Days Out NI
Spas & wellness Benone

HotBox Sea Sauna — Benone

A wood-burning Finnish sauna parked on the seven miles of Benone Strand, facing the open Atlantic.

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BenoneSpas & wellness
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HotBox Sea Sauna — Benone — A wood-burning Finnish sauna parked on the seven miles of Benone Strand, facing the open Atlantic.

  • What you'll enjoy: Wood-burning Finnish sauna, Atlantic sea dips off Benone Strand, small buffer zone for changing.
  • How long: Sessions run from 1 to 2 hours depending on location and group size. Sauna rounds of 5 to 15 minutes with breaks between.
  • Book ahead: Book online through the HotBox site. Larger groups email direct. Arrive 15 minutes early.
  • Who it's for: Strictly 16 years and over.
  • Cost: Check current prices.
Plan your visit

How a session actually works

Do not expect to sit in the heat for an hour straight. HotBox recommends sauna rounds of 5 to 15 minutes with plenty of breaks and dips in between, which is why a visit runs anywhere from one to two hours depending on your location and group size. Each location has a small buffer zone you can use as a changing room, though arriving swim-ready makes life easier.

Authentic wood-burning Finnish sauna Right on Benone Strand Atlantic sea dips Views to the Gortmore cliffs Seats six comfortably Private and shared sessions
Good to know before you go:

HotBox runs both shared and private sessions at Benone, and groups bigger than six can email to arrange something custom. The same operator also runs a sauna tent it will deliver and set up at your own location, and takes a mobile sauna to festivals and events with at least two months' notice.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🩱SwimwearOn under your clothes saves you fussing in a small changing space.
  • 🧖Two towelsOne to sit on in the heat, one dry for after the cold plunge.
  • 🩴Flip-flops & a warm layerYou’re outdoors between the sauna and the water — you’ll want both.
  • 💧A bottle of waterHeat and cold together will leave you thirstier than you expect.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Type
Wood-fired outdoor sea sauna
What you'll enjoy
Wood-burning Finnish sauna, Atlantic sea dips off Benone Strand, small buffer zone for changing
How long
Sessions run from 1 to 2 hours depending on location and group size. Sauna rounds of 5 to 15 minutes with breaks between
Cost
Check current prices
Booking
Book online through the HotBox site. Larger groups email direct. Arrive 15 minutes early
Who it's for
Strictly 16 years and over
Bring
Swimwear and two towels, one to dry with and one to sit on. A warm robe or coat and sandals are recommended
Questions

Before you go

Can I bring children?
Strictly 16 years and over
Do I need to book?
Book online through the HotBox site. Larger groups email direct. Arrive 15 minutes early
What's included, and what should I bring?
Swimwear and two towels, one to dry with and one to sit on. A warm robe or coat and sandals are recommended
What does it cost?
Check current prices
Getting there

HotBox Sea Sauna — Benone is in Benone. Tap below for directions.

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Make more of the day

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The story

Two coasts, one sauna outfit

HotBox started on the Causeway Coast with the sauna at Benone, and has since added a second spot at Groomsport harbour on the east coast near Belfast. Benone is the original and the wilder of the two: a huge Atlantic beach where the weather is part of the deal.

The pitch is simple enough that it does not need dressing up. Get hot beside the sea, get in the sea, repeat, and go home feeling better than you arrived.