The Coolest Pools On Earth: Swimming In Colors

Published June 12, 2013
Updated February 28, 2018

Because sometimes swimming in crystal clear water just isn't luxurious enough -- an awesome look at the coolest pools on earth.

Coolest Pools In The World

Source: Adelto

Nestled on Chaweng Beach shore on the island of Koh Samui in Thailand, The Library Resort boasts minimalist-styled, luxurious suites, lush topiary, and an extensive collection of books for guests to peruse. Yet The Library’s most striking feature is the bright red pool situated against the ocean. Housing daybeds, Thai antiques, and a mini-library, The Red Pool is the resort’s most intriguing and appealing accommodation.

Cool Pools The Red Pool Leaf

Source: The Library

The Red Pool is perfect for those who have grown tired of the traditional pool experience. The aquatic destination looks blood-red from afar, though due to the mass of orange, yellow, and red tiles that cover the bottom, it becomes a beautiful mosaic of inviting color up close. Almost every room in the hotel provides a view of the pool’s fire engine red coloring against the sparkling blue ocean.

Coolest Pools Red Pool

Source: Flickr

Unsurprisingly, The Red Pool has been featured on CNN and Tripadvisors’ lists of the world’s most spectacular hotel pools.

Cool Pools The Red Pool From Above

Source: Adelto

Though colorful pools are hard to come by, The Red Pool isn’t the only red-water tourist attraction in the world. The Blood Pond Hot Springs in Japan feature a naturally orange-red body of water that’s been around for centuries. Many believe that the Blood Pond Hot Springs are the oldest springs in the area.

Cool Pools Blood Pond View

Source: Justin Klein

Cool Pools Floating On Blood Pond

Source: Flickr

While the Red Pool gets its crimson hue via tile, the Blood Pond is cherry-cheeked thanks to high levels of iron in the water. It’s also incredibly hot, coming in at more than 70 degrees Celsius. Locally referred to as “Chinoike Jigoku,” the Blood Pond is one of eight hot springs in the area referred to as “hell” or “jigoku,” as they are only for viewing and not for swimming. Many consider the Blood Pond the most spectacular and photogenic of the eight hellish hot springs.

While red seems to be the most visually bizarre liquid color, bodies of water also come in a variety of other shades, usually depending on the type and amount of minerals within the water source. The Yellow Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park has garnered the patronage of many over the years due to its striking canary coloring. Lake Ngakoro in New Zealand has a cool green tone that’s also incredibly vivid and breathtaking.

Cool Pools Green Lake

Source: Green Lake

Yellow Hot Springs

Source: NBC

For those who’d like to experience different shades of water without leaving home, consider quenching your thirst for colored water by trying a new product conveniently called Blk Water. The makers claim it’s more nutritious than real water, but some users still don’t feel comfortable chugging the dark, mysterious-looking liquid. We’ll let you be the judge.

author
Kiri Picone
author
Kiri Picone holds a B.A. in English and creative writing from Pepperdine University and has been writing for various digital publishers for more than 10 years.
editor
Savannah Cox
editor
Savannah Cox holds a Master's in International Affairs from The New School as well as a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and now serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield. Her work as a writer has also appeared on DNAinfo.