Top 10 Spas Gone Local

To step from the ferry onto Galiano, Canada, a slender slip of land no more than 6 miles at its widest, is to sink halfway into a state of deep relaxation. Like the rest of the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia’s Gulf Islands are fiercely nature-oriented. Galiano seems frozen in time with stands of Douglas fir and sequoias saluting the few hikers and bobbing seals guarding the quiet, shell-covered beaches. This spirit carries over to the Madrona del Mar Spa at Galiano Oceanfront Inn, where the sea is omnipresent – visible through the wide windows and oceanfront cabanas, and audible during massages on the beach. One dimly lit room contains a flotation bath; visitors can float weightless in warm, super-saturated saltwater, a process said to curb stress, insomnia, and symptoms of rheumatism and asthma. Seaweed – rich in iron, vitamins, and trace minerals – figures into many of the treatments, as does British Columbian glacial clay, commonly called “miracle clay” because it is believed to have healing properties. The spa's staff mingles the clay with organic hemp powder, known to soften the skin. The inn’s modern suites and formal restaurant bring a taste of city slickness, no doubt catering to patrons from Vancouver, less than an hour away by ferry. www.galianoinn.com