Sydney is well into its wellness era. Bathhouses are all the rage, every second person just did HYROX and the rest are training for City2Surf. But of all the wellness trends going around right now, saunas definitely take the crown in winter. There’s nothing quite like sweating it out in a hot box, then shocking your system with an icy dip. If you’re a sucker for saunas, we’ve just found the most scenic one in Sydney, where the ocean is your ice bath – and you can have it all to yourself.
Born in New Zealand, The Sauna Project has been heating up coastlines since 2022 – and now it’s finally made the leap across the ditch. Sydney’s scored its first international pop-up at Vaucluse Beach Paddock, just 20 minutes from the CBD or ten minutes from Bondi. Surrounded by nature with picturesque waterfront views, it’s hands down one of the dreamiest spots to sweat it out.
The Sauna Project fully captures the essence of Scandinavian sauna culture, inviting you to unwind, reset and find your zen. Despite being a pop-up, it’s one of the hottest saunas in Sydney, cranking up to 90 degrees thanks to a traditional woodfire stove. It’s hot, and you’re gonna get real sweaty – but fear not. They’ve got funky felt hats – or “stubby holders for your head” – designed to protect your head from the heat and regulate your body temperature.
Never been to a sauna before? Consider this your sign to go. Sauna master and co-owner Chris will guide you through the full 60-minute session, beginning with an Aufguss ritual, where he’ll whip a towel around the room to circulate hot air and essential oils. You’ll then have 15 minutes of peace to sweat it out before taking a short stroll to the sea to cool off. An ocean dip in the middle of winter might sound mad, but trust us – after 15 minutes in the heat, you’ll be craving that icy plunge.
You’ll cycle through this ritual three times in an hour, then can kick back on the grass with your mates and enjoy that blissed-out and slightly noodle-limbed feeling. The Sauna Project opens every Thursday to Sunday, with special sunrise sessions on Fridays and sunset sessions on Thursdays and Saturdays. It’s $40 for a one-off, or you can also organise a private social sauna sesh for you and eight mates here. Better forward this to the group chat – stat!