What to Do on a Singapore Layover: Changi Airport to Marina Bay
We were so excited to have a 24-hour layover in Singapore to explore one of the top-rated airports in the world, as well as the food culture that makes this destination like nowhere else. We’ll tell you how to explore the best of Changi Airport and the city on a long Singapore layover with all the best options for local cuisine and attractions.
How to Get From Changi Airport to the City Center
Changi Airport is about 20 minutes from the city by Grab, and getting in is simple. On a Singapore layover we took Grab (the Uber of Southeast Asia) and got dropped off right in the heart of everything between Chinatown and Clarke Quay.
Pro tip: Singapore is a very walkable city and the infrastructure is built for pedestrians. We walked to Marina Bay Sands from Clarke Quay and enjoyed the views along the way. Just be mindful of the heat. Singapore is typically extremely hot and humid, so if it’s stifling, hop on the MRT to get around the city. It’s clean, efficient, and you can tap in and out with a contactless credit card.
How Much Time Do You Need for a Singapore Layover?
If you have a 3-hour or shorter layover, Changi has plenty of lounge options to rest and eat before your flight. Changi Airport is a destination itself, and you can see the famous Rain Vortex from the Skytrain if you’re staying airside.
You will have to go through immigration to explore the Jewel, because it’s landslide, but we think it’s worth it if you have at least four hours.
For a longer stop of five hours or more, you have time to explore some of our favorite things in the city, like eating at a hawker center and seeing the Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands before heading back.
An overnight layover is our favorite option. You can sample a few hawker centers and night markets, walk through the lit-up Supertrees, get a nightcap at Clarke Quay, and still have time to see the Jewel before your flight the next day.
The Free Singapore Tour for Transit Passengers
Singapore Airlines and Changi Airport offer a Free Singapore Tour for transit passengers. It’s a good way to see the city without spending anything extra. If your layover is between 5.5 and 24 hours and your flight timing fits, you can join one of four 2.5-hour bus tours, which are all conducted in English.
The City Sights Tour takes you past the Merlion, the Civic District, and the Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay. There’s also a Heritage and Culture Tour through Chinatown and Kampong Gelam, a Singapore River and Marina Bay Sands Tour, and a Sentosa Discovery Tour. You register at the tour booths in the Terminal 2 or Terminal 3 transit areas, and the group clears immigration together before the tour.
Pro tip: Book online in advance through the Changi Free Singapore Tour page, since seats are available on a first-come basis.
Where to Store Your Bags at Changi Airport
Changi Airport has secure luggage storage through Smarte Carte, and the Left Baggage counters are in every terminal plus the Jewel. Rates start at S$6 for loose items and go up depending on size, with bigger bags costing around S$11 to S$19 per 24 hours. Every bag is inspected before storage as part of security, so give yourself time.
If you’re heading into the city yourself or joining the free tour, dropping your bags is worth it. You can even store your bags to wander the Jewel. We only had backpacks under 20 pounds so we kept them with us at the Jewel, but if you’ve got heavier luggage, store it or check them early so you can walk around freely. There’s also a delivery service that will send your bags straight to your hotel if you’re staying overnight.
What to Do on a Singapore Layover
We’ve designed this guide so you can build your own adventure based on the hours you have and the best things to explore. Everything below is easy to reach by Grab, MRT or on foot if the weather is good.
Meal at a Hawker Center: Lau Pa Sat (1 Hour)
The food is the best part of Singapore and the Hawker stands are the least expensive way to explore it. Lau Pa Sat is one of the most renowned hawker centers in the city, in the middle of the Financial District, housed in a beautiful Victorian-era building surrounded by skyscrapers. It’s a contrast that feels very Singapore.
Head straight for the stalls serving Hainanese chicken rice. It sounds simple, but the poached chicken and seasoned rice are a staple for a reason. Pair it with a large Tiger beer and find a seat among fellow travelers. For two large beers and two full meals, we paid $32. If you’re there after 7 PM, they close the adjacent street to set up Satay Street, where the charcoal grills add a whole new experience.
If you have more time, wander over to Chinatown to explore Maxwell Food Center and more of what makes Singapore special.
Marina Bay Sands Observation Deck or Dinning at Spago (1 to 1.5 hours)
One of the highlights of any Singapore trip is seeing the Marina Bay Sands, both the view of it and the view from it. Most people pay about $30 for the observation deck, and that’s a great option. You need to see Singapore from up high, and the view here is spectacular.
We took a different route and booked lunch at Wolfgang Puck’s Spago on the 57th floor of the hotel instead. You only need to spend about $25 per person to dine at Spago, so if you want the view without the observation-deck crowds, this is the way to do it. The famous infinity pool is strictly for hotel guests, and the staff are serious about enforcing it, but you still get the open views of the city from the bar and lounge. The food, the ambiance, and the service were all fantastic, and it felt much more relaxed and luxe than to the deck with everyone else. It the observation deck does give you more expansive views.
Points Tip: Because Spago is inside Marina Bay Sands, our meal posted to our credit card as a hotel expense, which let us use the Capital One Purchase Eraser to cover it with miles.
Gardens by the Bay (1 hour)
We love this spot day or night, and you should check it out either way, but it’s best at night. The conservatories have entry fees, but the outdoor gardens and the Supertree Grove are free. Seeing the Supertrees light up at night is spectacular. The scale of the structures is impressive, and the atmosphere is surprisingly quiet for such a major attraction. We spent about an hour wandering and taking in the views.
Cocktail at Clarke Quay (30 minutes to 1 hour, add 40 minutes to walk from Gardens by the Bay)
If you still have time, take the 35-minute walk from Gardens by the Bay to Clarke Quay. You’ll pass by the Merlion and Singapore Flyer and end at the best spot for a drink before heading back to the airport. Clarke Quay is the center of Singapore’s nightlife, filled with restored warehouses that now house bars and restaurants. It’s expensive, and we spent $50 on a round of cocktails, but the energy is worth experiencing. It’s a great spot to relax with a drink and do some people-watching.
Don’t Skip the Jewel at Changi Airport
Even if you never leave the airport, Changi is a destination on its own, and the Jewel is the main attraction. It’s a massive retail and entertainment complex connected to the terminals, with the Rain Vortex, the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, as its centerpiece. Unfortunately it’s on the land side, so you will have to clear security and immigration after visiting. We gave ourselves an extra hour to check it out, but it’s worth it even to duck in for a few minutes to see the Rain Vortex.
You can take the internal airport train that passes right by the waterfall for a unique photo angle from inside the terminal.
Where to Stay in Singapore for an Overnight Layover
If your layover is long enough to need a hotel, stay close to the action so you can walk to dinner and the waterfront. Here are our picks by budget.
Budget: Ibis Budget. At around $137 a night, it’s very basic (with just a shower head, sink, and toilet in the bathroom) but the location worked perfectly for our 24-hour stay. It’s clean and functional, nothing more, and a good place to sleep and shower on a short trip. Save your points for something nicer if you have a longer stay.
Mid-Range: The Clan Hotel. At around $250 a night, this is a noticeable upgrade and right next to the Maxwell Food Centre, which is home to the famous Tian Tian Hainanese chicken rice. It’s a great balance of affordability, location, and a little luxe, and it’s top of our list for next time.
Luxe-for-Less: Andaz Singapore. This is a beautiful property that usually costs $400 or more a night, but you can book it with 25,000 Hyatt points transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards. The rooms and the rooftop restaurant look divine, and it’s a splurge we’d take with points.
Singapore Layover FAQs
Is a Singapore Layover Worth It?
Yes, and even the airport alone is worth it. Changi Airport is about 20 minutes from the city by Grab, getting around is easy, and even a few hours is enough for a hawker meal and a walk through the Gardens by the Bay. The Jewel and its Rain Vortex are located right outside security, so you can see them without traveling to the city,
Can You Leave the Airport on a Singapore Layover?
Yes. Transit passengers can clear immigration and head into the city, and a Grab gets you downtown in about 20 minutes. If your layover is 5.5 to 24 hours, you can also join the free Singapore Airlines city tour, which handles immigration for you as a group.
What Is There to Do at Changi Airport?
Plenty, but you do need to clear immigration for the best of it. The Jewel and its Rain Vortex, the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, are located outside security, along with gardens, shops, and dining. If you want to stay airside, Changi Airport also has lounges, showers, and rest areas if you want to relax before a flight. You can also take the Skytrain to see the Rain Vortex.
Is There Luggage Storage at Changi Airport?
Yes. Changi Airport has 24-hour luggage storage through Smarte Carte, with Left Baggage counters in every terminal and at the Jewel. Rates start around S$6 for small items and go up by size. Every bag is inspected before storage, so allow a few extra minutes.
How Do You Get From Changi Airport to Marina Bay Sands?
A Grab is the fastest and easiest option at about 20 minutes door to door from Changi Airport to Marina Bay Sands and the city center. Once you’re downtown, the MRT is great for getting around in the heat, and you tap in with a contactless credit card.
What Should You Do on a Short Singapore Layover?
Start or end with the Jewel, since it’s right outside security and be sure to see the Rain Vortex. If you have five hours or more, grab a ride into the city for Hainanese chicken rice at a hawker center and to see the Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay. Save Clarke Quay and Marina Bay Sands for a longer stop or an overnight.
Have you done a Singapore layover? Let us know what you got up to in the comments.