5 amazing indoor pools for your serious swimmers

Wade in the water all-year-round at these indoor pools in Beijing

The turn in colder weather stopping you from completing your laps? Well, Beijing has numerous indoor pools where you can swim without being at the mercy of the weather. From neighbourhood pools to Olympic-class wonders these indoor spots should suit both the leisure and serious swimmers alike.

Dongdan Swimming Pool 

Located at the Dongdan Sports Centre, this pool has great facilities and certainly proved clean and well managed: eagle-eyed employees watch your every move – albeit even in the changing rooms – to make sure that hygiene rules are upheld. A snack bar can even be found next to the pool, ever ready to reward your efforts. And while its opening hours do exclude early swimmers, you can at least beat the crowds with a late-night dip. 
Ten 50m lanes guarantee more than enough space for either a slow breaststroke or a vigorous crawl. It can be noisy, however, and sometimes a little crowded (despite its size), but this pool has some of the cleanest waters of the bunch, which justifies the higher entrance fee. Judge your times right and you shouldn’t have any trouble.
Dongdan Swimming Pool 东单游泳馆. 108 Chongwenmennei Dajie, Dongcheng district (6523 1241) 东城区崇文门内大街108号. Open Mon noon-8.30pm; Tue-Sun 10am-8.30pm. 60RMB/person; 40RMB/disabled or students; 30RMB for children under 1.3m.

Ditan Swimming Pool 

Conveniently located northwest of Ditan Park, this ‘inner swimming pool’ is particularly popular during lunchtimes (when best avoided). Friendly, modern and clean, the locker rooms are disappointingly tiny, although the shower rooms are separated, so you can ‘for once’ wash yourself in peace. Plus, with its 8.30am opening time, it does at least offer the option of a super-quick pre-work dip. A rarity in this city.Another 50m wonder, but do not expect to have its six lanes to yourself. The waters may be clear and inviting, but for those in search of an escape from Beijing’s busy swell, this is not the place to go. Try to avoid the midday rush, however, and you’ll fare a lot better.
Ditan Swimming Pool 地坛游泳馆. 168 Andingmenwai Dajie, Dongcheng district (6421 4415) 东城区安定门外168号. Open Mon-Fri 8.30am-3.30pm, 6.30-9.30pm; Sat-Sun noon-9.30pm. 40RMB; 20RMB for 1.4m and below

Junwangfu Swimming Pool 

Picture: Junwangfu Swimming Pool/WeChat

Located in the south of Chaoyang Park, this is as extravagant as the capital's public pools get. Don't expect gold-lined taps in bathrooms; it’s expensive as it is built for expert swimmers. One-off entry comes at a hefty premium, but commit to a member's card for 600RMB and you can get 10 sessions per year, or 2,800RMB for 90 sessions over three years.At 50-metres long, the pool features ten lanes – eight 'speed lanes' for serious swimmers and two shallow-water lanes – as well as a separate children's play pool. The water is clean by city standards and shouldn't disappoint. Lanes can become busy during peak hours, but there's ample opportunity to pick and choose when you swim given their all-day hours.
Junwangfu Swimming Pool 郡王府游泳馆. 21 Chaoyang Gongyuan Nan Lu, Chaoyang district (6594 0433) 朝阳区朝阳公园南路21号. Open Mon-Sun 10am-10pm. 68RMB for adults and children alike.

Yingdong Natatorium 

Located in the Olympic Sports Centre, the Yingdong Natatorium is no stranger to hosting large international swimming events such as races during the 1990 Asian Games and the 2008 Beijing Olympics. From recreational swimming to lap swimming, this multi-purpose facility is open to the public with plenty of activities to choose from. It features a 50m competition pool with ten lanes, a diving platform at different heights, a 5m deep diving pool as well as swimming and diving classes for all ages and skill levels.

Note that first-timers will have to complete an on-site medical check-up and take a brief swimming test to acquire a deep-water certificate before entry. If you want to swim here, it's best to check their hours beforehand to ensure that there are no events occurring at the time you goYingdong Natatorium 英东游泳馆. 1 Anding Lu, Olympic Sports Centre, Chaoyang district (153 1192 0008) 朝阳区亚运村安定路1号奥体中心. Open Mon-Sun 10am-9pm. 50RMB; 20RMB 1.3m and below

Water Cube 

Photo: Water Cubes/WeChat

The iconic venue from the 2008 Olympics houses several world-class pools where you can pretend to be an Olympic athlete while making a splash. Although the very pool used for Olympic events may not be open for dips all year-round, it has another indoor 50m pool said to be used by athletes for warm-ups before competitions. With seven lanes for lap swimming and open water swimming, it will offer no less of an Olympian experience for those who want to channel their inner athlete and do some serious lengths.Water Cube Swimming Club 水立方游泳俱乐部. 11 Tianchen Dong Lu, Chaoyang district (8437 8899) 朝阳区天辰东路11号国家游泳中心. Open Mon-Fri 12.30-7.30pm; Sat-Sun 9-7.30pm. 60RMB.

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