If you've got a pool in the backyard, you might expect to find some critters and debris in the water now and then -- spiders and dead bugs, leaves, random schmutz, etc. And if you're hosting a family gathering, there definitely might be some strange creatures in the water. But if you're on vacation, either in simple, local lodgings or a one-of-a-kind, world-class resort like Desert Rock Resort inland from the Red Sea, the last thing you'd expect to see in your pool is a non-human creature. You certainly
wouldn't expect to come across, say, a bumbling bear, some gamboling monkeys, slithering snakes, a frolicking eagle, or a lounging sea lion. It turns out that not only can you go to nature, but nature can also go to you.
On the practical side of things, visitors to hotels with outdoor pools should never discount the possibility that an animal guest might run, jump, slide, or land in the water unannounced. This is especially the case in heavily wooded regions like North America, which contain tons of wildlife, like snakes. Lots of states are filled with snakes hidden in plain sight in and around bodies of water, like Ohio, and there's no guarantee that a snake will differentiate between a natural pond and an all-expenses paid, luxury resort pool. Other regions of the world, like Southeast Asia, are flush with mischievous monkeys that can basically infiltrate anywhere they want. Animals have been spotted in hotel pools in these regions and lots of places in between, like Bali and the Galapagos Islands. But so long as no one gets hurt by all the (sometimes literal) monkey business, then no harm, no foul (or waterfowl).
Read more: The 5 Most Alligator-Filled Destinations In All Of Florida
Bears Frolick In Pools In North America
Bears love the water. Grizzly bears hunt in it, like when the grizzlies of Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve chow down on salmon leading up to their annual hibernation during "Fat Bear Week." Polar bears spend so much time in the water, paddling like dogs to catch food, that they're classifiable as marine animals. And of course, there's everyone's favorite backyard, trash-eating, oversized racoons: black bears. And black bears definitely don't know the difference between a classy hotel pool and an economical above-ground pool. That being said, there are far, far less instances on record of bears in hotel pools than there are bears in private pools.
One prominent bear incursion involved a black bear in 2024 climbing the fence of a rental condo in Gatlinburg, Tennessee (via YouTube). He must have been desperate to swim in its pool, because plenty of folks were already there, including kids wearing arm floaties. Then again, the bear was also young, which means that it was more likely to get into trouble and less likely to understand boundaries (much like human children). Meanwhile, way back in 2008, the Hard Rock Hotel in Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida sighted a black bear popping in for a dip, according to The Ledger. The theme park isn't exactly surrounded by woods, either. What's the lesson here? We don't know, except to never assume that the furry creature in the pool is that hairy guy from down the hall.
Monkeys Mob Pools In Thailand, Bali, And More
Monkeys aren't often seen hanging out in water, unless it's those snow monkeys (aka Japanese macaques) who huddle up in the hot springs at Jigokudani Monkey Park in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Monkeys generally like water, but most of them instinctively stay out of it or just frolic in it from time to time. Proboscis monkeys, native to Borneo, are an exception, as are Thailand's crab-eating macaques, who actually dive in the water to hunt. And yes, monkeys can get ornery with humans.
It's crab-eating macaques who feature in a funny (but at the time scary to the person involved) incident in Thailand. Caught on TikTok recently in 2025, a young man on vacation in a pool in Thailand found himself besieged by miscreant macaques. They didn't jump in the water, but circled around the rim and treated it like a drinking pond. That is, until the young man in question, Kane Smith, started to back away. Then, a couple of big monkeys chased him and started howling.
This wasn't the only time a monkey invaded a hotel swimming pool. Monkeys were spotted around pools in Costa Rica, as seen in a TikTok on a semi-secluded Airbnb in Manuel Antonio National Park, a monkey hot spot. This isn't a hotel, but a rental accommodation within a natural park area, so close enough. Another video on Newsflare shows two monkeys in a pool at a hotel in Bali getting hostile with an employee who tries to get them to leave. All in all, it's clearly not a good idea to do that. If you see a monkey in the water, steer clear.
Snakes Slink Into Pools In North America And Thailand
Sure, snakes are an integral part of an ecosystem, but no one wants them slinking around their calves while swimming, treading water, or just dangling their legs in a pool -- we assume. Water snakes, aka semiaquatic snakes, split their time between rocky shores and water depths, hunting for prey. And while they can be found across the world, they tend to hang out in North America quite a bit. Hence all of the snake-filled bodies of water in Massachusetts, Delaware, Maryland, and basically everywhere else in the United States. That being said, snakes have also been spotted in hotel swimming pools in places like Thailand. And while monkeys might mess you up, some kinds of snakes are truly deadly.
One very dramatic serpentine encounter involved a guest, Michelle Griese, and her 4-year-old son coming face-to-face with a true snake infestation. As first reported by Wisconsin outlet WISN in 2023, she found snakes slithering in and around her first-floor room at the Country Inn and Suites by Radisson in Germantown, Wisconsin -- starting with the pool. They were also on the floor and slipping out from under a neighbor's door. She wasn't hurt, and the hotel sent in an animal control service to clean things out.
Another, 12-foot-long snake was spotted uncoiling into a green-lit pool in Thailand that same year, as captured on TikTok. We can't say for certain what kind of snake it was, but Thailand contains loads of venomous snakes. Ultimately, the lesson is clear: If you're in snake country, don't jump blindly into the pool without checking, especially if it's dark.
Even Eagles Go For Dips In Hotel Pools In Indonesia
When thinking of birds in the water, you're likely to think of ducks poking through a pond, ducklings trailing behind, all in a row. Swans are another typical waterfowl, as are geese. But few people would thing of a bird commonly envisioned soaring through the skies, snatching prey with long, curved talons, and looking super imperious while doing so. We're speaking of eagles, of course. But at a resort in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, this is exactly what was caught on camera in 2025, according to a report from Fox News.
The eagle in question was a white-bellied sea eagle, which are accustomed to water because that's where they get most of their prey, like fish, turtles, and water snakes –– so, too bad one of them wasn't hanging around in Thailand to nab that 12-foot snake. In the video, the eagle waded into the pool, bobbed forward rather handily, got out onto the pool ledge, and soared away. And in case the video didn't illustrate, white-bellied sea eagles are excellent swimmers and use their wings like oars to row.
Sadly for the eagle, there was no prey to be found in the water -- nor were there any people in it. If there were, the eagle probably wouldn't have landed. Eagles generally avoid humans and rarely attack them unless seriously threatened or protecting their young. This means that not only was the incident in the pool in Indonesia exceptionally rare, even if you do find an eagle in your pool for some reason, they're far less dangerous to humans than snakes, bears, or even monkeys.
Sea Lions Go For Hotel Swims In The Galapagos Islands
Because we naturally saved the cutest animal for last, we come to sea lions: the golden retrievers of the ocean. Sea lions are well-adapted to ocean life, although they can move on land pretty well, too, almost like any quadruped. They can also hold their breath for up to 20 minutes, dive up to 900 feet deep, and live all across the world, from California to Australia, New Zealand, South America, and the Galapagos Islands. It's this last location that played host to a sea lion in 2022 at the resort, Hotel Solyma. Given the name Wendy (presumably by the hotel), she made the rounds on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and elsewhere.
As a prominent video of Wendy shows, she simply swam in from the sea, climbed a set of stone stairs at the resort, wobbled to the nearby swimming pool, splooshed in, swam around, got out, and promptly hijacked a nearby lounge chair from a seemingly irked guest (employing cheeky charm to do so). She then presumed to snuggle in for a nap. Far from being the only occurrence of its type, Wendy was apparently a regular at the resort and allowed free access to the place. We can't say for sure, but it stands to reason that she ranked higher than many human guests in the courtesy department.
Folks have no real reason to worry about danger from sea lions. They're not aggressive towards people, although you still shouldn't antagonize or feed them. In the U.S., sea lions are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, which essentially makes it illegal to cause them harm. If you see one in your pool, just be grateful that it's not a snake.
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Read the original article on Islands.
