discover bowen
curated stays.
wild trails + coasts.
local secrets.
Discover Bowen is your gateway to the island’s best-kept secrets. From secluded hikes, off the map cycling routes, ocean and coastal adventures, art studios, and culinary delights, to curated vacation rentals you won’t find on the usual sites, we will help you to plan an unforgettable stay.
Discover Bowen also offers a full suite of income consulting, and design, build, and management services for hosts or would-be hosts on Bowen Island.
find the perfect place to stay
We don’t just list homes—we match you with the right one for your best getaway. With our insider knowledge and connections, we can help you discover places to stay that are “off the coast of ordinary”. On top of managing our own spaces, we work with a curated collection of hosts who care about design and thoughtful hospitality, not just filling calendars. Whether you’re after a vintage, romantic escape for two, or a large, refined residence with sweeping views for a larger group or event, we’ve got you covered.
explore bowen
Whether you want to hike, bike, and kayak every day, or just find a secret spot for solitude in the forest or to swim or lounge in the sun, Discover Bowen can help you to experience Bowen in the most unforgettable, un-googleable ways. Explore our free tips and resources on Discover Bowen, or let us help you to personalize your getaway—including discounts through adventure partners.
work with me
Already have a vacation rental? We’d love to connect. Discover Bowen partners with a collection of vacation rental hosts whose spaces convey the spirit of Bowen—whether it’s a rustic A-Frame in the forest or a refined oceanview retreat. We get inquiries from guests seeking one or multiple sites for their vacation or gathering and then match them to the right spaces through our Partner Network.
Do you want to explore creating a vacation rental? If you have a home or space on Bowen that you think would make a unique and beautiful vacation rental, or if you want to refresh an existing one to improve bookings, we would love to connect. We help with all aspects of business development, optimization, design, building and renovation, as well as management. We help you to assess the potential of your spaces and decide how to proceed.
meet your
discovery host
Saskia Tait
Founder of Discover Bowen (& other fun things…)
I moved to Vancouver after a couple of decades working in International Development in South Asia and Europe to pursue my PhD. A misturn and mistake one day landed me on Bowen Island quite by accident, and I fell in love with the island. Within months, I had moved here. Within two years, I had the first of my two amazing children, who are now being raised in what is unequivocally one of the very best places on earth to grow up. When the kids were very young and Covid-19 kept me at home with them, I created my first successful retreat centre as a fun project. It was a huge success and so much fun to create with a team of friends and creatives. Thus began a vacation rental design and management business that keeps growing and improving. Discover Bowen is its newest evolution.
I’ve spent the last 15 years exploring every trail, cove, river, and mountaintop of Bowen and surrounding islands on foot, boats, sea kayaks, packrafts, and every kind of bike. Over the past 12 years, many of those adventures have been with my kids in tow. Through Discover Bowen, I bring together my love for outdoor adventure, travel, hosting, family, knowledge and respect of local artisans and business owners, and travel to help my guests experience my island home in the best possible way.
For guests: Discover Bowen provides access to a curated collection of unique and beautiful places to stay and things to do that you won’t find via the usual channels. Listings on AirBnB and VRBO can’t do what a local with intimate knowledge of the island and all it has to offer can do for guests seeking to host larger or unique gatherings, events, or retreats that may require multiple venues. I also showcase and collaborate with Bowen adventure providers, offering my guests access to kayaking tours, eBike and scooter rentals, ocean and hiking guided tours, and other land-and-sea excursions (often with exclusive discounts). Whether you're coming solo, as a couple, or with a group, I’ll help you find the right place to stay—and the right rhythm for your visit.
For hosts: Together with my amazing interior design partner, Rebecca Gibbs of Sacred Space Design, I design, build, and manage a curated selection of unique vacation rentals to suit different budgets and interests. I also consult buyers and property owners on the potential for vacation rentals on their properties—considering design, set up, costs, and potential income.
let’s connect
Interested in exploring a stay or exploring my design, build and management services? Fill out some info I’ll take care of the rest.
