We Visited Singapore's Outrageous Airport, And Were Totally Blown Away

Photo courtesy of Singapore Changi AirportEditor's note: Business Insider Travel Editor Jennifer Polland visited Singapore's Changi Airport last year, and was blown away by what she saw. With the Singapore Airshow open to the public this weekend, and it's a great occasion to check out the world's greatest airport, so we've republished her report.

Singapore's Changi Airport is a major hub for international transport, with more than 135,000 passengers passing through every day.

But it's no boring airport terminal. Changi was just named the Best Airport in The World by Skytrax, a company that tracks and rates airline and airport performance.

Realizing that travel can be stressful, the team behind Changi designed the airport to be an open, airy space with lots of greenery (Singapore is the garden city, after all), gardens, outdoor access, and comfortable seating areas.

There are also incredible amenities, like a butterfly garden, rooftop pool, movie theaters, hotels, spas, and showers, and even a four-story slide.

I recently spent several hours in the airport during a trip to Singapore and had a chance to explore. The bottom line: This is a place where you'll actually enjoy having a long layover.

Disclosure: Our trip to Singapore, including travel and lodging expenses, was sponsored by the Singapore Tourism Board.