Gadling

I've always thought it a bit silly to build a pool right next to the ocean; I suppose it's even sillier to build the world's largest pool right next to the ocean.

And yet, this is exactly what was done on the coast of Algarrobo, Chile.

Developers have pushed aside enough beachfront property to fill 20 acres with 66 million gallons of fresh water in which guests and residents of the San Alfonso del Mar condos can frolic about.

And how does the complex keep so much water clean? Instead of massive tanker trucks backing up to the pool and disgorging thousands of gallons of skin-burning chlorine, the pool is equipped with 150 wall sensors. According to a recent article in Wired Magazine, the sensors release chemicals only if nearby water is determined to be unclean--although with a pool that size, contaminants would dilute rather quickly according to experts. I'm a bit skeptical about this, but I suppose it's still going to be a whole lot cleaner than the ocean no matter how you slice it.

Filed under: Chile, Hotels and Accommodations