- Would you rather bathe in beer or industrial wastewater?
Who doesn’t like a dip in a swimming pool on a hot day? Yet, even that can get old if you’re always going to the same old pool.
Lucky for you, there are many unique and downright strange pools built around the world. Traveling to them — never mind gaining entry to the pool — isn’t always exactly cheap, but at least you can always appreciate the impressive if strange feat of architecture that went into building them.
Here are seven of the most unusual pools ever built.
1. The Venetian Pool
The Venetian Pool is the largest freshwater swimming pool in the U.S. Located in Coral Gables, Florida, the pool was built in 1924 as part of the now-defunct Venetian Casino.
While the casino might be gone, the pool is still open to the public. Filled with natural spring water, visitors can enjoy the pool, grottos, diving towers, and more without the stink of chlorine.
The lack of chlorine would quickly make the water stagnant, but the Venetian Pool has devised a solution. The pool is emptied every night and refilled in the morning, with the water going through an advanced filtration system both ways to keep the water clean and maintain Florida’s water resources.
2. San Alfonso del Mar
San Alfonso del Mar, located in Algarrobo, Chile, is a resort that houses the world’s largest swimming pool. Really, calling this thing a “pool” is selling it short — it’s more of a man-made lake.
This gigantic pool stretches covers 20 acres, stretching for more than 3,300 feet along the Pacific Ocean. Speaking of the ocean, that’s what supplies the 66 million gallons of water that fill the pool (although it’s filtered on the way).
San Alfonso del Mar’s pool is so huge that people can sail and kayak on it. Really, you kind of have to wonder why you wouldn’t just get in the ocean at this point, considering it’s right there by the pool.
3. Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is possibly Iceland’s most popular tourist attraction. This geothermal spa consists of multiple pools filled with water that remains naturally around 100°F.
Although it looks like a natural pool, the Blue Lagoon is artificial — and it was created by the accident. The spa’s waters are actually a byproduct of the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power plant.
After being pumped out of the ground and having most of their heat extracted, the waters were allowed to run into their current location. Eventually, Icelandic authorities decided to make use of them and founded the spa.
The water in the Blue Lagoon may be an industrial byproduct, but it has been scientifically proven to have certain health benefits. There aren’t many places in the world where you can bathe in power plant runoff and come out healthier than before.
4. Mona Vale Rock Pool
During low tide, the Mona Vale Rock Pool near Sydney, Australia, looks like an outdoor pool on the beach. A bit of a weird location, but nothing that unusual.
Once the tide rolls in, however, it covers the thin strip of beach the pool sits on. It essentially transforms into a pool inside the ocean, making for a unique bathing experience.
All that said, we can’t help but wonder how you’re supposed to get out of the pool during high tide. Do you just have to sit there and wait for the tide to turn?
5. Deep Dive Dubai
The title of the world’s deepest swimming pool seems to go to a new champion every few years. Since 2021, the honor has belonged to Deep Dive Dubai, with reaches a depth of 200 feet.
If you go scuba diving here, there’s a lot to see. The pool essentially contains an abandoned city under the surface.
Within the pool, you’ll find fully furnished rooms, forgotten cars, (artificial) tree roots, and even a functional foosball table. It’s no wonder that Deep Dive Dubai also rents out the pool as an underwater film studio.
6. Seagaia Ocean Dome
The Seagaia Ocean Dome was an ambitious waterpark in the city of Miyazaki in Japan. It was essentially an artificial indoor beach.
Built in 1993, the facility featured almost three acres of sandy beach, a wave-machine equipped “ocean” that was as big as six Olympic swimming pools, five hotels, and more. At the time, it was the largest simulated pool in the world.
Unfortunately, Seagaia’s ridiculous scale was also its downfall. It was so expensive to maintain that the facility shut its doors in 2001 and has since been stuck in a seemingly never-ending limbo.
7. Schloss Starkenberg
As varied as the pools we have listed are, they all have one thing in common — they’re all filled with water. The pool at Schloss Starkenberg is different.
It’s full of beer.
This brewery operates a swimming pool that’s flowing with hot beer. Bathing in the brew supposedly has multiple health benefits, as long as you don’t drink it.
Don’t be too disappointed, though. The pool entry fee includes a pint of ice-cold beer brewed at the premises.