Looking for a pool near you?

DAEGU -- Whether it`s a Tuesday-morning exercise routine or a Saturday afternoon date, there are plenty of places to take a dip in Daegu.

And while no pools in Korea`s fourth biggest city offer free beer (one pool in Seoul is giving away free beer until the end of the summer), there are more than enough reasons to get that Speedo out of your closet.

Some of the most-visited include Duryu Pool, LifeSpa, Olympic Memorial Sports Center, Hwawon Amusement Park Tour, Olympic Memorial Sports Center, Hwawon Amusement Park Tour and Songlim Sports Center.

Below is a list of pools and information about each to help you get there on a hot summer day in Daegu.



Duryu Pool



Phone: 053-623-2156

Website: www.duryuswim.or.kr



Directions

From Daegu station (20 minutes)

Daegu station -- Duryu intersection -- Arirang Hotel -- Duryu Park intersection -- Duryu swimming pool

From the Express Bus Terminal (30 minutes)

Express Bus Terminal -- Shincheon intersection -- Arirang Hotel -- Duryu Park intersection -- Duryu swimming pool



Cost:

Adult: 3,000 won (group: 2,100 won)

Adolescent/Soldier: 2,500 won (group: 1,700 won)

Children/Seniors: 1,700 won (group: 1,200 won)



Hours:

Weekdays (swimming hours): 6 a.m.-9 p.m.; Entrance hours: 6 a.m.-8 p.m.

Recess: 12:30 p.m.-1 p.m.



Capacity:

Five independent pool buildings: 25-meter indoor pool, 50-meter indoor pool, diving pool, open air children`s swimming pool (with slides), normal open air swimming pool



Busiest time

Early mornings, Evenings



Least busy

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday afternoons



Language

No English signs, no English speakers



Additional information

Regular closed days: Every first and third Sunday of the month

Closed on New Year`s Day, Korean New Year`s Day, Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving day)





LifeSpa (Hot spring pool)





Phone: 053-641-0100

Website: www. lifespa.co.kr



Directions

By subway, take off at Jinchun station Exit No. 2. By bus, take No. 604, Dalsuh No. 3, Dalsung No. 5



Hours: 5:30 a.m.-12 a.m.



Capacity: big spa, hotsping pools and very small swimming pool for infants. The facilities are mostly for spa and hotspring users.



Cost:

Adult men: 6,500 won

Adult women: 5,500 won

Children: 3,500 won



Busiest

Peek hours are during the weekends



Language

There are English signs, but no English speakers





Olympic Memorial Sports Center





Phone: 053-634-8685

Website: http://olympic.tgymca.or.kr



Directions

Use the shuttle bus provided by the sports center (Contact (053) 634-8685) or take bus No. 1 (Susong), No. 1-1 (Susong), or seat bus No. 3, No. 564



Cost:

Infant: 1,870 won

Adolescent: 2,750 won

Adult: 3,300 won



Hours

Monday-Friday 6-9 a.m. and 1-4 p.m.

Tuesday, Thursday 2-4 p.m.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Saturday 6 a.m.-9 a.m., 1 p.m.-6 p.m.

Sunday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.



Capacity: 25-meter pool, 1.5-meters deep, seven lanes



Busiest

Busiest time is 9 a.m.-12 p.m.; least busy time: 2 p.m.-4 p.m.



Language

No English signs, no English speakers



Additional information

Regular closed days: Every first and third Sundays of the month

Closed on New Year`s Day, Korean New Year`s Day, Chuseok



Hwawon Amusement Park Tour (zone pool)



Phone: 053-635-6407

Website: www.hwawon.or.kr



Directions

By bus, take Dalsuh No.3 to Hwawon Park, or take Dalsung No.1 to Hwawon Park



Hours

July 4-Aug. 16, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. (Monday-Sunday)



Cost

Adult: 1,500 won

Adolescent (age 14-19): 1,200 won

Public Service: 1,200 won

Children: 900 won



Capacity

The adult pool is 1.8 meters deep and the children`s pool is shallower.



Busiest

The pool is the busiest during the morning, usually because of children coming as groups from schools, and during weekends. It is least busy during afternoons from Monday to Friday.



Language

There are few English signs, but they offer translation service (call: 635-6407).



Additional information

Hwawon Garden is the best tour site in Daegu and is very famous for its nature-friendly features and facilities.





Songlim Sports Center



Phone: 053-311-4987

No website



Directions



Pass the Chilgok Taejeon-gyo bridge and walk 300 meters straight from Dong-A Department Store, Suesung-gu. Take bus Nos. 708, 730, 726, or 724



Hours

Free-swimming hours from Monday to Sunday, 12:30 p.m.-7 p.m. The pool is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.



Cost

Adult: 5,000 won

Students: 4,500 won

Children: 4,000 won



Capacity

The pool is 25-meters-long and eight lanes across.



Language

There are no English signs or English speakers (but foreigners do visit regularly).



Bonus

Visitors can use the sauna facilities for no additional charge.

(mattlamers@heraldm.com)





By Hillary Brinson, Hannah Chang, Matthew Lamers