We have installed fifty-something saunas and ice baths across Bali and the neighbouring islands now. Almost every one of them taught us something that the previous forty-nine hadn't.
Some of it is general. Most of it is Bali-specific. If you're planning an install — with us or anyone else — these are the notes that would have saved us time on past jobs.
Sebelum Anda membeli apa pun
Ukur jalur akses, bukan hanya ruangannya.
The sauna fits on your deck. Can it get there? Tight alley gates, low pergolas, staircases with overhead beams — we have dismantled and rebuilt saunas on-site twice to get them in. Measure everything between the street and the final spot before you order.
Pikirkan soal air, bahkan untuk sauna.
You'll want to rinse off between rounds. If you don't have a shower in reach, plan for one. The difference between a good sauna and a great one is a three-step walk to cold water.
Rencanakan saluran pembuangan jika Anda menambahkan ice bath.
A 400-litre plunge drained on a bamboo deck is a small flood. A tile surround with a floor drain is an afternoon of small-contractor work, and transforms the space.
Listrik
Before anything else, check that your property has enough available power to run the sauna on top of everything else already drawing. A 3 kW Mini Sauna needs 3 kW of headroom — that's 3 kW more capacity than your current peak draw when air-con, kitchen, pool pump, and lighting are all running at the same time. Most villa owners don't know their headroom off the top of their head; PLN (the local utility) can tell you what's contracted on your meter, and upgrading the connection is straightforward but needs to be done before install, not after.
Once the headroom is there: Bali's residential single-phase supply is fine for a Mini Sauna on a Pemanas 3 kW. The Medium wants a heavier circuit; the Large usually wants three-phase — most villas built in the last ten years have it; most older ones don't. Chasing three-phase after the fact is a real job. Confirm before you commit.
Ice baths run on a standard 220V line. Budget for a dedicated breaker.
Beban lantai
A dry sauna is 200–400 kg. A full ice bath is 500+ kg. Most villa decks are fine. Raised wooden platforms built quickly often are not. We always add a load check during the site visit; if you're not using us, get one.
Iklim
Humidity in Bali regularly sits above 80%. The wood we build with is forgiving about this; some of the cheaper woods on the market are not. Every sauna we build is made specifically for the Indonesian climate. This is one of the main reasons units shipped from Scandinavian manufacturers often don't age well here.
Menuju pulau-pulau tetangga
A sauna fits on a Nusa Lembongan fast-boat. A sauna does not fit on a Nusa Penida fast-boat — you need the slow car ferry or a dedicated barge. The Gilis are reachable by public ferry from Padangbai with some creativity. Lombok by car ferry. We handle all of this logistics by default; if you're ordering elsewhere, ask early.
Hari pemasangan
Sauna installs take one day. We run the first heat before we leave — the setup is very simple from there: just turn it on, wait 10–15 minutes, and you're ready to enjoy your sauna.
Setahun setelahnya
Brush down benches after use. Wipe the glass. Refresh the heater stones annually. Watch for mould around door seals in the first rainy season; call us if you see any.
Every unit we installed in 2022 is still running today.