Journal
Sauna, totonou, and time in Bali
August 4, 20269 min
Aufguss, Löyly, Herbal Steam — Sauna Rituals of the World
Aufguss is a performance, löyly is a silence, and in Bali a third tradition pours herbs onto the stones. Three ways of doing the same simple thing — water meeting heat — and what each one asks of you.
August 4, 20269 min
A Field Guide to Balinese Sauna Herbs: Pegagan, Kayu Putih, Boreh
Three herbs carry most of the weight in a Balinese herbal sauna — pegagan, kayu putih, and the spice blend called boreh. What they are, how Bali has used them for centuries, and what each one does when it meets hot steam.
August 4, 20269 min
Can You Take an Ice Bath After Drinking? No — and Here's Why
Alcohol and cold water immersion do not mix — not as a matter of policy, but of physiology. Here is what happens in the body, why we always answer no, and how our Saturday sauna party is designed so the cold comes first and the bar comes after.
August 4, 202610 min
Ice Bath Benefits: What the Science Actually Says
Cold water reliably raises norepinephrine and dopamine, and it reliably makes you feel better afterward. Most of the other claims are weaker than the internet suggests — here is the honest version, plus temperatures and timings that match our plunges.
August 4, 202611 min
Sauna After Surfing — A Recovery Guide for Bali
Surfing loads the shoulders, the lower back, and the nervous system all at once. A sauna and cold plunge session after your surf — done in the right order, with the right timing — is one of the most effective recovery tools available in Bali.
August 4, 202610 min
Why a Geodesic Dome Sauna? Heat, Sound, and the Shape of Rest
A dome sauna is not a design gimmick. The curve moves heat along the walls instead of trapping it at the ceiling, and it does the same thing to sound. Here is why we built both of our saunas in Bali this way.
August 4, 20269 min
What to Do in Kuta at Night (Beyond the Bars)
Kuta after dark is more than Legian Street. Sunset on the sand, night markets, late warungs, quiet beach walks — and soon, a Saturday night sauna. An honest local guide.
August 4, 20269 min
A One-Day Ubud Wellness Itinerary (With a Sauna at Its Center)
One realistic day in Ubud — a rice-field walk at sunrise, the herbal sauna ritual in Mas Village at opening time, a slow café hour, a temple visit done properly, and an evening that asks nothing of you.
June 8, 20266 min
KAYUN Family Park — A new kind of playground, opening 2027.
On a terraced hillside overlooking rice fields in Mas Village, Ubud — a place where kids play hard and parents actually rest. Free entry, invitation-only, opening 2027. The membership app is live now.
May 29, 20266 min
The Neuroscience of Totonou — What Actually Happens After the Sauna
After the sauna and the cold plunge, something quiet arrives. Norepinephrine, parasympathetic dominance, theta waves — a look at what neuroscience now knows about the state the Japanese call "totonou."