St Andrews Seaside Sauna : East Sands, St Andrews

M
May 12
2 min read

Located at East Sands Beach, beside the old harbour, this wood fired wild sauna sits on a popular family-friendly sandy beach near the East Sands Leisure Centre. With a coastal path, watersports and sailing nearby, it’s a lively seaside spot and winner of the 2025 Keep Scotland Beautiful Scotland’s Beach Award.

View through window shows a cloudy beach scene with ocean, sand, and greenery. A towel and rope sit on the windowsill, creating a calm mood. — St Andrews Seaside Sauna

Our Wild Sauna Visit

We visited St Andrews Seaside Sauna on a cool May Saturday morning, with a strong chilly wind blowing in from the sea. At first glance, the water looked too choppy for a dook, although the bay was busy with sailing dinghies and rowers. One of the larger saunas we’ve visited, it had a busy atmosphere, perhaps because the beach is so well used for so many different activities.

Guide to Facilities

Parking

There is plenty parking available next to the sauna at East Sands Leisure Centre.

Changing

There is no changing room here. This was slightly more of an issue afterwards when the neighbouring cafe got busy with families. There are plenty of storage boxes at the side of the sauna for keeping belongings in. There are toilets in the Leisure Centre if you ask nicely.

Host

The host gave us a very brief introduction, covering the basic rules; sit on a towel and don’t bring shoes inside, along with a warning to watch out for slippery rocks on the beach.

The Hot Bit

This wood-fired, purpose-built wild sauna seats 12 people, with two-tier seating arranged in an L-shape facing the large picture window. An inner porch bench provides space for water bottles and small personal belongings, and several sauna hats are available to use.

The views over the sand and out to sea are excellent, whether you enjoy watching the busy beach scene or simply prefer taking in the water and sky. There were also lots of small birds darting around directly in front of the sauna, adding to the atmosphere.

The Cold Bit

Several deck chairs provide a space to cool off outside, and there are two watering cans if you don't fancy the walk to the sea. If you love a wild dook to compliment your wild sauna, the sea is reachable along a short stretch of pathway, down some steps and over the sand. We recommend shoes or sliders to make this easier, safer and speedier. Consider checking tide times if you want less of a trek.

Food/Drinks Nearby

There is no water or refreshment at the sauna itself. However next door cafe Surf's Up serves drinks, soup and the best warm mini doughnuts. St Andrew's town centre has many other options.