Wanaka's Secret Sauna 2026: Lake Hawea's Hidden Gem

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but it's an honest review based on my own expenses.

New Zealand's South Island

The Secret Sauna

How to Book / Full Review

Here to make your travels smoother, it's Travel Lubricant!

I've stumbled upon an activity in Wanaka, New Zealand,

that I absolutely have to try.

I found it by chance while looking at other travel reviews,

and I knew instantly that I had to go.

A unique experience: a wood-fired barrel sauna right by Lake Hāwea,

followed by a plunge into its icy waters.

Let's dive into my review of The Secret Sauna now.

The Secret Sauna Basic Information

✔ Address: 1208 Makarora-Lake Hawea Road, Lake Hāwea, Wānaka 9382

✔ Location: Approximately 15 minutes by car from Wanaka town center (inside Lake Hāwea Holiday Park)

✔ Official Website: https://www.thesecretsauna.nz/

✔ Fee: NZD 30 per person (based on 1 hour)

✔ Booking Unit: 1 hour

✔ Sauna Type: Public / Private options available

If you search for "The Secret Sauna" on Google Maps,

it will direct you to a place that looks like a campsite.

Don't be alarmed; just head further into the campsite, and you'll find the sauna.

Facilities Guide

✔ Changing room and luggage storage available (open-style, no locks)

✔ Restrooms available (shared with the campsite)

✔ Showers available (open-air)

✔ Bath towels available for rent

How to Book & What to Bring

The Secret Sauna, Lake Hāwea, Wānaka, Otago, New Zealand. Wood fired sauna nestled on one of the most beautiful lakes in New Zealandwww.thesecretsauna.nz

You can book on the official website.

The public sauna is for multiple people to use together for a 1-hour session.

The private sauna allows you to have a barrel sauna exclusively to yourself.

​

Booking Hours

9 AM to 8 PM, hourly slots

Last slot: 7 PM

Private sessions start from 9:30 AM, hourly slots

Last slot: 7:30 PM

Price (1 hour)

Public session: NZD 32 per person

Private session: NZD 199 for up to 8 people

*You can get a small discount if you book for 2 hours.

Booking Time Tip

For a 1-hour booking: 15 minutes sauna + 5 minutes swim

This cycle repeats 3 times, but changing and getting ready can make time feel tight.

If you want to enjoy it at a leisurely pace, I recommend booking for 2 hours.

Essential Items to Bring

✔ Swimsuit (wearing it beforehand saves time)

✔ Bath towel (large size is a must – you'll need to lay it down from your back inside the sauna)

✔ Water bottle (for hydration)

+ **Extra Goggles** (They make swimming in the lake so much more fun if you bring them!)

If you don't have a bath towel, you can **rent one on-site for a fee**.

The dry sauna's **internal temperature reaches 80-100 degrees Celsius**,

so it can be tough to sit comfortably without a large towel to place on the bench.

**The Experience Flow**

The experience flows in a repeating sequence like this:

**15 minutes sauna → 5 minutes Lake Hawea swim**

**In just one hour, you can enjoy three rounds of sauna and swimming!**

**A Truly Special Sauna Experience**

An attendant enters, pouring **herb-infused water**

onto the heated stones, then rhythmically waves a towel,

spreading the rich hot air and aroma throughout the room.

You'll feel the temperature dramatically intensify in an instant,

it's an incredible sensation, stimulating both touch and smell simultaneously.

This memory is still so vivid in my mind!

**For the grand finale**, instead of a towel, an attendant uses a fan for each person,

directing intense heat their way. It's significantly hotter,

and the sudden burst of sweat from head to toe was genuinely challenging to endure!

**Lake Hawea Swim**

As soon as the sauna session concludes, everyone rushes into the lake!

The water is unbelievably crystal clear.

Even just a little way in, the lake is quite deep,

so if you have goggles, you'll be able to explore what's beneath the surface.

**But be warned: the water is colder than you can possibly imagine!**

Stepping in, you'll feel an immediate, piercing cold sensation,

but that's precisely why diving in right after the sauna creates an exhilarating rush!

I visited in **autumn (May)**, and while it was incredibly chilly,

those five minutes fly by surprisingly fast,

so it wasn't too challenging to endure the refreshing chill.

**My On-Site Review**

Upon arrival, head to the yurt-like reception area to check your reservation, then simply change in the locker room.

**If you wear your swimsuit beforehand,**

**you can simply slip off your outer clothes and you're ready to go!**

Wearing your swimsuit in advance is a real time-saver, trust me!

When you use the communal sauna, you'll share the experience with fellow travelers,

and there's a wonderfully free atmosphere where everyone just enjoys themselves without a second thought for others.

Occasionally, some people might strike up **small talk in English**,

and honestly, with my limited English, keeping up was a bit of a challenge!

Westerners, New Zealand locals, and global travelers all mixed together,

splashing and playing like joyful children.

That whole vibrant atmosphere itself was pure happiness.

**After your sauna session, they treat you to a warm cup of tea.**

That warm herbal tea after a refreshing dip in the cold lake? Absolutely heavenly!

**Essential Tips Before You Go**

✔ Shower rooms are available – no need to worry, the lake water isn't unpleasant!

✔ Luggage storage is open-style, without individual locks (so keep valuables secure).

✔ No bath towel? No problem! You can rent one on-site for a fee.

✔ Crocs are provided for entering the lake (super handy!)

✔ Pack goggles – they make swimming in the lake so much more entertaining!

✔ The sauna's temperature is intense, making phone use rather challenging (and probably not recommended!).

✔ Bring water to replenish the fluids you'll lose in the sauna (stay hydrated!).

✔ Conveniently located right in front of the campsite, it's perfect for campervan adventurers too!

When I think back to my time in Wanaka, New Zealand,

this experience easily tops the list

of things I've done there.

*Coming in second was The HooK

Swimming in a pristine, naturally formed lake,

warming your body with the heated air of a sauna,

and then diving back in—there's a primal sense of pure joy this cycle brings.

As it's still a hidden gem, less known to many travelers,

it's a good idea to book in advance.

In the next post, I'll introduce another amazing experience in Wanaka:

the salmon fishing restaurant, The Hook.

If you follow along, you won't miss a single post from my entire New Zealand series!

Wishing you a safe and wonderful trip to New Zealand!

If you want to discover more travel stories,

please 'follow Travel Lubricant'!

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