Shanghai's best outdoor pools and water parks

If you dared to step outside today for even just a second, you probably noticed that the temperature is climbing. And when you're sweating through your clothes, there’s only one place to go – the pool. We're lucky that Shanghai has a fair few to choose from, and whatever your style or budget, there's a relaxing place to splash out this summer.

Outdoor pools

Holiday Inn Shanghai Pudong Kangqiao

Photograph: courtesy Holiday Inn

The 30-metre pool at this Holiday Inn is just one design feature away from being merely another hotel pool in Pudong. However, that design feature is a pretty spectacular one. While not technically outside, the swimming pool, located on the 24th floor, juts out from the building with glass windows in the bottom, creating what the hotel dubs a ‘pool in the sky’ and a swimming experience that enables you to look down to the pavement below from within the water. 

It’s a little unerring watching pedestrians taking photos of you as you swim above their heads, but the hotel reportedly consulted aerospace designers and expert architects to ensure that the structure was safe, and it results in one of the most memorable swims in the city. 

Holiday Inn Shanghai Pudong Kangqiao 1088 Xiuyan Lu, near Henghe Zhong Lu (3829 1888). 258RMB. 

Sofitel Sheshan Shanghai Oriental

Photograph: courtesy Sofitel

It’s hard to overstate the luxe factor at this lovely pool. A total 4,400sqm of crystal-blue swimming territory awaits you, with outside pools surrounded by a man-made sandy beach, rows of loungers, bars, palm trees and faux-Mediterranean architecture. 

It’s a bit of a journey from the centre of town, but is walkable from Sheshan station on Line 9 and not being downtown only helps to add to its retreat vibes. As you’d expect, everything inside is also rather wonderful, with shiny clean changing rooms, top-notch gym and general loveliness.

Sofitel Shanghai Sheshan Oriental 3388 Sichen Gong Lu, near Jiasong Nan Lu (3761 8888). 300RMB (adults); 150RMB (children).

Shimao Riviera Garden

Photograph: Margot Pandone via Unsplash

Part of a posh Pudong residential complex, the Shimao Riviera Garden pool is situated inside a clubhouse surrounded by seven towers’ worth of luxury serviced apartments. Admittedly, this means little privacy when swimming al fresco. However, the space itself is appealing; the sort of place a Miami resort pool party might groove in, with an enormous aquamarine pool (plus wave machine), faux-beach and deckchair area. 

Inside there’s also a smart and expansive pool, with a massive hot tub, sauna and steam room. While glamorous, it's also family-friendly and fills up with kids come evenings and weekends. 

Shimao Riviera Garden Building 5, 1-2 Weifang Xi Lu, near Pucheng Lu (6888 8108). 200RMB (adults); 100RMB (children).

Purple Mountain Hotel

Photograph: courtesy Purple Mountain Hotel

The Purple Mountain Hotel might not be in the most glamorous part of town – stranded in a nondescript part of Pudong somewhere between Lujiazui and Century Park – but this means that it’s excellent rooftop pool often flies under most people’s radars when the sun comes out. 

There are two pools – one for adults and one for kids – and views across the eastern side of the city from the fifth floor terrace they sit on. As with many pools around town, swimming caps are compulsory, but it’s a minor annoyance for what is likely to be a largely undisturbed, uncrowded swim. 

Purple Mountain Hotel 788 Dongfang Lu, near Zhangyang Lu (6886 8888). 200RMB (adults), 100RMB (children). 

Grand Plaza Club House

Photograph: David Lezcano via Unsplash

One of the most popular outdoor pools in North Xuhui, the Grand Plaza Club House is situated inside same the compound on Julu Lu as Mexican restaurant Maya, thus is known by many as the ‘Maya pool’. 

It’s a small swimming area with not much surrounding floor space, and packs out quickly with sun-seekers – mostly groups of friends settling in for a day of poolside lounging. 

Grand Plaza Club House 568 Julu Lu, near Shaanxi Nan Lu (6289 4835). 100RMB (Mon-Fri); 150RMB (Sat-Sun). 

New Star

Photograph: Efe Kurnaz via Unsplash

The original branch of New Star is one of our favourite bathhouses in the city, but it may not seem like an obvious place to head to when temperatures outside are hitting the mid-30s with a hefty dose of humidity on top. Yet hidden out the back of the main bathing area is a great outdoor swimming area with a small section for kids, a medium-sized pool for adults and a handful of sun loungers on the side. It’s not the biggest outdoor pool in the city, but it’s rarely overly crowded. 

New Star Lane 258, 1 Jinhui Nan Lu, near Hongquan Lu (3432 0777). 98RMB (adults); 49RMB (children). 

Waterparks

Dino Beach

Photograph: courtesy Dino Beach

Shanghai’s oldest water park might be showing a bit of wear and they continue to charge high prices for generally terrible food and drink, but Dino Beach still proves a popular destination for a young, splash-happy crowd. The dinosaur-themed park features a host of slides, a fake beach, wave pool, water-top assault course and a dedicated range of attractions for young children. 

There are extra charges for renting lockers and the food and drink is overpriced and generally poor quality, but – accessible via Line 12 – it's an easy option for a few hours of water-based entertainment. 

Dino Beach 78 Xinzhen Lu, near Gudai Lu (6478 3333). Jun 23-Jul 6. 130RMB (children;) 180RMB (adults, until July 6); 280RMB (adults, from July 7). 

Playa Maya

Photograph: courtesy Playa Maya

While Dino Beach is more established, Playa Maya has become a contender thanks to the addition of a 30,000sqm ‘Magic Watertown’. So along with the Playa Maya classics like the eight-pronged Big Octopus slide and the Lazy River, there are five new family areas, an extra four slides that are 17m high and 100m long, and a ‘water battlefield’ area including 12 water slingshot launchers and ‘water balls’ for 48 people to use at a time. 

Playa Maya 888 Linhu Lu, near Linyin Avenue (3355 2222). 230RMB (adults); 160RMB (children).

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