Places & experiences

Thai herbal sauna

อบสมุนไพร

A Thai herbal sauna (ob samunphrai) is a steam bath in which fresh or dried herbs are boiled so that you sit in warm, fragrant steam.

IntensityModerate

Origin

Thailand (similar herbal steam traditions exist elsewhere in Southeast Asia)

History

A traditional practice of Thai folk and traditional medicine; exact age not documented in the sources consulted

A session

About 15–30 minutes of steam, sometimes in two rounds with a break

Licence in Thailand

Not required

Where it comes from

Herbal steam bathing, ob samunphrai (อบสมุนไพร) in Thai, is part of Thai traditional medicine and is still offered alongside massage and hot herbal compresses in Thai traditional medicine clinics and hospitals, such as the Center of Applied Thai Traditional Medicine at Siriraj Hospital.

Similar practices exist elsewhere in Southeast Asia: in Indonesia, for example, the bakera herbal steam bath is used in postnatal care with plants rich in essential oils. In Thailand, the Global Wellness Institute lists herbal steam among traditional practices that rely on local herbs and natural resources.

Today herbal saunas are found mainly in Thai traditional medicine clinics and hospitals and in health spas, from small cloth tents (as used in a Siriraj study) to dedicated steam rooms.

The principle

The idea combines two things: heat and moisture from the steam, which warm the body and make you sweat, and the aromatic substances released by the herbs, which you breathe in and which touch the skin.

Thai clinics describe the herbal steam as a way to relax, ease muscle aches and help breathing feel clearer. Small Thai trials suggest that the steam itself plays a large part: for muscle pain and for allergic rhinitis, steam with herbs and steam without herbs gave similar improvements, though people were more satisfied with the herbal version.

What people come for

Relax in warm, fragrant steam
Ease the feeling of tired or aching muscles
Enjoy a traditional Thai experience
Feel the nose and breathing clearer for a while
Combine with Thai massage or a herbal compress

How it works on the body

The warm steam raises body temperature, heart rate and breathing rate, while blood pressure tends to drop slightly.

A session, step by step

01
Health check
Staff should ask about your health before you start; tell them about heart or blood pressure problems and pregnancy.
02
Change and shower
You change into a light cloth or sarong and may rinse off first.
03
Steam
You sit in the steam room or tent for about 15–30 minutes; in some places this is split into two rounds.
04
Breaks
Step out to rest, cool down and drink water between rounds or whenever you feel too hot.
05
Rest
Afterwards rest, cool down gradually and drink water before leaving.

Precautions

Heat raises heart rate and can lower blood pressure: people with heart disease, low or high blood pressure should ask a health professional first, and practitioners are advised to monitor sessions.
Avoid it after drinking alcohol; alcohol is involved in many sauna-related deaths reported in Finland and Sweden.
If you are pregnant, ask your doctor first; the sources consulted do not establish its safety in pregnancy.
Leave immediately if you feel dizzy, faint or unwell, and drink water to replace sweat.
Choose clean, well-maintained facilities: a rare joint infection has been reported after hot herbal steam applied to a knee with osteoarthritis.

Complementary practice: does not replace medical advice.

In Thailand

Herbal steam is widely available in Thailand. Thai traditional medicine clinics and hospitals offer it as a treatment given by licensed practitioners; at Siriraj's Sappaya service, for example, a session lasts 30 minutes. In health spas it falls under heat treatments (การอบเพื่อสุขภาพ), which Ministry of Public Health rules list among spa services; spas are licensed under the Health Establishments Act B.E. 2559 (2016) by the Department of Health Service Support. Research on herbal steam in Thailand comes mostly from small trials in Thai institutions, so evidence remains limited.

Frequently asked questions

How is it different from a Finnish sauna?

A Finnish sauna uses dry heat around 80–100 °C with low humidity. A Thai herbal sauna uses moist steam infused with herbs.

Which herbs are used?

It depends on the place, and the sources we consulted do not give a standard recipe. Ask staff what is in the steam, especially if you have allergies.

How long should I stay in?

Sessions are usually 15–30 minutes, often with breaks. Leave earlier if you feel uncomfortable.

Do the herbs make a difference?

Small Thai trials found similar relief for muscle pain and nasal symptoms with or without herbs, though people preferred the herbal steam.

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