Why I Love Singapore

At one point in my life I have come to the realization of my childhood dream – to travel the world. Not given the chance yet to explore all seven continents, I am quite happy with what I have already accomplished for the past three years. Amongst the highlights of my journey to Asia is the beautiful Lion City which I know I won’t ever stop visiting, even at countless time. The reason is simply this: I am very much impressed not only with the stunning cityscape but also its sanitation. Apparently, the absence of eyesore such as garbage and beggars in pubic makes the city impressing to both locals and tourists.

May first visit in October 2012 was so short that I was only able to go see the famous Marina Bay Sands and its Sky Park, the spectacular Resorts World Sentosa where the Universal Studios is, and a taste of Arab Street and the East Coast plus a few great places for shopping and night clubbing. However, I was not able to fully explore the city including its grandeur Changi Airport until my next visit a year later.

So in the last part of October 2013, my mission to discover the Changi Airport was accomplished. With my 17-hour lay over prior to my flight to Bangkok, I grasped my chance of horsing around all three Terminals via the Sky Train. It has been one of the most excellent tours I’ve ever had aside from purging my possibility of getting bored waiting for my next flight. Commuting through the hectic Sky Train opened the opportunity for me to take snap shots outside and around the airport. Thanks to the friendly guys at Fans of Changi for their best tips – I got to see the best spots inside and outside the edifice!

Fascinating lanes to Changi Airport
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My Awe-inspiring Changi Experience

It was Friday, 25^thof October - the day that I expected to spend 17 hours inside Changi Airport in Singapore. Bored? Not at all since I got to utilize my time exploring all three terminals via the amazing sky train. My aircraft landed 35 minutes before midnight of 24^th so after clearing the immigration, I proceeded to the nearest Left Baggage counter and checked my luggage in, which did cost me SG$4.30. I stayed at the Terminal 2 Arrival hall public area during the night, slept on the plastic benches with no pillow but only a scarf to keep me warm.

Morning did come fast which made me more excited to go around the terminals. And to make the story short, I took the sky train and I was able to spot the airport tower with the Crowne Plaza Hotel adjacent to it along with the airport highways emblazoned with thick mass of pink flowers. Click! Click! There were lots of stunning scenes to take photos of. I was privileged to witness the synchronized movement of the renowned Kinetic Rain, while the Slide@T3 was among the best spots in my list, yet too bad it was closed that day.

When I checked in for my next flight, I got more chance of seeing the Terminal 2 wonders which included the Sunflower Garden, the Orchid Garden and Koi Pond, together with the Cinema and Internet free stations. Awww, not much words to say - let the following photos explain how I really felt!

Awesome huh! Have you ever been to Changi?

World's Paramount Airport - I've Been There!

Six weeks more and it’s off I go!

While making slight preps for my upcoming jaunt, I make sure that all tickets [airline tickets and theme park admission tickets] are set and paid including hotel and tour reservations. I have talked to my host and all itineraries are laid and scheduled, picking up only the best places to see and great food to eat [so to make sure that I won’t miss anything that I would regret in my comeback]. But one issue has left me a dilemma lately – my primary airline rescheduled my flight so instead of a 5-hour stopover, I now have a whooping 17 hours of airport idleness prior to catching up on my next flight. But the good thing is that, I will be taking a break at the World’s Top Airport – the Changi Airport!

See more on SKYTRAX World Airport Awards
If you are a certified nomad, you would have heard the buzz about Changi – possibly from the news, travel blogs and advisories, or even from friends that have been there. As per the record, Changi grabbed the first place in 2012-2013 World’s Top 100 Airports by SKYTRAX. It is Asia’s major aviation hub connecting tons of flights daily to Australia, Southeast Asia, Middle East, Europe, and North America, to name a few. With this, the Changi Group continues to provide all the comfort while one travels. Currently, there are three terminals that compose Changi – Terminal 1, 2, and 3, and an upcoming Terminal 4 is at watch as the administration has demolished the old Budget Airport. Skytrain is used to connect passengers going through and from all the terminals. Inside Changi is a generous selection of shops – designer’s brands, novelty, and restaurants while at the transit area are several gardens that truly ease everyone from a long and tiring flight. What’s amazing is that Changi also offers free rest areas, napping areas [with corresponding fee], transit hotels, cinemas, free WiFi, entertainment zone, and baggage counters. With all these, you can wisely make use of your time exploring inside and leave boredom during your connecting trips.

Since I have already mentioned about the best airport in the world, let me just revisit another huge aviation core in Asia – the Hong Kong International Airport which ranks as the 4^th. Hong Kong International Airport is currently the world’s busiest cargo gateway and one of the world's busiest passenger airports. It is the home for the renowned Cathay Pacific, and the rest of Hong Kong and Asian airlines that cater flights to London, Sydney, Tokyo, Singapore, India, Osaka, Seoul, and more.

When I first stepped on the floor of Hong Kong International Airport, I felt especially different ambiance with the huge area topped with luxurious lounges, restrooms, interior finishes, and train that connects within the premises. Because the airport is enormous, expect some confusion and possible lost when you are a first-timer and are poor with directions. However, this technologically-advanced airport along with its congenial Immigration Officers made me revisited the city a year later.

As a traveler, I get to appreciate the airports that I got to set a foot on, and gladly, I’ve been to the best airport in the world, and will be there again in the near future. See you soon Changi!

Which airport have you been to? Share me your stories and photos.