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There are moments in travel when you step into a place that imprints itself into your memory forever – Saltair Nordic Spa & Wellness was one of those for me.
After winding our way down a quiet dirt road, aptly named Long Beach Road, that even confused our GPS, we arrived at this secluded sanctuary perched above the Bay of Fundy.
Saltair
As soon as we stepped onto the pool deck, we were greeted by panoramic views stretching across the water to Annapolis Valley’s North Mountain. To one side, the forest cocooned us in stillness; to the other, the vast bay unfolded in a moving tapestry of light, tide, and sky.
I’ve long been fascinated by the Bay of Fundy, home to the world’s highest tides. Having once lived on a pearl farm in Australia where the world’s second highest tidal movements occur, this felt like a full-circle moment.
Here, in Nova Scotia, I could sit immersed in the warm water of an infinity pool, gazing out to sea, and feel my whole body exhale. Did we really only give ourselves three hours in this healing sanctuary? Here’s our experience…
About Saltair Nordic Spa
Saltair is a Nordic spa in Baxters Harbour, in the Nova Scotia region of Canada. It’s owned by June Pardy and Jenny Sinclair (along with their spouses) who both have a background in well-being, mental health, and wellness.
June, who is not knew to operating spas, and Jenny, who once owned a yoga studio, combined their wellness talents to create Saltair, which merges spa and yoga to create a wellness-focused environment.
Saltair offers the nordic spa experience, as well as yoga, aromatherapy, and acts of self-care classes, to help guests achieve wellness at their own pace and in their own way.
We visited Saltair Spa as part of our 7-day Nova Scotia road trip (in partnership with Tourism Nova Scotia).
What is a Nordic Spa Experience?
Cold Plunge Pool
Saltair is built on the Nordic spa tradition of alternating hot, cold, and rest. The science is simple, but powerful:
- Heat therapy (saunas, steam rooms, and hot pools) raises your core temperature, increases circulation, and relaxes muscles.
- Cold therapy (plunge pools, showers, ice buckets) stimulates your nervous system, reduces inflammation, and delivers a hit of pure exhilaration.
- Rest (quiet lounges, domes, hammocks, or fireside chairs) allows your body to recover, absorb the benefits, and restore balance.
This rhythmic cycle leaves you feeling both energized and deeply relaxed.
A huge dry sauna
Saltair Nordic Spa offers different Nordic Free Flow experiences: a Golden Hour pass (a short, 1 hour express visit), a 3-hour Nordic experience, or an all-day pass. We opted for the 3-hour Free Flow and paired it with a guided class for an even deeper immersion.
All experiences give you access to the dry sauna, wood-fired sauna, steam room with salt scrubs, cold plunge pool, ice buckets, warm pools, and access to fireside rest areas for relaxation.
They also provide robes, towels, sandals, and a locker – so you simply turn up with your swim wear and the spa will take care of the rest.
Our Nova Scotia Nordic Spa Experience at Saltair
The class yurt
By the time we arrived at Saltair, it was the fourth Nordic spa we had visited in Nova Scotia, and I’ll admit, we were getting addicted. As a lifelong heat lover, I’ve always gravitated toward saunas and steam rooms, but this trip introduced me to a surprising new thrill: cold plunging.
At Saltair, the walk-in plunge pool sits at 10°C — bracing, yes, but not unbearable. The key is deep diaphragmatic breathing and letting go of the anxiety your mind creates around the cold. Years of meditation and breathwork practice helped me stay in for the recommended two minutes — and at other spas, I even managed more than ten!
Cold plunging
But here’s the reassuring part: you don’t have to go that long. As Saltair’s owner, Jen, explained, even 30 seconds delivers the most benefit, and anything beyond that becomes mental training.
The sweet spot is around two minutes, where the mental resilience really kicks in. With the gentle coaching of our instructor during the All the Feels class, everyone in our group managed to reach it.
That surge of adrenaline, followed by a wave of calm, is what makes the Nordic cycle so magical. My body felt vibrantly alive. In fact, I loved it so much that I now end my daily showers with a cold plunge! That’s the mark of the best travel experiences — the ones that transform how you live long after you return home.
Highlights of our experience
DIY mud mask
Some of our favorite parts of our visit were the:
- Infinity-style hot pools: Perfectly placed for gazing out over the Bay of Fundy.
- Wood-fired and aromatherapy steam saunas: Each one infused with scents that grounded us in nature.
- Cold therapy stations: A plunge pool, outdoor showers, and even hanging cold buckets by the indoor sauna for an instant rush. I kind of felt the cold buckets were more challenging than the cold plunge immersion, – something about that sudden dumping cold shock. BUT exhilarating all the same.
- Exfoliation scrubs & mud masks: Self-service treatments in the Restore Room that left our skin tingling and fresh.
- Gathering Dome: A tranquil forested dome with yoga mats, movement props, and hanging chairs — a dreamy space to swing, stretch, or simply stare into the trees.
- Fire bowls and forest hammocks: Resting between cycles felt just as healing as the heat and cold.
Guided Class: “All the Feels”
Loved the sauna views
To deepen our experience, we joined a Guided Sauna Class called All the Feels.
Unlike the self-directed Free Flow, these 75-minute classes are choreographed journeys blending sauna, cold plunge, and rest with aromatherapy, music, and mindful prompts.
All the Feels is about dropping beneath the surface, tuning into what your body is holding, and giving space to emotions that often stay buried. If only I could do an All the Feels class every day and clear up that baggage!
For me, it was a chance to reconnect with myself on a level I hadn’t expected from a spa day. Moving as a group added quiet encouragement — I stayed longer in the heat, pushed deeper into the cold, and surrendered more fully in rest.
Saltair also offers other class types for both sauna and movement (yoga & pilates) — uplifting Wind Up sessions, soothing Wind Down experiences, or Between Realms journeys that take you through both.
Amenities and atmosphere
From the moment we arrived, the service was warm and seamless. Check-in was quick, and the change rooms were stocked with everything you might need: robes, towels, sandals, Aveda products, secure lockers, hair tools, and showers.
Saltair is a silent spa, which I loved. With no chatter around, you can truly hear the wind in the trees, the crackle of the fire, and the rhythmic lap of waves against the shore. Silence feels like a luxury in our modern lives, and Saltair gives you permission to embrace it fully.
While we did not partake (next visit) also offers body treatments such as massages, acupuncture, and fire cupping. Why not? Because you deserve it.
Food & Drink: Four Tides Café
No spa day is complete without a little nourishment. Saltair’s onsite café offers locally sourced grab-and-go options, cocktails, and sweet treats.
I indulged in a flourless brownie (as heavenly as the views and coffee from Four Tides Café — the perfect post-plunge pick-me-up. They also serve s’mores kits you can roast at the fire pit, as well as local wine, cider, and cocktails if you want to make it a celebratory outing.
Why Saltair left an impression
What a location
Each Nordic spa we visited in Nova Scotia had its own distinct personality — oceanfront luxury, cozy boutique charm, forested lake retreat — but Saltair stood apart for its jaw-dropping Bay of Fundy views and deeply intentional design.
Spread over 14 acres, the grounds weave together natural elements of the Annapolis Valley with thoughtful wellness spaces. From the pools or fire pits, you can see Cape Split to the east and Isle d’Haute to the west. You can smell the salt air in the breeze, feel the changing tide, and watch the light shift across the valley. Every detail is curated to engage all the senses.
Relax rooms
I loved the inclusion of the classes, helping you to go deeper but in a more connected and relaxed way. Saltair felt like a healing journey. I’m impressed that it’s only just over a year old, and I cannot wait to see how it expands – all that tranquil space would lend itself well to accommodations and other healing modalities.
Leaving after only three hours felt far too short. If I could do it again, I’d book the all-day pass and let myself melt into this sanctuary from sunrise to sunset. I’ve even entertained the thought of returning in the winter. I’m going to need a few more breathwork classes to work up to that extreme uplevel, but I think I’m up for the challenge!
Final thoughts
Saltair Nordic Spa & Wellness is more than just a spa — it’s a reset button. Whether you’re visiting Wolfville’s wineries, chasing tides at Hall’s Harbour, or exploring Grand-Pré’s history, Saltair offers a chance to pause, breathe, and restore yourself in nature’s embrace.
I walked away exhilarated from the cold plunges, nourished by the heat, and calmed by the silence. But more than anything, I felt reconnected — to my body, to nature, and to the quiet joy of simply being.
If you’re planning a trip to Nova Scotia, don’t miss Saltair. And when you go, give yourself the gift of time. Trust me, three hours won’t feel nearly enough.
Read more from our Nova Scotia Road Trip
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