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Just as Australia heads into the thick of summer, our capital city is turning up the heat in a whole new way. A magical floating sauna has just opened on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, and it's every bit as dreamy as it looks.
Inspired by Tasmania's famous floating sauna at Lake Derby, the Canberra version is found floating off a pontoon at the end of a 14-metre gangway at Yarralumla Beach East. The project has been two years in the making for Tasmanian-based entrepreneur Nigel Reeves, who launched Australia’s original floating saunas in Derby six years ago. After consulting the public on the design and securing government approval, Reeves spent nine months building the sauna – with the steamy spot officially opening this December.
As Australia’s second-coldest city, Canberra is the perfect home for this new wellness experience that offers hot-cold therapy with front-row lake views. Out on the pontoon, you’ll find two woodfired sauna rooms, each accommodating up to six guests. Each was constructed using imported cedar from Finland and features original Finnish wood stoves, plus two-metre floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the calm Lake Burley Griffin.
The floating sauna is open daily from 7am to 9pm, with a full-time sauna master there to guide you through the experience. That said, the ritual is pretty simple: heat up in the sauna, cool off with a dip in the lake or a cold shower on deck, then repeat for the full hour.
Sunrise and sunset are the most magical times for some hot-cold therapy, priced at $55 per session. Better yet: you can book a private sauna and bring up to five friends along for the soak and sweat. Ready to take the plunge? You can book a session here.