In winter, the most pleasant thing after a walk through a snowy forest is to sit in hot water in the open air or steam in a wood-fired bathhouse. Hot tubs and bathhouses have long ceased to be just a Carpathian entertainment: now they are offered by country estates and recreation bases all across Polissia, from the Shatsk Lakes to the Chernihiv region. We have gathered the establishments with fresh information and tips on how to steam safely.
We do not give prices here: for a hot tub and bathhouse, they are usually calculated separately from accommodation and change every season, so check them on the establishment's page.
What is a hot tub
A hot tub is a large bathing vat, most often made of cast iron, in the shape of a hemisphere. A fire is lit underneath it, and the water heats up gradually; the thick walls hold the heat for a long time, so you can sit in the hot tub even in the frost. Conifers, herbs, or berries are put into the water, and large tubs can accommodate a whole company. The word "chan" is ancient: linguists trace it back to the Old East Slavic "doshchan" — "wooden-stave vessel".
Heating a hot tub is not a quick matter, so hosts ask to order it in advance, preferably at the time of booking.
Bathhouse in Polissia
The bathhouse in these lands has been known since chronicle times. Mentions of bathhouses are frequently found in the chronicles of the 11th–13th centuries, and one of the most famous stories is connected precisely with Polissia: according to the Tale of Bygone Years, Princess Olga, avenging the Drevlians for the death of Igor, ordered their ambassadors to be burned in a bathhouse. The capital of the Drevlians was Iskorosten — present-day Korosten.
The oldest bathhouses were heated "black-style": without a chimney, the smoke came out through a tiny window under the ceiling. Later, "white-style" bathhouses with a stove and a pipe spread. In Polissian villages, bathhouses were built even in the 20th century — in the 1930s, for instance, the collective farm in Kozarovychi in the Kyiv region had its own bathhouse.
Where to steam in Polissia
Zhytomyr region
18 km from Malyn, in the village of Lisove, is the eco-estate "Babyna Loza": six rooms, a farm with its own cheeses, terraces, a fireplace, and a hot tub that is ordered separately. The estate stands on the outskirts of the village near the forest.
Around Korostyshiv, hot tubs and bathhouses are available in several suburban complexes that we wrote about in the articles "Where to stay overnight in Korostyshiv" and "Recreation and sport in Korostyshiv":
- Hata A-Frame, the village of Strutsiivka in the Korostyshiv hromada — two triangular eco-cottages near the forest and river with an open-air hot tub.
- Lake House, the village of Stryzhivka — cottages by the pond and a bathhouse, which guests separately praise in reviews.
- "Charivne Ozero" in Korostyshiv — cottages in the pine forest on the shore of a quarry lake, bathhouse.
Not far from Zhytomyr, hot tubs are available in the "Goluboye Ozero" complex in Mohylivka, and the "Chudodiievo" park-hotel 15 km from the city offers cottages, a bathhouse, and a sauna. Both are popular in summer, so ask about the winter schedule in advance. More about the city — in the article about Zhytomyr.
Kyiv region
In Mykulychi of Bucha district, the Bila Skelya resort operates on the lakeshore: there is a wood-fired banya and a Zakarpattia vat, as well as paid fishing.
Volyn and Rivne regions
Near Svityaz and in Shatsk, banyas, saunas, and vats are offered by quite a few homesteads and private houses. In winter, the choice is smaller than in summer, but there are no crowds. When writing to hosts, double-check whether the vat operates in frost and whether the house is heated. Around Rivne, vats are available in many suburban homesteads and banyas — check with the establishments themselves.
Chernihiv region
In the south of the region, in the village of Lelyaky of Varva hromada, the Saversky eco-homestead operates on the banks of the Udai. According to the tourist portal of Chernihiv region, there are rooms and a hostel, a banya, a vat, and piers on the water. It is far from there to Chernihiv, so the trip should be planned with at least one overnight stay.
Safety: the north of Chernihiv and Sumy regions near the border with Russia are regularly shelled. Do not travel to border hromadas for recreation.
How not to harm yourself
- Contraindications. Hot water and steam place a load on the heart and blood vessels. If you have heart disease, hypertension, are pregnant, are ill, or have a fever, consult a doctor first.
- No alcohol. Alcohol in a vat or banya along with the heat sharply increases the risk to the heart and fainting. Leave it for later, and take water or herbal tea into the vat.
- Do not overheat. Sit in the vat or steam room for a short time, get out to cool down, and drink water. Do not leave children unattended for even a minute.
- Cold water and an ice hole. A sharp transition from heat to ice-cold water is a severe shock to the body. Do not dive headfirst, do not bathe in an ice hole alone, on thin ice, or after alcohol. Immerse yourself only where the hosts have arranged a safe descent.
- Fire and carbon monoxide. In a wood-fired banya, do not close the damper until the wood has burned out, and near the vat under which a fire is blazing, be careful with children and clothing.
What to ask when booking
- Does the vat operate in winter and how long does it take to heat up?
- Is the water changed for each new guest?
- Are towels, bathrobes, herbs, and broom twigs included in the price?
- Is there a generator: without electricity, pumps and heating may not work.
- Where is the nearest shelter if an air raid alert is announced?
