Alba Thermal Springs and Spa is just one place that features Finnish sauna experiences. Photo / Supplied
Alba Thermal Springs and Spa is just one place that features Finnish sauna experiences. Photo / Supplied
Over the past couple of years, contrast therapy bathing has exploded in Victoria, Australia. From hot springs to bathhouses, Tracey Cheung checks the trend out.
Hot and cold contrast therapy is described as a cycle of “heat-cold-rest” repeated two to three times and followed by a period of relaxation to stabilise body temperature. Of course, the Finnish have been reaping the benefits of saunas and relaxation for centuries, and now Victorians have caught on.
Here are a handful of venues where you can get a good dose of wellness in 2023.
Aurora Spa and Bathhouse
Aurora, which opened in December 2022, is an expansive 500sq m subterranean venue celebrating water’s healing power. It features an indoor Nordic sauna that is believed to be one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. Within the InterContinental Sorrento Hotel, also newly opened in September 2022, guests can bookend their spa experience with saunters to popular Sorrento beach, just a few hundred metres away.
While here, immerse yourself in 90 minutes of a 10-step bathing ritual; a circuit of hot and cold European curative water therapies. It includes a first-of-its-kind Glacial Mist room, set at 6C-10C, which recreates the elements of mist, rain, ice, and for the first time, wind. It’s a refined version of the Finnish tradition of rolling in the snow after a sauna and a gentle alternative to the shock of a cold plunge pool. auroraspa.com.au
Immerse yourself in a 10-step bathing ritual at Aurura Spa and Bathhouse.
Photo / Supplied
Comma
Comma in Melbourne provides an urban oasis for those living and working in the trendy inner-city suburb of Richmond. This calming sanctuary opened in March 2020 and has a comprehensive menu of massage therapies, including an experience called “Like the Finns Do,” a traditional Sauna and Bathhouse ritual. Soak away sore muscles in the Mineral Hot Tub, sweat out toxins in The Sauna, and then awaken the cells in the cold Pail Shower. The latter dumps cold water over you - an excellent choice for those who can’t fathom jumping into an ice-cold bath.
Comma is close to some great eateries for post-bathing appetites. There is the longstanding Feast of Merit for Greek cuisine, Hochi Mama for Asian fusion, and Touchwood café for healthy options. It’s approximately a 10-minute tram or train ride into Melbourne’s CBD and five minutes tram ride to Chapel St. commaspaces.com
Metung Hot Springs
Stay and bathe at Metung Hot Springs and Golf Country Club while you visit the region of Gippsland, four hours east of Melbourne. Attractions nearby include Wilsons Promontory, the southernmost tip of mainland Australia, as well as the penguins at Phillip Island and a beautiful sightseeing cruise at Cape Woolamai.
The magnificent Gippsland Lakes encompasses Metung Hot Springs. Expect beautiful views of Lake King and Ninety Mile beaches while bathing. The distinguishing features of this destination include its golf course and safari-style glamping accommodation with private geothermal bathing barrels on the balcony. After a round of golf at the Metung Country Club, it’s a 500m walk to The Bathing Ridge. Here you can unwind with the sauna or sauna pools and cold plunge pool. There is also a viewing deck with stunning views of Ninety Mile beach and the unique opportunity to experience Larn’wa Aboriginal Lore wellness rituals. metunghotsprings.com
The cold plunge pool at Metung Hot Springs. Photo / Supplied
Alba Thermal Springs and Spa
Alba is a luxury hot springs haven located on the Mornington Peninsula. Victorians love it for its beaches, wineries, and national parks. Alba sits within a beautifully landscaped 15ha property, so you have the bonus of being immersed in nature. Take your pick or bathe in all 31 geothermal pools, each unique in size, design and purpose.
The pavilion, The Hemisphere, sits further up the hill. The cold plunge pool is in the centre, allowing convenient access between the sauna and steam room and the cold plunge: the complete “Fire and Ice” experience.
Nourish your body with Alba’s premium quality, light, delicious meals to match your wellness experiences at Thyme restaurant. Outside the spa, St Andrews beach is nearby, alongside scenic walking trails in Mornington Peninsula, including the Fingal to Cape Schank track and Fingal Picnic Area. Book the Jackalope Hotel for an indulgent overnight stay. albathermalsprings.com.au
Alba Thermal Springs and Spa is a luxury hot springs on the Mornington Peninsula. Photo / Supplied
The Nimbus and Co
Another city location to experience hot and cold contrast therapy is the intimate and cosy Nimbus and Co. Instead of the traditional Finnish sauna, it offers infra-red saunas and an ice bath. Here, you get your own private room to enjoy your sauna with a carafe of water and an iPad. If you’d like to create your own heated yoga routine, the large sauna room will fit a yoga mat for a private salutation sesh. The spa recommends just three minutes of immersion in the ice bath to reap the many benefits of ice-bath therapy. nimbusco.com.au/melbourne
Facial salon Little Company and massage salon Still Beauty have teamed up with Carlton Footballer Ed Curnow to open a bathhouse in Torquay. It will be a first for the Surf Coast, opening this summer. You could fit in a visit for some rest and rejuvenation around your visits to the area’s attractions. These include the 12 Apostles, one of the Great Ocean Road walks, or Bells Beach, the famous surf beach home to the Rip Curl Pro surfing competition.
Set out over 1000sq m, it will feature indoor and outdoor magnesium pools, private secluded bathing, infrared saunas, cold plunge pools, fire-fuelled sauna, and a custom steam room. atthebathhouse.com.au
At the Bathhouse is set out over 1000sq m. Photo / Supplied
