With extreme weather events, and sometimes just regular rain, making some of our beaches and natural swimming holes unswimmable, it’s time to turn to more sanitary public and hotel pools.
Whether you’re looking to freestyle it in the lanes, pop a manu off a diving board, or simply wallow in the water, there’s a human-made swimming hole to suit.
In the hope New Zealand will get the belated summer it deserves, we’ve limited this list to outdoor pools. But, with our changeable weather in mind, we’ve included plenty of heated options. Go on – dive in.
St Clair Hot Salt Water Pool, Dunedin
Dunedin’s answer to Sydney’s world-famous Bondi Baths, this heated saltwater pool occupies a perfect perch on the southern end of St Clair Beach.
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Kept at a very comfortable 28 degrees Celsius, it’s a top spot to keep an eye out for the wildlife that frequent the area (think penguins, sea lions and seals). Once, a sea lion even paid a visit to the Salt Water Pool, which is open from October to March and costs just $7.40 for adults and $3.40 for kids to enter.
Once you’re done with your swim, grab a bite at one of the excellent eateries along the esplanade (The Esplanade, Starfish, Salt and Tītī are popular choices) or, if you’re there at the weekend, grab an imaginatively-flavoured ice cream (think lemon curd and marshmallow, rose and pistachio, or banana and roast white chocolate) from the Patti’s & Cream food truck named ‘Betty’.
Brook Sabin/Stuff
St Clair Hot Salt Water Pool costs $7.40 per adult and $3.40 per child to enter. Preschoolers cost even less, and family passes will set you back $15.90.
Wainuiomata Summer Pool, Lower Hutt
An 80-metre open-air water slide through native bush is a highlight of this hidden gem of a complex in Lower Hutt.
Set amid rose gardens and shrubs surrounded by bush, it features a 50-metre pool with lanes dedicated to lane swimming and aqua jogging at certain periods, a “splash zone” for kids and teens with an “aquarun”, hydroslide and aqua toys, plus a spa pool, playground and mini golf area.
Stuff
Wainuiomata Summer pool is perfect for serious swimming or relaxing.
The terraced seating is perfect for spectators and sunbathers, while the grassy area backed by big, shady trees is prime picnic territory.
You’ll need to get in quick if you want to enjoy it this season though – the pool closes on March 12.
Ōpuke Thermal Pools and Spa, Methven
BROOK SABIN/Stuff
Ōpuke Thermal Pools and Spa are divided into adults’ only and family-friendly zones.
This state-of-the-art pool complex features a swim-up bar where you can treat yourself to the likes of a glass of wine with a gourmet platter – or pizza and chocolate fondant.
The solar-heated pools are divided into two zones: The adults-only ‘Tranquility Pools’ with the swim-up bar – and swoon-worthy views of the Southern Alps – and the family-friendly ‘Discovery Pools’.
The latter come complete with star-lit caves and a play area with a “crazy river” and “leap of faith” plunge pool.
Point Erin Pool, Auckland
DAVID WHITE/STUFF
Point Erin Pool in Auckland’s Herne Bay features a spa and dive pool as well as a 33-metre swimming pool.
Sadly, the beloved century-old Parnell Baths will not reopen this season after a slip during the Auckland floods blocked road access.
Fortunately, historic Point Erin Pool has a similar vibe, with a 33-metre pool lined with bright-coloured sun loungers and plenty of room for picnics on the grass.
Located on Shelly Beach Road in the central suburb of Herne Bay, the complex also features a dive pool, hydroslides, spa, toddlers’ pool and basketball court. The pool closes on March 26.
Lake Taupō Holiday Resort, Taupō
Brook Sabin
Lake Taupō Holiday Resort has a swim-up bar, café and ice cream parlour.
If you like the sound of a break at a tropical resort with its own water park but can’t afford an air ticket out of here (who can these days?), ‘Lusty’s Lagoon’ at Lake Taupō Holiday Resort could be the answer.
Well aware Taupō’s temperatures typically fall far short of Fiji’s or the Gold Coast’s, owners Lloyd and Trish Lusty filled their large, lagoon-style pool with thermally heated waters, ensuring guests feel like they’re in the tropics year-round.
There are big screens for movies and sports matches, a cave filled with Wētā Workshop-made glow-worms and wētās, hydroslides, a waterfall, and New Zealand’s first thermal swim-up café, bar and ice cream parlour.
Outside the water, you’ll find pedal go-karts, a jumping pillow (similar to a giant trampoline built into the ground), an adventure playground and games room.
Lusty’s is available to resort guests only, so you can rest assured it won’t be overcrowded.
Mount Hot Pools, Mount Maunganui
Tourism Bay of Plenty
The Mount Hot Pools contain naturally heated salt water.
Lying at the foot of the Mauao between Mount Maunganui’s main beach and Pilot Bay, these filtered seawater pools cater for swimmers of all stripes.
There’s a ‘relaxation pool’ for chilled wallowing, a ‘hydrotherapy pool’ for swimming, walking and playing, and a kid’s pool for pint-sized punters to splash about in as much as they please.
In addition to the three outdoor pools, which are heated to between 32.7 and 38.8 degrees, there are two outdoor spa pools and three indoor private pools.
Visit on a Sunday between 7 and 8:30pm until April 2, and you’ll be treated to a poolside performance by local musicians.
Kent Blechynden
Generations of Wellingtonians have grown up learning to swim at Thorndon Pool.
Thorndon Pool, Wellington
Built in the 1920s, this 30.5-metre pool has retro charm in spades.
Despite only being open in the warmer months, it’s heated to 28 degrees to ensure Welly’s unsummery summer temps don’t get in the way of a good time.
Just a few minutes from the CBD, it’s popular with office workers, who pop in for a pre- or post-work dip or lunch hour lap session.
The shaded bleachers are perfect for sunbathing or snoozing, and there are barbecues on hand to help you make a day of it. When it’s busy – the smell of sizzling sausages and sunscreen in the air – there’s something of a pool party vibe.
