Tasmania is many things—an under-theradar culinary powerhouse, home to an eclectic art gallery with themes of sex and death, and host to a mid-winter festival that draws visitors by the busloads even in sub-zero temperatures.
Arguably, its magnetism lies in its rugged nature packed with beech and myrtle-peppered ancient rainforests, pristine coastlines, and 3.5 million acres of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. But the real luxury is its air—touted as the world’s cleanest with an air quality index (AQI) that hovers in the teens.
Once considered a sleepy southern outpost, the island state—with its clean air, wide-open spaces, and a gentler pace—now draws travellers, including Indian honeymooners, seeking rest and reconnection. Despite the lack of international flights, the island is surprisingly easy to navigate. It takes just four hours to drive its length. Wherever you’re based, nature is never far, as nearly half the land is protected parkland.
This deep connection to the outdoors has fostered a growing wellness movement. There’s no dearth of hiking trails, cuttingedge spas, secluded wellness retreats, and floating saunas. Set on still lakes or anchored in hidden bays, these wood-fired sanctuaries bring Scandi-chic ritual to the southern hemisphere, offering intense heat, a cold plunge, and uninterrupted views of Tasmania’s raw, untamed beauty.
Of Fire and Ice
Just 20 minutes from Hobart, Margate Marina in Barretta is where winter mist veils open waters and the Kuuma Nature Sauna floats quietly beyond a fleet of anchored yachts. Custom-built for sauna cruising, this sleek vessel has dark wood interiors, a refreshment station, and soft music that mirrors the tranquil setting.
“Nordic-style sauna is traditionally both relaxing and social,” says co-founder Nathan Gore, who runs Kuuma with his wife, Chloe Gore. Private sessions are popular, while communal sessions welcome up to eight guests.
As the boat drifts away from the marina, city views fall away, replaced by dense forest. A 360-degree upper deck offers open-air views, but the real draw is the sauna itself. After a 25-minute steam, the boat anchors in a secluded cove. Flushed from the heat, guests plunge into the icy Tasman Sea—a ritual that’s equal parts thrill and therapy. For those not quite ready to dive, a ceiling-mounted shower bucket offers a splash of cold freshwater at the pull of a rope.
A different kind of sauna experience awaits in Tasmania’s northeast, where more mountain bikers than pedestrians flicker past smooth roads and cafés in Derby. Once a tin mining settlement, Derby is now a world-class biking hub, with single-track trails winding through forested hills. After a day of riding, Floating Sauna Lake Derby offers the ultimate recovery.
Moored on the still waters of Briseis Hole, also known as Lake Derby, this minimalist, wood-fired sauna—the only floating one of its kind in Australia—blends Finnish tradition with Tasmanian stillness. Guests alternate between steaming in the cedar-lined chamber and plunging directly into the cool, glassy lake—a cycle repeated until relaxation (or hunger) sets in.
Accommodating up to 10 people, the sauna is reached via a short walk and a suspension bridge, just past the town’s fire station. With high demand, advance bookings are essential.
Mighty Mountains
When flying into Hobart, Kunanyi, the Aboriginal Palawa name for Mount Wellington, is the first in sight. There are more than a dozen walking and hiking trails, but for a bespoke wellness touch, sign up with Walk on Kunanyi for a Wild Wellness Fire and Ice Walk that is about journaling, meditation, mountain water dipping, and connecting with nature.
This small group experience follows the Cathedral Rock Track along North West Bay River, fed by Kunanyi’s alpine plateau. Along the way, local guides share stories of the mountain’s history and ecology. At the riverbank, guests are led through the Wim Hof Method breathwork (similar to pranayama) by certified instructor Piet, followed by an optional cold plunge in the crystal-clear waters. Later, there’s time to journal beside a fire and stream.
The walk ends with a gourmet riverside lunch featuring hearty Tasmanian fare: plump burgers, East Coast cheeses, and freshly baked goods from Pigeon Hole Bakers.
Relax and Rejuvenate
At Beaumaris, on Tasmania’s east coast, nature does most of the talking. Along its uncrowded beach sits Embodied Living, a wellness studio founded by Ebony Prins that takes a holistic approach to healing and professional training. Far from conventional, the studio offers tailored treatments, including remedial and pregnancy massages, cupping therapies, and the traditional Hawaiian Kahuna massage, known for its flowing, rhythmic technique.
Focussing on both physical and emotional wellbeing, Embodied Living also runs women’s retreats across Bruny Island and the East Coast. These intimate gatherings combine embodiment practices— including yoga, meditation, breathwork, and mindful movement—with nourishing meals and a sense of sisterhood.
Private yoga sessions, group classes, and breathwork journeys are also on offer, alongside personalised retreats. For those drawn to the healing arts, a 60-hour Kahuna massage practitioner training provides a deep dive into therapeutic touch.
For a more urban take on wellness, Nova Holistic Spa in the heart of Hobart’s CBD offers a recalibration of the modern spa experience. This discreet sanctuary blends state-of-the-art therapies with holistic philosophy, targeting well-being at a cellular level to promote deep restoration, vitality, and promoting longevity.
At its core is Hobart’s only open-air, all-weather therapeutic bathhouse—a circuit featuring a magnesium hot tub, full-spectrum infrared sauna, and invigorating ice bath. Nova also houses Tasmania’s only mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy (mHBOT) AirPod and FDA-approved Infrared BioMat—technologies often found in elite medical spas.
Healing Holiday
Tucked between the wild coastline of Wineglass Bay and Freycinet National Park, Saffire Freycinet is a full-body exhale. With just 20 sleek suites crafted from Tasmanian timber and stone, the Luxury Lodges of Australia member offers privacy, panoramic views of Great Oyster Bay, and an all-inclusive experience deeply rooted in place.
Days unfold at a gentle pace: sunrise hikes, oyster shucking in the bay, First Nations cultural tours, or simply stillness. The property itself is a healing retreat. The spa is reserved exclusively for in-house guests. Signature treatments draw on the surrounding landscape— think native botanicals, granite stones from the Hazards Mountains, and luxe Australian brands like LaGaia and Payot. Post-treatment, guests can sip on a bespoke tea menu or return to their private plunge pool. Here, even wellness is tailored. The kitchen will happily craft nourishing meals around individual needs, proving that at Saffire, wellbeing isn’t an offering—it’s a way of life.
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