What is it about water that sets the tone for a sexy honeymoon? Maybe it’s the revealing wardrobe worn in it—next to nothing or, when you’re skinny dipping, absolutely nada. Or perhaps the idea of cuddling close in a steamy Jacuzzi holds special allure. If one thing is essential to a steamy honeymoon, it’s a pool, whether it’s one with an invisible edge overlooking an ocean somewhere or at the top of a cosmopolitan city building. Nowadays, pools can be in lakes (see the floating ones in Lake Como), in the middle of the desert (Amangiri), on the edge of a caldera (Grace Santorini), or suspended over a pristine reserve, where one can watch elephants and lions roam below (Angama Mara).
Of course, there’s nothing wrong at all with a more classic setup: Picture yourself in the middle of the jungle, surrounded by lush emerald palm trees and a rushing river. It’s what you can expect at the Four Seasons Bali at Sayan, as well as the Hanging Gardens of Bali, which features an oft-photographed two-tier infinity pool high up in the treetops. Idyllic ocean views seduce from the sparkling waters of Conrad Bora Bora Nui and One & Only Reethi Rah, where the white-on-blue palettes are endlessly captivating. And for real pool aficionados for whom one is simply not sufficient, there’s the stunner at Laucala, where the saltwater lagoon features a 25-meter-long water-filled glass cube that provides the perfect place for voyeuristically watching your significant other swim.
Read on to explore our definitive list of the world’s 25 sexiest, sultriest resort pools that should be seriously considered for your honeymoon. Book any one of them and you’re guaranteed an unforgettable aquatic adventure.
Alila Villas Uluwatu, Bali
Being on your honeymoon provides thrills enough, but the gorgeous, gleaming pool at the premier Alila Villas resort in Uluwatu—on Bali’s southwestern tip—only adds more. It’s perched more than 325 feet high, atop the cliff near the island’s most iconic surf break, and it not only has space for you to swim laps and laze in the sun, but the Sunset Cabana hanging off the side of it is one of the world’s most picturesque places to sip a drink, practice yoga, or renew your vows.
Amangiri, Utah
Hidden in the canyons of Utah, in a valley of stark, sweeping dunes and plateaus, sits an 11,000-plus-square-foot sunken pool—heated to 86 degrees year-round—and hot tub that butts up against a 165,000-year-old sandstone rock. The setting is otherworldly and blissful, especially when you’re cuddled on a king-size daybed that seems to float on the water.
Courtesy of Angama Mara You might think the Maasai Mara, one of Africa’s top game reserves, is an odd place for a “sexy” pool, but just think about it. Taking in views of majestic wild creatures with your sunbathing and infinity-edge soaking—while literally suspended over the Mara Triangle—might just bring out your animalistic side too. Want even more romance? A good bit of the epic Meryl Streep and Robert Redford love story Out of Africa was filmed at Angama Mara.Angama Mara, Kenya
Courtesy of Belmond Hotel Caruso An 11th-century palace turned luxury hotel is the setting for a completely dreamy honeymoon, and a massive reflective infinity pool takes it up yet another notch. From the gently heated water at the highest point above Ravello come unobstructed views of the Amalfi coastline, plus there’s a concierge offering bites, cocktails, and iPods preloaded with your choice of tunes.Belmond Hotel Caruso, Italy
Courtesy of The Joule Drama is the name of the game at the Joule, where the 10th-floor pool has a surprising twist: It extends eight feet from the building’s edge and features clear glass on not only one side but also the bottom. It’s not for those fearful of heights, but it provides adventurous honeymooners a fun shot of adrenaline along with their swim.The Joule, Dallas
Courtesy of FourSeasons / Copyright Ken Seet The giant “rice bowl” filled with water and lily pads at the entrance of this bucolic emerald-surrounded Balinese resort is not for swimming, but it’s the site of many a romantic dinner and stargazing. There are plenty of other options here for getting wet, like in private crystalline plunge pools outside the riverside suites, the two-tier infinity-edge main pool, backdropped by palm trees and the rushing Ayung river, and the trio of Jacuzzis high above it all.Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, Bali
Grace Santorini, Santorini, Greece
This whitewashed dream of a boutique hotel perched over Santorini’s famous caldera was recently renovated in its entirety, sans one part: the infinity pool, because it’s that iconic. Private plunge pools in front of some suites also make for pristine pool hangs, and, unsurprisingly, the Aegean sunset views are out of this world.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Lake Como, Italy
The pool here is named WOW, and for a very good reason. Lake Como, ringed by rugged mountains, is unquestionably breathtaking—if it’s good enough for George Clooney, it’s good enough for us!—but the real wow factor is the glittering oasis that floats on the lake’s surface. WOW stands for water on water, but it’s really heaven on earth.
Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, Maui
Nine crystalline pools are dotted around the Grand Wailea, but the centerpiece of the resort is indisputably the Hibiscus Pool, a vast adults-only stunner whose bottom is decorated with a mosaic of 630,000 Mexican glass tiles (the entire pool has 2.2 million individual tiles) of the blooming flower. It’s also possible to book a private VIP cabana for a romantic twilight swim and sunset dinner.
Courtesy of Hanging Gardens of Bali The eye-catching water feature at this jungle destination outside Ubud has been named world’s best swimming pool more than once, and it’s simple to see why. With its two organically shaped tiers and water cascading from one to the next, you and your hubby will feel like you’re floating over the treetops as you play under the hot sun in the cooling water.Hanging Gardens of Bali
Hotel Villa Honegg, Switzerland
The five-star boutique Hotel Villa Honegg high above Lake Lucerne affords impeccable views throughout, but none is perhaps as jaw-dropping as those from the infinity-edge pool—with a whirlpool in the middle!—that seems to jut into the clouds. Year-round, it clocks in at a steamy 93 degrees, ensuring the heat will stay turned up between you and your love.
Courtesy of Jade Mountain Designed to live in harmony with nature, this resort seduces guests with indoor-outdoor spaces and prized vistas of St. Lucia’s beloved Pitons World Heritage Site and the sparkling Caribbean Sea. The Jade Mountain Club wraps around a vast infinity pool, ideal for a cocktail, but the super-private infinity pools are where you’ll likely want to spend all your time.Jade Mountain, St. Lucia
Courtesy of Post Ranch Inn Known as one of the most sought-after hotel stays in the world, this idyllic Big Sur–adjacent staple is home to a couple of unreal infinity pools that overlook the Pacific from 1,200 feet above sea level. Many suites have private outdoor spa tubs with ocean views too, and while there’s no official “clothing optional” policy, it’s the kind of setting where a bikini might seem superfluous.Post Ranch Inn, California
San Alfonso del Mar, Chile
There are pools, and then there are pools. This Chilean resort’s saltwater staple is so sprawling, you can even kayak and windsurf. Think of it as the world’s largest aquatic playground, consisting of 66 million gallons of pure, sparkling water set just opposite the actual ocean.
Laucala, Fiji
As if honeymooners needed another reason to head to Fiji, Laucala Island’s showpiece is a 21,500-square-foot undulating saltwater lagoon, complete with secret coves, sundecks, and walk-in beaches that nearly reach the sea. The sexiest part is the 25-meter-long clear glass cube, like a fish tank, that seems to grow out of the main pool, where you can seduce your love with underwater mermaid maneuvers.
Courtesy of Malliouhana Fresh off a redo, the legendary Caribbean resort is made even more attractive thanks to its impeccable two-tiered freshwater infinity pool, which comes with vistas of pristine white-sand beaches Meads Bay and Turtle Cove. The upper level is adults only—and features a cabana for poolside dinners under the stars—so you won’t have to worry about keeping G rated.Malliouhana, an Auberge Resort, Anguilla
Courtesy of Marquis Los Cabos The appeal of this San Jose del Cabo resort is many-fold; for one, it’s adults only. And all-inclusive. Another few reasons it’s so alluring? Its trio of pools, namely the Sunset and Sunrise pools, which—surprise, surprise—offer perfect views of those uber-romantic times of day, plus a third at the base of a three-story tiered waterfall. Talk about swoon-worthy.Marquis Los Cabos, Mexico
Courtesy of One & Only Hayman Island The Great Barrier Reef is one of those places everyone should experience in their lifetime. But while that fantastic seawater is a big draw, so are the aquatic wonderlands on the private Hayman Island resort. The infinity-edge Aquazure Pool offers spectacular Coral Sea views with daybeds and private cabanas, and, equal in size to seven Olympic pools, the Hayman Pool is one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. It’s filled with salty water and encircles a bar that makes perfect piña coladas. You may even be able to dive straight in from the deck of your accommodation.One & Only Hayman Island, Australia
One & Only Reethi Rah, Maldives
The adults-only pool at this unbelievably paradisiacal private-island resort is a classic: The edge extends over the Indian Ocean’s electric blue waters, and chaise loungers face the view. But the setting is understandably sexier at the beach and overwater villas’ private infinity pools, where the only other soul in sight is your beloved. Imagine the trouble you can get into.
Courtesy of Conrad Bora Bora Nui It’s a classic combo: powdery beach, a turquoise saltwater lagoon, and refreshing pools that match that irresistible blue hue gracefully spilling out onto the sand. At the brand-new Conrad Bora Bora (opening April 2017) you get all that and more—crazy beautiful scenery and your own personal pool sitting on the even clearer ocean.Conrad Bora Bora Nui, French Polynesia
Courtesy of The Oberoi Udaivilas It’s impossible not to feel like royalty at the Rajasthani-inspired pool, decorated with sandstone columns and elephant fountains spouting water. (Semiprivate and private plunges also feel opulent.) Grand is an understatement. Daytime is prime time for soaking up rays, but at night the deep blue swimming hole glows, lit by torches whose reflections dance across the surface.The Oberoi Udaivilas, India
Courtesy of Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Most of us think of pools as being best enjoyed by day under the sun, but at this Cabo San Lucas property, it’s actually by night that the experience is the most exciting. Hundreds of LED lights built into the bottom of the Constellation Pool glow after sundown and give guests a heavenly experience as they gaze at the Big Dipper, Orion’s belt, and more iconic constellations, arranged exactly as they were when the resort opened in 2005. It doesn’t get more romantic. Pueblo Bonito Pacifica, Mexico
The Library, Koh Samui, Thailand
If red is the color of passion, then there’s no more appropriate place for a pair of lovebirds than in this conceptual Thai resort’s eye-catching pool tiled in red, orange, and yellow. The effect is totally one of a kind and lovely, especially against the turquoise sea at Chaweng Beach.
The Silo, Cape Town, South Africa
At the top of the just-opened boutique hotel the Silo, 218 feet high, is a long, clear-sided swimming spot with an unbeatable panoramic view of Cape Town icons, including Table Mountain and Lion’s Head and, of course, the sea. It should go without saying that the sunset is sublime from up there—especially when you’re enveloped in your love’s arms.
Courtesy of Viceroy Riviera Maya Not to diminish the beauty of the large blue pool at the heart of this jungle-side resort, but when all 41 villas come with their own incredibly private plunge pool, it’s easy to let your imagination run wild. To put it plainly, there is a lot of skinny dipping going on here. The evening plunge-pool turn-down service—candles, music, bubbly—doesn’t hurt one bit. Source: BridesViceroy Riviera Maya, Mexico