On Wednesday, 1 July, 2026, I visited Navia Bathhouse on Marvell St in Byron Bay for a 120-minute bathing session starting from 7.30 am.
I am not really a morning person; however, the fact that I was doing this as part of a brief holiday and that the bathhouse was a 10-minute drive from my accommodation, away from town, made this experience worth waking up for with vigour.
At this time of day, a bathhouse experience is excellent at providing an opportunity to really set up your day. While I am incredibly grateful to be afforded with two whole hours to soak, luxuriate and reflect, there were people who came and went, perhaps ready to start their working day.
The attitude seemed more social compared to other communal bathhouses I have visited. The website encourages group and private bookings (along with solos), and signs on site reinforce Scandinavian wellness concepts such as ‘hygge, that Danish concept of cosy togetherness’.
(Co-founder Lucia Wilkinson confirms that yes, the name Navia stems from the connection with Scandinavia.)
For those who are completely new to bathhouses, Navia has published a helpful guide on its website. This is also replicated at the bathhouse, which is a level down from reception and the changing area. This area includes lockers and other conveniences, such as water, earplugs, and makeup remover pads for those who require them.
Once you make your way downstairs into the bathhouse, it’s best to walk around and understand where everything is located. The lighting is a little dimmed, perhaps to heighten other senses, so you will need a bit of time to adjust.
At the back of the bathhouse is a sign that informs visitors about Navia’s ‘self-soothing sequence’, which includes (in suggested order):
- Rinsing at one of two showers available
- Scrubbing yourself with a mix of provided magnesium salt and body lotion to exfoliate dead skin before rinsing again
- Entering the room of steam that has been scented with frankincense. The room ‘has a built in filter that removes heavy metals, sediments and pathogens. The steam generator then has a self-cleaning holding tank that boils the water to further remove chemicals such as chlorine and fluoride’, according to a frequently asked question on the website.
- Entering the hot mineral pool, which has been set at 38 degrees Celsius – roughly the temperature of the womb we started life in. This must be why it’s so comfortable!
- Entering the ice pool, or for those who are more delicate (like me), the cold pool.
- Entering the sauna room, which includes löyly – a place to pour water over hot rocks to create an extra sensation.
- Resting on a couch or chair with your provided towel, a book, a cup of tea, and some dried apricot slices.
I definitely appreciated the sign’s existence, although I think it would be great for this sign to be moved closer to the bathhouse entrance to provide greater context to those who need it.
In my allocated time, I was able to do this cycle three or four times. It’s worth noting that this order is the gentlest of suggestions. You should of course do what is right for you – a message that is reiterated by Lucia.
Facilities are kept in immaculate condition. I could see a staff member cleaning parts of the bathhouse that weren’t in use while I was there, attesting to commendable commitments to hygiene in a communal setting.
Crowding wasn’t an issue, but even if it was busier, I would have expected the etiquette of gentle conversation and quiet contemplation to have held up.
You can book your bathhouse session (or your massage) online, and you can add and pay for whichever treatment you would like later as well.
The bathhouse session that I (and a friend) booked costs $75 in total. This seems like immensely good value per person and for the amount of time you get to bathe.
I would definitely like to come back to Navia Bathhouse, whether in Byron or in its new Melbourne location that is set to open soon.
Cameron is an experienced news writer and consummate media professional, with previous bylines in SmartCompany, The Australian Farmer, Innovation Intelligence and other local outlets. Having completed his bachelor of journalism and master of communication at RMIT – one of Australia’s leading universities for media studies – Cameron uses his cross-disciplinary knowledge and industry experience to source news stories and find unique angles that create impact.
