Singapore

Jewel Singapore

What to do (and not do) in the Jewel at Singapore’s Changi Airport

I wanted to live in Singapore’s Changi Airport for 24 hours. I know that sounds weird, but it is the number one airport in the world. The airport has four terminals and the Jewel. This article is part two of my guide to Singapore’s airport. Part one covers the terminals, while part two covers the Jewel. 

Part One – How to spend 24 hours in Singapore’s Changi Airport

Honestly, skip the jewel and spend the 24 hours exploring the airport terminals unless you have extra time. There is even a secret way to see the world’s tallest indoor waterfall without leaving the terminals.

What is the Jewel at Singapore’s Changi Airport?

The Jewel is a mall that is open to the public. The centerpiece is the world’s tallest indoor waterfall.

What is the layout of the Jewel?

L4/L5 of the Jewel appeared to be kid-oriented. L3 had the majority of sit-down restaurants. L1-L3 was dedicated to shopping. Let me rephrase: high-end shopping. B2 had a food court and a grocery store. 

Where to Stay?

We spent one night at the YotelAir, which was outside security. We landed late at night, and staying at the YotelAir was the easiest. They have free coffee in the morning and a sitting area overlooking the mall with internet. It is a great place to get work done. 

What about luggage?

Please store your luggage if you are visiting the Jewel for the day. We spent too much time dodging people’s large bags. The baggage storage in the Jewel is located on Level 1 (near the Early Check-In Lounge). Due to the long walk, I recommend picking up your luggage before heading to the terminals. There are places to store your luggage in the terminals themselves. Baggage storage is available 24 hours a day. See prices here

Get a Free Singapore Sling 

Get a free Singapore Sling at the Tapas Bar if flying on Singapore Airlines. Simply present boarding pass and spend SGD 30. The Tapas bar is located on Level 3.

What unique attractions are in the Jewel?

Motorized “Children” Animal Ride

Outside the Yotel were motorized animals that you (children) could ride a part of the mall. These are for children, and the first person I asked said I was not allowed to ride them, but I asked another woman who begrudgingly agreed. It costs SGD 12 for five rides. Cliff ended up with the slowest animal and was getting lapped but all the children.

Foosball

We found a foosball table, and we had to play a round. I lost. 

Shiseido Forest Valley’s West Trail

The best way to experience the waterfall from inside the Jewel is the Shiseido Forest Trail. This walkway is accessible from each level and winds down the side of the wall surrounding the waterfall. Best Part: It’s Free

What attractions should be avoided in the Jewel?

Canopy Park

DO NOT DO! This includes the Hedge Maze, Mirror Maze, Walking Net and Bouncing Net! It was SGD 54 for an adult. Each attraction is a small walkthrough with nothing more interesting than the jewel itself. 

Entrance to Canopy Park (It doesn’t get much more exciting)

Canopy Bridge

DO NOT DO! The Canopy Bridge is a 100 feet long glass-bottom walkway with the same view as the free walkway 10 ft away. 

Avoid the Elevators

The elevators take forever and are full of people and luggage. Take the Shiseido Forest Valley’s west trail for a quicker trip and a better view.

Everyone needs a photo with the waterfall

You can not visit Singapore’s Changi Airport without seeing the infamous waterfall, but that doesn’t mean you must visit the Jewel. There is a way to see the waterfall without even leaving security, and in my opinion, the view is more impressive. Take the train between terminals 2 and 3. It passes through the Jewel next to the waterfall. You can take the train both landslide and airside.

If you are a shopper or foodie, then the Jewel might be for you, but I think there are better ways to spend your 24 hours living in the mall. Check out my guide to spending 24 hours in Singapore’s Changi Airport.

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How to Spend 24 Hours in Singapore’s Changi Airport

It might sound wild to want to live in an airport for 24 hours, but Singapore’s Changi Airport is ranked #1 in the world. Imagine an airport where you can lounge by the pool, watch a movie, and ride a bike. You can also shop at the Jewel, a mall that is famous for the largest indoor waterfall.

DisclaimerAlthough the waterfall is breathtaking, skip the Jewel unless you have more than 24 hours to explore the airport. If you decide to check out the Jewel, check out my next blog on the Do’s and Don’t of visiting the Jewel. 

So, what can you do for 24 hours in Singapore’s Changi Airport?

See the World’s Largest Indoor Waterfall at the Changi Airport Jewel 

Yes, you are reading that right. I don’t recommend going into the Jewel, but I do recommend seeing the waterfall. In fact, the best way to see it without a 100 tourists in your way is from above. Take the Skytrain that connects Terminals 2 & 3. The train, accessible without leaving security, slowly passes through the Jewel right next to the waterfall.

Everyone needs a photo with the waterfall

Rent a Bicycle and Do Some Plane Spotting

Nothing about this airport should shock you. GoCycling, part of Hub and Spoke, rents bikes by the hour that will take you around the airport and through the Changi Jurassic Mile – a short one-kilometer paved path with life-size dinosaurs, both plant and human eaters. Be brave and rent a tandem. Cliff and I did and we are still talking.

Disclaimer: First, the signs and map make it seem like Hub and Spoke is in the airport. It is not. It is a trek from the Jewel and other terminals. Second, we assumed they would have a place to lock up our luggage, but instead, we had to pay for shower access and lock up our luggage in a small locker room. Later, we passed a row of bike lockers near the rental counter that was cheaper and the perfect size for our luggage.

I also want to thank Cliff for riding a bicycle midday in hot and humid Singapore. And with a smile on his face.

Get a Workout In

Hahahaha… that’s funny. However, multiple gyms are located throughout the terminals for all the overachievers. Several lounges had fitness centers either free or with a day pass. A gym is also available at Hub and Spoke and the pool. Yes. I did say pool.

Tip: Lounge Pass

Buy a lounge membership. Free Alcohol, Free food, free showers, free nap rooms, free fitness centers (boo) and did I mention FREE Alcohol.

Take a Nap Without Leaving Security

We didn’t want to be completely miserable and exhausted for our long flight home, so we decided to get a little horizontal sleep. We did entertain the thought of canceling our reservation and just napping in the lounge so we had more time to play, but then responsible Cliff decided it was a bad idea. Don’t tell him, but he was right. We reserved a room at the Aerotel Transit Hotel, located right in the Terminal. It wasn’t cheap but convenient. Rooms are reserved by the hour, but I promise it’s not “that type” of hotel. The reservation includes access to the pool and free room service.

Eat at the Lounge

Save money on expensive airport food and drinks. Go to a lounge and eat and drink for free all day. Singapore has 26 Lounges. Many are included in a priority pass membership or through specific credit cards. If you still need to go down the lounge rabbit hole, certain lounges will allow you to purchase a day pass. Use loungebuddy.com to see what lounges are available.

Lounge by the Pool

Imagine spending the day poolside lounging in your cabana and drinking piña coladas under the clear blue sky. It sounds like the perfect day. Would you believe you could spend your three-hour layover in this situation? 

At Changi airport, you can. The pool and attached Aerobar are part of the Aerotel, but day passes are available. There are also showers and a fitness center. Just beware that the pool is only open from 1200-2200. On his last visit, Cliff attempted to go to the pool after 2200 and was a very sad human. 

Tip: Don’t Shower at the Pool 

If you are from the East Coast, you will understand the phrase “sweating in the shower.” The bathroom is very humid and not refreshing. There are showers in most lounges, and in the case you do not have a lounge pass are pay-per-use.

Get Fresh Air and Visit the Gardens

Being allowed to get fresh air while waiting for your plane is rare, especially in the United States. Singapore Changi’s airport has multiple gardens to escape screaming children and frustrated parents.

Check out the Art in Changi’s Terminals

Singapore’s airport is well known for its art. There is art throughout the airport that make good photo ops for all you Instagrammers out there. Cliff wanted me to see the Immersive Wall in T4, but there is no airside connection between T4 and the rest of the terminals, meaning you must leave and re-enter security. I am okay with leaving security, but it takes extra time that we didn’t have. More proof that 24 hours is NOT enough time in the airport.

Take a Ride on the 3-Story Slide

It was closed. I was very sad, but it looked awesome and a little scary. 

Have a Date Night at the Movies

There is a movie theater in Terminal 3 (Airside). It is open 24 hours; the best part is the price free. It is also a great place to take a nap.

Movie Theater

This list is just a sampling of how to spend 24 hours in Singapore’s Changi Airport. Cliff and I agreed that we could have easily explored the airport another day. I successfully marked an item on my bucket list, but I still need to return and ride that slide. 

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Travel Tattoo Sam Kuok

​Travel Goal: A Tattoo in Every Country

Every year thousands of people travel to Thailand. Some travelers leave with a cheap “same, same but different” shirt. Others leave with a traditional bamboo tattoo.

Bamboo Tattoos

The art of bamboo tattoos originated in Southeast Asia and is said to go back over 3000 years. In Thailand, bamboo tattoos began with monks in Buddhist temples who received these tattoos as a religious text. The process of getting a bamboo tattoo begins with a bamboo rod. Very fine needles are attached to the end of the rod. Ink is applied, and the needles are tapped by hand into the skin. It is not as painful as it sounds.

Tattoo and Muay Thai

Last year, I traveled to Thailand with some friends. After four days of walking by what seemed like endless tattoo shops, I gave in. 

The fact that I jumped into a Muay Thai Ring fifteen minutes later was not an indication of my state of mind. Nor was the fact I had been drinking all day.

Muay Thai Fight
Getting ready for my fight.
Muay Thai Fight Thailand
I won a free bucket of booze!

Honestly, I had been thinking about getting a bamboo tattoo, and I do not regret it. I grabbed my friend Chris to come with me while my other friends held down our table at the bar. I walked into the tattoo shop and realized I had no idea what to get. I knew I wanted a word related to travel.

After throwing some words out, Chris said, “Journey.” Perfect. Sold. The guy translated journey into Thai, and another guy tattooed what I hoped was the correct translation on my foot. Worst case scenario, it said penis. Either way, it would be a good story.

Journey in Thai Language
“Journey”

And it begins…

Months later, I was heading to Spain. It was then that I set a goal to get ink in every country I visited. It needed to be in the native language and be related to travel. I decided I will place each tattoo in a line down my back.

These tattoos have become a representation of my travels. A souvenir that I do not throw in a drawer and forget. Each one has taught me something about an area of the world I have never previously been to.

Ready for Travel tattoo in Kuala Lumpur
Ready for my tattoo in Malaysia

Anar pel mon

Catalonia was once an autonomous province in the northeast corner of Spain. In 1714, Barcelona, along with the rest of Catalonia, fell to the Spanish and lost its autonomy. Its native language, Catalan, was almost lost along with it. There was an attempt at a revival in the early 1900s, but in 1939, the racist regime that had emerged imposed a harsh penalty for anyone who spoke it. Finally, in 1978, democracy was restored, and Catalan was revived once again. Even to the point of required schools in the region to only instruct in Catalan. 

I was introduced to the language when I was visiting Barcelona in 2017. I knew I wanted a tattoo representing Spain. I preferred not to get a tattoo in Spanish because that could represent many countries. Anar pel mon’ is a Catalan phrase that roughly translates to “Go for the World.” 

Catalonia Map BBC
Catalonia Region in Spain

Japanese Kanji

I was in Japan snowboarding. I dragged my friends and our snowboard bags through downtown Tokyo in the early morning. I only had a few hours to get a tattoo before my flight. 

The first kanji is “journey,” and the second is “to go.” Together they become a verb as in traveling or currently in motion on a treck.

Bunga Raya

I spent two weeks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In 1960, two years after receiving independence, ‘Bunga Raya’ was named Malaysia’s national flower. The hibiscus flower has vibrant colors that symbolize the courage and vitality of the people. Bunga Raya literally means “celebratory flower” and reflects the celebration of unity in the nation.

Bunga Raya Malaysia
New Tattoo in Malaysia Bunga Raya

Zamrud Khatulistwa

Zumrud Khatulistiwa is Bahasa Indonesian for “Emerald of the Equator.” Indonesia has this nickname due to its green and lush tropical rainforests and its geographic position along the equator. I need to thank my friend Firman from Tribe for this tattoo idea. Firman is the ‘night guy’ at the hostel I was staying at, and since I’m always up all night, we became fast friends. He loves history and would teach me all about Indonesia. Thanks, Firman!

Start Somewhere

The script on my back translates to “Start Somewhere.” I spent three months in Bali, Indonesia. Bahasa Bali or Balinese is a language specific to the island of Bali. Traditionally the language is written in script, natively known as Aksara Bali. Aksara Bali is a dying language. It can be seen on buildings and signs throughout the island, but very few people still read and write it. Through my tattoo, I am doing my part to help keep the language alive.

Travel Tattoo Catalan, Malay, Japanese, Behasa, Aksara Bali
Five down and many more to go.

And many more…

Someday I will be old and senile, living in a nursing home. A young, hot care tech will be giving me a bed bath. He will ask about my stretched and faded tattoos. I will be reminded of all the places I have traveled and all the people I have met. And that will make every painful tattoo worth it. 

(I did confirm that my Thailand tattoo does indeed say “Journey”… I am tempted to get “Don’t Stop Believing” on my other foot.)

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