[Updated 17 Jul 2020] Whether you're a local or a visitor, Jewel Changi Airport has astounded many with the incredible attractions it offers. In fact, there's so much to see that we've written up a guide for Muslim travellers for exploring this one-of-a-kind airport destination! And while several of Jewel's attractions and retail offerings were closed during the circuit-breaker, most have now reopened for business since earlier this month! So if you're looking for halal food at Jewel, want to know about attractions like the canopy park or the shops you can't miss, check out this video below and read on for full details.

Current promotions and health and safety measures as of July 2020

With its reopening in Phase 2 of Circuit-Breaker, Jewel has stepped up on its safety measures and is also offering special promotions for guests, including the following:

For visitors looking to enjoy the Canopy Park and other paid attractions, do note that bookings must be made online beforehand. Jewel is currently offering 3 months unlimited access to their attractions when you purchase any of their Bundle Packages between now until 10 Aug 2020, with prices starting from SGD39 for children and SG59 for adults. You can find out more here.
For those looking to shop, Jewel Changi Airport will offer GST-absorbed prices at participating stores (more than 100 of them) when you spend $80 and above in a single same-day receipt at participating retail stores every Friday to Sunday between now until 26 July 2020. In addition, you can redeem an SGD10 Jewel voucher as well as an SGD5 Grab voucher OR a two-hour carpark coupon when the receipt is from a B1 retail store. You can find out more here.
To ensure the wellbeing of guests and staff, Jewel has implemented several safety measures including enhanced cleaning and disinfection of the premises, as well as the use of SafeEntry for contact tracing purposes. In addition, the attractions at Canopy Park have all been accorded the SG Clean certification. Don't forget to wear a mask and observe social distancing practices while visiting!

What is Jewel Changi Aiport?

Jewel Changi Aiport is an all-in-one mall and attraction located at the centre of Changi Airport between Terminals 1, 2 and 3. It previously used to be the open-air carpark of T1, and has now been transformed into a unique development meant to cater to both travellers transiting through Changi Airport as well as people residing in Singapore who just want to visit for leisure ? At a whopping cost of SGD1.7bn to develop, you can expect some pretty amazing things from Jewel, including indoor gardens and canopy parks, shops, restaurants, and airport facilities (which we'll go through in detail below!).

Getting there

Note: Operations for the T2 and T4 terminals of Changi Airport are currently suspended. As such, Jewel is accessible only from T1 (direct access) and T3 via (link bridge). Jewel is directly connected to T1 (the area in front of the Arrivals hall has been expanded to connect seamlessly to Jewel). It is also connected to T2 and T3 via a link bridge (if you're coming from T2 and T3, the link bridge entrance is in the Departure halls on Level 2 for both terminals). If you're coming by MRT, you can get off at the Changi Airport MRT station, and proceed to the link bridge at T2 or T3 - the link bridge is covered and airconditioned, with travellators included. It's about a 5-10 minute walk ?

View of the link bridge to T3 from Jewel If you're coming from T4, there are free shuttle buses that will transport you to T2, where you can take then take the link bridge. Do note that if you're transiting at Changi, the location of Jewel is on the land site of the airport, meaning you'll have to pass through immigration to get to Jewel, then re-enter through Departures to get to your next flight.

What to see?

Jewel's crowning glory is most definitely its nature-based attractions. While Changi Airport is already known for rocking the garden concept, Jewel takes it to a whole new level with some amazing engineering feats to boot. Note: Some attractions noted below are free to enter, while others may have admission fees - where applicable, we've marked out paid attractions, as well as included the price.

1. HSBC Rain Vortex

Note: In-line with the Singapore Government's enforcement measures to limit social gatherings, the Light & Sound show at the HSBC Rain Vortex is currently suspended until further notice. At the centre of Jewel lies the HSBC Rain Vortex, a 40-metre tall indoor waterfall that is also the tallest indoor waterfall in the world ?

The waterfall is really a sight to behold. It falls from the dome of Jewel (which itself is made up of more than 9,000 glass pieces put together) and showers down all the through the centre of Jewel way to the basement floors up tp B2 (which have a glassed catchment area). The waterfall also emits fog at regular intervals, which combined with the surrounding lush greenery, makes for a dreamy effect. P.S. Get tips on the best ways to photograph the Rain Vortex and other attractions at Jewel! At night, the Rain Vortex gets transformed, with lights prettily colouring the waterfall. There is also a light and sound show, where the waterfall is shone with lights set in time to music. The shows last a few minutes and are scheduled at 8.30pm and 9.30pm nightly, though when we went during the preview they had slotted in more shows (every half hour from 7.30pm)!

2. Shiseido Forest Valley

The main greenery area where the Rain Vortex is located is known as the Shiseido Forest Valley and is filled to the brim with lush greens and plants. Meant to allow visitors to take a leisurely stroll, the valley has two walking trails (the East and West trails) that will take you around the perimeter of the valley, with both routes going upwards to Level 4. There are plenty of seats and benches along the way so you can rest and look out to the waterfall anytime you want ?

A nice thing to note is that the temperature around Shiseido Forest Valley is regulated to a cool 23 degrees Celsius, so it's always a nice and pleasant climate.

3. Canopy Park (Paid attraction)

Note: Do note that bookings must be made online in advance of your visit to Canopy Park, as capacity is currently capped at 25% to ensure proper social distancing. Jewel is currently offering 3 months unlimited access to their attractions when you purchase any of their Bundle Packages between now until 10 Aug 2020, with prices starting from SGD39 for children and SGD59 for adults. You can find out more here. Canopy Park is the space located on the topmost floor of Jewel, on Level 5. This 14,000 sqm recreational area is filled with an array of attractions and activities, promising lots of fun for the whole family! A ticket is required to enter the Canopy Park, which includes access to the Discovery Slides, Foggy Bowls, Petal Garden and Topiary Walk. Separate admission charges are required for select attractions within the park (namely Canopy Bridge, the Hedge and Mirror mazes, and the Manulife Sky Nets) - we've noted the respective prices for those attractions below where relevant. Admission fee (Canopy Park ticket): Standard rate - SGD5; SG Residents - SGD4.50 Opening hours: Sun - Thu; 10AM - 12AM; Fri, Sat & Eve of PH; 10AM - 1AM #HHWT Tip: Please note that if you're transiting at Changi Aiport, large baggage and trolleys aren't allowed into most of the attractions in Canopy Park, hence you'll have to store in the Baggage Storage facility located on Level 1 (near the Early Check-In facility in Lobby H). Canopy Bridge (separate admission fees apply)

Canopy Bridge is a bridge suspended 23 metres above ground which runs across the centre of Shiseido Forest Valley (right by the waterfall!). The bridge has a glass bottom at its centre, meaning it's probably not for those who don't like heights ?But trust us, the view is definitely worth it! Admission fee: SG resident - SGD7.20; Standard rate - SGD8 Opening hours: Open daily; 10AM-10PM Manulife Nets (separate admission fees apply)

Walking nets The Manulife Nets comprise of two net-based attractions - the walking net, which is a taut stretch of net 25 metres above ground that you can walk over, as well as the bouncing net, which is essentially a giant trampoline! We were told that if you bounce on the net, you can go up to 8-metres in height and have a lookout point that features an aerial view of the entire Canopy Park. Admission fee for Walking nets: - Standard rate: Adult - SGD15; Child - SGD10 - SG Residents: Adult - SGD13.50; Child - SGD9 Admission fee for Bouncing nets: - Standard rate: Adult - SGD22; Child - SGD16 - SG Residents: Adult - SGD19.80; Child - SGD14.40 Opening hours: Open daily; 10AM-10PM Hedge and Mirror Mazes (separate admission fees apply) The park also has two mazes - the first being the Hedge Maze, which is the largest indoor hedge maze in Singapore and will allow you to weave your way through beautifully trimmed hedges to the watchtower located in the core of the maze. There is also a Mirror Maze, which, true to its name, is made of mirror panels that guarantee some kaleidoscopic fun. It can take up to 30 minutes to go through each maze, plus it makes for beautiful Instagram pictures too! ? Admission fee for Hedge Maze: - Standard rate: Adult - SGD12; Child - SGD8 - SG Residents: Adult - SGD10.80; Child - SGD7.20 Admission fee for Mirror Maze: - Standard rate: Adult - SGD15; Child - SGD10 - SG Residents: Adult - SGD13.50; Child - SGD9 Opening hours: Open daily; 10AM-10PM Foggy Bowls

This cutely named attraction is an area of the park that is carpeted in artificial grassed and has craters scattered with cushions that you can sit on. At regular intervals, the craters will emit non-toxic fog that's safe for kids! While Foggy Bowls is aimed at providing a fun setting for kids to enjoy, though it's bound to entertain those who are just young at heart too ?

Admission fee: Included as part of the Canopy Park ticket Opening hours: Sun - Thu; 10AM - 12AM; Fri, Sat & Eve of PH; 10AM - 1AM Discovery Slides The Discovery Slides is an installation that is part-art, part-slide, and part-viewing deck! This sculpture has a viewing area up top that kids can climb to, offering a great view of the Shiseido Forest Valley, as well as slides that will surely be a treat. Admission fee: Included as part of the Canopy Park ticket Opening hours: Sun - Thu; 10AM - 12AM; Fri, Sat & Eve of PH; 10AM - 1AM Topiary Walk If you didn't know (because we sure didn't ?), topiary refers to the art of cutting or clipping plants into decorative shapes. At the Canopy Park, the Topiary Walk has plants shaped into animals like orangutans, peacocks, birds and more! It was cool to see how creatively the plants were shaped to look like life-sized animals.

Admission fee: Included as part of the Canopy Park ticket Opening hours: Sun - Thu; 10AM - 12AM; Fri, Sat & Eve of PH; 10AM - 1AM

Where to shop

Note: While a majority of Jewel's shops and retail offerings have reopened for business in Phase 2 if you intend visit specific stores we recommend that you do check whether the store has reopened by contacting the store directly or calling Jewel's hotline at +65 6956 9898 to enquire. When you're done going through the many nature attractions at Jewel, it's time to turn your attention to the shopping! Jewel has more than 100 shops, with a mix of all the familiar brands ranging from high-end names like Kate Spade and Coach to everyday favourites like UNIQLO and MUJI. But the best part is that it also has some groundbreaking stores that we are excited about and think you will be too!

1. Pokemon Centre (#04-201/202)

You can't not make a pit-stop at the Pokemon Centre at Jewel, which is the first permanent Pokemon store outside of Japan ? Whether you're looking for plushies, Pokemon trading cards, a Pikachu bag, or Pokemon Nano Blocks, the store has it. The store also has some exclusive Singapore-specific merchandise! ?

2. Nike (#02-232/233)

While Nike is hardly new to Singapore, the store in Jewel is the largest Nike store in South East Asia! This two-storey Nike store offers a large variety of both its athletic and leisure/street-style wear and even has a counter upstairs where you can do customisations. The customisations available cover T-shirt printing, shoelace sets, patches, and more ?

3. Local brands spotlight

If you're looking for home-grown products, or perhaps in the mood for cute Singapore-centric items, Jewel has got you covered. Stores like Miss Hosay (#02-214) Supermama (#02-207) and Naiise Iconic are all local brands that sell products made locally or featuring Singaporean themes.

4. Shaw Theatres

Note: Cinemas have now reopened throughout Singapore since 13 July 2020, including Shaw Theatres at Jewel. For more updates on their current operating procedures and safety measures for patrons, you can check out their website.

Credit: Shaw Theatres There's a Shaw movie theatre, so you can catch a movie here at Jewel too! And, this Shaw Theatre is a little special as it has a dedicated children-and-family hall! ? This hall has lower brightness and volume, as well as soft lighting inside the halls, with colourful seats and open space in front with bean bags for kids. The hall is used to screen kids and family-friendly movies. And for those that like that a more immersive experience, there's an IMAX theatre available here too.

Where to eat?

The other biggest thing that has been anticipated with Jewel's opening has been its food establishments. While some of the notable food outlets at Jewel aren't halal (*looks sadly at Shake Shack*), there are several eateries that are halal at Jewel for you to enjoy. For a detailed list, check out our article on halal eateries in Jewel!

Airport facilities

With all to see, eat and do at Jewel, if you're not a passenger transiting through Changi, it might be easy to forget that it's actually an airport hub! As such, there are a number of unique facilities meant to cater to those that are travelling.

1. Prayer facilities

We regret to report that there are no prayer facilities within Jewel itself ? The closest prayer facility available is technically in Terminal 1 which is connected to Jewel, however, we do note that the prayer room is located within the transit area (on level 3 at the Departure Transit area) and that the room is a multi-religious prayer room.

2. Early check-in (L1)

Jewel has special check-in facilities that will be a convenient option for travellers who arrive at the airport early and want to spend time in Jewel. So far, 26 airlines (including SIA, Emirates, SilkAir, Qatar Airways and Qantas) are confirmed to allow its passengers to use the early check-in counters (i.e. able to check-in to their flight, including baggage check-in, in advance at Jewel). This way you can pop your bags off at the counter and then be free to roam around Jewel. Do note that the early check-in times will differ according to the airline, so remember to check with your airline beforehand!

3. Baggage Storage (L1)

Located next to the early check-in area, the Baggage Storage is where you can keep any luggage or bulky items while exploring Jewel! As mentioned earlier, for a lot of the attractions in Canopy Park, luggage isn't allowed, hence you'll need to store it hear. Rates are charged per 24 hours and differ between loose, small, big and extra big items (at SGD5, 10, 15 and 18 respectively). They also over bag-wrapping services here for your convenience.

4. YOTELAIR

YOTELAIR is an airport hotel chain that is already present at a number of other international airports including London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports as well as Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. This hotel offers flexible accommodation options that are perfect for those transiting through, with minimum stays starting from four hours.

The hotel offers rooms, or cabins, as they are called, for two people (Premium Queen Cabin), or four people (Family Room), which come equipped with toilet and shower, smart bed, and WiFi. If you're not looking for a cabin but want to take a shower or perhaps go to the gym, they also offer access to their communal gym and also shower facilities. Rates currently begin at SGD126 per night on their website. For hourly reservations with a minimum of 4 hours stay, do email singaporechangi.reservations@yotel.com. And there you have it, folks! We hope this proves to be a useful guide for you when exploring this iconic attraction in Singapore. Please let us know if you have any useful tips or comments you'd like to share as you venture there yourselves! Jewel Changi Airport Opening hours: Open 24 hours (do note that opening hours for shops & eateries may vary) Address: 78 Airport Boulevard, Singapore 819666 Website | Facebook | Instagram

A Muslim-Traveller's Guide To Jewel Changi Airport