From sea to sauna, the best saunas to visit in the UK

Beach Box Sauna in Brighton, photo by James Ratchford

From the Highlands to the Kent coast, a new wave of sea-facing saunas is making it easier than ever to connect with the coastline. Some are stripped-back and remote, others come with design credentials and a few even offer sound baths and sauna rituals. What they all have in common is the thrill of stepping out of the heat and straight into the wild. Whether you’re a cold water convert or sauna curious, these ten spots provide the perfect setting for a new ritual: sea, steam and something good to eat.

10 seaside saunas to visit in the UK

Sea Scrub Sauna in Margate, Kent

Margate’s coastline is now home to two sea-facing saunas, each offering a different take on the hot-cold ritual. Sea Scrub Sauna sits directly on the sand, a sleek, wood-fired set-up available for private hire. Four whisky-barrel cold plunges line up beside it, or you can run straight into the sea. Alongside standard sessions, it also hosts guided sauna rituals and sound baths, pairing heat and cold with breathwork, music and intention.

Nearby, the community sauna by It’s About All of Us – a free, first-come-first-served space on Walpole Bay – offers a more lowkey experience. After your plunge, warm up with seafood at Angela’s, get gelato from Melt or have a seaside picnic with fresh crab sandwiches from Mannings Seafood. Margate does food and wellness with equal flair – check out our full guide to the best restaurants in Margate for more.

Sea and Steam in Saundersfoot, Wales

Tucked against the curve of Coppet Hall beach, Sea and Steam is a mobile wood-fired sauna with front-row views of the Pembrokeshire coast. After your heat session, it’s a few sandy steps to the sea for a cold plunge that’s equal parts bracing and blissful. Come for the sauna, stay for the oysters—nearby Lan y Môr overlooks the bay and serves locally landed lobster rolls, oysters on ice and champagne for those who want to stretch the ritual into lunch. If you’re feeling more hands-on, book a session with Welsh Coastal Foraging, whose expert-led shoreline walks reveal the edible riches of the tide, from seaweed to samphire. This spot is where Welsh coast culture meets slow, sensory living.

Check out more of the best restaurants in Pembrokeshire.

Folkestone Sea Sauna in Kent

Folkestone’s creative coastal energy has been quietly building, and the arrival of its own sea-facing sauna feels like a natural next step. Parked up on Sunny Sands, the Folkestone Sea Sauna is a wood-fired cabin with panoramic views across the Channel. Book a private slot or join a community session, then plunge straight into the sea before warming up on the sand with herbal tea in hand. Afterwards, explore the Creative Quarter’s colourful shopfronts, stop for small plates at The Folkestone Wine Company, or browse outdoor installations along the Folkestone Artworks trail. Make a weekend of it at Shoreline Folkestone, a laid-back guesthouse with deck chairs on the balconies and dreamy sea views.

Shoreline Folkestone — Views from Shoreline

Elie Seaside Sauna in Fife

The East Neuk of Fife has quietly become a wild swimmer’s dream with harbours, tidal pools and secret beaches all stitched together by scenic coastal paths. The team behind Elie Seaside Sauna know these waters well. They run a handful of wood-fired saunas along the coast, including the Cellardyke Sauna, perched beside a Victorian tidal pool. But Elie remains the favourite: a striking glass-fronted structure that opens straight onto the sand. The views stretch across the Firth of Forth and the water’s never far from reach—whether you’re dipping at high tide or scrambling over rocks to plunge in. Afterwards, follow the coast to Giddy Gannet in St Monans for cinnamon rolls, keep it classic with award-winning haddock and chips from Anstruther Fish Bar just up the road or head inland to The Ship Inn, where you can eat west coast scallops with your toes still sandy. East Neuk life at its finest.

Beach Box Sauna in Brighton

Tucked between Brighton’s iconic pier and its pebbled beach, Beach Box Sauna is made from upcycled materials and filled with soul. It’s as DIY and down-to-earth as the city itself. The wood-fired stoves, essential oil infusions and sea air make for a euphoric combo, whether you’re popping in post-swim or booking a longer session. Plunging into the Channel after a sweat is an invigorating part of the ritual. Once you’ve thawed out, grab fish and chips and wander down the pier. For somewhere to stay, No.124 Guesthouse on Marine Parade offers peaceful, design-forward rooms with sea views just a short stroll away.

Beach Box Sauna Brighton. Credit: James Ratchford — Credit: James Ratchford

Soul Water Sauna in Portobello, Edinburgh

Also in Scotland, but closer to the city, Soul Water Sauna brings the same elemental joy to Edinburgh’s favourite beach. Portobello has long been a haven for sea swimmers, and this wood-fired sauna – perched on the sand with views over the Firth of Forth – feels like the heart of the scene. Book a solo or group session, then plunge into the sea just metres from the door. The team host regular guided sessions too, with breathwork, cold dips and community at the core. Afterwards, warm up with a flat white and browse the shelves at The Portobello Bookshop, one of the best indies in the city. And if you’re staying for lunch, ShrimpWreck serves up seriously good seafood brioche rolls – go for Thai bon bons or crab on fries and thank us later.

Rising Embers in Penzance, Cornwall

Cornwall isn’t short on sea-swimming spots, but Penzance stands out. With a lido, fairy pools and granite steps that lead straight into the water, it’s made for hot-and-cold rituals. Rising Embers fits right in: a wood-fired sauna with a laid-back, low-fi vibe. Sessions take place in a handcrafted barrel sauna with plunge tubs outside and the option to dash into the sea if you’re feeling brave. Just down the hill is Jubilee Pool, the UK’s largest seawater lido, where there’s also a geothermal pool and another (slightly more formal) sauna if you want to stack your sessions. Penzance punches above its weight when it comes to food. Argoe does knockout small plates by the harbour, and Loaf is the place to go for flaky pastries and excellent coffee. If you want to make a weekend of it, check in to Chapel House, where there’s – naturally – another private sauna.

Saltbox Sauna in the Outer Hebrides

For a sauna experience that feels deeply connected to land, sea and sky, head to the Outer Hebrides. Saltbox Sauna is a mobile, wood-fired barrel sauna that rotates between beaches on Harris and Lewis, often setting up just metres from the Atlantic. Its curved window frames dramatic coastal views – wind-whipped dunes, wide skies and turquoise shallows that are somehow always cold enough to take your breath away. After a solo or shared session, cool off with a sea dip or a rinse from a bucket of fresh water. If you’re making a trip of it, explore the islands through their food: think cinnamon buns baked to order by a Swedish expat, scallops hand-dived by a hotelier and ganache laced with local gin. It’s all part of the Outer Hebrides foodie road trip – a delicious companion to this wild wellness escape.

Saltbox, Outer Hebrides. Credit Colin Macleod — Credit: Colin Macleod

Sea Sauna in Braunton, Devon

Set on the golden sands of Saunton Beach, Sea Sauna pairs the warmth of a wood-fired stove with wide-open views of the Atlantic. The sauna’s standout feature is its big glass window behind the fire which is tinted just enough to offer privacy while still letting you gaze out at the surf. Saunton is one of Devon’s best longboard spots and warming up in the sauna after a cold surf session is about as good as it gets. Book a private slot or join a community sweat, then cool off with a plunge in the shallows. Afterwards, watch the sunset over the beach at Beachside Grill or go classic with a cone from Hockings, serving its famous clotted cream ice cream along this stretch of Devon coast since the 1930s.

Studland Sauna Hut in Studland, Dorset

Hidden in the dunes at Middle Beach, this wood-fired sauna overlooks one of Dorset’s most peaceful stretches of coastline. Studland Sauna Hut is small but perfectly placed – just steps from the sea, with views of Old Harry Rocks and the Isle of Wight on clear days. After a session in the cedar-lined heat, take a plunge into the shallow bay or stretch out on the sand with nothing but the sound of the tide for company. For something gentler post-sauna, book a soak in the Sae Seaweed Baths next door, where hand-harvested seaweed is steeped in warm water in open-air tubs. It’s a deeply coastal ritual, and one of the few places in the UK where you can do both. Bring snacks or book lunch at The Pig on the Beach, just up the hill – a kitchen garden restaurant with knock-out views and serious flavour.