Daruma Eco Farm · Natural Pool
No chlorine, just plants.
After a day in the tropical heat, the natural pool is a chlorine-free way to cool off, swim and kayak. It is filtered biologically, not chemically, part of the wider Daruma Eco Farm that course participants live and study in.
The pool
Built to swim in, every day.
The natural pool sits at the heart of Daruma Eco Farm, a large biologically filtered swimming and kayaking pool shaded by mature trees. It is a working part of daily life on campus, not an ornamental feature.
It is a short walk from the classrooms used for the Permaculture Design Certificate and the Natural Building Course, and one of the first things new students ask about.
Water source
Drawn from Bang Phra reservoir.
The water at Daruma comes from Bang Phra reservoir, a large body of water fed from the hills of Chon Buri that also supplies agricultural irrigation, domestic use, drinking water and fisheries in the area.
Biological filtration
Zero chemicals, by design.
The natural pool uses no chlorine or chemical treatment. Cleaning and filtration happen entirely through the design of the pool itself.
- Shelves trap larger leaves and organic matter on the surface
- Filtered drains work the deeper parts of the pool
- A waterfall oxygenates the water
- A gravel-bed stream runs alongside the pool, under the bank of the banyan trees
- Clarifiers add further mechanical filtration
Rest & relaxation
Built for the heat of the day.
The pool is shaded by the surrounding banyan, banana, coconut and other trees, with a patio to one side, a pontoon, and a shade house on stilts roofed with palm leaves.
A jacuzzi and sauna sit next to the pool area, both powered by renewable firewood: bamboo and bamboo charcoal grown and produced on site.
Further reading
On natural swimming pools.
- Wikipedia: natural ponds and poolsAn overview of how biological filtration replaces chemical treatment.
- The Spruce: the pros and cons of natural swimming poolsA practical look at what natural pool ownership involves.
- Thailand Tourism Directory: Bang Phra ReservoirMore on the reservoir that supplies Daruma's water.
See the whole village.
The pool is one part of Daruma Eco Farm. Ask us about it, or look at the courses that bring you here.