Jewel Changi Airport waterfall: HSBC Rain Vortex

Standing at a height of 40 meters, the HSBC Rain Vortex takes the cake for being the tallest and largest indoor waterfall in the world. To give you more context, that's as tall as a 7-storey high building!

The Rain Vortex has a daily light show that takes place every night between 8pm and 9pm. Choose one of the many view points and watch the waterfall and surrounding Forest Valley come alive with lights and sounds for a while, adding to the whole vibrant, Jewel Changi experience. P.S.: they have an additional show at 10pm on weekends, too!

The Neofuturistic architecture of the Jewel Changi Airport and waterfall is only one part of the charm. The Rain Vortex waterfall cleans and reuses the water to keep the waterfall going. We'll take a look at the inner workings of the Rain Vortex shortly, so keep reading!

The best and most important reason why you should visit the Jewel Changi waterfall: it's free for all! You do not need to have a plane ticket to explore Jewel Changi, and while quite a few of the attractions are ticketed, you can visit the HSBC Rain Vortex for free!

The water that flows through the waterfall is centrally collected in a catchment located in the B3 level of Jewel Changi. Rain water is harvested and fed into the catchment, and the excess water is used to water the plants growing in the Forest Valley and other gardens inside Jewel Changi.

The water stored in B3 is then transported via pipes, through the outside of the building, to reach the concave dome of the Jewel from where the waterfall begins. The ring or 'oculus' at the top is where the water comes out from, giving it the iconic circular shape that we've all seen at some point. The water flows down to the reflective pool on L1, and then further down a cylindrical chute down B1 and B2, till it collects back into the catchment tank in B3.

Water samples are taken periodically, to test for the quality and to ensure whether it is safe enough to pass through the waterfall. During this time, the Rain Vortex will be closed for maintenance — make sure to check the opening of the waterfall before you visit!

The light show is a collaboration between the Jewel Changi waterfall and the Forest Valley. All the audio-visual projectors that are required for the show are placed among the trees and plants of the Forest Valley and are controlled wirelessly, from the pump room in B3.