[Hai Lights] 2026 The BIG List of 24 Outdoor Pools 2 Cool Down In

Alright ladies and gentlemen. Your hot summer bodies have been waiting for the typhoons to pass, and you are ready to get undressed for Shanghai's summer heatwaves. Let's do it.

First thing's, do us a favor and share this article on your WeChat moments and share this with your friends, enemies, partners, lovers, all the people you'd like to get half naked with. These guides take hoursss to compile and we'd adore some love.

This year… we have new pools and NEW pools deals that you can ONLY get with City News Service.

Happy swimming you beautiful thing you.

Editor's Choice Pools:

Get In Nature : Le Meridien Sheshan. Resort-style offerings, surrounded by beautiful nature with special 100 yuan (US$14) entry. Make a weekend of it and book a room.

Best Value Puxi: Oland Club & The Terrace makes our editor's picks this year Guests get pool access AND gym access (only CNS readers). With the other amenities such as The Terrace restaurant, spa, and basketball court, you can stay here all day. Oh, and they have pet grooming too. 150 per person gets you in.

Best Value Pudong: This year, we have named Purple Mountain as editor's choice for value in Pudong. Tickets for CNS readers are 70 yuan, but 150 for everyone else. This is a great price point, plus this pool has poolside food and beverage options.

Water Park: Playa Maya, make a day of it with friends. Solid fun, and clean water.

Best Big Pool: Ambassy Club Pudong, huge pool, that's sunny all day. Nice food options.

Beautiful People: The Kimpton, You can't help but look your best here. An upscale French brasserie for lunch/dinner, and a saucy speakeasy for drinks makes this infinity pool a good place to show off.

Pool-Side F&B Service: This one goes to Oland as well. The attached restaurant called The Terrace has a large menu, with a lot of great options at affordable prices (70-200 yuan... for the steak).

Destination: Make a weekend at the Intercontinental Global Harbor out in Lingang. You've got lake sports, an indoor ski resort with a roof top water park nearby, the slick Shanghai Astronomy Museum, and bike rentals to ride around the lake.

Alright, on to the full list. We'll start with the five pools that are offering CNS readers special perks:

1) Ambassy Club - Pudong

Ambassy Club is still one of our favorite on the list. Before, we use to have caveats, because you could only buy a 192 RMB ticket once, then after it shot up to 500 RMB (booo).

HOWEVERRRrrrr.... This Year CNS Readers Get a GOOD Deal.

All CNS reader ragamuffins can get up to 6 single entry tickets this summer. Discounted from the (now) 600 RMB club fee:

• ¥110 per person on weekdays
• ¥130 per person on weekends

Extra Extra Bonus: CNS readers get one free summer special drink included with every single ticket. Nice!

So, why do we like Ambassy Club Pudong? First, the pool is freaking huuuuge. Like, you can't tell from the picture, but it is spacious. We also like that there is an attached restaurant inside the community center which serves decent western food. If that doesn't tickle you, or if your high school kids need to escape your gaze, hope on Hello Bikes outside the Ambassy and right for 5 minutes to hit up Las Tapas for... Spanish tapas, and Bamboo Riverhouse which used to be the Big Bamboo of Pudong. The menu is largely the same. The pool faces south, so you get sun all day and is also open for late summer enjoyment, until October 7.

Dates: Through September 30

Hours: 7am-9pm (weekdays); 9am-9pm (weekends)

Tel: 5198-3688

Address: 588 Hongfeng Rd, Pudong New Area 浦东新区红枫路588号

Who's Going: This is a big pool, and it serves a broad community. On a weekend, you might have a corner of the pool with expat families, the ones who live in villas, in another you'll have bar owners and pilates instructors, in another part you might have groups of high-schoolers from Concordia or Dulwich College, and in another corner, you'll find expat teachers (the ones on nice packages).

If you need help with anything, add Scott's WeChat, in the gallery.

2) Oland Club at The Terrace

A surprisingly nice combo recreation center with pool, restaurant, gym, spa, yoga studio, basketball court, and is pet friendly.

Okay, so when we added Oland's Pool last year, we had never been. But we have been since, and WOW, it is way better than we expected. Part of the surprise also, is that the photos last year weren't that great. Here's the thing, it's not just the pool that's nice, you've got a restaurant, a gym, a pet play area, pet grooming, and a spa all attached to the same recreation space. And the restaurant is actually good, and weirdly affordable, considering the surrounding villa's go for 50,000 yuan /month for rent.

Here is one particular stand-out feature of this pool: you can actually cool down. Most pools in Shanghai are shallow, and have shade mechanics that heat them up to the point of the air temperature, or even hotter. But Oland's pool water is cooler than the outside temperature, so you can really get refreshed if that is what you are needing. Most of the chairs around the pool are also in shaded spaces, so again, if the goal is just to cool down, this is one of the best options on this list.

>>For CNS readers only<<

Price: 150 yuan for adults and 100 yuan for kids. These prices also come with free access to the gym, so take advantage. Show them this article at reception when paying for the tickets.

Dates: Through September

Hours: 10am-10pm

Best Time to Go: A younger, and sometimes more hip crowd is there between 11am and 3pm, after which the crowd morphs into a mix of local and Qingpu expat families.

Address: 111 Lianmin Rd, Qingpu District 青浦区联民路111号 Didi: Oland Clubhouse

Who's Going: It's the Qingpu crowd! Mostly families!

Poolside F&B: Out of all the places I've been, this place honestly has the best food & beverage options. I mean Kimpton is of course nice for the level it occupies, but... most of us won't be going to Kimpton every weekend. Check out the menu, and some food pics.

Note: PET FRIENDLY!!!! Also, they do private events, pool parties, and even have a private bar. Be sure to bring your own towels. Add Angelina's WeChat (Angelinaqixuan) for inquiries.

3) Le Meridien - Sheshan

Editor's pick for a day trip. Beautiful pool in natural surroundings with a great price.

This place opened as the Le Meridien Sheshan. Last year it was the Yuluxe Sheshan. It's now been re-branded back to Le Meridien, with some rennovations.

This place is purrrty. It's down near Sheshan, with green everywhere and a front-row seat to Shanghai Sculpture Park, Yuehu Lake (Moon Lake), and across the street, Playa Maya waterpark. Sheshan Hill and the national forest park are both a few minutes' stroll away.

You've got actual nature here – trees, water, lakes, hill, paths – so bring your running shoes if you're feeling productive or just take a lazy lap around the lake. There are huge lawns nearby which people take the hotel towels and just sunbathe.

The day pass gets you access to the indoor and outdoor pools, plus the gym, so a full wellness day is on the table if that's your thing.

Food-wise, not bad. Le Café on the ground floor is your Western/Asian hybrid: burgers, pastas, pizzas, dumplings, nasi goreng, West African stew and steaks. On the fifth floor, there's a solid Cantonese restaurant with legit dim sum and lake views. Honestly, a great option for a 30-minute Didi drive that feels a nature escape that's not in Shanghai anymore.

Dates: Through September 30

Hours: 8am-8pm (outdoor pool); 6:30am-10pm (indoor pool)

Address: 1288 Linyinxin Rd, Songjiang District (by Yuehu Lake, inside Sheshan National Tourist Resort) 松江区林荫新路1288号佘山国家旅游度假区内月湖附近

Distance From Downtown: 32km. Save money on the trip by getting off at Sheshan Metro Station on Line 9. Then take a Didi for 5 minutes to the hotel. This cuts trip cost down to a 20 yuan Didi ride, and you'll arrive faster by skipping traffic on the way.

Price: Exclusive price for City News Service readers: 100 yuan for adults, 50 yuan for children. Just show them this article. Everyone else... 168 yuan.

Pool-Side F&B: They have a pool bar that serves drinks and snacks, but it only operates on the weekends. Otherwise, Le Cafe has good continental fare, and Yu Palace serves up outstanding Cantonese where you can gaze out onto Yuehu Lake and Sheshan National Forest. It's gorgeous.

4) Hyatt Centric Hotel - Zhongshan Park

This pool has been closed for a long time. It's been renovated when the property was taken over by high end Hyatt. Wide sky views overlooking Zhongshan Park

This used to be the New World Shanghai Hotel, which closed down for some time, and eventually re-opened in 2023 under the new management of Hyatt Group (think Hyatt on the Bund, Grand Hyatt, and Park Hyatt). Back in the day this pool was a fairly quiet, and laid back option that had wide-open sky views given that it was on the 7th floor.

Now, we can at this point only speak from memory from way back 2019. But we've spoken with the hotel management, and they said that it's been all done up quite nice after a verrrry long renovation. The hotel provides towels, and this place will also have a poolside menu for food and drinks.

Dates: Through October 7

Hours: 8am-6pm

Best time to to: 10am-2pm the pool gets direct sun, and then later starts to settle into shade.

Address: 7F, 1555 Dingxi Road, Changning District 长宁区定西路1555号上海中山公园凯悦尚萃酒店7楼

Didi: Hyatt Centric Zhongshan Park Shanghai

Distance from downtown: 5km

Price: 250 yuan per person and 480 for two people (exclusive for City News Service Readers)

Pool Side Bar: Yes! You can order drinks and snacks pool-side. The offerings are light, healthy, and affordable.

5) Purple Mountain Hotel - Pudong

The Purple Mountain Hotel is historical. Not in the sense that it was built during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), but rather because back in the day, this was the place for expats, DJ, pool parties. Those days are long gone, but it's still a really cool option. This is one pool where the photos do NOT do the place justice. It's much better in person.

First off, the PICTURES DO NOT DO THIS PLACE JUSTICE. The pool is much larger in person than what you might perceive from photos. Second, you're on the fifth floor right in the middle of a little "central business district" in Pudong, so you end up being surrounded by skyscrapers. It makes for a cool "urban swim" experience. If ever you have friends visiting from your rural hometown, this is a nice pool to visit. The hotel has some decent F&B options, which they'll deliver to you poolside.

Not sure why, but this pool is generally not too packed. We like to bring speakers and play some tunes to make the vibe right. The space's acoustics somehow make it so you're not disturbing others around the pool. This pool also has a nice feature of being open until September 30. So... no need to kiss summer goodbye too quickly.

>>For CNS readers only<<

CNS readers get a special price of just 70 yuan! Just show the receptionist this article.

Dates: Through September 30

Hours: 10am-10pm

Best Time to Go: This baby gets sun for most of the day. Twilight does sink in around 6pm though.

Tel: 6886-8888

Address: 778 Dongfang Rd, Pudong New Area 浦东新区东方路778号

Who's Going: People who like underground parties. Celia crowd will be here, if they're not at Mandarin City.

And now... in Alphabetical Order

6) Amara Hotel - Putuo

A pool in Putuo that's absorbed all the sunbathers from the nearby Brillian City pool.

The Amara is a small pool in north Jing'an, close to Putuo District. It turned out to be a place where many expats in that area flocked to once the pool at Zhongyuan Liangwan Cheng (Brilliant City) closed. The facilities are clean, and it's a reasonably priced option on this list. Inside the hotel are food options if you have the nibbles. The pool is a good option if you prefer indirect sun. Pool is facing north, so the Amara tower casts a close shadow.

The best thing about this place is its location. It's an option for people living in Putuo given that the nearby popular Brilliant City pool closed down.

Dates: Through September 30

Hours: 8am-6pm

Tel: 6288-9888

Address: 600 Changshou Rd, Putuo District 普陀区长寿路600号

Price: 168 yuan per person per visit

Who's Going: Younger professionals who want decent environs, but don't want to spend too much.

7) Ambassy Club - Xuhui

A smaller, popular pool in downtown

Popular downtown pool for families. It's got a slide which is fun for kids obviously. But aside from this, it's a little pricey for what you get and it closes early. There are better options. Towels and gear you should bring yourself.

Dates: Through September 30

Hours: 11am-6pm (Mondays), 9am-6pm (Tuesdays-Sundays)
Best Time to Go: The pool starts getting shaded at 3pm.

Address: 1500 Huaihai Rd M., Xuhui District 徐汇区淮海中路1500号

Distance from Downtown: Ground Zero

Price: A little pricey at 300 yuan per trip, but includes access to the gym, spa and jacuzzi.

Who's Going: Families with kids

8) The Intercontinental Global Harbor - Lingang

The hotel built on an artificial island in a man-made lake

This one is definitely a day trip sort of thing, or even a weekend escape (if you end up getting a room). Behold, The Intercontinental Global Harbor.

First off, this is one of those truly unique experiences in Shanghai. The entire hotel is perched on its own man-made island, right in the center of the also man-made Dishui Lake. If you haven't ventured out to the Lingang area yet, you really should. It's a fast-growing area with a lot to offer – lake water sports, scenic bike rides around the lake and even out to the Pacific Ocean (which, to be fair, isn't much to look at – but hey, it's there).

There's even another water park nearby (L*Snow further down this list), so if you make the trip, you can easily knock out both over a weekend.

Now, about the pool – it's solid. Well-kept, modern and stylish. It's the only infinity-style pool in the city that's actually built right up against a substantial body of water. You'll get some nice poolside service, and the food and drink options are a bit more elevated than most (though W Shanghai and Kimpton hold their own too).

Overall, this is a spot to kick back and really enjoy – not just for the pool, but for everything else going on in the area. Plus, with the pace this district is developing, it's kind of wild to watch an entire neighborhood evolve in real time.

Dates: Through September 30

Hours: 8am-8pm (outdoor pool); 6:30am-10pm (indoor pool)

Best Time to Go: This pool faces south, and the hotel behind it doesn't rise more than four floors, so it generally gets good sunlight all day until about 6pm.

Address: No. 1 South Island, but if you take Didi type in "South Island No 2." 浦东新区南汇新城镇南岛1号

Distance from Downtown: 82km

Price: 200 yuan for one person. You can buy tickets using this QR code below.

Who's Going: Expats trying to escape the downtown concrete jungle and daily grind.

Pool-Side F&B: No, but there are restaurants inside the hotel.

9) The JW Marriott Tomorrow Square - Huangpu

This pool is more of an "older option." It feels a bit dated in places, especially when compared to the slick, modern setups over at spots like the Kimpton. That said, its prime location – right in the heart of downtown – makes up for a lot.

Food-wise, it's on the pricey side and kind of gives off early-2000s "Western food in Shanghai" vibes. The city's come a long way since then, but hey – if you're already there and don't feel like heading out, it'll get the job done.

What sets this place apart, though, is the vibe. It's usually quieter, less crowded than most others on the list. There's a certain type of crowd that gravitates here – mostly business travelers willing to pay a premium for that central location, plus a few long-time expats happy to drop 600 to 1,000+ yuan for a low-key weekday lounge session.

Dates: Through October 7

Hours: 8:30am-9:30pm

Best Time to Go: The pool itself is shaded by the main tower for most of the day, so your best bet is to come between 1pm and 5pm, when the sun finally swings around for that golden northwest-facing sunset.

Address: 399 Nanjing Rd W., Jing'an District 静安区南京西路399号

Distance from Downtown: Ground Zero

Price: 388 yuan for adults, 200 yuan for children. But you can snag cheaper prices on Dianping at 259 yuan and 151 yuan for adults and kids respectively.

Who's Going: Established professionals, some hotel guests, some not.

10) L*Snow - Lingang

The world's largest indoor ski resort that just so happens to have a massive outdoor waterpark on its roof.

This is another "all day adventure" sort of thing, with no shortage of things to do. First, it's in the Lingang area, the free-trade zone part of Shanghai that is developing at a historically rapid pace (seriously, it's something).

L*Snow launched to much fanfare for being the largest indoor ski resort in the world. The powers that be felt that such an expansive roof shouldn't go to waste, so they built an entire waterpark on top. We haven't been yet. But we probably will check this off our list this summer.

Dates: Through September 30

Hours: 10am-8pm

Address: 2088 Hucheng Ring Rd, Pudong New Area 浦东新区沪城环路2088号

Distance from Downtown: 56km

Price: 250 yuan

Who's Going: Everyone. It's packed. This is definitely a "group of friends" sort of deal.

11) Magic Whale Outdoor Swimming Pool - Xuhui District (Very South Tho)

A cheap pool that's shaded and therefore great for folks with fair skin.

This is a cheap and cheerful local pool that doesn't get a lot of traffic during the day. This is a great option if you have the type of skin that refuses to tan. Canopies hanging over the pool can lessen the UV intensity, so this is a good option for those with delicate and fair skin.

Dates: Through September 30

Hours: 9am-9pm

Best Time to Go: This pool tends to be relatively empty during the day, and then it begins to fill up after 4pm when the shade starts to set in.

Address: No. 1-59, Lane 100 Tianlin Rd E., Xuhui District 徐汇区田林东路100弄1-59号

Distance from Downtown: 20km

Price: 40 yuan per visit

Who's Going: Everyone. It is a local, quieter crowd with kids.

12) New Star Minhang

A South Korean-style bathhouse that's been popular with expats for a long while. Steam rooms, sauna, massage and an outdoor pool.

This is a South Korean-style bath house that has been popular with expats for years. It's accessible in price, the South Korean food is pretty decent, and it's clean. Where Qiangtang would be a more affordable, Chinese bathhouse experience, New Star is larger in its facilities, and more international just by virtue of it being of South Korean origin. You have a nice mix of Chinese, expats and South Korean families. As usual with bath-houses, they have gender separated areas where you can enjoy life in your birthday suit, as well as communal areas that are enjoy in pyjamas provided by the venue.

The outdoor pool, definitely not a rock star on this list by itself, but the point of New Star and Qiantang pools is that they come attached with the bath-house experience. So... you can lounge, nap, get massages, have food, sweat out your stress in the saunas or steam baths, swim fully commando in the nude areas, or bask in the sun a bit if you're tired of being cooped up inside.

Dates: Through September 30

Hours: 24 hours for the spa, 9am-6:30pm for the pool

Address: Lane 258, Jinhui Rd S., Minhang District 闵行区金汇南路258弄

Price: 168 yuan for one person, or get a double ticket for 298 yuan.

13) Playa Maya - Minhang

A waterpark designed and engineered by a Canadian company. Clean water, sprawling and a good time with groups of friends or lovers.

Shanghai's answer to suburban summer madness, Playa Maya is a sprawling, vaguely Mayan-themed water park tacked onto Happy Valley in Songjiang. It's got the essentials: giant slides, wave pools, Filipino performers in feather headdresses (yep), and a towering Mayan water god who dumps buckets on screaming children. The slides are a mixed bag – some thrilling, some skippable – with the "Blue Python" and "Orange Trumpet" standing out if you can survive the wait. The rides were designed and imported by a Canadian company called WhiteWater. They have designed water parks all over the world apparently, not just limited to Canada, but also in the US, South Korea, India and Australia. Clean water, relaxed lifeguards. It's chaotic, ridiculous, and a genuinely fun day out.

Dates: Through September 30

Hours: 9:30am-10pm

Address: 888 Linhu Rd, Songjiang District 松江区林湖路888号

Distance from Downtown: 24km

Price: 180 yuan with other package options on Dianping. Look for "Playa Maya" and hit the floating translate button.

F&B Options: Not great. Eat before, and head out after.

14) Qiantang International Bathhouse - Pudong

A local Chinese bathhouse that is CHEAP. Steam room, saunas, massages and an outdoor pool that is pretty decent.

Like New Star in Minhang, Qiantang (乾汤国际) is another all day spa with dedicated sections for men and women (naked time). The pool however is communal where both sexes can mingle and frolic, and it's popular with kids. Compared to Newstar, Qiantang is older, more local, but also, pretty darn cheap.

This isn't the fanciest day spa (neither is Newstar, mind you), but if you'd like to go on a dime, a decent option with sauna, mineral pools, Japanese food and an outdoor pool.

Dates: Through September 15

Hours: 24 hours baby!

Address: 2216 Jingao Rd, Pudong New Area 浦东新区金高路2216号

Price: 59 yuan, cheap!

Who's Going: Locals who want to relax

15) Radisson Blu Forest Manor - Hongqiao

A Spanish architectural five-star hotel pool not far from downtown

Last year The Radisson Blu Forest Manor made a name for itself among the bold and the beautiful of Shanghai by hosting massive DJ-techno laden pool parties.

Situated out in Minhang right next to the National Exhibition and Convention Center, it's in a relatively newly-developed area of Shanghai. The hotel itself is a marvel upon approach. You'll notice quickly the classical Spanish architecture. The changing rooms have private shower stalls, as well as indoor jacuzzis, steam rooms and saunas, so you could treat this as a mini-bathhouse if you wanted. Day pass also includes access to the gym.

Dates: Through August 31

Hours: 9am-7pm

Best Time to Go: Between 10am to 4pm is when the pool gets the most sunlight. Starting at 5:30pm, it becomes shaded.

Price: 380 yuan for adults; 190 for children. BUT, show them this article, and you can snag 10 percent off your tickets and accommodations if you decide to make a weekend of it.

Address: 839 Jinfeng Rd, Minhang District 闵行区金丰路839号

Distance From Downtown: 20km

Who's Going: Right now, it is mostly families, expats and local Chinese. However, with a big pool party this weekend, that may change.

Pool-Side F&B: There is a small cafe on the same floor as the pool, but you need to go inside, it's located near the gym-changing room check-in. It's only open on the weekends.

16) Sun Island Water Park - Qingpu

The water park that doesn't need any promotion!

Out past Zhujiajiao – about 45km from the motherland (read: downtown Shanghai) – lies Sun Island, a sprawling resort complex with golf courses, spas, hotels, and yes, a waterpark. The park itself is modest in size, capping daily visitors at around 500, which is... quaint, especially when you consider Playa Maya is out here herding up to 26,000 bodies through turnstiles daily. But hey – Sun Island's got a wave pool and a man-made beach, so that's something.

We reached out to them to politely request a few photos for this write-up – you know, the usual media stuff, nothing fancy. Their response: "We don't need promotion."

Ah. Okay then. Just to make sure they got the memo – that this was earned media, not some pay-for-play nonsense – we followed up. The final word came down swift and sharp: "No need."

So there you go. Sun Island: too exclusive, too successful, or just too chill to bother sending a few JPEGs. Whatever!

Dates: Through September 15

Hours: 9am-7pm
Best Time to Go: Whenever, its a big park, you'll find sun.

Price: 99 yuan (Monday to Friday), 159 yuan (Saturday to Sunday)

Address: 2588 Shentai Road, Zhujiajiao Town, Qingpu District 青浦区朱家角镇沈太路2588号

Distance From Downtown: 52km

Who's Going: Everyone. It's a big park, so you'll see many demographics represented. Families. College kids. Millenials. They all there.

17) Shimao Riviera Pool - Pudong

A pool with a fake beach for quiet sunbathers

The Shimao Riviera is a safe option. Clean facilities, access to an indoor and outdoor pool, as well as access to a gym. There aren't really food options, so pack your snacks for the day. The pool is large and has some good depth the further out you go. Sandy partitions make you feel beachside, a bit. One big thing to note is that the pool is entirely shaded in the morning. If you're wanting to soak up some sun, best to go starting at after 1pm.

Dates: Through September 30

Hours: 12pm-10pm (Mondays); 10am-7pm (Tuesdays-Sundays)

Tel: 6888-8108

Address: Lane 1 & 2 Weifang Rd, Pudong New Area 浦东新区潍坊路1弄/2弄

Price: 200 yuan

Who's Going: Sunbathers. Either those working on their aesthetics (tan), or those who like to meditate under the sun. Also, some of the family crowd, locals and expats who live in the nearby fancy compounds.

18) The Fondney Hotel - Hongqiao

A suburban pool in Hongqiao attached to a four-star Nanyang designed hotel.

This pool has a double-sided character. On the one hand, it feels like a well-kept community pool enjoyed by the neighborhood folk who occupy the surrounding villas. This is suburban swimming pool life, if ever there was one in Shanghai. Granted, it's not really a community pool. Because on the other hand, the pool belongs to the Fondney Garden Hotel. Which, as far as hotels go, is a uniquely gorgeous hotel, designed in Nanyang style with Shanghai aesthetic influences. It's a modern hotel by the way.

This pool has a lot going for it. Great price, and it faces south, so it has great sun morning till evening.

Dates: Through September 10th

Hours: 10am to noon with a break. Resumes 1pm-9pm

Address: 222 Xiewei Rd, Qingpu District (Inside Fondney Garden Hotel) 青浦区谢卫路222号凤颐酒店内

Distance from Downtown: 15km

Price: 70 yuan for adults, 60 yuan for children

Who's Going: Not too many people. Busier on the weekends, but not that busy.

19) The Grand Plaza Club House - Xuhui

The Grand Plaza Club House has been a staple with expats for many years. It's in the same compound where Maya was (which has now sadly closed). Hard to tell how this will impact the pool's popularity, which arguably was bolstered by the fact that burritos were so accessible. Bummer.

Dates: Through September 30

Hours: 9am-9pm

Tel: 6289-4835

Address: Lane 568 Julu Rd, Xuhui District 徐汇区巨鹿路568弄

Price: 150 yuan on weekdays; 200 yuan on weekends; 80 yuan for kids under 1.2 meters

20) The Kimpton Hotel - Pudong

An infinity pool that overlooks Puxi's South Bund. Gorgeous people and slow-burn sensuality.

The Kimpton is for sexy people (and me occasionally). This is where the "see and be seen" hotties migrated after W Shanghai stopped selling pool day passes. But don't expect a W-style vibe. Where the W leans into an electrifying, high-gloss aesthetic, the Kimpton goes for silk over sequins.

What I like about the Kimpton is that the Hotel itself is a fun maze to explore. You'll find secret corners and hidden experiences tucked into the nooks and crannies, both indoors and out. There's an infinity pool that sneakily spies on the South Bund of Puxi, and if you're hungry, the upscale Franco, a Chinois brasserie in the garden atrium is actually worth the price tag. Bonus: they've got live music and the occasional DJ salon to keep things interesting.

But here's the thing... the Best Time To Go is a bit of an issue.

If you want the best experience at The Kimpton, particularly if you are with a group of people, you have to go right when the pool opens at 8:30am. Otherwise, you and your compadres will have slim chances of being together.

There are chairs sat in circles with tables, there are lounge chairs, and there are cool sexy big beds that can fit 2 - 5 depending on how you arrange yourselves.

Hours: 8:30am-9:30pm

Best Time to Go: The hotel faces west, which means it's one of the few places in Shanghai to watch the sunset over the city. Fully bathed in light from 10am until the sunsets.

Address: No. 9, Lane 199, Qiantan Ave, Pudong New Area 浦东新区前滩大道199弄9号

Price: 299 yuan each, or 399 yuan for two

Who's Going: The quiet, upper echelons of Pudong

21) The Shang-Mira - Changning District

Editor's pick for Best Value in Puxi. A really nice, mostly empty pool that opens earlier than most, and is near some great Japanese food. Also, why is it mostly empty?

This is a really nice pool, in a kind of old-but nice compound. Why is it nice? It' just looks so new (even though it's not). Verrrry well maintained.
The strange thing, is that despite this pool not being terribly far from downtown, and despite it being quite nice... it's usually not very full at all. It honestly should be more popular, particularly given the price being so good.

You can bring a speaker with you, enjoy some music with your tribe.

This pool is right in the heart of Gubei, so take your friends not just for some sun and water, but also for some great Japanese food. Check out our list of 12 great Japanese restaurants nearby.

Note: To get tickets, you need to go into the office building across the pool, up the stairs to the second floor office. It feels like a principal's office sort of thing. But you payy, and get your tickets, pretty easy. Ask the folks at the pool to point you in the right direction, incase these instructions were less than helpful.

Dates: Through September 30

Hours: 7am-9pm

Best Time to Go: The pool gets great light all day.

Address: 7 Shuicheng Rd S., Changning District 长宁区水城南路7号

Distance from Downtown: 7km

Price: 100 yuan on weekdays, and 150 yuan on weekends, or get a membership for the year for 2,400 yuan.

Who's Going: This pool is emptyyyy, which is so weird.

22) Yanlord Garden - Pudong

The oddly affordable, huge pool in a nice compound that isn't that busy...

Surprisingly pleasant. Compared to its grumpier cousin over in Xuhui, the Pudong Yanlord is friendlier, breezier and just generally more chilled out. Staff are less uptight – swim caps are optional, cameras are fine, and no one's breathing down your neck about towel placement.

The pool sits in the middle of tall residential towers, but the sunlight still gets through. Good light most of the day, actually. Plenty of space on the surrounding pavement if you're more into tanning than laps.

No food options nearby, so bring snacks or pack a picnic.

Dates: Through September 30

Hours: 9am-9pm

Address: Lane 99, Puming Rd, Pudong New Area 浦东新区浦明路99弄

Price: 59 yuan, cheap!

Who's Going: Locals who want to relax.

23) Yushu Garden (小区游泳池) - Hongqiao

Relaxed, residential and easygoing. Yushu Garden's outdoor pool in Changning is the kind of place that keeps things simple: no hotel-style extras, no gym access, just a straightforward outdoor swim for a very reasonable 50 yuan.

The pool gets its best sun from around noon to 4pm, making it a good pick if you're looking to tan as much as swim. Outside those hours, expect more shade around the pool area.

There's no need to plan too hard for food and drinks. You can order delivery to the pool, buy drinks on-site, and there are restaurants within about 500 meters if you want a proper meal before or after. Just remember to bring your own towel.

Hours: 8am-9:30pm

Address: Yushu Garden, 518 Huaiyin Rd, Changning District 长宁区淮阴路518号御墅花园

Price: 50 yuan

Pool Access: Outdoor pool only, no gym access

Food & Drinks: Drinks available; delivery allowed; or bring your own snacks

Towels: Bring your own

Best Sun: 12pm-4pm

Who's Going: Changning locals looking for a simple outdoor swim.

24. C3H Swimming Club

Here is a cheap option that just opened a few weeks ago, it's called the C3H Swimming club. It has both indoor and outdoor pools, but it's the outdoor space we care most about it. It's one of the cheaper on options on this list, but it's also bare bones. You need to bring your own towels, and there isn't really food options (you can't have things delivered to the pool either).

Dates: Through September 30

Sun Hours: The pool gets sun throughout the day, but it becomes shaded around 4pm.

Opening Hours: 10am-9:30pm

Address: 1F, 1087 Pingxingguan Rd, Jing'an District 静安区平型关路1087号1楼

Price: 60 yuan, also cheap!

Distance from Downtown: 8km, about 20 minutes by Didi

Who's Going: Not many people at the moment!

You made it to the end. Welcome down here. Remember to hit the like and heart button at the bottom of this piece… and hey… did we miss a pool that we should add? Let us know in the comments.