The World’s Largest Pool Is So Big You Can Sail a Boat on It
If you’ve ever daydreamed about a vacation spot right on the water, then look no further, because it does not get any better than San Alfonso del Mar. This astounding private resort in Algarrobo, Chile, about 60 miles west of Santiago, basically has a view of two coasts at once: It directly overlooks the Pacific Ocean, sure, but it also boasts the world’s largest swimming pool, mind-bogglingly massive and hugging the coastline so closely that it’s practically a second beach.
This saltwater pool, which held the first-ever Guinness world record for largest man-made lagoon, is the exact same crystal-clear turquoise hue of the sea just beyond it. Its size is truly hard to fathom: The pool’s more than a kilometer long, covering nearly 20 acres in area-that’s bigger than 15 football fields!-and it holds a colossal 250 million liters of filtered ocean water. It was developed by Crystal Lagoons, a company founded by a visionary Chilean businessman that has also designed and built several other (smaller!) man-made lagoons around the world.
The resort of San Alfonso del Mar features luxury apartments of two, three, four, or five bedrooms, each with a large balcony that overlooks all that water, available for purchase or rent. The pool is plenty big for sailing-yes, sailing!-and the other water sports and activities are practically endless: kayaking, scuba-diving instruction, all manner of aqua-fitness classes, a waterslide, and more. And should you encounter a day of less-than-blissfully-perfect weather, it even has South America’s only “roofed beach,” housed in a glass pyramid-shaped pavilion, with temperate water and heated sand. (HEATED SAND!) There are loads of non-water-related activities as well, including tennis, volleyball, a spa, a nightclub, and even a professional soccer stadium, but let’s be honest: You’re never getting out of that pool.
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