It was my best New Year’s in memory; jumping into the 45-degree Atlantic Ocean with 6,000 other people for Coney Island Polar Bear Club’s annual community swim.
I’m no Wim Hof devotee, but I’ve taken cold plunges all around the world, from two polar dips in Antarctica to swims in glacial lakes in British Columbia. My first trip to Finland six years ago inspired my love of cold water dips. For me, taking a cold plunge is a way to commemorate a place. And the dopamine rush and health benefits that follow don’t hurt either.
Of all the self-soothing rituals we do in the name of wellness, cold plunges seem like the complete opposite. They’re brutally shocking and uncomfortable, but if you wait for it, the euphoric effects kick in and feel electric. Every time I do one, it’s as if a new life force is pumping through my body. Cold water dips make me feel alive. Clearly, I’m not alone.
In addition to the record-number of participants at Coney’s Island 121st New Year’s Polar Plunge (this year’s numbers beat out 2023’s record of around 3,800 people), the cold immersion trend is hot worldwide, from backyard ice baths, to ice facials, cryotherapy spas, and more. For many cultures around the world, especially those hardy Nordic people, cold water plunges aren’t a trend, but a popular and time-honored past-time.
Rather than sitting in a tub full of ice cubes in your backyard, you can travel to curative dips in chilly waters with beautiful backdrops year round, and a devoted community of fellow swimmers to make it all the more memorable.
Why Are So Many People Hooked on Cold Plunges Worldwide?
Many cultures around the world have enjoyed the benefits of cold water immersion as a wellness ritual for centuries. In Finland, the tradition is over 300-years-old, and there are many Finns who swim in the sea daily—even when it’s covered in ice. Crowned the happiest country in the world for the seventh consecutive year by the World Happiest Report, Finns love for ice swimming is one of their secrets to finding joy in a somewhat inhospitable and harsh climate.
“Ice bathing is a good example of both our strong sense of community, and our extraordinary determination and inner strength, also called sisu,” says Elina Mäkinen who represents Finland’s next generation of ice swimmers. Mäkinen is the first Finn to swim an icy mile below 41-degrees Fahrenheit and her TikTok videos attract millions. She’s known for her grit or sisu for taking daily plunges of two to four minutes in -4F ice-covered Finnish lakes in only a swimsuit.
Why do Finns like Mäkinen plunge daily into ice-cold water? On my first trip to Finland, I met Katja Pantzar, author of Everyday Sisu: The Finnish Way, who like Mäkinen, swims daily year round. She told me the “feel good” effects I experienced after my first dip in Finland’s sea were a result of the so-called happy hormones, endorphins—the body’s natural pain killers rushing through my body.
Pantzar’s book research found that cold water immersion tells the body to produce more of the mood-balancing hormone serotonin along with dopamine, the neurotransmitter that helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers, and oxytocin, also known as the “love hormone.” That’s why it can feel so euphoric. And the benefits don’t stop there. There’s a bevy of spinoff effects Pantzer reports for cold water immersion, including enhanced blood circulation, and a boosted immune system. And yes, no surprise, you burn more calories, too.
Cold-Plunge Tips for Beginners
Anyone can try cold water immersion, even just by turning the dial on your shower. But if you want to test it out in the wild, Mäkinen and Wim Hof Method instructor Malena Meneses-Skoda share these tips on how to make your cold plunge safe and enjoyable:
- Know your health. The number one rule: If you have a pre-existing heart condition, do not try cold plunges or winter swimming.
- Don’t go alone. It’s best to cold plunge with someone who’s experienced and who can give you tips and moral support.
- Plan your exit strategy and recovery. Know how you’re going to get in and out of the water and make sure you have dry, warm clothes to put on afterward. Bonus—find a sauna to warm up afterward, recommends Mäkinen.
- Go easy on yourself. “When you are relaxed, you can keep your heart rate lower and soften the initial cold shock,” says Mäkinen. “You can start with dipping only your legs, and progressively dip a bit more in the second and third round to get used to the cold.”
- Listen to your body. There’s no need to force yourself to stay in for longer than what feels safe. “It’s training, and training takes time,” adds Meneses-Skoda, who leads a glacial plunge experience at Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge on Vancouver Island. “Gradually and with ease train your body and mind past your edge of comfort.”
- Disconnect to reconnect. “It’s not about numbers or photos, it’s about you. Detach from your watch and device. Get in there and just breathe,” adds Meneses-Skoda.
- Some gear helps. Wear neoprene swimming shoes and gloves and a wool cap to help with the cold, if necessary.
- Enjoy the rush. “And lastly, smile and enjoy the endorphin rush when embracing cold water,” says Mäkinen.
Where to Take the Plunge with a Community
The feel-good effects of cold water immersion may be amplified when you share the moment with others. “Collective effervescence” is exactly what I experienced on New Year’s Day and when I joined my fellow travelers in Antarctica for a polar plunge. It’s a concept that scientists of awe use to convey that feeling of energy and joy that people sense when they come together for a shared purpose. Even one as wild as jumping into cold bodies of water together.
So on that note, take your cold plunges to the next level with these beautiful, inspiring destinations worldwide. Thanks to these retreats, programs, excursions, and more, you won’t be doing it alone.
Best Places in the World to Cold-Plunge
Hit Up an Iceberg-Lined Beach in Antarctica
The most memorable moments of my trip to Antarctica was taking not one, but two polar plunges. Perhaps you’ve seen photos of people jumping off ships or zodiacs in Antarctica, but on my HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions) cruise we took our polar dip from the beach. HX, a Norwegian company, offers their polar plunge experience from the beach to allow guests a chance to swim longer, take their time, and go together. I was grateful I had the support of my fellow travelers as I walked gingerly over rocks to the waters edge, with icebergs a stone’s throw away. We shared in the range of emotions washing over us during our plunge—first fear and excitement, and then joy. More people joined us once they saw we were not surviving, but thriving, and some of us even stayed a bit longer.
✈️ When to Go: Feb – March
🌡️ Water Temps You’ll Experience: 34 to 35F
🌎 Other Adventures to Try: How about a cold immersion sleep? HX offers a camping experience on their Antarctica sailings—yes, that means you’ll be sleeping in a tent on the White Continent (the only way you’re allowed to). You may even get woken up by the sounds of a glacier calving.
Take a Glacial Plunge in British Columbia, Canada
Ask Canadians about cold plunges and they’ll have many ideas for where to go. Our northern neighbors have plenty of firsthand experience swimming in cold water year round. But if you’re looking for a treat, stay at Vancouver Island’s luxury eco-lodge, Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge which offers a glacial plunge experience led by a certified Wim Hof instructor in glacier-fed rivers and lakes. While I was staying at Clayoquot this wasn’t an official offering, but due to popular demand from guests they now provide this as a guided experience. During my stay, my personal Wim Hof-certified guide Malena Meneses-Skoda helped me push past my comfort and swim for longer—which only increased my energy to try all the other adventures here.
✈️ When to Go: End of May – September
🌡️ Water Temps You’ll Experience: 39 to 51F
🌎 Other Adventures to Try: Try canyoning along the glacier-fed Bedwell River filled with hidden waterfalls. You’ll be in a wetsuit for this, and you can snorkel in the cold, calm waters to see hundreds of salmon gathering.
Join the Nation’s Oldest Winter Swimming Club for New Years, in New York City
This tradition of cold plunging into the Atlantic Ocean has been a mainstay for Coney Island Polar Bears since 1903. While the New Year’s Day polar plunge is open to all, this is an official club, the longest-lasting winter swimming group in the U.S., and you have to earn your place as a member. People are allowed to join for a single guest swim throughout the year. Currently there are 150 members, and on average you’ll see about 80 show up for each Sunday swim. After my New Year’s Day dip, I was able to join members for another exhilarating swim one Sunday as snow covered the beach and boardwalk nearby.
✈️ When to Go: The New Year’s Day plunge is open to the public. If you join the club for a session, the season runs Nov-April.
🌡️ Water Temps You’ll Experience: 39 to 41F in recent years, due to more moderate winters
🌎 Other Adventures to Try: Head over Coney Island’s Freak Bar to toast to your bravery, play free retro arcade and pinball games, and warm up indoors.
Discover Your Cold-Water Bliss in the Happiest Country in the World, Finland
Finland’s capital, Helsinki, has so many places where you can feel the spirit of sisu in the sea without even leaving the city. Mäkinen says a true cold plunge in Finland includes a sauna as well, and recommends a few places I also tried myself: Löyly offers beautiful and modern saunas by the sea; this is where I took some of my first cold plunges. Sompasauna is Helsinki’s waterfront public plunge and sauna open 24/7, run by the community. It’s free and open to everyone, and is a cultural experience where diversity is at its best, says Mäkinen. The Finnish ice swimmer also recommends taking the ferry to Suomenlinna, Helsinki’s UNESCO-listed 18th-century sea fortress for the seaside sauna Lonna. This was one of my favorite places to cold plunge, followed by a sauna with locals, as well as the Allas Sea Pool, a busy spot back at the capital with outdoor cold sea water pools and saunas, of course.
✈️ When to Go: Year round
🌡️ Water Temps You’ll Experience: -4 to 14F
🌎 Other Adventures to Try: There’s roughly two saunas for every one person in Finland, so no shortage to try—and you can find them just about anywhere. Also, once you’re done cold plunging and sweating, hop a flight north to Lapland to scope out the best Aurora Borealis you’ll ever see (September to October; February to March).
Take a Historic Forty-Foot Dip in the Irish Sea, Dublin
It’s a Dublin tradition to jump from Forty Foot, a rocky outcropping on the southern tip of the city’s bay, into the wild Irish Sea on December 25. Since the 19th century, swimmers have braved the chilly temperatures here, but historically, it was a mens-only bathing spot. That all changed in the 1970s when women protested for themselves and children to be allowed to dip here, too. Now it’s open for everyone and frequented by locals year round for morning dips. The small Sandycove beach is a short walk from the James Joyce Tower (the setting for the opening scenes of Ulysses), and the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the distance makes this a memorable spot to cold plunge anytime of the year.
✈️ When to Go: Year round
🌡️ Water Temps You’ll Experience: 44F (in winter)
🌎 Other Adventures to Try: Grab a rental car and try cold-water surfing on Ireland’s golden sands at Brandon Bay in Kerry, or at one of Ireland’s most popular surf spots at Lahinch in Clare, just a few miles from Cliffs of Moher. Vagabond Tours of Ireland offers multi-activity adventures that include sea swimming, surfing, and kayaking.
Get into Your Creative Flow with a Cold Plunge in Scotland’s Lochs
In addition to all the physiological health benefits of cold water immersion, it may also help you tap into your creativity. The company Travel Matters offers a few wild swimming retreats on the banks of Scotland’s lochs (or lakes). For example, Amber Fillary, the female world record holder for the longest under-ice swim with breath hold, leads a Cold Water Immersion Retreat on Loch Tay. While you won’t be expected to hold your breath under ice at this retreat, Fillary will lead breathwork exercises to calm your mind and help you get the most out of your swims.
Travel Matters also hosts a Wild Swimming and Writing Retreat led by actress, writer, and Channel swimmer Doon Mackichan on the banks of Loch Rannoch. Travel Matters founder Karen Simmonds created these retreats to harness the benefits of cold water exposure to stimulate our creative energy. Immersion in cold water activates neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to form new neural connections—which enhances cognitive functions, she says. “This includes creativity, by facilitating the brain’s adaptability and capacity to think outside the box,” Simmonds explains.
✈️ When to Go: September
🌡️ Water Temps You’ll Experience: 53F
🌎 Other Adventures to Try: Get inspired by hiking around the lochs, where you can spy golden eagles, osprey, otters, sea eagles, and tap into nature to fuel your prose. Travel Matters can point you in the direction of abundant trail networks.
Dip into Extreme Ice Swimming in Svalbard, Norway and Greenland
Even in August, there’s plenty of places where you can find cold water to swim—especially if you head to Norway and Greenland. For those more experienced in cold water swimming, the company Expeditions Online offers extreme cold water swimming adventures in remote, frigid places. These trips are not for the faint-hearted, but they are open to anyone. Extreme cold water swimming is an experience Ram Barkai, founder of the International Ice Swimming Association, wants to share with others on trips he leads in Svalbard, Norway and Greenland. Barkai says it is a life-altering experience and will give you “perspective in our mad over-stimulating and diminishing planet.” These are not quick cold plunges; swims on this trip include 50, 250, 500, and 1,000 meters, and an ice mile is the top level that requires serious experience. Family and friends joining the trip can take a fun plunge though, Barkai adds.
✈️ When to Go: Svalbard (August 24) and Greenland (August 25)—both in 2024
🌡️ Water Temps You’ll Experience: 41F in Svalbard; 37 to 39F in Greenland
🌎 Other Adventures to Try: Post-swims, enjoy the frozen sea from a kayak, which Expeditions Online provides. It’s a warmer and calmer way to take in the surroundings and look for wildlife, such as walruses or seals.
Kathleen Rellihan is a travel journalist whose love for adventure includes jumping into cold bodies of water around the world. Even though it was summer, her first cold plunges in Finland hooked her for life, and she has since taken two polar plunges in Antarctica, and a few dips with the Coney Island Polar Bear Club in New York City.