Hai Lights is your all-access pass to the coolest corners of Shanghai, whether it's food, nightlife, art, or just those random quirks that make this city tick, where each edition dives into a specific slice of city life. We're talking themed rundowns – from the top Spanish restaurants to the coolest soccer clubs, the most scenic bike routes and everything in between. We cut through the noise and bring you the standout spots in each category, so you know where to go, what to do, and who's doing it best. No fluff, no filler, just a solid list of places that make Shanghai tick, because if it's worth your time, it's worth ours.

Big, splashy news, folks. Last summer's modest list of nine pools? That's now a bloated, beautiful 23. Twenty-three! Outdoor pools. In Shanghai. We're beside ourselves.

Now, look – anyone can slap together a list of pools with addresses. Boring. We went in. Literally. Swam, sunned, surveyed. Hard work. This thing needed actual curation. So we did the laps, scoped the scenes and sorted the standouts.

So yes, there's an editor's picks section. Because 23 is a lot, and someone's gotta tell you where the real gems are.

Do us a favor. Smash the like buttons at the bottom of this, and share it on your moments. Much obliged Shanghai!

Editor's Choice Pools:

Pamper Yourself: Yuluxe Sheshan. Resort-style offerings, surrounded by beautiful nature with special 100 yuan (US$14) entry. A steal.

Best Value Puxi: The Shang-Mira steals the spot with 100 yuan entry on weekdays. Spacious and not too crowded (for now).

Best Value Pudong: Yanlord River Garden, at 45 yuan entry, it's a steal.

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: Purple Mountain (Affordable) and JW Marriott (Elevated).

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.

And now, in no particular order, except we're front-loading the pools we didn't have on last year's lists:

1) Yuluxe Sheshan

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

If you're looking to treat yourself to nature not far from downtown, this is it.

Yuluxe Sheshan used to be Le Méridien – and now it's part of Marriott's Tribute Portfolio. Still fancy. Still well-kept. Still sitting pretty next to the lake, 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.

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.

Opening 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

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.

2) Radisson Blu Forest Manor

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

The Radisson Blu Forest Manor is one of the newer hotels on this list, but it snuck past all our radars because it opened in May of 2019, right before the world got distracted. But this is probably going to be this hotel's break-out year among expats in Shanghai. Yes, it's a distance away, but it's nice.

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, sporting elegant classical Spanish architecture design. 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.

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

Opening Hours: Through August 31, 9am-7pm

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.

Special Note: There will be a HUGE pool party this weekend. Check it out:

3) The Intercontinental Global Harbor

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.

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.

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

Address: No. 1 South Island, but if you take Didi type in "South Island No 2."

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.

4) The Kimpton Hotel

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

If you're wondering where all the "see and be seen" hotties migrated after W Shanghai stopped selling pool day passes – this is where they've landed. 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.

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 – 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.

The Kimpton isn't about spectacle. Yes, it's full of fashionable, gorgeous people – but they're not loud or raucous, and neither should you be. This place doesn't shout to get your attention. It knows it already has it. Now, this is all the exterior mind you. Once you find their hidden speakeasy bar, that luxury becomes tactile and flashy.

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.

Opening Hours: 8:30am-9:30pm

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 earch, or 399 yuan for two

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

5) The Fondney Hotel

A newish 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.

Opening 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.

6) L*Snow

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.

Opening Hours: Through September, 10am-10pm

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.

7) Magic Whale Outdoor Swimming Pool

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.

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.

Opening Hours: Through September, 9am-9pm

Address: 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.

8) The JW Marriott Tomorrow Square

An elevated pool right in the middle of downtown

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.

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.

Opening Hours: 8:30am-9:30pm

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.

9) 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.

Best time to go? The pool starts getting shaded at 3pm.

Opening Hours: Through October 7, 11am-6pm (Mondays), 9am-6pm (Tuesdays-Sundays)

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

10) The Shang-Mira

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.

A nice pool in a nice compound, which is fairly empty. Come on a weekend, and it's easy to throw down a towel and get a spot. Of course, we write this, and everyone will go, and we'll have to update this list next year.

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.

Best time to go? The pool gets great light all day.

Opening hours: Through October 7, 7am-9pm

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.

11) Qiantang International Bathhouse

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.

Opening 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

12) 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.

Opening Hours: 24 hours baby!

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.

13) Yanlord Riverside Garden (Puxi)

The less nice, less welcoming Yanlord pool

This pool is less nice than the Yanlord Garden in Pudong. It's slightly dated, and feels sort of what Brilliant City used to feel like... without the models. This definitely leans more toward the "family vibe," as there are a lot of kids in this pool. Last two times we were there, we were the only foreigners. It's a decent option given it's dirt cheap price. Also, very strict on wearing a swim cap.

However, they will not let you take photos at the pool. So if documenting your memories are important, skip this place. An acquaintance recently visited and was escorted out of the pool, made to wait in a nearby office building until an older woman who appeared more accustomed to relating to elite folks, proceeded to tell her "you can't take photos." She was giving Karen-drunk on power vibes. Killjoy.

Opening hours: 24 hours baby!

Address: Lane 99 Puming Rd, Pudong New Area (浦东新区浦明路99弄). Didi: Yanlord Riverview Garden.

Distance from Downtown: 6km

Price: 35 yuan for adults, 25 yuan for children.

Who's Going: Local families. A lot of kid-related noise.

14) Playa Maya

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

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.

Opening 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.

15) 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.

Opening Hours: 24 hours for the spa, but the pool is 9am to 6:30pm.

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.

16) Oland Pool at The Terrace

Nice pool that's attached to a restaurant with Western bites

This is welcome addition to the list! It's not terribly far from downtown, and is attached to The Terrace, a restaurant with decently-priced Western bites. Now that this place is on the list, it will probably filled up with all the Qingpu expats, a wonderful bunch to be sure!

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.

Opening Hours: Through September, 10am-10pm

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

Distance from Downtown: 15km

Price: 150 yuan for those taller than 1.3m, 100 yuan for those under 1.3m

17) The Grand Plaza Club House

A not huge pool in Xuhui District that's usually crowded, but next to great Mexican food

The Grand Plaza Club House has been a staple with expats for many years. It's in the same compound where Maya is, another expat favorite. So it's a decent place, downtown especially to hang out, grab a sun chair, and lounge around until you get the munchies. Then, you can head over to Maya for some tacos and burritos. It is a little dated, has some wear and tear, but hey, 150 yuan during the weekdays downtown with Mexican food nearby, not bad.

Opening 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

18) The Amara

An ok pool that sits in the shadow of Amara's tower

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.

Opening 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.

19) Purple Mountain Hotel

The original expat pool party place

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 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.

Opening Hours: Through September 30, 10am-10pm

Tel: 6886-8888

Address: 778 Dongfang Rd, Pudong New Area

浦东新区东方路778号

Price: 200 yuan for adults; 100 yuan for kids

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

20) Ambassy Club Pudong

The nicer Ambassy club. Huge pool. Broad audience. Nice dining options.

Ambassy Club is probably our favorite on the list, with some caveats. First, the bad... you can only go once for a reasonable price (192 yuan), through a one-time "experience" pass purchased on Meituan. Otherwise, it's a hefty 500 yuan for subsequent visits. Definitely worth it at 192, but 500... not so much. The likely reason isn't price gouging, so much as they probably want to prevent the place from being overrun, so that it's still a comfortable experience for residents.

When we went, there were plenty of sun beds available. The food options are not bad if you're lazy. But not too far down the road, there are some other options including a Las Tapas for... Spanish tapas (go figure), and Bamboo Riverhouse which used to be the Big Bamboo of Pudong. The menu is largely the same, though... the quality was better when Bryce Jenner was running the show. The pool faces south, so you get sun all day. This pool is also open for late summer enjoyment, until October 7.

Opening 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

Price: Look up Ambassy Club on Meituan to buy tickets in advance. Or contact Mr Xia through WeChat (sky0945184) to make a reservation.

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).

21) Sun Island Water Park

The water park that doesn't need any promotion!

22) Shimao Riviera Pool

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.

Opening 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.

23) Xingguang Swimming

Unique pool with "nooks and crannies" surrounded by greenery

Xingguang Swimming, formerly Viscaya, is nice because of the greenery surrounding the pool. It's also nice that it has little sectioned-off smaller pools attached to the main body. They don't really have sun-beds, so you'll want to either bring chairs for yourself, or big blankets to lay on if you want to lounge about. It's in the middle of a residential district as well, so F&B options are sparse. If you happen upon shared bikes nearby, then you there is a Jamaica Blue and a Chichi Sushi nearby about a five-minute ride. Also... five minutes by cab, there's a Dragonfly nearby as well in case you want to go full-spa day and treat yourself to a massage afterward.

Opening Hours: 10am-7pm

Tel: 130-4410-9673

Address: 1988 Yunshan Rd, Pudong New Area

浦东新区云山路1988号

Price: At the door, you pay 268 yuan. But head over to Dianping and you can get a day swim pass for 149 yuan instead.

CLOSURES – Don't venture out to these!

Radisson Handwritten Collection

The pool that got as hot as the air-temp. No place to cool off.

This used to be the Sofitel Sheshan, and when it bit the dust, it was the Radisson Handwritten Collection. Word on the street is that the place went bankrupt.

The pool, despite being huge, wrapping around the entire hotel, was notoriously shallow, which meant... the water was nearly always the same as the air temperature. So if it was a hot day, the water was hot. No place to cool down. Toward the end, it became a little sad and run-down. Last year, the writing was in the cracked sidewalks.

Tel: 3761-8888

Address: Lane 3388 Sichen Highway, Songjiang District

松江区泗陈公路3388弄

Mandarin City

A tragic loss

The photo is ancient, from... 2018. Anyway, Mandarin City was a blast. The only pool in the city that had a swim-up bar. Why on earth does no other pool in Shanghai have a swim-up bar? Tragic.

Anyway, they closed in 2020, and never came back.

Did we miss any?

Let is know in the comments. Oh, and again... show us some love, smash those like buttons, and share with your buddies for the new discoveries!