When you’re on vacation, why choose between a swim in the ocean and a plunge in the pool when you can have both?
While infinity pools, no doubt, show off jaw-dropping views, often providing the illusion that they blend with sea, ocean pools actually do. They’re natural swimming pools, which are replenished with fresh seawater. While they are common throughout Australia and in some parts of Europe, like the volcanic rock-encircled ones in Madeira, Portugal, they’ve been noticeably absent from the Caribbean—until now.
Wymara Resort + Villas, an ultra-luxe property on Grace Bay Beach in Turks and Caicos, just opened what they’re billing as the Caribbean’s very first ocean pool. The 3,900 square foot-pool is 130 feet long and 30 feet wide and is located at the palm-dotted Sunset Cove, which has powdery soft white sands and brilliant turquoise waters.
The new ocean pool at Wymara Resort + Villas in Turks and Caicos.
The ocean pool is part of the property’s Villa Beach Club, and is accessible to villa guests. The ocean pool is available to resort guests, too, via $75 per person day passes.
This unique swimming hole gets replenished with fresh ocean water from the Atlantic. That means the pool's depths depend on the natural tides, with the shallow end fluctuating between 3 to 5 feet deep and the deep end measuring anywhere from 6 to 9 feet deep.
The pool also has a soft, sandy bottom throughout and one of the best times to dip in is during high tide, when the natural stone walls disappear and the pool blends with the Atlantic.
Wymara Resort + Villas’ ocean pool is the brainchild of resort owner Bruce Maclaren, a Canadian-born businessman who spent two decades living in Australia, where ocean pools are plentiful and date back to the 1800s.
Aerial view of the Villas Beach and ocean pool at Wymara Resort + Villas.
“While ocean pools aren’t just an Aussie thing, they do inspire a kind of fervor there that borders on the fanatical,” says Maclaren. “They’re probably more in the public eye now than ever. Maybe it’s Instagram—they’re so seductive to photograph. But having experienced the benefits of ocean pools and the communities that evolve around them, I thought, well, maybe we can do this here.”
More than 1,500 tons of rocks were carved out to create the pool, which helps break the waves so you can lap swim in saltwater. A timber deck spans the pool, giving way to a serene setup for resort guests to sunbathe with a cocktail in hand.
Why choose between an ocean or pool swim when you can have both?
Maclaren plans to open a new beachside restaurant and make day passes available for the ocean pool. But for now, the Ocean Pool at Sunset Cove Beach is exclusive to Wymara Resort + Villa guests who can also access the poolside Tiki Bar that serves cocktails (how does a Turks rum punch sound?), wine, and beer.
Beyond the new ocean pool, the resort features 91 studios and suites, a 7,000 square-foot infinity pool, a spa plus restaurants and bars. Indigo has a focus on local and sustainable seafood and Zest and Pink Bar serve casual fare and creative cocktails, thoughtfully built and garnished with ingredients like coconut ice cubes, passion fruit puree, and edible flowers.
A short drive from the resort are the sleek and modern Wymara Villas, which is where Sunset Cove Beach Club is located. The grounds include a fitness center with a 25-meter lap pool, eucalyptus steam room, a cedar sauna, tennis and pickleball courts.
