Looking to make the most of the sweet, carefree days of summer? There’s no better way to embrace the season than with a seaside splash in one of Sydney’s incredible rock pools. While our beaches often steal the spotlight, Sydney’s natural swimming pools offer the best of both worlds — crystal clear waters for a swim and stunning views of the ocean and beyond. And they’re not just beautiful, they’re also among the best in the world. Five of Sydney’s gram-worthy pools have been named in the top 20 ocean baths globally, with two even making the top 10. In total, seven rock pools from New South Wales earned a spot on the list — the most of any region worldwide.
The world’s best natural swimming pools
New research by AllClear has ranked the Bondi Icebergs Pool at number 4 and the Bronte Baths at number 7 in its list of the world’s top 10 natural swimming pools. Wylie’s Baths, Dee Why Rockpool, and the charming Fairy Bower Sea Pool also earned spots in the top 20.
The rankings were determined by analysing data from travel and tourism websites, along with global search trends from the past year. The number of searches and Google review scores for each pool were combined to create a list of the world’s top natural swimming pools.
Spain’s Charco Azul claimed the number 1 spot. Excitingly, Newcastle’s Mereweather Ocean Baths — the largest natural rock pool in the Southern Hemisphere ranked at number 12 followed closely by Newcastle Ocean Baths at number 13.
The top 20 best pools in the world
1. Charco Azul, El Hierro, Spain
2. Porto Moniz Natural Swimming Pools, Madeira, Portugal
3. Los Charcones Natural Pools, Lanzarote, Spain
4. Bondi Icebergs Pool, Sydney, Australia
5. Las Salinas de Agaete, Gran Canaria, Spain
6. Clevedon Marine Lake, Somerset, England
7. Bronte Baths, Sydney, Australia
8. Vico Baths, Dublin, Ireland
9. Kitsilano Pool, Vancouver, Canada
10. Doca Do Cavacas Natural Pools, Madeira, Portugal
11. Bude Sea Pool, Cornwall, England
12. Mereweather Ocean Baths, Newcastle, Australia
13. Newcastle Ocean Baths, Newcastle, Australia
!4. Sea Point Pavilion Tidal Pools, Cape Town, South Africa
15. Pozo de Las Calcosas, El Hierro, Spain
16. Camps Bay Tidal Pool, Cape Town, South Africa
17. Wylie’s Baths, Sydney, Australia
18. South End Rowing Club, California, USA
19. Dee Why Rockpool, Sydney, Australia
20. Fairy Bower Sea Pool, Sydney, Australia