After our early start at NAIA Terminal 3, we finally landed at Singapore’s Changi Airport Terminal 1. Apok and Jaden were on the same flight, so we walked out of the gate together, with Grae too, ready to start our family vacation.
Landing at Changi T1
If you’ve flown into Singapore, you know Changi doesn’t feel like a normal airport. The floors are carpeted, the halls are bright and clean, and everything just works. The kids were wide awake after the flight. The little one held a hand and walked through the hall like he owned the place, while the older one pulled a suitcase piled high with bags and still had energy to look around.
After all the packing and the early call time in Manila, it felt good to finally be in Singapore, all of us together, with a few days ahead to explore before the cruise.
Our First Stop: the Jewel Changi Rain Vortex
We didn’t rush out to the city. Instead, we stayed and roamed around Changi, because the airport has its own tourist spots. The big one, of course, is the Rain Vortex at Jewel.
The Rain Vortex is a huge indoor waterfall that pours down from the middle of a glass dome, surrounded by trees and plants on every level. Photos don’t do it justice. You hear it before you see it, and once you’re standing in front of it, it’s hard not to just stop and stare. It’s one of those places where everyone, kids and adults, pulls out their phones at the same time.
If you’re planning a Singapore family trip with a layover or extra time at the airport, Jewel is worth the walk. It’s free to see, it’s indoors, and it’s a great way for kids to stretch their legs after a flight.
Feeding the dinosaurs
Next, we had to feed the dinosaurs. It was a big hit with the kids, and it’s one of the fun surprises you don’t expect to find at an airport. For little ones who’ve been sitting on a plane, a stop like this makes all the difference, and the grown-ups had just as much fun watching them.
A nostalgic lunch at A&W
Then it was time to eat again, and this time it had to be A&W.
This one meant a lot to us. Apok and I used to eat at A&W along Makati Avenue when we were young, so sitting down at an A&W in Singapore, years later and with our own kids beside us, was a very nostalgic moment. Medyo mahal lang dito, but it was absolutely worth it for the memories. Burgers, the famous root beer float and family all around: it felt like going back in time, just in a different country.
It was a new experience for the kids too. For them it was just a fun lunch with their family. For us, it was a little piece of our childhood that we got to share with them.
A big thank you to Mamita Rosana for sponsoring part of our lunch!
Tips for visiting Changi Airport with kids
If you’re flying into Singapore with children, here’s what worked for us:
- Don’t leave the airport right away. Changi is a destination on its own, so give yourself a few hours to walk around.
- See the Rain Vortex at Jewel. It’s indoors, free to visit and great for photos.
- Plan a food stop. The kids will be hungry after the flight, and there are plenty of choices, including A&W.
- Travel together if you can. Flying with Apok and Jaden made the whole day feel special.
What’s Next: A Few Days in Singapore
We spent a couple of days in Singapore before the Disney Adventure cruise, and it all started right here at Changi Airport: a giant waterfall, a few hungry dinosaurs and a nostalgic A&W lunch. Not a bad first day at all.
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