Steve and I went to Mist Thermal Sanctuary on Bowen Island for a private contrast hydrotherapy session, a self-guided nature-immersed circuit that alternates between hot and cold ‘spa’ treatments. The experience cycles through a wood-fire sauna (with forest views), a cold plunge followed by a warm soaking tub, followed by a rest area by an outdoor fire.
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As two full-time working parents, finding time for rest is so hard, and even more rare to do something purposefully relaxing together which made this experience extra special. Bowen Island is a 20 minute ferry ride from Vancouver, which makes this an ideal day trip and we managed to fit this entire (weekday) experience on a day where we had regular daycare/childcare for the kids.
After checking in at Mist, you are led to one of three private sauna pods at Mist. The private entry (which I would liken to a very small studio hotel room) is where you change and get ready. It also has a “kitchen” area with hot water on demand and different types of tea. You can return at any time to fill up with water or brew another cup of tea.
Just outside is an outdoor shower, then finally the sauna, which is the start of the circuit, where you spend 15 minutes detoxifying before moving on to the cold plunge bucket.
It took me about a cycle to get into the experience — I was kind of nervous and skeptical about the cold plunge. Like how is dipping into ice-cold water supposed to be relaxing? But I was so pleasantly surprised. Following the hot sauna, once you get out of your head and commit to plunging, only the first few seconds were shocking, once you get in below your shoulders it’s not bad at all.
After a minute in the cold plunge bucket, you climb into the bucket next to it, which is the “warm” water. After that, you rest in an uncovered outdoor area with the same forest view as the sauna.
When you’re ready, you repeat the cycle until your session is over.
As Bowen Island is only a 20 minute ferry ride from Vancouver, this was an ideal day trip / getaway — feeling like we left the city, without actually going too far. We started our day in a bit of a frazzled state (hectic daycare drop off, work obligations, missing our initial ferry) but after my experience at Mist, I was feeling so zen-like for the rest of the day, like nothing could phase me.
By the way, for those of you ‘in the know’ about relaxation experience on Bowen Island, Mist is by the same duo behind Nectar Yoga. In fact, it’s right next door to it!
I absolutely would return and make an entire day trip on Bowen Island out of it. Our 5 year wedding anniversary is coming up, and I just found out ‘wood’ is the anniversary gift. Sounds like a good reason to return to a wood-fire sauna in the woods on Bowen Island?! Only thing I would change next time is to book a full two hours.
