With the temperatures rising in Hong Kong, many people are looking for ways to cool off. While there are plenty of options to soak up the sun, one of the best ways to beat the heat is to hit the water. And fortunately, the city has lots of great public pools, with many offering fun features like kiddie pools and water slides to make swimming a fun family activity.
The city also has a few rooftop pool with gorgeous views, such as the outdoor pool at JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong in Admiralty. Located on the 76th floor, the pool is named Wet and is a great place to swim and enjoy the stunning view of the skyscrapers below. Non-hotel guests can purchase a weekday pass to use the pool for four hours, and prices are as low as HK$17 for adults during the week and HK$19 on weekends and public holidays.
Another option is to visit the Tai Po public pool, a popular spot that boasts seven pools including teaching, diving and leisure pools. Its largest feature, though, is the long and high water slides, which are a surefire way to entertain kids and teenagers alike. And if the water isn’t enough to cool off, you can always grab some food and drinks from the poolside cafe.
Of course, if you’re looking for a more relaxing swimming experience, you can head to the Kwun Tong pool in the heart of the city. The indoor main pool is perfect for when you want to escape from the sun and humidity, while the outer area offers a leisure pool and two teaching pools. And, if you need to recharge, there are a number of loungers available to sit back and relax with a book.
But despite the drop in coronavirus cases, restrictions on pools and beaches have been keeping thousands of competitive swimmers out of the water. And if the situation doesn’t improve, it could have “catastrophic effects” on Hong Kong’s elite swimmers, says the city’s Amateur Swimming Association.
Luckily, the city’s public pools have been opening up slowly and many are now open. But, according to a union representing the city’s sports professionals, 20 out of 45 pool facilities have told their clubs that they can only operate partially due to a shortage of lifeguards. This may force some pools to close their swimming instruction lanes, which is likely to affect children’s classes and other recreational swimmers, the union warned. And it will affect the city’s overall sports development, it added.
