacked a passenger’s head, so hard that she required ice.

In this slowly developing chaos, the “fasten seatbelt” sign switched on. “The engineers rectified the issue and we will be departing shortly”, the captain’s voice announced. The windows got daylight again, and the passenger close by had to take off his earphones. But nothing was happening, so he put them back and continued watching golf on his phone.

At 11:03, the windows went dark again. That wasn’t promising. The heat was still unbearable. Thank god for that safety information leaflet acting as a fan.

At 11:07, they called “all ground staff” to disembark.

After another cross-check, and a third announcement that we should now really turn off our mobile phones, at 11:16 the plane started taxiing.

At 11:34, we were finally taking off.

Of course, now I could tell you another story of how, in Phuket, the plane stopped in the middle of the airport, citing “traffic congestion”. But maybe that’s a story for another time.

This one was about my 24+ hours at Singapore Changi Airport, probably the most extraordinary airport in the world.

Overnight at Changi Airport – Conclusion

If you hate airports, this article may have been overkill.

Perhaps, you were just wondering how to spend 6, 8, or 10 hours at Changi Airport, and instead got trapped in this neverending chronicle of someone stuck in a twilight-zone loop, like an overexcited hamster on a spinning wheel.

Airports don’t always deserve our time. Wait, is that why they call it a “runway”? Because we’re all just trying to… run away?

In a heavy competition of bland institutions with a clinical feel, eager to charge us outrageous airport taxes, arrival/departure fees, and overpriced water that they still make us throw at the security check, there ARE exceptions.

While offering everything from prayer rooms to massage parlors, Changi excels in delivering unique content that merges nature, art, and entertainment

I deliberately broke my 5.5-hour flight into two parts, just so I could spend 25 hours at Singapore Changi Airport. Zero regrets. Changi was an airport where even time flew.

What I especially liked about this place is that it didn’t discriminate passengers by the depth of their wallet. Many of the best things to do at Singapore Changi Airport were also – free things to do at Singapore Changi Airport.

Even if you plan to spend, there is a product for everyone. In the food offer, you can find everything from KFC to Jamie Oliver, from McDonald’s to Tsuta‘s Michelin-starred ramen.

If you head shopping, Singapore Changi Airport will welcome you with UNIQLO and Zara, but also Gucci or BVLGARI.

They won’t roll their eyes even if you ask for a shopping concierge to help you pick your new Crocs. The personalized shopping assistance is complimentary and has no minimum spending expectations. Technically, you could pre-book your favorite 7-11 cup noodles, and get them delivered to your boarding gate. I guess.

But beyond just catering to various needs of travelers, offering everything from prayer rooms to massage parlors, Changi excels in delivering exceptional and unique content that merges nature, art, and entertainment. It skillfully expands Singapore’s definitions of gardens, from Gourmet Garden with playful bear slides to Dreamscape with virtual otters.

Whether you’re here on a layover like myself, or you intentionally missed your flight just to stay at Changi Airport longer (hey, no judgment!), this place will deliver an experience like no other, proving that airports can be as inspiring as art galleries, without the snobbery that often comes with curation.

What do you think about these things to do at Singapore Changi Airport? Enough to keep you entertained for 24 hours? Would you consider staying at Jewel overnight?
Leave your comment below, and pin the article for later!

Disclosure: My stay at Aerotel, including the use of the swimming pool, as well as my entrance to Jewel Canopy Park attractions and Changi Experience Studio were complimentary, but all opinions are my own.

Also, this post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you click on them and make a purchase, Pipeaway may make a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our work!

The authors of all photographs are typically mentioned in image titles and Alt Text descriptions. In order of appearance, these are:

Ivan Kralj - all photographs except for
Photo no. 5 - Canopy Bridge - SaMaN on Unsplash
Photo no. 6 - Skytrain - Nathaniel Yeo on Unsplash
Photo no. 13 - T-Rex - copyright Changi Airport

The post Airport Jewel Overnight: Best Things to Do at Singapore Changi Airport in 24 Hours appeared first on Pipeaway.

For the 1^st of January 2021 show episode, the editor Katarina Kolega interviewed five travelers, Pipeaway blogger Ivan Kralj included. The result was a cultural journey to Cambodia, India, Qatar, Algeria, and Cuba.

The calendar is a product of a social agreement. Most scholars estimate that Jesus was born between the 6^th and 4^th year before Christ. That is already a paradox on a linguistic levelIvan Kralj

“Today, we celebrate the New Year on a day determined by Pope Gregory XIII, in the 16^th century. According to that Gregorian calendar, we are entering the year 2021. And time is divided to an era before and after Jesus Christ. Most scholars estimate that Jesus was born between the 6^th and 4^th year before Christ. That is already a paradox on a linguistic level”, Ivan pointed out at the beginning of the show.

Indeed, it seems that counting time exposes the dominant power. Christian civilization definitely imposed its calendar on the rest of the world. “But other civilizations have their own versions of the calendar, Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Chinese… Each of them has a peculiar starting point for the counting of time. Even us, in Croatia, if we were to follow the Vučedol calendar (Orion, the oldest European calendar discovered in eastern Croatia, Ed.), we wouldn’t celebrate the New Year on the 31^st of December, but on the spring equinox, at the twilight of the first day of the spring”, Pipeaway editor explained.

The calendar is indeed a product of a social agreement. In the world disagreeing about many things, it is not unusual to have a variety of dates celebrating essentially the same thing – the start of the “New Year”.

Asian New Year water festival

For travelers, the disparities in calendars give a unique opportunity to travel through space and time, all in one.

“They were occasions when I would celebrate the New Year three times in a period of a few months. For instance, the Croatian in December in Zagreb, the Chinese New Year in February somewhere in Malaysia, and then the Khmer New Year in April in Battambang, Cambodia”, Ivan said to Katapultura.

“Asian cultures vary not only by the date of their New Year celebrations but also by their durations. What we do speedily in one night in the West and then, after a single holiday, come back to the usual working track, in Asia can be an event of two weeks!”

For Chinese girls on the Malaysian island of Penang, the 15th day of the Lunar New Year is a special event of love – Chap Goh Mei! 

For the entire Hokkien diaspora, the 9th day of Chinese New Year festivities, also known as the Jade Emperor's birthday, is a favorite - learn more about Pai Ti Kong! 

Presenting our editor as a “tireless traveler who vividly tells his travel adventures on Pipeaway.com”, Katarina was especially interested in Songkran in Cambodia, the unusual and special water throwing festival that marks the Khmer New Year celebrations, Chaul Chnam Thmey.

“In Cambodia, Khmer New Year lasts three days, from 13^th till 15^th of April. They celebrate a traditional lunar year, at the end of the harvest season, and before the rains come. They welcome the wet season exactly by celebrating water. The most extreme part of this New Year celebration includes rubbing people’s faces with baby powder and pouring abundant quantities of water. There is a wide arsenal of water weapons, from guns and rifles to balloon bombs, hosepipe, and full buckets”, Ivan explained.

Countries that celebrate Songkran, such as Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia, measure time according to the Buddhist calendar. In 2021, they will celebrate the year 2565!

Check what the New Year water festival looks like on Pipeaway’s Youtube channel!

Burning Man in India

India celebrates the Buddhist New Year too. But in a country of a variety of cultures, one can also observe the Islamic and Christian New Year.

The largest portion of Christians is in the state of Kerala. This is where writer Kristina Gavran celebrated the New Year on Vasco da Gama Square in Kochi, in a carnival atmosphere, eating banana chips and bhaji, and watching DJs, singers, and dancers on stage. The highlight of the Cochin Carnival is the burning of Papanhi. The giant statue of an old man is the remnant of the Portuguese colonial past.

“There is a belief that the New Year is born as a little baby, a child. It matures to be an old man at the end of the year”, Kristina explained to Katapultura. “They also connect it to a certain topic. Sometimes it’s a flood, sometimes a tsunami, sometimes ecology. The burning of Papanhi is saying goodbye to these events.”

“People put masks of Hindu gods during a period of two weeks, which ends with a New Year procession led by a big gold-adorned elephant and a drummer”, Kristina noted. “It is interesting that traditional members of the procession are also transsexuals, typically quite stigmatized and socially excluded people of Kerala. But on the day of the carnival, they are welcome and greeted. At this time, Indian society gets better, and those from the margin of the society suddenly get into its center.”

Christian stories say that Kerala is the place where Saint Thomas the apostle disembarked and started spreading the teaching of Jesus.

In the New Year period, the Christmas spirit is celebrated through star-shaped lampions, decorated trees of coconut or mango, and proudly displayed nativity scenes.

New Year celebrations in Muslim countries

The actress Romana Petrušić took the listeners to the state of Qatar, where two-thirds of citizens are Muslim. New Year’s Day is a working day, like any other. There are no special holiday decorations in the streets of Doha, the country’s capital. However, there’s a light show whenever you visit the city!

“The lights on palm trees, in the town, everywhere. One could think that every day is a New Year’s Day there”, Romana said. “They do not decorate the streets even for Ramadan. Qataris celebrate their religious holidays by visiting each other, family to family. Men and women meet in separate chambers of the house. Also, they count the new years differently, from when Islam was founded, from the appearance of Muhammad.”

In Algeria, 98 % of citizens are Muslim. The journalist Maja Peterlić testified that the streets of Algiers in December do not scream New Year either. The only people who followed the French/European trends of New Year celebrations were perhaps the older generations of Algerians. The parties in expensive restaurants and hotels are mainly reserved for foreigners. One such hotel is where the journalist welcomed 2020.

“It was a New Year in Berber style. Some singers, classical dinner and countdown at midnight, quite a few Berber dances”, Maja explained. “Women tie a scarf around their hips and dance a peculiar dance with nice, but not too lascivious, belly dancing. And they shout in a peculiar way, cheering up the men or simply expressing happiness and joy.”

Clinking glasses in Cuba – Happy New Year!

The joy of dancing is at the center of every party in Cuba too, if we believe the professional salsa dancer Ramon Yudimir Noa Caraballo. For Katapultura, he talked about his New Year celebrations in Havana, surrounded by the nearest family and the best food they had.

Wherever in the world we are, and whenever we choose the starting point of our counting, there is this one common thing that connects us all: the hope that tomorrow will be better

“We prepare a soup, some kind of potato, frijoles negros (black beans), rice, meat (it could be pork, chicken, or both), and bananas”, Ramon revealed. “Those could be breaded bananas or fried like tostones (thicker slices) and chicharitas (salty chips). We drink beer and rum, and for New Year -sidra or champagne.”

Wherever in the world we are, and whenever we choose the starting point of our counting, there is this one common thing that connects us all: the hope that tomorrow will be better. We are all hoping to turn a new chapter of our lives, forget the gloomy past, and start anew. In that name, we raise our champagne glass too!

The radio show Katapultura has been broadcast since 2004. In 2007, it won the prize of the Croatian Journalist Association for the best-edited radio show.

The entire show on New Year celebrations around the world can be found on the Katapultura webpage. The language of the show is Croatian.

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The masks drop, and nobody is innocent anymore. You can see some of the victims lifting their purses, desperately trying to hide them from the attackers. There is no real mercy shown. These smiling enemies pull out their hidden artillery and start shooting their guns, some even throwing bombs!

The girls on bicycles are especially endangered. Local boys are stopping them at the barricades, and then take turns spreading white fluid all over their faces. At first glance, Chaul Chnam Thmey, a Khmer New Year celebration, looks like rape.

Welcome to Songkran Cambodia, the Khmer festival celebrated with a water fight!

People around the world have a variety of customs when it comes to celebrating the New Year - check them out!

Songkran festival as typical Asian water war

The voluntary street battles are fought with water and baby powder, and conflict seems to make most of the people happy.

Adults and kids engage in this yearly fun ritual of shooting water guns, throwing water balloon bombs, and splashing buckets of water on each other.

A three-day war is not enough for everyone, so one can expect to experience some water splashing even in the week following the official public holiday dates!

However, celebrating the start of the new year by throwing a water fight is not the Cambodian specialty. People in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Yunnan province of China each have their own water festival. While Songkran is most often associated with Thailand’s water games, each country has its specific name that marks the start of the new year – Moha Sangkran, according to the ancient horoscope.

In most of the countries of East and Southeast Asia, April 13 is the date when the festivities launch. It is the end of the harvesting season and the start of the rainy one.

Bathing Buddha for good luck

In the aftermath of Songkran Cambodia celebrations, the local temples might look like they were hit by a giant mud-water bomb. Yet, the justification for the custom is rooted in religion!

Songkran Cambodia’s ritual sees people pouring water on each other. Sometimes, they mix it with white chalk

People wash monks and Buddha statues with perfumed water, as a symbolic farewell to wrong actions and sins, while welcoming good luck, longevity, happiness, and prosperity in the new year. In the same way, if children wash their parents or grandparents, the year will bring them advantages.

Using holy water for cleansing is just one of the rituals promising a fresh start to the year. The house should be cleaned too, and new clothes should be worn. Those might get their first washing in the street, as Sraung Preah represents the ritual in which Cambodians pour water on each other. They might mix the water with white chalk, sometimes colored in pink or yellow.

In Malaysia, they don't throw water, but oranges! Read about Chap Goh Mei, the love-inspired start of the Chinese New Year!

Radical expressions of love at Songkran Cambodia

“We love youuu!”, screams the young guy while he rubs the white powder into my face. Driving the bicycle through the villages around Battambang is a special experience in which perfect strangers are allowed to touch you. You might get hugged and sometimes kissed at Songkran in Cambodia. All with a “Happy New Year!” greeting justification.

Something you will certainly not be able to avoid is – getting wet. The blessings range from a gentle sprinkle to a bucket of water exploding against you. This is not just another “I got wet in the rain” experience. The water gets in your underwear and shoes, and one day of drying might not be enough (as experienced).

You are lucky if you got only wet. The unlucky ones will experience that some water throwers have a secret weapon. They put a large block of ice to melt in the water, which creates the freezing ammunition that shocks you out of nowhere. This is the ice water bucket challenge raised on a whole new level!

Gratitude for the waterfest

Every time someone pours several liters of water down your shirt, you get an instinctive urge to say “Thank you!”. It is a weirdly quick adoption of the new vocabulary when attacked; I was astonished about it.

You start to read every splash as an expression of a good wish. We might say a blessing, but it doesn’t challenge your religious beliefs.

There is so much laughter going on, which would melt even the grumpiest faces. Or maybe the grumpy ones don’t exit their houses on these days.

Then there is also fair play. Even if some girls in my YouTube video of the Cambodian Songkran might have an angry reaction to their water treatment, the line of excessive shelling is rarely crossed.

The little girl throws a water balloon at me. It falls on the ground without breaking. She picks it up and hands it to me so that I can launch it back at her.

In the unwritten code of conduct, only the elders are genuinely spared. And the policemen, when they come to turn down the passion volume. The other passers-by turn targets/attackers, in the always shifting roles.

The Malaysian island of Penang is not just a great place to celebrate the Chinese New Year. One community prepares a special feast for Pai Ti Kong, which became to be known as Hokkien New Year!

Khmer New Year for new friendships

Cambodians are extremely friendly people. As I experienced with my fellow travelers, Westerners Gabby and Damian, they will welcome you into their world very smoothly, no questions asked. They may not have a lot, but they will still make room for another friendly face in the gang, and share what they have.

At one moment, the combination of continually repeating Rasmey Hang Meas song, the burning tropical sunshine one cannot feel due to constant water showers, and the abundance of Anchor beer cans, made me fully immersed in this street party. So much so that I started to turn off my GoPro camera when I wanted to start to record, and vice versa.

Was that beer intoxicating me? Or was that beer mixed with water in the cocktail of pure Songkran Cambodia happiness?

After Songkran Festival Cambodia, I experienced a touching lecture on kindness - check it out!

Songkran Cambodia is when wet dreams come true

During the Khmer New Year, bigger Cambodian towns get empty. Many businesses close their doors as families get together, dress up in colorful Hawaiian-style shirts, play traditional games, eat good food, drink, and spray each other with water. Traveling becomes more complicated, as buses fill up with locals and their presents for the relatives they visit.

This means that Phnom Penh and Siem Reap should probably not be on the top of your list if you want to experience authentic Cambodia during Chaul Chnam Thmey.

However, Battambang, the second largest Cambodian city, is a good compromise. It offers a buzzing center with market stalls and restaurants, but also the proximity of its rural suburbs makes it an excellent place to experience the extraordinary local traditions.

If you need to engage in any war next April, choose the friendliest one – Songkran Festival Cambodia!

How to get to Battambang in Cambodia for Songkran?

Based on preferences and budget, there are different ways to get from Siem Reap to Battambang for the wild water festival of Songkran.

• You can fly down to Phnom Penh and then catch a connecting flight to Battambang Airport or take a taxi or minivan to reach your destination.
• There are several bus operators operating buses from Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and other Cambodian cities to Battambang. The journey is between 4-8 hours, depending on the stops.
• If you want comfort, air conditioning, and quick service, minivans are a great alternative to buses but they are slightly more expensive.
• Taxis operate as well and are one of the most expensive choices but they offer a lot of flexibility and convenience, which is great for families with children or senior citizens.

Songkran Cambodia / Khmer New Year dates in 2025, 2026, and 2027

• 2025 – Khmer New Year falls from 13 to 15 April
• 2026 – Khmer New Year falls from 14 to 16 April
• 2027 – Khmer New Year falls from 14 to 16 April

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The post Songkran Cambodia: Water Fight Festival for Khmer New Year appeared first on Pipeaway.