The best way to beat the heat in Phnom Penh is to jump into a cool and refreshing swimming pool. But finding a pool that the whole family will enjoy can be a challenge. Ideally, you want a place with a family-friendly vibe where parents can lounge in comfort on the deck or in cabanas while their kids splash and play safely in the water. A shallow wading section and a bit of shade are always appreciated too.
CamboKidz has toured the city in search of the best day-use pools for you and your kids. So grab the sunscreen and check out our favorites.
The Diamond Island Beach Club may not have a beach, but what it does have is a huge, clean outdoor pool with enough activities to keep the kids busy both in and out of the water. The whole pool area smacks of a high-end resort, and that’s ok by us because where else can you get that experience without having to book a room or pay an entrance fee? (Pool access is free when you purchase $5 or more in food and drinks).
Weekends can be crowded. We recommend going early or during the week and grabbing a shaded poolside cabana, where there is plenty of room for the family to spread out on cushioned sofas and chairs. The giant pool is visually striking, with an undulating shoreline and a tiny tropical jungle island. Parents have plenty of space to swim, while the kids can walk or paddle around in their own shallow wading area.
And one big plus here is that parents can relax or swim knowing there’s a certified lifeguard on duty keeping watch over their little ones.
Long-standing Phnom Penh favorite Sofitel knows what families want from a pool day. Here you’ll find a chilled vibe, a spacious pool deck, and a large and inviting swimming pool surrounded by greenery.
The pool has plenty of room for parents to do laps or float around on inflatable loungers and catch some rays. The little ones will gravitate towards the attached wading pool, which has a small slide and a fountain that sprays refreshingly cool water on giggling kids.
Admittedly, the day pass for the Sofitel’s pool isn’t cheap. But it does include full access to the hotel’s sports club, which includes tennis and squash courts, as well as various gym and fitness activities. If you’re planning to pack in a few hours of sports then cool off in the pool, then this might be the right choice.
Head south to this daycation resort in Chbar Ampov and you’ll find one of the area’s best children’s swimming pools, as well as a relaxing garden with traditional Khmer BBQ food and activities for the whole family.
The highlight for the kids is the large children’s pool and splash pad with a fun and colorful playground set in ankle-deep water that’s safe for even the littlest non-swimmers. There they’ll find slides, climbing areas and some fountains spraying cool, refreshing water.
The deeper water at one end of the pool is ideal for teenagers, or for parents who want to take a refreshing dip while keeping a close eye on their playful little ones.
When it comes to swimming pools for kids, bigger isn’t always better. And House Eco Hotel is a perfect example of why. The blue-tiled courtyard pool here might be small, but it is visually striking and ticks all the boxes for family day-use.
The square wading pool is just a meter deep and has an island of greenery in the middle surrounded by a submerged platform that makes a relaxing underwater perch for sitting. Get the staff to turn on the water jets. For adults, it’s a reinvigorating lower back massage while resting up against the island. For kids, it’s fun and bubbles.
Everything in this pool is within arm’s reach of its perimeter. So parents can leave their kids to splash around in the pool worry-free while they tuck into a book on a shaded lounger or sink into one of beanbag chairs and enjoy a cocktail.
It’s no surprise that this small pool nestled in a lush garden with a row of cozy cabanas along its flank is a long-time favorite of local and expat families. Day-use visitors typically arrive at lunchtime and stay until the early evening, with parents sipping cocktails in the cushioned cabanas while their kids hit the water.
The pool area has a family-friendly vibe and not even a pinch of stuffiness. The pool itself is a comfy size and depth, stretching just short of 15 meters in length and divided into a shallow and a not-as-shallow end. There are some loungers on the deck for the sun-worshippers, but by mid-afternoon much of the property is in shade and parents can let their kids can play in the water without worrying about them getting sunburnt.