I’m a list-maker. Three of my lists are for travel destinations – one for places I want to visit in Victoria, one for Australia, and one for international destinations. Every place on all three lists has a swimming opportunity. I can’t imagine going on holiday and not taking my bathers.
So obviously, as soon as I spied Lonely Planet’s latest publication, The Joy of Wild Swimming – a book describing 180 ‘…wild swimming spots and … uplifting bathing experiences’ – I had to have it.
Like all large-format, almost-coffee-table Lonely Planet books, the pictures are incredibly enticing. The focus is on 60 locations, with a further 120 nearby swimming spots or similar bathing experiences (for example, extremely salty pools or ‘art’ swims). Each of the locations is accompanied by a detailed description (historical, cultural, geomorphological and hydrological) and useful information about when to visit and how to get there (and where to buy lunch).
I pretty much wanted to go to every spot listed. But I have to be sensible. I’ve picked out my top ten (note that I have only been to one of the main swimming locations listed in the book, Hõnaunau Bay on the Big Island in Hawaii, and one of the additional spots – Murrays Beach in New South Wales).
In no particular order:
01. Bagni Regina Giovanna, Sorrento, Italy (above)
02. Lake Joutolampi, Lapland, Finland
03. Saracen Bay, Koh Rong Samloem, Cambodia
04. Katsura River, Kyoto, Japan (above)
05. Hierve El Agua, Oaxaca, Mexico (below)
07. Taggart Lake, Wyoming, USA
08. Odysseus’ Cave, Mljet, Croatia
09. Westfjords, Iceland
10. Moni Panagia Hozoviotissa, Amorgos, Greece (below)
Like all of these types of guide, there’s debate about the selections (for example, Aussies, do you agree with the five Australian picks?).
The book is also heavily weighted toward the Americas and Europe. But that said, it will certainly provide inspiration for future travel.
4/5