Jane's Midlife Journey

The Saltwater Sauna is a collection of Finnish saunas in beachside locations in and around Bournemouth. Here, you can relax in the sauna, whilst enjoying the stunning sea views through a panoramic window, then pop outside for a refreshing dip in the sea. And repeat…

There are currently three Saltwater Sauna locations: Sandbanks, Avon Beach and Lulworth Cove. With another two in the pipeline at Boscombe Beach and Southbourne Beach.

How to get to the Saltwater Sauna

1) Sandbanks

The Saltwater Sauna’s first sauna is on Sandbanks Beach, just past the end of Bournemouth Promenade, 4 miles west of Bournemouth. It can (almost) be reached via a pleasant stroll/cycle along the Promenade (at the end of the prom, at Shore Road, continue along Banks Road to reach Sandbanks). By car, it is a 10 mile drive from Bournemouth along the coast.

By Bus

The number 50 Breezer bus, which runs between Bournemouth and Swanage, stops at Banks Road, a 5 minute walk from the sauna.

Parking

There is a large Pay & Display car park at Sandbanks, although it is a very popular spot in summer and spaces can fill up quickly. There is additional paid parking on Banks Road. In either location, parking costs £3 for one hour (£1.70 between November and March). Further details can be found here and here.

2) Avon Beach

The second location is on Avon Beach, just past Christchurch, 7 miles east of Bournemouth. By car, take the A338/A35 to Christchurch, then turn onto Stanpit.

By Bus

Bus No 1c stops at Avon Beach Approach, a 6 minute walk from the sauna. During the summer, the number 70 Breezer bus, which runs from Poole via Bournemouth, is another option.

Parking

The most convenient car park is Avon Run Road. Parking costs £2.30 for one hour (£1 all day between November and March). Further details can be found here. In winter, there is also free roadside parking along Avon Run Road.

3) Lulworth Cove

There is a sauna at a third location at Lulworth Cove, situated 24 miles south west of Bournemouth.

By Bus

Lulworth Cove is not the easiest place to reach by public transport. During the summer, there is a bus which links to Wool Station.

Parking

Lulworth Cove Car Park is a 5 minute walk from the sauna. Parking costs £3.10 for one hour. Further details can be found here.

Opening Times

The saunas are open daily. Opening times are seasonal and dependent upon what sort of reservation you make, with different slots available for private and communal use. Bookings open exactly 4 weeks in advance and tend to sell out very quickly.

Price

• You can reserve the whole sauna, with prices starting at £70 for 65 minutes.
• Alternatively, you can book a 65 minute individual slot in a communal sauna for £15.

Details

1) Sandbanks

We tried the Sandbanks sauna last year. (Note: The sauna which we visited has subsequently been moved to Lulworth.) Sandbanks now hosts two saunas – one accommodating 6 people and the other, 8 people. These newly installed buildings each have their own changing area and large panoramic windows overlooking the sea for an even better sauna experience.

After a briefing, were able to enter the sauna with the other people who had booked our communal time slot. It was quite intimate with six in the sauna, but as everyone is in and out to the sea all the time, this only happened once at the very beginning. After that, we staggered our sea dips and were able to stretch out on the steamy pine and enjoy the view of the sun rising over the bay.

It’s much more fun that the traditional sauna/cold shower/sauna routine; descending from the sauna, then running across the sand for a dip in the sea. There is also a beach shower if you don’t fancy going in the sea.

Our one hour allocated time passed really quickly and all too soon the attendant was knocking on the changing room door (a bit like an episode of Mr Benn) and it was time to leave.

2) Avon Beach

Recently, two saunas have been added at Avon Beach, so we had to go and try them out. The saunas are in wooden huts amid a row of beach huts, close to the Noisy Lobster Restaurant. Each sauna accommodates 7 people and has a panoramic window overlooking the beach – difficult to photograph as the camera lens steams up!

Again, we really enjoyed our sauna experience, despite the fact that the water was rather cold! I thoroughly recommend having a go…

4) Lulworth Cove

The third location is at Lulworth Cove. Note: This sauna is built on a plinth, with the sea reached via a ladder, so is not easily accessible to all.

Other Saunas

There has been an explosion of sauna activity around Bournemouth over the past few months. Some other options are:

Slomo Sauna

Slomo Sauna offer a pop-up 10 person sauna at Elkins Boatyard in Christchurch. Ther is no sea access, instead the choices are an ice bath and two plunge pools. The sauna is open seasonally (from 27 February) at weekends. Sessions cost £12 for an hour.

Oak Sauna

Oak Sauna is situated in Upton County Park. Here, you will find a 8 person sauna and a shower. The is open daily from 9 am until 5 pm. One of the most expensive in the area, costing £16 for an hour (£12 an hour).

Saltwater Sauna for Children

Under 16s are not permitted to use the saunas.

• Updated: January 2026

I hope you found this information useful. For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth, check out my 101 Things to do in Bournemouth here.