Spending an hour in a sensory deprivation chamber in Saigon

After hearing about it from a colleague, I thought to myself I really need to try this out.   Upon arrival, I had been told so much before about what it would be like, but truth be told I had no idea about what to expect.

The waiting room felt like a meditation chamber with Mandala tapestries on the wall and nature sounds playing out through the speakers.  This really puts you in the zone for what is to come!

Just what exactly does a sensory deprivation chamber entail?

A member of staff then gave us a run through of what exactly a sensory deprivation chamber is.  As the name suggests it is an enclosed space in complete darkness and designed to block out any sound.  Inside the chamber there is salt water, which is dense to keep you afloat.  The salty water is blocked from entering you ears by ear plugs provided by the company.   Before entering the chamber you need to shower and you can enter the water in a bathing suit or as I chose, naked.

You turn light off and on from inside the tank Photo – Tripadvisor

There is music playing in the room, but after a short while the music turns off, and you are all alone with your thoughts, floating.  Occasionally bumping into the sides, you awaken from your day dream. The trick is to completely surrender yourself to the experience.  Fully reclining your head in the water, and laying completely relaxed.  It took me a long time to be fully comfortable with the environment. Once I did, the water and air became one.  This is when the floating sensation is fully realized.

The overarching feeling throughout was one of happiness and relaxation.  A comparable feeling is I’d say meditation, but with less distractions, so it was relatively easy to feel completely at ease.

Did the time fly by?

My friend said the hour would fly by.  My experience was different, I felt like it did drag on slightly, due to the fact that it took me at least thirty minutes to have the floating sensation.  I was fighting to stay afloat, by lifting my head up.  Once I convinced my mind that everything was going to be ok, the experience went a lot quicker.

Doing it again?

I am for sure going to do it again.  Next time I know what to expect and from the word go, I’ll be in a better frame of mind to relax entirely.

Where to do it?

The friendly guys at Float in Thao Dien, Saigon will be more than accommodating of your needs.