Three ways for a reset in one place: Finnish Sauna, Cold Plunge and Salt Float in Belconnen

Posted on 12 August, 2026

For anyone craving a deeper kind of recovery, the combination of Finnish Sauna, Cold Plunge and Salt Float Therapy offers a powerful way to slow down, reset the nervous system and support the body from the inside out.

Now imagine one spacious private room where you can lock yourself away and experience all three at your leisure.

Sauna Float ACT is the brainchild of Yanping Yu, a busy entrepreneur with a love of physical activity. She wanted a place to restore her wellbeing after throwing herself into tennis and big hikes. Given there was nowhere in Canberra to indulge in all three modalities, she decided to set up her own health spa.

Sauna Float ACT owner Yanping Yu

Located on Emu Bank foreshore, with sparkling views of Lake Ginninderra, Sauna Float ACT is a Scandi-inspired mini spa. Downstairs is the main suite with a custom handmade Finnish sauna, built by a Finnish craftsman using traditional methods and authentic Finnish materials, a state-of-the-art stainless-steel Australian-made cold plunge, and a space capsule-shaped flotation tank filled with magnesium salt, with room for two. There is also a large double shower for rinsing off between each treatment, particularly after the magnesium-salt-loaded float.

Upstairs are three more infrared saunas and red-light therapy.

You can book in for a sauna or the full bathhouse depending on how much time you have and how deeply you need to unwind. She notes that the bathhouse is unique in the region to offer all three relaxation therapies in one private room for ease of access.

Yanping says one of the biggest benefits of her set-up is the passive relaxation and freedom it offers. You can close the door and swap between the sauna, plunge and float without anyone watching or feeling pressured to spend a certain amount of time in any one therapy.

“Flotation is still a relatively new experience for many people, and first-time floaters are often nervous about whether they’ll be able to relax and stay in the tank. With this setting, people often find their first float much less intimidating and nicer than they expected. Even for regular floaters, combining the sauna, plunge and flotation experiences helps them enter a deeper state of relaxation more easily and make the whole experience more enjoyable.

Not drowning, floating. Our Georgie slept like a baby after this!

“The less tense you are, the more likely you are to experience the benefits of a gravity-free float,” she says.

“You follow your own body; if it wants less cold plunge and more flotation or sauna, you do that.”

Once considered niche wellness rituals, these therapies are now becoming part of everyday self-care – especially for busy Canberrans looking for stress relief, muscle recovery and a quiet moment away from the noise.

Opened since 2021, Yanping says the business has built a loyal customer base, with many regulars returning every week.

“People come when they feel like it, and we’re always grateful when customers return, even after being away for a long time. It means a lot to know they still remember us and choose to come back.”

The aroma and warmth of a Finnish sauna

“We always get such good feedback about how people feel immediately better and sleep better and it reduces muscle soreness, and conditions such as restless legs.”

A traditional Finnish sauna offers a deeply warming and restorative experience. The heat helps the body relax, encourages circulation and promotes a sense of calm as muscles loosen and tension melts away. Beyond the physical benefits, sauna bathing has long been valued in Finnish culture as a place for quiet reflection, connection and mental reset.

A cold plunge delivers an immediate, invigorating hit: the shock of cold water can help stimulate circulation, reduce perceived muscle soreness and build mental resilience. For many people, the appeal is as much psychological as physical, with the practice encouraging calm breathing, focus and the ability to sit with discomfort before emerging refreshed and clear-headed (and, let’s be honest, a large measure of relief).

Infrared sauna offers the opposite experience: gentle, enveloping heat that warms the body directly rather than simply heating the air. Sessions are often embraced for relaxation, improved circulation, post-exercise recovery and the deep release that comes with a proper sweat. The lower-temperature feel of infrared heat can also make it a more approachable option for those who find traditional saunas too intense.

The cold plunge is set to 13 degrees. Just remember to breathe….

Floatation tanks complete the trio by removing almost every external distraction. Floating in warm, highly salted water can create a rare sense of weightlessness, helping the body soften and the mind settle. For people juggling work, family, training or everyday stress, the stillness of a float can feel like pressing pause on a constantly running system.

Yanping wants more Canberrans to get in on the act, and instead of booking separate appointments across the city, guests can create a complete hot-cold-stillness ritual in a calm, self-contained space.

The private bathhouse is designed for individuals, couples and families. It’s also a wonderful experience for teenagers as they grow up and begin to experience things like muscle tension or cramps, salt float can be especially beneficial for them.

Because the experience is private, parents can enjoy it together with their children. According to Yanping, a primary school boy who once came out of the bathhouse with his mother told her it was “really relaxing.”

She said it was lovely to hear that, even at such a young age, he could appreciate the benefits of slowing down and relaxing in a safe setting.

“Once people try it, they want to come back.”