Australian summers can be brutal in their intensity. Not just the storms and other weather-related disasters but for their heat. As I write this, the mercury in Adelaide hovers stubbornly around the 30-degree mark. We should have some relief soon but in the meantime, keeping cool is on everybody's mind.
How better to do that than with a refreshing swim? Some water sports enthusiasts prefer tiled, chlorinated swimming pools. Nature lovers would rather travel an hour or two to the best swimming holes in Adelaide.
This article explores the top ten swimming spots Adelaide natives love to dive into. Some receive heavy promotion from our tourism board while others are more secluded. All of them offer breathtaking vistas above and below the water. Pack up your cozzies and get ready to discover the best swimming Adelaide has to offer.
The Best Swimming Hole South Australia Offers
To reach Dalhousie Springs, you'll need to pack more than your cozzies. This marvel of aquatic beauty lies on the edge of the Simpson Desert, just within the Witjira National Park. A day's worth of driving will get you there but you won't regret a minute of your travel.
The Great Artesian Aquifer feeds these natural springs. Water temperatures typically range between 38 and 43 degrees, making this swimming hole ideal for even winter recreation.
Don't forget to pack your mask and snorkel! You can challenge yourself to spot several fish species native to the Springs. Seeing a Dalhousie gobie or hardyhead in their natural environment is a unique experience. Try finding that in any swimming hole in Sydney!
Among the Most Secluded Swimming Spots Adelaide
The Whalers Way swimming hole is so secluded that even tourism websites don't feature it. This privately owned land lies at the tip of the Southern Eyre Peninsula. It's renowned for its spectacular cliff views and golden beaches.
However, once you purchase your $40-per-car permit, you're free to explore the region - respectfully, of course. Instead of heading towards the beach, you may opt for a short hike up a rocky path. Your reward will be a small pool nestled in the rockfall, filled with crystal-clear water.
From Adelaide, you may choose to fly into Port Lincoln and hire a car to arrive at Whalers Way. If a road trip sounds better, plan on driving roughly eight hours. You'll treat yourself to spectacular scenery across the nearly 700 kilometres you'll travel.
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Swimming Adelaide: Ewen Ponds Conservation Park
Heading south from the city centre, you'll drive for about five hours to get to Ewen Ponds. This conservation park has protected unique vegetation indigenous to the region since 1976. Its three limestone sinkholes form the park's crown jewels.
If you're a snorkeler or diver, you'll enjoy discovering several native fish species, as well as plants unique to the pools. Indeed, Ewen Ponds are famous for their photogenic qualities. You can even swim from one pool to the next as they are all connected. In fact, doing so is encouraged.
However, you may not enter caves or crevices because kicking up silt may harm the plants. These pools form a part of a larger conservation area; swimmers must be mindful of that. Still, to our knowledge, swimming holes in Brisbane or elsewhere in Australia have nothing like Ewen Ponds.
Swimming Holes Adelaide: Piccaninnie Ponds
It seems we neglected to tell you that the waters in Ewen Ponds typically remain between 10 and 15 degrees. That swimming hole in South Australia is ideal for a summer cooldown before moving on to Piccaninnie Ponds.
This conservation park lies about six hours south of Adelaide, bordering Victoria. In fact, water adventurers find these Ponds the perfect gateway to exploring swimming holes in Melbourne. However, Piccaninnie Ponds boasts a unique feature that the other swimming holes on our list lack.
If you're a diving enthusiast, you must have heard about The Cathedral. It's a large, underwater limestone cave so pristine you must have a permit to dive it. As long as you have your gear, you may also explore The Chasm - the deepest sinkhole, and the First Pond. All three will treat you to visions of unique flora, along with native species of eels and fish.
Swimming Hole South Australia: Pool of Siloam
Sticking with our southerly direction but now hugging the coast, we arrive at the Pool of Siloam. Its highly salty content, along with the healing properties those waters deliver accorded this body of water its biblically-linked name. This pool is reportedly 7% saltier than the sea.
This body of water is tailor-made for swimmers who prefer a leisurely paddle to an aggressive dive. The salt content heightens the water's buoyant effect as it soothes bathers' aches and pains. The four-hour drive there and the pool itself offer amazing scenery. As long as you're in the area, be sure to visit Penguin Island, Backler's Lookout and the Martin Lighthouse.
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Swimming Adelaide's Shell Beach
Innes National Park covers an entire land point roughly three hours from Adelaide. Its coastline is dotted with attractions, including the Cape Spencer Lighthouse and the Ethel Wreck beach lookout. But if you want an unparalleled swimming experience, head to the point's north, to Shell Beach.
At that beach's end, you'll discover the Blue Pool, a body of water so clear you won't credit your eyes. The whole park is just as entrancing so you may decide to spend a few days exploring it from your campsite.
Note that as you consult tourism websites, don't mistake Western Australia's Shell Beach for one of the swimming holes Adelaide manages. The WA Shell Beach lies near Denham, far north of Perth's best swimming holes.
One of the Closest Swimming Spots Adelaide
Some people don't care to drive for hours just for a swim. That doesn't mean that they must sacrifice visiting the best swimming holes Adelaide. For example, Deep Creek National Park is only an hour and a half from the city centre. It lies on the southern coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula.
It's the only swimming spot we discovered that has a waterfall. If you're an all-around outdoors person, you'll enjoy the long hike to reach that cascade of water. Afterwards, you can soothe your feet - and the rest of yourself in the swimming hole's calming waters.
Swimming Holes Adelaide: Second Valley Beach
Staying on the Fleurieu Peninsula, we hop over to the Encounter Marine Park to take in Second Valley Beach. This is the strand that features in so many Instagram posts; it's one of South Australia's most renowned tourism hotspots.
It's no wonder travel influencers love this area; the Fleurieu Peninsula's northern coast is ringed with cliffs. They conceal the beach, which is home to the leafy seadragon. This endangered fish is South Australia's emblem fish.
The waters are spectacular but so are the views. Limestone cliffs ring this beach, giving adventurers loads of caves and crannies to explore. The water-scape doesn't disappoint, either. Be sure to pack your snorkel and mask to behold the watery world for yourself.
Second Valley is one of this state's smaller beaches but it has a lot to offer besides a fine swim. As mentioned above, the rock formations surrounding this bay make this beach a dream destination for photographers of all stripes. Kayakers love to paddle to secret caves in the cliff faces accessible only by water. Second Valley consistently ranks in the Top Ten lists of best Australian beaches.
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The Closest Swimming Holes Adelaide
You only need about 30 minutes to reach Port Noarlunga by car. You can ride public transportation to get there too, though you'll need thrice the time. It's even accessible by bike if you don't mind a two-hour ride. Whichever means you choose, you must visit Port Noarlunga.
This locale is famous for its abundant and diverse marine life. You needn't paddle around looking for wobbegongs and nudibranchs. Simply jump in the water at the end of the jetty and find your way to all the action. If even that much is too much, you can follow the bollards that mark the reef to see it teeming with aquatic life.
Nude Swimming Adelaide
No list of swimming spots in Adelaide would be complete without Maslin Beach. It's a rather long strand in the suburbs of a town bearing the same name. In 1975, the beach's southern half became Australia's first nude beach, so proclaimed by official decree.
Maslin Beach hosts the annual Nude Olympics, officially called the Pilwarren Maslin Beach Nude Games. Events include sack races, three-legged races, and 'Tissue Box' competitions, among others. The most keenly anticipated event each year is the 'Best Bum' competition.
Those enticing events aside, Maslin Beach has a lot to offer. From the car park, you can spot the ocean swells and ochre cliffs. You can walk the beach to feel the white sands' gentle give with each step you take. Clothed or not, Maslin Beach is one of the best places for wild swimming in Australia.
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