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Tried & Tested: IMAGE staff shares their favourite hydration hero

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Weekend Guide: 9 of the best events happening across Ireland

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Winter wreaths you can use year after year

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Long live Irish shopping: inside Irish boutiques

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Dr Caroline West’s guide to talking to your teenagers about consent

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This Art Deco Donnybrook house has been adapted for multi-generational living

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Havana Boutique owner Nikki Creedon on subversive monochrome
Havana Boutique owner Nikki Creedon on subversive monochrome

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Image / Editorial

These Are The Most Extraordinary Pools In The World


By Niamh ODonoghue
03rd Feb 2018
These Are The Most Extraordinary Pools In The World

It might only be the beginning of spring, but it’s the perfect time to prepare for your dream trip away. From Australia to Lake Como, dive into ten of the world’s most beautiful and Instagrammable swimming pools. This is the ultimate luxury travel bucket list…

The Red Pool at Library Resort, Koh Samui in Thailand

At this alluring conceptual resort in Koh Samui, Thailand you can swim in an incredible warm pool tiled with orange, yellow and deep red, a glittering spectacle of vibrant colour and unusual style. Bonus: a private white-sand beach is just a few steps away. Be ready to pay around €280 per night if you are giddy to splash here.

Crocosaurus Cove pool, Darwin Australia

If you crave adrenaline and exquisite waterside relaxation then this is for you. Here, you can literally come face-to-face with the world’s largest reptiles from the comfort of Australia’s only crocodile diving cage. There are over 200 species, with the largest saltwater crocs as long as five meters. You can dive in a protected cage 12 times a day from 9.30 a.m. till 5 pm for $160 per person, or $240 if you take your fearless buddy with you…

The Velassaru, The Maldives

Located on the southern Malé Atoll, the glitzy five-star resort Velassaru is enchanting in all aspects of the word and everything it encompasses. The resort holds no more than 200 guests at a time, meaning that it’s possible to find complete isolation on this tropical paradise in the Indian Ocean, should you wish. If dazzlingly clean and clear oceans aren’t what you crave, then the resort’s array of freshwater infinity pools should do it. The hotel is located quite close to Malé airport too which means transfer times are quick (which, in turn, means more time in the pool).

The San Alfonso del Mar seawater pool, Chile

Connected to a chain of luxury resorts along a one-kilometre stretch around 100km from Santiago, this is one of the largest swimming pools in the world. What makes this one of the largest pools in the world? Maybe that it covers 20 acres, contains some 250 million litres of seawater and is 3,323 ft long might have something to do with it… If you choose to stay at this hotel, your main concern for the next few days might be “should I hit the ocean waves or relax at this enormous pool?”

Boscolo Milano Autograph Collection pool, Milan

Situated in the heart of Milan, this modern, cosmopolitan, neo-futuristic hotel delicately blends luxury with elegance. One of the hotel’s most prominent features is the innovative spa and wellness facility designed by architect Simone Micheli. A lavish paradise with wide spaces, the pool area features a waterfall, sauna, hammam, flotation tank and 6 beauty rooms for original wellness treatments.

InterContinental Dubai Festival City pool, Dubai

Not for the faint-hearted, this incredible infinity pool on top of the InterContinental in Dubai will leave you breathless.  The 25-metre outdoor pool extends onto a balcony with panoramic views of the Dubai Marina, and a full-service spa with aromatherapy is readily available in case you’re not zen enough. If heights don’t cut it for you, don’t worry. There’s also a superb ground-level swimming pool and oasis area.

Ik Kil cave pool, Mexico

If you’re not fussed by fancy pool chairs and in-pool car service then this natural cave swimming pool, or cenote,  in Mexico should be on your travel list. The mind-blowing natural pool, located at Ik Kil Archeological Park, just 3 km from Chichén Itzá and Pisté in Mexico, is 96 feet wide and about 130 feet deep and is complete with waterfalls, aquamarine water and wild jungle vegetation snaking everywhere.

Amirandes Grecotel Exclusive Resort, Greece

You know you’re embarking on the trip of a lifetime when the hotel you’re staying in was inspired by royal palaces. One of the many crown jewels at this uber-luxurious resort is the Olympic size seawater pool. The pool faces out into the sea (if you get tired looking at the perfectly manicured gardens and stunning architecture) and can be accessed from all the private suites dotted around the hotel. Welcome to heaven on earth.

 The Sarojin, Khao Lak, Thailand

Although the hotel is located on one of the most beautiful beaches at Khao Lak, the superb infinity pool is just as appealing. Dreamy beds and private parasols and the gentle sound of the water lapping around – what more could you ask for? Oh, a cold drink you say? One of the many hotel staff will be quick to serve you.

The floating pool on Lake Como, Italy

If you’re floating in a pool in a lake, then are you floating in a lake or a pool? The Grand Hotel Tremezzo swimming pool floats at the edge of Lake Como. The swimming pool is crystal-clear and overlooks the Bellagio for an unforgettable bathing experience. Don’t forget your giant floating flamingo for the perfect Instagrammable shot.