There are a few must-do items on every Melburnian’s Tasmania hit list. Visit MONA, hike a mountain, drink a glass of natty wine at Sonny and relax in a hand-built sauna floating on a lake.
On Tassie’s Oyster Cove Marina, a beautiful timber-lined sauna invites visitors to warm up and then plunge into the water, for contrast therapy in its most natural, Instagrammable setting. And soon, you won’t have to board the Spirit of Tasmania to try it for yourself.
From mid-August onwards, the second hand-built sauna boat from Tassie-based boat builder and wellness enthusiast Dan Bush will open its doors in the heart of Melbourne. Based in Docklands, Sauna Boat Melbourne will have the same artfully simple eco-friendly design as its Tassie counterpart: fully electric and constructed by hand by a man who’s passionate about helping people slow down and reset.
“In the rush of everyday life, we often forget to slow down. Sauna Boat Melbourne invites you to do just that – sweat, plunge, breathe. It’s wellness made simple, on the water, in the heart of it all,” explains Bush.
While Sauna Boat Tasmania invites guests to cool off with an icy plunge in the lake, the Melbourne version will be home to ice baths waiting on the deck – complete with striking views of the city skyline. The contrast therapy that comes from warming up in a sauna then cooling off is a super effective mood-booster, and the ultimate winter reset.
The best news? It’s not just set to be a seasonal addition to the city. Once it’s open, Sauna Boat Melbourne will operate all year round – bringing a bit of magic to our bright spring mornings and hazy autumn afternoons.
Groups of heat seekers will be able to book out the boat for exclusive use, or you can grab a slot in a shared group session and make new friends the Scandi way. Heat, plunge, repeat – then head to one of Docklands’ excellent eateries for a well-earned feed.
Keen? Bookings will go live soon – you can sign up for updates here.
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