Plunge pools add a refreshing element to your outdoor space, are a fantastic way to expand the overall living space of your home, and are more cost-efficient than a larger pool. The small size will allow for faster heating of your pool, or if you live in a warm climate, they will just heat up faster. They are perfect for a smaller backyard or outdoor courtyard space and ideal for taking a cool, relaxing dip. They may not be ideal for aerobic exercise or playing pool games, but they can still cool you off on a hot day—and entertain your guests with a refreshing beverage.

If you do not have a swimming pool on your property, a plunge pool might be a great solution for you. It is the perfect option for those with small garden spaces, or who want the benefits of a pool without the upkeep and expense of a larger swimming pool. Plunge pools run anywhere from 13-22 feet in length to 6-10 feet in width, and are aesthetically appealing: small footprint, big impact! No matter what limitations you are working with outdoors, a plunge pool can easily be made to fit. Have a look below to get some inspiration for your own backyard oasis. Be sure to let us know which one is your favorite in the comments!

Looking for more inspiration? Check out these favorites: 40+ Absolutely spectacular infinity edge pools and 47 Irresistible hot tub spa designs for your backyard.

1. On Costa Rica’s Guanacaste coast, interior designer Beth Webb has created an indulging plunge pool. A Sunbrella cushion and Madeline Weinrib pillows offers lavish comfort on a sun shelf. See the full tour featured here: Coastal chic living on mountainous seaside village in Costa Rica. (via Atlanta Homes)

2. This Bohemian-inspired sanctuary was designed as a family entertaining pool for a small yard. The deck material is local California sandstone. (via Katie Leede & Company Studio)

3. The precast concrete dipping pool measures 8’x8′. The homeowners did not want a full-size pool, just a place for a dip during the hot Austin summers. The architects commissioned a custom box culvert with a pvc drain and pool jet inserts. They set the whole thing in place, then plastered and tiled it. (via Clayton&Little Architects)

4. This small dipping pool in Southern California will leave you feeling refreshed! (via Molly Wood Garden Design)

5. This blogger with a keen sense of style was invited to visit a luxurious villa in The Maldives. This included this sweet little plunge pool with a private outdoor shower. Can you say “heavenly”! (via Happily Grey)

6. This Aussie pad features an inviting and private plunge pool connected by a deck off the master bedroom! See the complete tour we featured here: A prefabricated dwelling grips the mountainside. (via Sparks Architects)

7. A backyard urban oasis in Montreal, Quebec features a plunge pool surrounded by lush plantings for privacy. (via Decormag)

8. This stunning dipping pool in France is surrounded by lush gardens and a small wooden lounging deck. (via Piscines Desjoyaux)

9. Entitled the “Indiana Jones” house, this home is surrounded by a river-like dipping pool, located in Venice, California. For the full feature story, have a look here: Indiana Jones inspired house. (via Laure Joliet on Flickr)

10. Perfect for a small backyard, this circular cast-concrete plunge pool features a diving platform… fun for the whole family! (via Australian Plunge Pools)

11. A beach house nestled on Playa del Sol, in the district of Asia, in Lima, Peru features this private dipping spa off the master bedroom. It has the sensation of floating over the pool, giving a sense of lightness. (via DMS Arquitectas)

12. A Westport, Connecticut pool house is designed by SPaN architects with fieldstone walls and a slatted cedar pergola. The spa looks ultra refreshing! (via Architectural Digest)

13. An urban backyard was transformed into a lush tropical oasis with a glass-sided pool by a Sydney-based landscape studio. Comes complete with an outdoor shower! (via Garden Life)

14. A Garden Pool Suite at the InterContinental Moorea Resort features this divine private plunge pool. (via InterContinental Moorea Resort & Spa)

15. A beautiful courtyard home in the colonial town of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico showcases this sparkling lap pool. See the full feature article here: Absolutely stunning Casa Lluvia Blanca in Mexico. (via House + House Architects)

16. Hu’u Villas in Bali offers the discerning traveller a mix of serenity and privacy. You will also find this heavenly dipping pool with comfortable sun loungers in a lush, tropical setting. (via Peony Lim)

17. This Australian backyard courtyard makes use of all available space with a pool, garden, BBQ, entertaining deck, and herb garden. (via Randwick Landscape Architecture by Secret Gardens)

18. A pre-cast concrete rainwater tank was converted into a plunge pool and accessed via a bridge! You would need a Bionizer filtration system (salt and chlorine-free pool ionisation system) and an interior pool finish. Sit it on a concrete slab with 75 mm of gravel underneath (via Renovate Forum)

19. A cabin off the Sonoma Coast in California is constructed primarily of reclaimed materials from former projects. The most notable is this dipping pool! It used to be a water tank for livestock, consisting of virgin-growth redwood is about 80 years old. “At 25-feet diameter and 14-feet deep it provides a wonderful black hole of water,” states the architect. (via Lundberg Design)

20. A mid-century home in Melbourne, Australia features this above-ground plunge pool in a central courtyard that was constructed from a concrete water tank. (via The Design Files)

21. A dreamy hammock set over a rustic stone pool… We can imagine taking a nap here, about you? (via Murray Mitchell)

22. Exotic plunge pool in Key West, Florida. (via Craig Reynolds Landscape Architecture)

23. A private residence in Spain features steps that leads into a dark pebbled plunge pool. (via Paul Barbera)

24. A private plunge pool oasis with a mosaic tile bottom. (via Pinterest)

25. Plunge pool set outside a private villa at the Four Seasons Mauritius at Anahita. (via Jeff Setter)

26. A tranquil Riad Marrakech dipping pool allows you to cool off, while a sun shelf provides a great spot to sunbathe or dry off after taking a dip. (via COCOON via Pinterest)

27. An in-ground backyard plunge pool that offers a refreshing dip for the whole family to enjoy! (via Herve Abbadie Photography)

28. An inverted pyramid water pool is suspended 300 meters above Myrtos, a world-famous beach in Kefalonia, Greece. Villa Althea is a gem, set amidst steep mountains and tall cliffs. (via Beyond Spaces Villas)