When I get off the plane in Singapore, a wave of happiness passes over me. Landing here is always a joy, and Singapore is easily one of my favourite places in the world.
Often the changeover point on flights between Europe and Australia/SE Asia, I’ve enjoyed multiple trips here; everything from short layovers to week-long breaks. Now, whilst I would absolutely recommend staying at least a few days in Singapore, sometimes that’s just not an option and you have to make the most of the time you’ve got available.
So, read on to discover my guide to help you plan an ultimate short layover (<24 hours) to this wonderful country to maximise your time here!
In Singapore for longer than 24 hours? Check out my 2 Day Itinerary: HERE
Contents
- Contents
- Practical Layover Information
- A Short Layover: 2-5 Hours
- A Medium Layover: 5-8 hours
- A Long Layover: 8 – 24 Hours
- Decided to make a longer trip of it?
Practical Layover Information
How long is needed for a Singapore Layover?
It depends on what you want to see:
- >2hrs will enable you to see some of the amazing attractions airside in the airport
- >5hrs will enable you to see Jewel, the iconic indoor waterfall
- >8hrs will enable you to head in to Central Singapore and see some of the main sites.
Where can I store my luggage?
If you are on a short layover and don’t want to take any luggage with you on your explorations, then you can leave it in locker storage. Every terminal offers this, and luggage storage is well signed throughout the airport.
Important note: Laptops larger than A4 size are not permitted to be stored, so be prepared to have a backpack or other means of carrying them with you all day.
Other important Singapore layover tips
- If you’re leaving the airport, you’ll need to pass through immigration and therefore need a Visa or Arrival Card depending on your nationality/country of arrival.
- Consider the time of your visit – if your layover is at night, you won’t be able to see a lot of attractions in the city as they’ll be closed. Think about staying in the airport if that’s the case (there’s still lots to see!).
A Short Layover: 2-5 Hours
If you have less than 5 hours on your layover then I recommend staying airside in Changi Airport so you don’t have the stress of having to clear immigration. That’s not bad news though because the airport is a destination in and of itself, often being ranked the best airport in the world. You can easily hop about between terminals air side by walking or using the sky trains to see all of them!
Important note: Sky trains run between each of the terminals, but only operate between 5am-2am. You can also walk between Terminals 1, 2 and 3 airside any time (the full walk will take around 45mins-1hr).
Here are some ideas of what to see and do in each of the terminals if you decide to stay airside during your layover.
Terminal 1
- Airport Wellness Oasis
- Rooftop Jaacuzzi
- Cactus Garden
- Discovery Garden
- Water Lily Garden
Terminal 2
- Cinema
- Entertainment Deck
- Orchid Garden
- Sunflower Garden
- Enchanted Garden
- Dreamscape
Terminal 3
- Butterfly Garden (the world’s first in an airport)
- Koi Pond
- Crystal Garden
- FREE cinema
- The Slide @ T3, the world’s tallest airport slide!
Terminal 4
Terminal 4 can only be reached via bus, and is not walkable from T1-3; therefore I don’t recommend visiting it if you’re pushed for time.
- Arcade games room
- Heritage zone showing traditional shop fronts and houses
- Petalclouds, a beautiful central sculpture.
Each terminal also offers a combination of:
- Airport hotels – where you can pay by the hour to freshen up
- Transit hotels – for example, The Ambassador Transit Hotel in T2 lets you use showers, have massages or even get a foot spa
- Luggage storage – allowing you to explore the airport more freely.
Top Tip: If you’re flying with Singapore Airlines, or some other airlines/booking providers, you can claim your transit reward that is valued from SGD $20 at any of the iShopChangi Collection Centers at the transit areas of Terminals 2 and 3 (open 24 hours daily). Check before you fly if you qualify!
A Medium Layover: 5-8 hours
Visit Jewel
Important note: Jewel is land side in Singapore. Therefore to visit Jewel, you will need a visa/arrival card and to pass through Immigration and back again, which is why I recommend ensuring you have at least 5 hours so you have time to do this.
Whilst the indoor waterfall is truly one of the most beautiful airport offerings in the world, Jewel also has a lot more to offer (please note, some of these are paid attractions):
- Waterfall light show at 8pm and 9pm every evening
- Forest valley
- Canopy garden
- Hedge maze
- Bouncing nets
- Over 150 shops
- Over 120 restaurants
In total, we found we needed around 2hrs in Jewel to explore around the waterfall, visit a couple of the other attractions and grab some food at one of the many eateries. If you just want to see the waterfall, it will only take you a few minutes!
A Long Layover: 8 – 24 Hours
With 8 – 24 hours on offer, you have a couple of options.
- If you have <12 hours, I recommend making use of one of Changi’s most amazing offers – FREE Singapore tours.
- If you have >12hours, I recommend a DIY independent adventure in to Singapore.
Changi Airport Free Tours
Changi airport offer 4 free tours, all lasting 2.5 hours (and requiring reporting to the booth 1.5hrs before that in the booths at T2 and T3). Tours only run from 9am-7pm :
- City Sights Tour – to see Singapore’s Merlion and Gardens by the Bay (outdoor area only; you do not get to go inside the Cloud Forest).
- Jewel Tour – to see Jewel within the airport on a guided basis.
- Heritage Tour – visit China Town and Kampong Glam in the city.
- Changi Precinct Tour – visit the east side of Singapore, away from the hustle and bustle of the city
You can check full details and get more information: HERE.
Important note: To do any of these tours, you will have needed to store your bags in advance air side in T2/T3, and have ready your passport, boarding passes, valid entry visa/arrival card and tour booking confirmation to enable you to pass through immigration (go to the T2/T3 tour booths first, do not pass immigration independently).
Explore Independently
I only recommend doing this with more than 12 hours, and if you have some day time in this layover timeframe (pre 9pm) to enjoy attractions that are open in the city. This is because you will have to clear immigration, travel to the city centre, and come back to the airport and clear immigration again.
My suggestions below of things to do will take around 8 hours in total (giving plenty of time for immigration), and enable you to see some of the highlights of the city.
- Gardens by the Bay – The most famous attraction in Singapore, Gardens by the Bay are utterly incredible. Prioritise the Cloud Dome, but also make sure you see the Flower Dome and walk under the incredible Supertrees. Also consider walking the OCBC Skyway between the trees for beautiful views out over Marina Bay. Allow yourself at least 2-3 hours here.
- Marina Bay Sands – Another Singapore landmark, Marina Bay Sands is well worth visiting. You might want to visit the observation deck, go inside the vast shopping area inside for some lunch, or just stroll around the harbour where it sits.
- China Town – Explore the wonderful temples, and world famous Hawker Markets (Lau Pa Sat and Maxwell Food Centre) to get some cheap and delicious traditional food and see some temples.
- Merlion Park – Crossing the harbour brings you to Merlion park. Singapore is known as the land of the lion and the statue in the park is a symbol of the country.
How do I get from the Airport to the city?
- The easiest and quickest way is to take a taxi, taking around 20 minutes and costing S$30.
- Alternatively you could take public transport, the MRT, though this will take over an hour and require a change. It only costs S$6 though, so it’s a choice whether you prioritise time or cost.
Top Tip: Depending on your flight times, you could then choose to collapse in the world’s best airport hotel, The Crowne Plaza, to freshen up before your onward flight. Rooms can be booked overnight, or during the day in blocks of 4, 6 or 8 hours. Perfect!
Decided to make a longer trip of it?
You can read my full recommended Singapore Itinerary for a longer stay: HERE
Singapore definitely warrants more than 24 hours to do it justice. It can be much more than a layover, and is a destination in and of itself. Some further highlights include:
- Little India – a wonderful region full of incredible shops and restaurants, temples, and heritage centres.
- Kampong Glam – an area home to a stunning mosque, lovely picturesque lanes and street art.
- Civic District – the area of Singapore home to Colonial era buildings and parks such as Fort Canning Park, Raffles Hotel and The National Museum of Singapore.
- Singapore Botanic & National Orchid Garden – the most stunning FREE Botanic Garden, full of beautiful plants in a tropical setting.
- Sentosa Island – home to a multitude of attractions and theme parks, such as Universal Studios.
- Orchard Road – for world class shopping.
- Southern Ridges and Mount Faber – for epic views and hiking in a secondary rainforest, in the middle of a major city.
- Haw Par Villa – An insanely fun theme park depicting Chinese folklore is awesome as something a bit different.
- Plus lots more!
So there you have it, my ultimate Singapore layover guide! I hope you found it helpful if you’re planning your own layover. I love this city, and hope I managed to maybe even convince you that you need to stay a little longer than just a few hours.
What do you think? What would you do if you had a layover here, or do you have any other tips and hints to add? Let me know in the comments below.
Stay safe and happy travelling!
Travelling Han 
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