With Thailand, Bali, The Philippines, and so many other world-class destinations with incredible luxury accommodation around Southeast Asia, picking the eight best swimming pools in the region is a hard task. We tried to do it anyway. Here they are, in no particular order, the best swimming pools at ASEAN’s top luxury resorts.
1. Vivere Azure – Batangas, Philippines
The Philippines scuba diving hotspot of Batangas has plenty of luxury hotels, but this is one of the best. Judging by swimming pools alone, the Edge Infinity Pool sets Vivere Azure above the rest. Perched up on a cliff above the waters of Anilao, the pool is tiled in cobalt blue which closely matches the sea on clear days. The view from here is spectacular.
2. Hanging Gardens of Bali – Bali, Indonesia
When you picture the typical infinity pool, you probably see a single level pool with the sea beyond it. At the Hanging Gardens of Bali in the rainforests of Ubud, the pool takes an entirely different approach. It is built over two levels, and the false horizon gives way not to sea, but to trees. Swimming here is like swimming above the jungle canopy.
3. The Library – Koh Samui, Thailand
On Thailand’s second largest island you’ll find a pool unlike any other in the world. Set back just steps from Chaweng Beach, The Library’s pool is tiled in a mosaic of orange and red giving it a striking, bright crimson appearance. It’s not what anyone expects a swimming pool to look like, and that’s part of the appeal. It may be the most Instagrammed pool in the world.
4. Pangkor Laut Resort – Straits of Malacca, Malaysia
On a 300 acre private island 5 kilometers off the coast of Malaysia sits paradise – if paradise had a pool. Pangkor Laut’s infinity pool is just above the beach giving the double horizon effect an uncommon proximity. A few coconut palms reflected in the water are all that gives the illusion away, otherwise the pool seems to flow into the sea.
5. So Sofitel – Bangkok, Thailand
The infinity pool at the So Sofitel Bangkok extends over 32 meters on the 10th floor. That may not sound very high, but it’s a feature not a bug. The pool drops off onto a view of the treetops of the very large and very green Lumpini Park. Just a kilometer or two beyond that, the skyscrapers of Sukhumvit Road rise up making for a stunning effect. This is one of the best urban luxury hotel swimming pools in the world.
6. The Fullerton Bay Hotel – Singapore
Another great urban hotel swimming pool is found in Singapore. The Fullerton Bay Hotel has set its pool in a lush tropical surrounding. The deck chairs sit in shallow water giving an impression that the pool has overflowed its sides. The crowning feature, just to make sure guests remember where they are, is the unobstructed view of Singapore’s iconic Marina Bay.
7. Paresa Resort – Phuket, Thailand
The infinity pool at Paresa Resort is the classic, pool on a cliff overlooking the sea. And that’s a good thing. Set on a beautiful bluff above the Andaman Sea, this pool is exquisite. The pool here is among the most serene in the world; if you do take a dip here, it’s likely that the waves below are the only sound you’ll hear.
8. Alila Uluwatu – Bali, Indonesia
Our final entry on the list is another cliff-top classic, and it’s a beauty. The incredible thing about this pool is that all 84 villas at this stunning luxury resort in Bali have their own private pool, so there’s a good chance you’ll be the only person at this 50 meter gem.