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.

My experience with Stanford Swimming School, specifically at the International French School in…read moreTKO, was very poor. After agreeing with them to keep my son enrolled through the winter - with the school pressing us to do so - the school failed to follow up on their part of the bargain, specifically around the availability of a coach my son particularly liked. We decided to withdraw him from the class and the school agreed to give us a refund for the lessons he did not attend. However since December we have not seen any of the promised money and the School admin keep coming up with excuses implying that the payment is being processed. Which is obviously not true. I have lost all my trust in them and definitely do not recommend anyone to use their service.

Run by the Stanford Swimming Club, there is a little-known swimming pool out in Pok Fu Lam, in the…read morebasement of a local shopping centre called Chi Fu Landmark. I say a little unknown, as it seems to only be frequented by dive clubs, children's swimming classes, and a handful of local residents who are obviously in the know. However, it is a real gem of a swimming pool. Unlike appearances (seemingly to be only for club and class swimming), the pool is in fact open to the public, with a membership of course. Unlike many of the HK public pools, as it is a privately run business, the facilities are clean and well kept. The pool is 25m long, and nearly as wide. Deepest is 2.3m, with shallow areas at both ends. The pool is kept nicely warm, with the dry area suitable air conditioned. The pool itself is in lanes, so even when there are classes, there is usually somewhere for individual swimming. There are lockers (HKD20 refundable deposit), hot showers, but no vending machines or water fountains. There is a food court and a Park n Shop just outside in the Chi Fu Landmark, so snacks and drinks are readily available. Membership starts at HKD280pcm, with a HKD28 per swim. Their website is now in English, but seems to only cover the classes service.