$80 · two hours · open seven days. Heat, then cold. Sauna to ice plunge, and back again. The contrast is the ritual: three heats, two colds, and nothing distracting in between.
What is contrast therapy?
Contrast therapy is the practice of alternating deliberate heat and deliberate cold: sauna, then a cold plunge, then rest, with the cycle repeated. At Navia Byron Bay the circuit runs three heats and two colds across a two-hour session, at your own pace.
Heat. Cold. Repeat.
Finnish sauna
Cedar-lined dry heat, löyly stones and all. Start here: ten unhurried minutes lets the warmth do its loosening before the first cold.
Cold plunge
The gentler cold, and the right first plunge. Thirty seconds to two minutes; the breath settles faster than you expect.
Rest
The step everyone skips and regrets. Warm air, a still corner, no schedule. This is where the contrast actually lands.
Steam room
A softer, wetter heat and a different quality of sweat. Kinder on the lungs, and the right warm-up before the deepest cold.
Ice plunge
The deepest contrast in the building. Earned, not required: take the cold plunge first and work your way here.
Magnesium pool
A warm mineral soak to close the circuit the way it should end. Stay as long as the session lets you.
The contrast is the point.
Circulation
Heat opens, cold closes, and the swing between them is the oldest recovery tool there is.
Read the essayThe nervous system
The plunge teaches the breath to lead and the body to follow. Calm, practised under pressure.
Read the essaySleep & rhythm
An evening circuit reads to the body like nightfall. Most regulars sleep like they've been at sea.
Read the essayHere's what to expect.
The bathhouse moves to a rhythm. Sweat, cold, rest, repeat. There is no required sequence and nothing to perform. Stay thirty minutes or two hours. It is yours either way.
Every way in.
Casual session
One session, every heat and cold we have. Towels included; bring a swimsuit.
5-pack
Five sessions, shareable with whoever you bathe with. Valid twelve months.
10-pack
Ten sessions at the regular's rate. Shareable, valid twelve months.
Weekly membership
Unlimited sessions. Two visits a week and it has paid for itself.
Nothing to figure out.
7 Marvell Street, Byron Bay NSW 2481. Street parking nearby; the Woolworths car park on Jonson St is a short walk.
Open seven days. Mon & Wed–Sun 7:00am–7:45pm · Tue 9:00am–7:45pm.
Bring a swimsuit. Towels are provided; nothing else required.
Sessions are 2 hours. No need to stay the full time; the room is unhurried.
First time? Two or three rounds of sauna and cold is a good entry. There is no right number.
Common questions.
What is contrast therapy?
Alternating hot and cold exposure: typically sauna, then cold plunge, then rest, repeated. The contrast triggers a physiological reset: circulation lifts, inflammation drops, and mood follows. Navia's Byron bathhouse runs this circuit with three heats (Finnish sauna, steam room, magnesium pool) and two cold plunges.
How long is a session at Navia Byron Bay?
Sessions are 2 hours. You use the sauna, cold pools, and rest areas at your own pace; no schedule enforced.
Is the ice plunge safe for beginners?
Yes, with care. The cold plunge at 8–10° is the gentler entry for first-timers. The ice plunge at 0–2° is there for those who want it; take the cold plunge first and work up.
Can I buy a pack instead of casual sessions?
Yes. A 5-pack is $300 ($60 a session) and a 10-pack is $500 ($50 a session). Valid for 12 months from purchase, and shareable.
Sauna or steam room: which should I do first?
Either works. Most regulars start in the Finnish sauna's dry 80–90° heat and save the 52° steam room for a later round; the steam is the kinder entry if big heat is new to you.
Is the ice plunge the same as a cold plunge?
They're two different pools. The cold plunge sits at 8–10°, long enough to breathe through. The ice plunge, which many people call an ice bath, holds 0–2° and is the deepest contrast we offer. Take the cold plunge first.
Can I come just for the sauna?
Yes. The $80 session includes every space: the Finnish sauna, steam room, magnesium pool and both cold pools. Nothing is compulsory; plenty of people spend the two hours between the sauna and the rest areas alone.
How often should I do contrast therapy?
Most regulars settle into one to three sessions a week and let the body decide from there. If it becomes a rhythm, the weekly membership is $90 with unlimited sessions.
What's included in the $80 session?
Everything: the Finnish sauna, steam room, magnesium pool, cold plunge, ice plunge and the rest spaces, for two hours. Towels are provided; bring a swimsuit and nothing else.