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Best Things to Do on Bowen Island
As the Salish Sea shimmers under a softer sun, the island becomes a threshold between city and country, air and water, flora and fauna. Just a 20-minute ferry from Horseshoe Bay, Bowen is the perfect place to chase island charm or sneak in a little wellness for a 2-night stay or day trip from Vancouver. Here’s how to enjoy the best of Bowen Island (our own Bowen top picks) with easeful rest and a sense of wonder.
Visiting Vancouver for FIFA? There's a Private Forest Spa 20 Minutes Away
Vancouver hosting the FIFA World Cup 2026 in June through to July will be loud, full, and relentlessly on. The matches, the fan zones, the restaurant and bar patios, the crowds moving through the city in waves, and while a love for a sport is an extraordinary thing, it can also be a lot. Some of our bodies may start to ask for something more calm and secluded.
Bowen Island is a 20-minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver. Once the ferry docks at Snug Cove, the currents of water, sea breeze,, birds, and forest take over. Mist Thermal Sanctuary is a private wood-fire sauna and cold plunge Bowen Island forest spa, next door to Nectar Yoga Retreat, and the best part is it’s close enough from the city to reach even outside of the weekend.
What is Contrast Therapy? How Does Cold Plunging Help Our Body Adapt to Stress in Healthy Ways?
Modern scientific research supports these traditional practices. The concept of hormesis—where exposure to mild stressors strengthens the body's ability to withstand greater stress—explains how contrast therapy enhances circulation, promotes detoxification, and boosts immune function. Hormesis, a biological phenomenon, occurs when a low-dose exposure to a stressor, such as exposure to temperature extremes, induces adaptive benefits, leading to improved resilience and cellular health.