Vacation on the luxurious side

As I lay, face down, on my padded massage bed, while my latissimus dorsi muscle (that's one of the main back muscles for those who didn't just look it up like I did) got rubbed and rolled in various directions, I thought about how this moment of relaxation typified the entire weekend I had just spent on Saltspring Island.

The largest and most populated of the Gulf islands, Saltspring is only a one-and-a-half-hour ferry ride from the Tsawassen terminal, yet it can feel like an entire world away from the stresses of the mainland.

There to celebrate our first wedding anniversary, my wife, Elana, and I planned our trip around a stay at the Saltspring Island Spa and Resort. Located on the eastern coast of the island, and about a 10 minute drive from the main town of Ganges, the resort is the definition of a getaway from the everyday.

Featuring several independent wooden chalets that overlook the Georgia Straight and Galiano Island, each chalet has a wood-burning fireplace, a full kitchenette, daybeds in the living area instead of sofas and a set of board games, books, magazines and a rocking chair instead of a television.

The real draw in each chalet is the two-person, mineral water hot tub. With water funnelled in directly from one of the local hot springs, an early dip in the salty tasting tub set the tone for our entire weekend.

The resort also has a games room, a set of bikes to tour the island with some row boats, a badminton court and a couple of chalets facing the woods for a real feeling of seclusion. And, of course, there was the full-service spa where I treated myself to a massage while my wife enjoyed her facial.

During the day, when we weren't playing crossword puzzles on the front porch of our chalet, Elana and I wandered around Ganges, about the size of Richmond's Steveston village.

With several restaurants to choose from and a handful of oversized gift shops, there was plenty of wandering to be done. However, our trip wouldn't have been complete without a visit to the island's famous Saturday Market. Located in Centennial Park in the heart of Ganges, the market featured more than 100 vendors displaying their varied talents in art, cooking, music and even clothing. Some mainlanders have been known to make an annual trip to Saltspring's Saturday Market in order to replenish their homes with new art.

We ended up with a few unique food items, like a goat cheese and sundried tomato dip and some gourmet dog treats for our good friend Buster. The Saturday Market runs from April to mid-October from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The two days and two nights we spent on the island was just the right amount of time for Elana and me. The fresh air and atmosphere of the island sent us home feeling relaxed and with a new appreciation for spending quality time together without a TV!

For more information about the island, visit www.saltspringisland.bc.ca. For information about the spa and resort, go to www.saltspringspa.com.

Kyle Berger is an award-winning freelance journalist and a graphic designer living in Richmond.