Hetki Saunas come from Rantasalmi

Every now and then, it feels right to pause and share not only what we build, but where we come from and what shapes us today.

We come from Finland,

we come from South Savo,

we come from RANTASALMI.

About 300 kilometers (around 185 miles) northeast of Finland’s capital, Helsinki, lies Rantasalmi, a small Finnish community surrounded by endless forests and shimmering lakes in the South Savo region.

It’s here, between waters and woods, where we are from and where we belong. It’s also where traditional Finnish sauna culture continues to live and breathe, deeply connected to nature and everyday life.

A Landscape Defined by Water and Forest

The name Rantasalmi combines two Finnish words: ranta meaning shore, and salmi meaning strait. A beautifully fitting name for a place where water is everywhere.

Rantasalmi covers around 925 km² (360 mi²), nearly 40% of which is water. The region is a mosaic of lakes and islands, with thousands of shorelines that have shaped local life for generations. These waters offer excellent opportunities for fishing throughout the year, from peaceful summer evenings on the lake to ice fishing during winter, when the lakes freeze and become nature’s playground for skiing and skating.

Forests make up most of the remaining area, creating a calm rhythm where time seems to slow down. It’s the perfect setting for craftsmanship, reflection, and sauna culture – and for enjoying the simple beauty of outdoor life.

Thanks to Finland’s Everyman’s Rights, anyone can freely wander these woods, pick wild berries like blueberries and lingonberries, and gather mushrooms straight from nature’s floor.

At the heart of this region lies Linnansaari National Park, a vast natural reserve of over 130 islands across Lake Saimaa. It’s also home to one of the world’s rarest animals: the Saimaa ringed seal, found only in this part of Finland. The park and its surrounding waters are a daily reminder of how deeply people here live in connection with nature.

A Heritage of Craftsmanship, Wood and Finnish Log Sauna

Rantasalmi’s story is closely tied to Finnish wood and the people who know how to shape it. The region’s log building tradition has been passed down through centuries, and even today, much of the local expertise revolves around working with timber, crafting homes, cottages, and saunas with care and respect.

This heritage is what inspired Hetki. Each of our outdoor log saunas is handcrafted in Finland from solid Finnish spruce logs, using methods that combine traditional craftsmanship with modern precision. Every log, joint, and surface carries the mark of nature, human hands, and the wisdom passed through generations.

For us at Hetki, Rantasalmi represents our roots, the source of our inspiration, craftsmanship, and values. Each sauna we create carries a piece of this place: the scent of spruce, the calm of the lakes, and the touch of Finnish hands, bringing that same warmth, wellbeing, and joy wherever it finds its home. A reflection of true Finnish sauna craftsmanship, shaped by nature and time.

A Community Rooted in Sauna Culture

With a population of just about 3200 people and more than 3500 saunas, Rantasalmi is a place where the authentic Finnish sauna isn’t a luxury. It’s a way of life. In addition to around 1500 homes equipped with their own saunas, there are over 2000 summer cottages in the area, each with at least one sauna, if not several.

Thus, as is often the case in Finland, no one really knows the exact number of saunas, but it’s safe to say in Rantasalmi there are more saunas than people.

Here, sauna isn’t a luxury or a ritual. It’s an ordinary part of life, something people simply do, just as naturally as they breathe the forest air or step onto the lake dock at sunset.

They don’t go to the sauna to achieve any of its incredible health benefits. They go because it’s part of who they are, and because they always have.

Sauna is enjoyed all year round, whether in the soft light of summer or the stillness of winter. When lakes are frozen, locals and visitors alike step from the warmth of the sauna straight into a natural ice plunge, a refreshing dip through a hole cut in the ice known as avanto.

A Place to Experience

Welcome to experience firsthand Rantasalmi and beautiful South Savo.

You’ll find the stillness of the forest, the shimmer of the lakes, and the warmth of the sauna, the same elements that inspire everything we create at Hetki.

These same values, craftsmanship, nature, and wellbeing, guide everything we do. And above all, it’s a place that reminds us of what truly matters – the connection to nature, to yourself, and to others.

Rantasalmi in Numbers

• Population: ~3200

• Total area: 925 km² (~360 mi²)

• Water area: ~40%

• Forest area: ~50%

• Summer cottages: 2159

• Saunas: 3500+

• Sauna and log-building tradition: centuries long