hot and cold therapy
Hot and cold therapy has been proven to help heal aches and pains in the body as well as sweating out toxins. As well as clearing your mind of stress and fatigue.
Vancouver Island, BC
Welcome to the shawnigan lake nordic spa
Tucked away in the woods on the west side of Shawnigan Lake, this private hot-and-cold therapy retreat is designed to restore your mind and body. Arrive solo or gather up to three friends for a peaceful, immersive experience. Step into the warmth of the log-house sauna, brace yourself in the cedar cold tub, and rest in quiet comfort—then repeat the cycle and feel yourself renewed.
Featured experiences
Four ways into the Nordic ritual, drawn from a Pacific Northwest tradition.
hot & cold shower
Use the transitional shower to temper your skin when you arrive and after experiencing the sauna.
THE LOGHOUSE SAUNA
At a revitalizing 90°C, our log house sauna cradles up to four guests in total seclusion. Here, surrounded by wood and warmth, the outside world fades away, leaving nothing but pure, quiet relaxation.
The Cedar Barrel
Meet the crisp 3°C waters of our cedar cold plunge. Whether you stay for seconds or minutes, every moment works to stimulate circulation and soothe tired muscles—the perfect counterpoint to the sauna's heat, and the ideal way to complete the cycle.
outdoor cold shower
Cold tub not your style? Our outdoor cold shower gives you similar health perks—without your friends making fun of you.
The fire pit
Time to relax and recover. Have a seat around the fire or on the covered patio. This is a great time to rehydrate and enjoy the moment.
The Nordic Ritual
Heat. Cold. Rest. Repeat.
A circuit at Shawnigan moves in three quiet acts. Begin in the log house sauna. Step into the ice cold plunge. Relax on the deck and let the forest finish the work.
01
Heat
Twenty minutes in the cedar sauna at 90 degrees. Pour water on the stones. Breathe slow.
02
Cold
Three minutes in the stone plunge at 3 degrees. The water is filtered and UV sterilized.
03
Rest
Ten minutes on the rest deck, wrapped in linen, looking at the trees. Then begin again.
Field Notes
From the journal
March 2026
Why we built with cedar
On grain, scent, and the slow heat that only Western Red Cedar can hold.
February 2026
The case for cold
Notes on the plunge, the autonomic nervous system, and the silence after.
January 2026
A winter circuit
What changes when the forest is frozen and the lake is steaming.
Find a quiet hour.
Sessions are held in small groups of up to four. Reservations are required.
Reserve a sessionFind Us
On the west side of Shawnigan Lake.
A forty-five minute drive north of Victoria, on the west side of Shawnigan Lake.