Banya, hammam, jjimjilbang, Nordic sauna: a first-timer’s guide to bathhouse culture
Hot rooms, cold plunges and a rest in between. How each tradition works, what to wear and the etiquette nobody tells you.
Almost every culture has a version of the same ritual: get warm, get cold, rest, repeat. Bathhouses are having a moment in American cities, and walking into one for the first time can feel like arriving at a party where everyone knows the rules. Here they are.
The traditions you’ll come across
- Russian banya. A very hot, humid steam room (the parilka), often with a venik: a bundle of oak or birch leaves used for a vigorous treatment called platza. Followed by a cold plunge or cold bucket.
- Turkish hammam. A warm marble room rather than a scorching one, with washing, scrubbing with a kese mitt and sometimes a foam massage.
- Korean spa (jjimjilbang). Gendered bathing areas with hot and cold pools, then shared, clothed areas with heated rooms of salt, clay or jade, and somewhere to nap or eat.
- Nordic or Finnish sauna. Dry heat with occasional water on the stones (löyly), followed by cold water or fresh air. Often social and quiet at the same time.
- Roman-style thermal baths. A sequence of pools at different temperatures, usually dim and calm, with bookings by time slot.
What to wear
Check the house rules before you go. Most mixed-gender American bathhouses ask for swimwear. Korean spas usually have nude, gender-separate bathing areas and provide a uniform for the shared areas. Many places lend towels, robes and sandals; some charge for them.
Etiquette nobody tells you
- Shower before you get into any pool or hot room.
- Keep voices low. Many hot rooms are quiet by custom even when there is no sign.
- Sit on a towel in the sauna.
- Ask before pouring water on the stones in a shared sauna.
- Leave your phone in the locker. Photos in changing rooms and pools are almost always banned.
A simple hot–cold circuit
A common rhythm is 10 to 15 minutes of heat, a short cold plunge or cold shower, then 10 to 15 minutes of rest, repeated two or three times. Start shorter than you think. You can always do more next time.
Stay safe
- Drink water before, between and after rounds.
- Skip alcohol before and during.
- Get out if you feel dizzy, sick or a headache coming on.
- If you are pregnant, have a heart condition or high or low blood pressure, check with your doctor before using very hot rooms or cold plunges.
Every bathhouse sets its own rules, ages and dress code. Read the house rules on their site before you book.