The "Free Singapore Tour," jointly operated by Changi International Airport and Singapore Airlines, began in 1987 and is a free, approximately two-hour tour of Singapore's main tourist attractions (southern tip of the main island) by sightseeing bus for transit passengers. The evening tour I can take this time departs at 6:30 PM, but I have to be at the reserved location about 45 minutes earlier, at 5:45 PM. Punctuality is essential in group activities, but I wonder if only the Japanese are so punctual? (laughs)
Once everyone has gathered and the number of participants has been confirmed, the tour guide will give a brief explanation in English.
Following your tour guide's instructions, you'll enter Singapore and head to the tour bus. Once you've experienced immigration and customs procedures, it will be easier the next time you travel independently. Singapore has warm temperatures and high humidity year-round. Even though the airport is cool, stepping outside will bring a muggy, humid, and warm breeze. Therefore, the airport is air-conditioned and can be quite cold, so the temperature difference between inside and outside is significant. Bring a jacket or cardigan to manage your body temperature. Bringing sweat wipes is also a good idea to combat sticky sweat.
The tour bus was filled with people from many different countries, and various languages were being spoken, creating a completely touristy atmosphere.
The tour bus stopped at Anderson Bridge near Raffles Place.
After the explanation, we'll disperse and have about 15 minutes of free time. Some people will go to see the Stadtfeld Raffles landing site monument, others will head to Merlion Park to see the Merlion. Since it's only 15 minutes, let's go for a quick jog!
This is a view from a park overlooking the Singapore River. On this particular day, air pollution reached its worst level ever due to smoke from the wildfires spreading in neighboring Indonesia. According to the Singapore Environment Agency (NEA), the air pollution index on the 21st was a "dangerous" level of 401. Yes, the 21st was precisely this day. As you can see in the photo, Marina Bay Sands, visible in the background, is obscured by haze. Smog hung over the entire area, many people suffered from sore throats, and there were many locals wearing masks.
Upon arriving at Merlion Park, the first thing that caught my eye was the miniature Merlion (lol). It's a very lively place with tourists enjoying taking commemorative photos.
The Merlion is one of Singapore's iconic symbols. The lion on its head represents a lion recorded in the 11th-century Malay chronicle, while its fish-like tail symbolizes the ancient city of Temasek, meaning "sea." The 8.6-meter-tall, 70-ton statue was struck by lightning in 2009, damaging its mane and part of its ears, but it has since been restored to its original form. However, the actual statue is much smaller than you might imagine. Since it's possible to photograph it from various angles (except directly in front), try experimenting with perspective!
A shot taken with perspective that makes it look like your hands are being baptized by the spray of water forcefully spewed from the Merlion's mouth (lol).
Fifteen minutes later, we returned to the tour bus and cooled off inside. Although the time was short, we managed to get some great photos of the Merlion. Taking a taxi from the airport to Merlion Park individually would cost around 2,500 yen one way. With that money, you'd probably prefer to enjoy some delicious food or shopping locally. Taking the subway or bus is a more economical option. However, for those with layovers, this free tour is a recommended way to kill time. I had heard that the night tour offered stunning views of Singapore's beautiful nightscape along Marina Bay, but unfortunately, due to the time, it wasn't dark enough to see any night view. However, thankfully, our return flight also included a transfer, allowing us to enjoy sightseeing from early morning until late at night, so we'll enjoy the night view on our last day!
Now, let's head back to Changi International Airport and explore the spacious airport before our flight!
Here is the table of contents for the Singapore transit section...
