Swimming in Varanasi

Noz

Hi all,

I will be in Varanasi for about a week and would love to find a hotel where there is a good clean swimming pool which allows non-guests to use it. Any thoughts? thanks

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kidsan

i dont know of any hotels with pools in varanasi im afraid ...though i could be wrong

ananda2193

http://www.hotelsiddhartha.com/

http://www.ramadajhvvns.com/

etc.

haydn

Hi Noz, don't know if this is any help, but i was talking to a local a while back and he said that his brother had won the annual Ganga mai swim twice! It seems that it's several kms along the ghats. Not sure what time of year it's held, but i assume its in a dowmstream direction so it shouldn't be too tough (just watch out for the dolphins!).

Brisso

I thought the Clark Hotel near the Cantt has a pool - could be wrong

zoran

The Claridges in Varanasi has a swimming pool and can be used by non guests as wel.

zoran

Oh , my mistake. It is not Claridges but Clarks.

Darmabum

February to August . . . was at Asi Ghat when "The Swim" was going on . . . a hundred heads bobbing down the Ganges . . . just can't remember the month . . . also, if you choose to swim in Ganga Ma, I suggest the east side of the river. Not as overtly polluted-(looking) as the city-side.

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TracyB

I believe the Taj has a pool!!

New-South-Welshman

You can't be wrong for not knowing.

If you can't find a swimming pool, you can always take a dip in the Ganges which I did unscathed.

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nedhopkins

My son and I hired a rowboat (and rower) for a two-hour excursion on the Ganga. We saw no dolphins. We did see part of a scorched human arm. I wouldn't swim in that river on a dare.

Noz

Thanks guys - think I'll try Clarks or the Taj as i am not a very strong swimmer so river swimming is not for me!

Darmabum

dolphin aren't seen all the time. I've spent every month of the year in Varanasi, over two six-month trips there . . . dolphins I've seen were seen during lower water periods, i.e. after monsoon rains/flooding . . . fall especially good . . .