We are excited to invite you to beautiful Bowen Island, British Columbia for an opportunity to rest and recharge in the pristine forest within which Nectar Yoga Retreat Center sits. We've chosen this spot because of its beauty and charm, proximity to Vancouver, and Nectar Yoga Retreat Center itself. This enchanting center offers natural beauty, tranquility, and thoughtful design that will allow you to unplug from the daily hustle and bustle. Judy and Susan will guide you through two practices a day in the geodesic yoga dome. These practices are a harmonious blend of the gentle stillness of yin and the dynamic energy of yang to create a holistic experience of renewal and balance.
Nectar Yoga Retreat is a healing space that sits on 20 acres of forested land on Bowen Island, just a short 20 minute ferry ride from Vancouver. We acknowledge and honour that Nexwlélexwm (Bowen Island) is the ancestral and unceded territory of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) Nation.
Our life's work is the stewardship of this land, to care for and know its forests and waterways. With this as the foundation, Nectar Yoga Retreat draws travelers, leaders, and brands from metro Vancouver and all over the world, offering overnight stays, retreat experiences, and meaningful programs. By holding space for guests to slow down, our intention is to seed consciousness that naturally comes from immersing oneself in the land.
Our modern, Scandinavian-inspired cottages provide the container for an easeful getaway in nature. Rest and recharge among the Alder trees, and vast varieties of Pacific Northwest flora and fauna.
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GETTING HERE
Nectar sits on 20 acres of forested land, the ancestral and unceded territory of Nexwlélexwm (Bowen Island) at 720 Gardner Lane. For detailed driving and public transportation directions, click here. If you are driving, complimentary parking is available on-site.
We recommend guests pack light, and bring only necessities to make their stay with us comfortable.
ARRIVAL
Check-in time is 3:00pm. When you arrive, please come to the check-in office (inside the Nectar Goods Boutique) as all guests are required to sign a waiver. We will then show you to your room to unpack before guest orientation in Onyx Lodge at 3:45pm, followed by the evening session.
SCHEDULE
Day 1
3pm : Check-In
3:30pm : Arrival Snack
3:45pm : Group Orientation
4:30pm-5:45pm : Welcome Circle + Practice in the Dome
6:15pm Dinner
Day 2
8-9:30am : Practice in the Dome
9:45am : Breakfast
Free Time
Spend as you like!
1pm : Lunch If you want to skip any of the lunch meals, we need to let the kitchen staff know at the beginning of our stay so they can prepare.
5:00-6:30 Practice in the Dome
7:00pm : Dinner
Day 3
8-9:30am : Practice in the Dome
9:00am OR 9:45am : Breakfast
Free Time
1pm : Lunch
5:00-6:30 Practice in the Dome
7:00pm : Dinner
Day 4
8-9:30am : Practice in the Dome
9:00am OR 9:45am : Breakfast
Free Time
1pm : Lunch
5:00-6:30 Practice in the Dome
7:00pm : Dinner
Day 5
8am-9:30am : Practice in the Dome
9:45am : Breakfast
10:30am : Closing Circle
11am : Check-Out
PRACTICING IN THE DOME
It’s recommended to pack warm sweaters and socks for practice in the geodesic dome. Although heated, it is still a tent and can be cool. If the weather is warm, we may move some classes outside.
FOOD
During your retreat, delicious and nourishing plant-based meals will be created and served by our preferred caterer. All meals are served in our Onyx Lodge at our long table.
Our menus change with the seasons, so you can expect to enjoy delicious, enticing plant-based foods that reflect the bounty of the land. Most allergies can be accommodated, although we cannot cater to special diets like “Keto or Smoothies only”. All dishes can be made with vegan and/or gluten-free options. Nectar Yoga’s kitchen is a strictly meat and fish free facility. Please specify your dietary restrictions before arrival.
ACCOMMODATION
All cottages are equipped with bedding, towels, and natural toiletries. While the Deluxe Cottages have in-room Wi-Fi, the A-Frames do not. Should you be staying in an A-Frame and require Wi-Fi, Onyx Lodge has a strong connection. If possible, we recommend using this opportunity to disconnect during your stay.
IN ROOM AMENITIES
Each bathroom includes:
- Natural soap
- Natural shampoo
- Natural conditioner
- Septic safe toilet paper
- Filtered drinking water from the tap
- Hair elastics
- Bandaids
- Hair Dryer
Each room includes:
- 2x towels per guest (please refrain from taking off-site)
- All bedding
- Down filled pillows
- Duvets
- Bedside lighting
- Clothes storage
- Slippers
- Umbrellas
WHAT TO BRING
- Yoga mat/accessories for your practice (i.e. props) if you prefer to use your own. We also have sanitized mats and props available to use.
- Pack light/a small bag
- Warm clothing and socks for the yoga dome
- Natural mosquito repellent
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Swim suit
- Beach towel (Nectar does not provide towels for off-site use)
- Walking shoes
- Flashlight
- Books (we have a book exchange, take a book/leave a book) should they want to leave a book behind for another guest to use
- Water bottle (we have an aquifer and a filtration system on all taps)
- Waterproof outdoor gear (all rooms have umbrellas as well)
WHAT NOT TO BRING
- soap/shampoo/conditioner (unless you use a specific kind). Our premises require toiletries that are septic safe.
- tampons (Obviously you can bring them but please note that they are not flushable and must be put in the bins next to the toilets if you use them)
Shoes are not permitted indoors, please ensure you remove your shoes in rooms, the Dome and in the Onyx Lodge. To conserve energy, we encourage you to turn off lights when leaving rooms as well as adjusting the temperature a few degrees when rooms are unoccupied.
Warm, pine-clad angled walls welcome you at our modernized 60s-throwback A-frames. The comfy beds and cozy linens await your dreams, while the picture window and its lush foliage views await your daydreams. Use the space for creative pursuits, or as a basecamp for a walk in the forest. Rainy day? Sit outside on your covered porch and enjoy the fresh, pine-scented ocean air and the sound of raindrops caressing the old-growth trees.
Our modern, Scandinavian-inspired deluxe cottages were designed with simplistic coziness in mind. Comfy beds, soft linens, fluffy pillows and a reading window seat offer perfect places to snuggle up to a loved one, or with a good book. Wake up and take a morning shower in the gorgeous bathroom, or take it outside in the steamy, outdoor shower adjoining the bathroom. A covered porch lined with warm cedar perches you with a perfect view of the property’s centerpiece, our magnificent maple and alder trees.
Large windows capturing the forested views of the property await you. With a spacious closet for storage, soft linens and warmly-lit bedside lamps, these small, simple rooms are perfect for our solo travelers. The shared full bathroom next door includes two sinks and a walk-in shower. *Located upstairs in the Onyx Lodge, our main gathering space, this room can have some noise from below.
Large windows capturing the forested views of the property await you. With a spacious closet for storage, soft linens and warmly-lit bedside lamps, these small, simple rooms are perfect for our solo travelers. The shared full bathroom next door includes two sinks and a walk-in shower. *Located upstairs in the Onyx Lodge, our main gathering space, this room can have some noise from below.
This cottage offers similar amenities as our deluxe cottages with added seclusion. Wake up to sunbeams illuminating the room through the windows before sipping tea on your porch nestled on the edge of our Alder grove. A rustic outdoor shower awaits you with sweet-smelling natural products to lather on.