I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that there’s a Finn behind Cape Town’s latest – and perhaps most adorable – new seaside attraction.
When Jari Salminen – a Finnish-Canadian carpenter who grew up immersed in sauna culture – was visiting family in Finland last year, his partner Mix suggested: ‘Why not build a floating sauna in Cape Town?’
Cape Town’s rough seas quickly put paid to that idea, but it lit a different kind of fire for Salminen: to bring a slice of Nordic culture to the city's beaches with a mobile wood-fired sauna.
Inspired by Finland's deep-rooted sauna traditions, the ShuShu Sauna, which launched in January, has slowly gained popularity among Cape Town's cold-water swimming community, health enthusiasts, and European expats.
'South Africa doesn’t have a sauna culture, so it's all about education,' explains Salminen, who highlights the health benefits of sauna in everything from circulation and muscle recovery to improving sleep quality.
Named ShuShu Sauna – after the isiXhosa word for ‘hot’ – Salminen’s mobile sauna operates on a weekly schedule, parking at popular coastal spots where Salminen sets the chairs out front and gets the fire going.
While many customers spontaneously drop in, bookings are welcome, and perhaps recommended if you want to be assured of a spot.
‘Normally we take up to 15 people at a time, but I took it to Afrika Burn and we maxed out at 22 people,” laughs Salminen. ‘That’s the most amount of naked people I’ve seen in a room in a long time!
ShuShu Sauna heads for Kommetjie on Monday evenings, Witsand Beach on Thursdays, Fish Hoek on Fridays, and Glencairn on Saturdays. But best to sign up for their Whatsapp alerts to stay in the loop.
The sauna experience is designed to be both authentic and relaxing. While many European saunas are enjoyed without clothing, in Cape Town guests are encouraged to wear a bathing suit and bring two towels: one to sit on, and one to dry off.
Private hire is also proving popular, especially amongst the Russian community in Cape Town, and exclusive events also offer the chance to include a ‘massage’ with soaked eucalyptus branches, a local take on the traditional Finnish vasta, a ‘sauna whisk’ dipped in water and used to whip the skin to increase circulation.
Prices are from R150 for a half-hour, R200 for one hour and R300 for a two-hour session, and between sweating it out in 15 to 20-minute sessions, bathers are encouraged to take a refreshing dip in the sea or just cool off.
‘I recommend people listen to their body,” says Salminen. ‘An average session is 15 minutes, and we have a sand timer inside to keep track.’
Whether you're a seasoned cold-water swimmer or just in search of a unique way to unwind, Cape Town’s mobile sauna offers an energising escape – no matter the weather.
Ready for a cold dip? Here's a local pick of the best tidal pools in Cape Town!