What are the largest swimming pools in the world?
Artificial lagoons and swimming pools offer holidaymakers everything from water sports activities to extensive beaches for relaxing in the sun.
The world’s largest swimming pools take things to the next level, covering several acres and reshaping the landscape with world-class engineering.
From the Hansen Dam Recreation Center to the Citystars Sharm El Sheik, these are the largest pools in the world you can visit.
The Largest Swimming Pools in the World
In addition to acreage and water volume, we’ve covered the construction history and amenities you can expect to find if you visit these exceptional swimming pools.
Here’s our list of the 10 largest swimming pools in the world:
10. Hansen Dam Recreation Center, California – 1.5 acres
The largest swimming pool in America can be found at the Hansen dam recreation center, located in one of the richest states in the USA, the golden state of California.
Los Angeles’ Hansen Dam Recreation Center swimming pool covers 1.5 acres, with a consistent depth of five feet throughout.
There are also two impressive water slides, their green and blue flumes intertwining side by side as they approach the water.
Considered by locals to be the best public pool in California, the Hansen Dam recreation center pool was built in the flood control basin adjacent to the dam.
To the side of the pool sits a nine-acre natural lake, and while the public isn’t allowed to swim here, it can be used for fishing, boating, and kayaking.
The leisure complex also includes an equestrian center, a golf course, and a large park where visitors can picnic and relax.
The center, constructed in 1998, sits on a public recreation site made initially shortly after the Second World War when planners filled the area with a sand beach.
9. Piscine Alfred Nakache, France – 1.8 acres
While France typically conjures up images of fine cuisine and the world’s most expensive wines, they also have the largest swimming pool in Europe.
The pool at Piscine Alfred Nakache was built in 1931, making it one of the oldest swimming pool complexes still in use to this day.
The site was named in honor of Alfred Nakache, the Jewish swimming champion who represented the country in the 1936 and 1948 Olympics and one of two known Jewish athletes who competed in the games following the Holocaust.
As well as the 1.8 acre (7,500 square meters) swimming pool, the Piscine Alfred Nakache building is renowned for its gorgeous Art Deco architecture.
There’s an indoor section and a large outdoor swimming pool, with the indoor section featuring temperature control to allow for year-round use.
When put together, the two pool sections measure 150 by 50 meters, with a maximum depth of two meters.
If you want to swim at the Piscine Alfred Nakache swimming pool, you’ll have to head to Ramier Island in Toulouse and expect to pay a small fee to gain entry.
8. Dreamworld Fun Lagoon, Pakistan – 2 acres
Pakistan’s Dreamworld resort hosts the Fun Lagoon swimming pool, covering 2 acres and filled with around 2 million gallons of local freshwater.
The pool at Dreamworld Fun Lagoon is the largest freshwater pool in the world, with the water being pumped in from local wells.
This pumping also creates artificial sea waves as the water enters the pool, reaching up to four feet in height.
The impressive 95,000 square feet pool first opened in 2008 as part of the Dreamworld theme park, based on the outskirts of Karachi in one of the most populated countries in the world, Pakistan,
As well as swimming and relaxing by the pool, visitors to the park can enjoy a selection of water slides or take part in activities such as riding rowboats or enjoying the swings.
If you’re not interested in getting wet, the leisure complex also features a bowling alley and golf course, and there’s a luxury resort with a hotel and restaurants.
7. Hayman Island Resort Pool, Australia – 2.2 acres
Australia’s largest swimming pool can be found at Hayman Island resort’s pool, with this massive pool measuring 1.8 acres, covering a surface area of 78,000 feet.
That’s more than seven Olympic-sized swimming pools, with the pool’s freshwater area surrounded by an even larger saltwater pool, separated by a sandbar along the center.
Originally constructed in 1985 as a part of the private Hayman Island resort, the pool features four interconnecting boardwalks on the water’s surface, the largest of which measures 165 feet.
Located in the Whitsundays within the Great Barrier Reef, the resort includes a hotel with 160 guest rooms, penthouses, and luxury villas and offers a wide selection of guest activities and other amenities.
While the current hotel was built in the 1980s, there has been a resort in this location since the 1940s.
In 2017, the Hayman Island Resort pool was closed after the region was hit by Tropical Cyclone Debbie, reopening in 2019 after considerable renovations.
The resort has also played host to some of Australia’s rich and famous elites, including the mysterious Melbourne millionaire Christopher Shao.
6. Laguna Bahia, Chile – 3.5 acres
While Chile might be one of the cheapest countries to live in, that doesn’t mean it lacks impressive swimming pools to visit.
Indeed, three of the largest swimming pools in the world can be found in Chile, with the smallest of the three located at Laguna Bahia.
The pool at this luxurious resort covers 3.5 acres, or 150,000 square feet, which is large enough for visitors to participate in kayaking and windsurfing.
There’s also an extended shallow area where younger children can splash about, and a long beach for lounging around in the sun.
The pool itself is part of a larger Laguna Bahia private resort, which includes long-term apartments and extended stay rentals.
These properties offer visitors private kitchens, as well as dining and seating areas and bathrooms.
If you get bored with the pool, the beach is just 450 meters away, and there’s a large garden nearby with views overlooking the Pacific Ocean where you can relax and soak in the weather.
5. Las Brisas, Chile – 5 acres
The second entry from Chile in this guide to the largest swimming pools in the world is the pool for the Las Brisas complex, which expands across five acres.
The Las Brisas de Santo Domingo luxury resort is located in the Valparaiso region of Chile’s San Antonio province and is a hugely popular holiday destination for locals.
The five-acre swimming pool serves as the centerpiece of the resort community and was developed by Crystal Lagoons.
Designed to mimic seawater, the pool overlooks the Pacific Ocean and uses 45 million liters of temperature-controlled seawater, which is pumped in each day.
This process helps to recreate the correct conditions for beachfront swimming and water sports since swimming in the Pacific Ocean is not permitted.
To put this five-acre swimming pool in context, it’s the equivalent of 16 Olympic-sized swimming pools, a stunning feat of engineering.
4. The Orthlieb Pool Of Casablanca, Morocco – 8.9 acres
Some of the world’s largest swimming pools stand as testaments to the feats of modern engineering, reshaping the landscape to create impressive resorts.
The Orthlieb pool of Casablanca in Morocco reminds us that these engineering marvels aren’t just a modern occurrence, having been initially opened on July 14th, 1934.
This seawater swimming pool originally spanned 9.89 acres and was built in the rocks on the road from Ain Diab to Casablanca in Morocco.
Measuring 480 meters long by 75 meters wide, at one point, this pool was the largest pool in the world and took three years to complete.
The pool was designed by architect Maurice L’Herbier and takes its name from the municipal leader of Casablanca at the time, Georges Orthlieb.
The pool fell into a state of disrepair after the Moroccan independence movement until it was finally destroyed entirely in 1986 to make way for the construction of the Hassan II Mosque, the second-largest functioning mosque in Africa.
3. MahaSamutr, Thailand – 17 acres
There are several ways traveling changes your mindset, and relaxing in the MahaSamutr pool in Thailand is certainly a good place to start your adventures.
Thailand’s MahaSamutr – which translates into English as “the ocean” – covers a total of 17 acres, acting as a miniature sea for members of the exclusive country club it belongs to.
The swimming pool is surrounded by sandy beaches, and there’s also an island in the middle of the waters, including a string of luxury villas.
There are 80 villas on the resort, while the country club sits directly next to the pool for quick and easy access.
Visitors can enjoy various activities, including paddleboarding, kayaking, and sailing, which gives a clearer picture of just how enormous the pool really is.
The $450 million resort community complex was designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, built-in 2014 by Pace Development, a Thai real estate corporation.
The man-made lagoon pool itself was developed by Crystal Lagoons Corporation, with turquoise waters included mimicking the pristine and unspoiled natural waters which surround the resort.
You can even set up permanent residence on its shores, with four-bedroom homes available to buy, offering direct access to the resort.
2. San Alfonso Del Mar, Chile – 20 acres
The last super pool found in Chile – and the second-largest in the world – is the swimming pool at San Alfonso del Mar.
Part of a private residential resort, San Alfonso del Mar is based in the Chilean city of Algarrobo, roughly 62 miles from Santiago, the nation’s capital city.
At one point in time, this broke world records for the world’s biggest pool and holds an impressive 66 million gallons of water.
The pool uses filtered seawater, which ensures the temperature remains warmer than the ocean water, with the complex covering a total of 20 acres.
This popular resort is lined with high-quality apartment rentals with direct access to the lagoon, which itself site directly alongside the beach, and offers visitors exceptional views of the Pacific Ocean.
Comparable to approximately 6,000 backyard pools, the length is the equivalent of 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
It was created by architect Fernando Fischmann for Crystal Lagoons, with a development cost of $3.5 million, and was opened in 2006.
1. Citystars Sharm El Sheik, Egypt – 23.9 acres
Egypt is a country of rich history and contrasts, home to some of the most expensive woods in the world, and iconic landmarks such as the Sphinx and pyramids.
It also boasts the world’s largest swimming pool, the Citystars Sharm el Sheikh Crystal Lagoon pool, covering 23.9 acres and is located 3 miles inland from the Sharm El Sheikh gated community.
This outstanding pool is designed to resemble a natural body of water, although its construction in the middle of the Sinai desert marks it as a wonder of contemporary construction.
Costing $5.5 million to build, it takes several weeks to fill this artificial lagoon with saltwater, covering a distance in excess of 1 million square feet.
The resort includes 414 guest rooms and 316 private residencies and is operated by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, which also oversees San Francisco’s Fairmont Hotel and New York’s The Plaza Hotel.
Opened to the public in 2015, the resort features a broad selection of activities, including kayaking, windsurfing, and other water sports.
Summary
The world’s largest swimming pools transform the natural landscape into impressive water sports venues, spanning several acres and using millions of gallons of water.
This article has covered resorts from Australia to Latin America and beyond and should serve as inspiration for the next time you want to get away and relax in style.
Here’s a quick recap of the 10 largest swimming pools in the world:
- Citystars Sharm El Sheik, Egypt
- San Alfonso del Mar, Chile
- MahaSamutr, Thailand
- The Ortlieb Pool Of Casablanca, Morocco
- Las Brisas, Chile
- Laguna Bahia, Chile
- Hayman Island Resort Pool, Australia
- Dreamworld Fun Lagoon, Pakistan
- Piscine Alfred Nakache, France
- Hansen Dam Recreation Center, California
