As the world heals from the global events of the last year, people everywhere are searching for not only an inspiring and relaxing vacation from their stressful lives, but also for a closer connection to the beauty and wonder of nature in a post-pandemic world.

We tend to exist in a growing culture of connectedness with each other, facilitated more and more through incredible technological advancement rather than physical presence. This has been exacerbated 100-fold in the past year, where even office connections have been replaced with zoom calls, and Netflix has all but replaced our potlucks and social calls.

As we are free to grow our wings once more, we expect a continued surge of interest in experiential vacations and holidays, where individuals, couples, families and friends can truly connect with the natural world – and each other – in ways they may have taken for granted in the past.

At Cabana Desolation Eco Resort we have always prioritized this kind of travel experience – indeed it was one of the driving factors behind the design and function of our island based eco resort! 

Here then are the 10 top ways to connect with nature at Cabana Desolation – designed to get you longingly dreaming of your summer adventure in Desolation Sound later this year.

1. Be mesmerized by the sight of billions of stars. Far away from the light pollution of nearby cities or towns, there may be no better way to grasp an understanding of our place in the universe than to gaze in awe at the immensity of the open sky and Milky Way. The best location is from Cabana Point, where forest meets ocean and the warm granite rock radiates the day’s heat towards the stars.

2. Be humbled as you lay on the forest floor and comprehend the massive trunk of an old growth western red cedar tree. There are still giants among us, and not many are quite as incredible as the red cedar – central to the cultural development of the PNW for millenia. Individual cedars can live up to 1000 years!

3. Grin cheerfully as you dig your toes into the thick moss of this island paradise. This is the quintessential ‘forest bathing’ experience. Seek the closest connection you can to the earth as you carefully pick your way barefoot down the trails amongst the soft and spongy moss.

4. Feel a euphoric calm as you sit peacefully on a rocky bluff above the lapping ocean. Silently behold the expanse of Desolation Sound as it stretches out before you on all sides, and sit in wonder of the towering Coast Mountains and their immense scale providing the perfect backdrop to your afternoon meditation. 

5. Enjoy the serenity of the open-air lounge as you relax peacefully with that book you have always wanted to read, and now are having trouble putting down. Or converse with friends and fellow travellers as you expectantly wait for appetizers after a day of adventure and exploration.

6. Savour the rich flavours of inspiring foods flowing out of the kitchen at the Cabana Cafe. Using locally sourced produce and lovingly created on-site by our talented and personable chefs, each meal tells its own story of this beautiful part of the British Columbia coast.

7. Rest comfortably inside your handmade open-air cabana, nestled in the forest and overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Feel that natural connection to the larger world as the waves gently lap at the shore and the birds greet you in the morning with their beautiful song.

8. Be dazzled by the sparkling Bioluminescence on a moonless night. Watch as the ocean lights up like fireflies as you step into the water – and if you’re really adventurous – get the full experience by taking the plunge and watching the lights dance across your entire body, or shoot like magic from your outstretched fingers as they carve an arc in front of your eyes.

9. Learn more about the abundant wildlife – from the largest whale to the smallest snail and everything in between – in the water, on land and soaring with the warm thermals rising with the mountain peaks. Our guides and staff are fabulous teachers and storytellers as well as protectors, with a wealth of knowledge to impart about the place they are lucky to call home.

10. Feel that euphoric, tingling sensation as it all starts to sink in: “I’m on a remote, uninhabited island surrounded by warm ocean waters and everything is alive – blissfully disconnected with technology and fully connected with nature in this wonderful moment.”