Return to the Wild

Bowen Island Attendee Portal

Attendee Shop

A-Frame Rooms

from $1,225.00

Payments:

Copy of Nectar Yoga Deluxe Cottage Interior Vancouver British Columbia Canada 05_2023 @RobinBonnerPhotography(6).jpg

Deluxe Cottage - Ground

from $1,375.00

Payments:

Deluxe Cottage - Loft

from $1,225.00

Payment Option:

Nectar's MIST Experience (Available to Book Spring 2026)

$55.00

Sold out

Retreat Information

Where in the world?

Nexwlélexwm (Bowen Island) the ancestral and unceded territory of the Squamish Nation. Nestled in the Howe Sound, just a short ferry ride from Vancouver, British Columbia, this small island has a generous heart. Bowen is renowned for its lush forests and rugged coastlines.

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. Nectar acknowledges and honours that Nexwlélexwm (Bowen Island) is the ancestral and unceded territory of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) Nation.

Here’s a blurb from Nectar:

“Our life's work is the stewardship of this land, to care for and know its forests and waterways… By holding space for guests to slow down, our intention is to seed consciousness that naturally comes from immersing oneself in the land… Rest and recharge among the Alder trees, and vast varieties of Pacific Northwest flora and fauna.”

Nectar has been host to brands like Lululemon and Arc'teryx and featured by The New York Times, British Vogue, Condé Nast Traveler, and more!

720 Gardner Ln, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G2

Your Faculty

Emily Varga

Author of FOR SHE IS WRATH
(#1 International Bestseller & Instant Indie Bestseller)
Emily Varga is a YA Fantasy author with a fondness for getting lost in bookstores, eating copious amounts of rice, and watching a lot of terrible reality tv. She has lived all over the world, but currently calls the Rocky Mountains of western Canada home, where she lives with her family and their menagerie of pets. When she’s not writing, Emily works as a family lawyer, where she learned more about storytelling than she ever expected. Emily’s debut novel FOR SHE IS WRATH is a Pakistani-inspired Count of Monte Cristo retelling meets Kill Bill and is out now with Wednesday Books.

Meet Emily
Amanda Linsmeier

Author of A DANCE WITH DEATH
(Coming January 2026)
Amanda Linsmeier has been a book nerd as long as she can remember, and it was that great love of reading—especially R.L. Stine novels and fairytales—that eventually brought her to writing her own stories. In high school, she won the senior class vote for “Most Romantic Girl”, a title she’s still ridiculously pleased with. She feels most joyful when writing, scream-singing her favorite songs, playing in the water, and laughing with her beloved family. She lives in a magical place with a man who smells like maple syrup and woodsmoke, their wonderfully wild children, a dog, and an assortment of half-feral cats.

Meet Amanda
Marina Green

Literary Agent, Editor, & Host
By day, Marina is literary agent, previously a Big 5 acquiring editor. Avid supporter of the Oxford Comma and the em dash, Marina is also a freelance editor by night, founder of Marina Edits and Return to the Wild.
In her free time, you can find Marina with her nose in a book or clicking away at her laptop, chasing new stories and wrangling them into wild submission. When she isn’t immersing herself in story, you can find her with a cup of tea in hand, trying a new yoga asana—never at the same time—or practicing Armenian, the language of her ancestors.

Meet Marina

Itinerary

Official itinerary coming summer 2026

Packing List

This list is not exhaustive, but here to give you an idea of what to bring. Marina will finalize this list as we get closer to the trip. The key here is to pack and prepare BC’s changeable weather.

Clothing

Lightweight waterproof jacket or raincoat
Warm layers (sweaters, long-sleeve shirts)
Comfortable tops and pants
Waterproof shoes or boots
Comfortable walking shoes
Accessories to keep you warm like a toque (aka beanie), gloves, scarves for the cooler mornings and evenings.
Swimsuit (if you’d like to participate in the MIST experience)

Accessories

A small tote bag or daypack for our walks and for carrying your materials around the grounds
Umbrella (this will come in handy especially if you’re staying in the A-Frames!)
Reusable water bottle
Toiletries (including sunscreen!)
Medications

Miscellaneous

Travel documents (ID, passport if needed, travel itinerary, accommodation details)
Chargers for electronics
Extra nonperishable snacks for those late-night munchies

FAQs

How do I get there?

A more detailed explanation on how to get to our venue will be provided in the New Year.

Here is an overview:

To get to Bowen Island, you will need to take a ferry from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver. The ferry terminal is located at 6755 Keith Road, West Vancouver, BC. BC Ferries operates regular sailings between Horseshoe Bay and Snug Cove on Bowen Island. The ferry crossing takes approximately 20 minutes.

If you are driving, follow signs to Horseshoe Bay from Vancouver or the surrounding areas, and purchase a ticket for your vehicle and passengers at the terminal. There is also passenger-only service; you can park in the Horseshoe Bay area and board the ferry on foot. It is recommended to arrive early, especially during peak travel times, as the ferry can fill up.

Once on Bowen Island, the ferry docks at Snug Cove, where you can access local transportation, taxis, and walking trails. Public transit options on the island are limited, so it’s advisable to plan your transportation in advance.

What kind of hiking and physical activity is on the itinerary?

Our daily schedule includes daily walks in nature. These are completely dependant on weather and will mostly be short. Other activities are being planned that will be nature-based and therefore will require movement.