So the swimming season started again (well kinda last Tuesday, but it turned cold again which is…read moreApril is meant to be like.. frustrating weather). Club house private swimming pool is great, but public swimming pool gives you an exclusive and unique perk you can't get from a private pool - an Olympic-size 50m swimming pool. You make less turns, you are more engaged to swim in a longer distance, and you actually improve your skills really quickly here. I like the pool and there is almost nothing to complain about. The changing room is a bit of a chaos at the peak hours, and a lot of old dudes just don't mind hanging their "thing" in the air walking around. Also, if you are a serious swimmer, you would want to be at the lapping lane so that people swim in one, circular direction. But still, there are often some super slow swimmers blocking everyone's way, or some freestyle arseholes who think they are super fast and cut you off every single lap. But on a good day, everyone usually at around the same pace and it's pleasant to swim there. As an extra perk, there is also a huge balcony, where if you are lucky (or get off work early!) you can have a sunbath here to get tan a bit, even though you have been swimming in an indoor swimming pool. By the way no, no need to say hi to me if you see me at the changing room.

Good pool, not too shallow like the one in Kennedy Town…read more But the stand out feature is the balcony overlooking the harbour. Perfect place to sit and relax after a good swim.

I like swimming in Hong Kong, because the public pools make it incredibly easy to do so. Morrison…read moreHill public swimming pool is one such pool. Located in Wan Chai, it's not the easiest pool to get to - it's a bit of a walk from the MTR, but then, nothing is really that far away Hong Kong, is it? Entry to the swimming pool is via cash or octopus card at the turnstile, at this moment it is HK$19. You also don't have to be a member of a club, or a Hong Kong resident, to enjoy using the pool. It really is totally public in the best sense of the word. The pool itself is 50m, and is fairly wide, so it has a number of lanes. At any given time, a number of these lanes may be rented out for classes, or club swimming, but there will always be a few lanes reserved for public "walk-in" swimmers. There's usually at least a fast lane and a slow lane, so you shouldn't get stuck behind some body who's technique is just a shade over drowning. Word of warning; in Hong Kong the definition of swimming fast seems to be a leisurely breaststroke. If you want to get any serious training done in a public pool, you may have to be a little bit obnoxious and swim past people, or you may be better off actually joining a club anyway. As well as the main pool, and there is a small children's training pool, and a toddler's pool. The other facilities at Morrison Hill pool are fairly rudimentary, there are two large changing rooms, one women's and one men's (obviously). They have toilet facilities and many shower cubicles with hot water, but no air conditioning, only giant fans that blast warm air around the changing rooms. If you get a sweat on when you're swimming, expect to be sweating all the way back home or to the office. The pool offers viewing facilities for competitions, and of course this can be used at any time by parents or those not wanting to swim. Also, life guards are on duty during the sessions. Working out of the swim times can be a little bit confusing, depending on cleaning days and public holidays, but the website is kept up to date, so do a quick check to make sure that you are going on a day where there is actually some swimming available. Fortunately, the pool is indoor, so there is no change in timings between Winter and Summer.

Wow was I pleasantly surprised with this facility!…read more I would never really imagine a public swimming pool in HK to be as good as this. It was super clean, and the people that were there were there to swim. It was not overcrowded like you'd imagine it would be on a Sunday. There is a 50m standard pool that's covered, and a smaller outdoor pool that seemed popular with the children and families. The 50m pool goes up to 1.9m deep. The lockers, changing and shower areas are also very clean and relatively dry. Would definitely go back if I need a swim fix.