Finding Connection in Halifax’s Wild Edges
The first thing I notice at Nalu Retreat is the quiet. Not the absence of sound, but the kind of hush that feels intentional — and a little magical.
Set deep in Nova Scotia wilderness, the retreat’s geodesic (eco-friendly) domes sit among the trees, their curved forms designed to integrate into the surrounding forest.
And sure enough, rather than being imposing, it feels as though the landscape has simply made room for them.
“The land here is extremely special,” says Paul Peic, the Toronto-born co-founder and CEO of Nalu, who moved to Nova Scotia “for the ocean and people.”
That sense of connection is the foundation of Nalu, a nature-based, adults-only wellness retreat located in Porters Lake, about a 30-minute drive outside of Halifax. After running a large Airbnb business with a partner, Peic just assumed the mostly forested 27-acre property would follow a similar route.
But after spending time there, something shifted.
“This might sound strange to people who don’t believe in energy, but the land basically spoke to me and told me what to do,” he says.
Instead of building a conventional resort, Peic let the landscape dictate the experience.
Each of Nalu’s three domes spans 26 feet in diameter, positioned to frame the lake, trees and sky through expansive panoramic windows.
The night views are just as impressive as the day.
“We didn’t build the cliff, the trees or the water; we just wanted people to take it all in,” says Peic.
That philosophy extended to construction itself. To minimize disruption and encourage wildlife to return, the crew relied on electric tools whenever possible as opposed to louder gas-powered ones.
Today, more than three years after Nalu opened, groundhogs roam the property, birds land improbably close to guests, and a distinguishable bald eagle glides regularly across the lake, Peic says.
In warmer months, guests can expect hummingbirds hovering near the hot tubs or fireflies flickering through the forest at dusk.
The unfiltered water used throughout the domes comes directly from deep wells drilled through granite below the forest floor. Inside, there are no televisions or radios (and cell service is limited), but the space never feels sparse.
Thoughtful amenities, from live plants, plush bedding, blankets and bathrobes to essential oils and sound machines, make it easy to settle in and slow down.
For guests who don’t feel like cooking in their dome — which is equipped with a convection oven, two hot plates, toaster, microwave and refrigerator — Nalu also offers a curated selection of snacks and locally prepared meals that can be delivered and simply heated as needed (the lobster mac and cheese was particularly tasty).
A private, spacious deck extends each dome’s living space outdoors. Outfitted with Muskoka chairs, a fire pit, and a hot tub, it’s an ideal perch for experiencing Mother Nature up close.
“When you can quiet your mind, that’s when your body can actually do what it’s supposed to do,” Peic tells me. “We want to help individuals release their tensions and stresses and to be at peace.”
One afternoon, standing outside and taking in the view, the quiet was so complete I felt a sense of calm I’d never experienced before.
Looking ahead, Peic has plans to carefully expand the property, which currently includes the domes and a private lakeside villa for two, while preserving its low-impact ethos.
Work is already underway to add additional accommodations and wellness elements to what is already offered, including a Nordic-style spa and space for visiting practitioners offering massage, sound-based therapies, and guided relaxation practices.
The emphasis, he says, remains on thoughtful growth — allowing the land to continue shaping what comes next.
From my soul-fueling forest retreat, my journey continues toward the Atlantic, where the rhythm shifts but the sense of connection to nature remains. At Oceanstone Seaside Resort, perched on eight acres along Nova Scotia’s rugged South Shore, I experience wind, waves and the constant movement of the North Atlantic.
When Dean Leland took ownership of Oceanstone during the pandemic, he says his goal was to clarify what the resort could be, and just as importantly, what it shouldn’t try to be.
“I kept landing on wellness,” he says. “There was no other operation like ours in Atlantic Canada that had a Nordic spa connected to it.”
That vision became reality in 2023 with the opening of the resort’s new spa, designed around contrast therapy — rotating between heat, cold and rest. Saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs and an arctic plunge pool are paired with open-air spaces where guests can sit wrapped in robes, breathing in salt air between circuits.
“Being on the ocean just lends itself to calm, peace, and the wellness part of a Nordic spa,” Leland says. “It adds another layer to why people land here.”
Unlike Nalu’s inward, forested quiet, Oceanstone’s setting is expansive and elemental. Waves crash below granite outcrops, weather moves in quickly, and the horizon is always in view. Guests staying in the resort’s cottages can walk directly to the shoreline, then return for a sauna session and spa treatment, or a tasty meal in the garden level of the main lodge.
While many spa guests come from Halifax and the surrounding region, Oceanstone also draws visitors from farther afield and out of province, particularly for weddings and group retreats.
Plus, with Peggy’s Cove and it’s iconic 1915 lighthouse a mere 10-minute car ride away, the resort is a good base for further coastal exploring.
After days filled by forest quiet and ocean exposure, my stop in downtown Halifax feels like the perfect, gentle re-entry to reality. The city hums with energy, but never frenetically.
On the waterfront, I walk leisurely along the boardwalk watching the fishing boats and ferries come and go. I sample fresh seafood at a variety of local favourites like Salt + Ash Beach House and Water Polo where harbour views are a key part of the experience.
I get a fabulous facial at Interlude Spa, a city wellness oasis that has anchored Halifax’s wellness scene since Ruth Kraushar opened its first Dartmouth location 50 years ago.
After days spent reconnecting with nature, the experience feels like a natural continuation of that same intention. My esthetician Kelly Rundle, who has worked at spa for 15 years, provides a treatment that is both restorative and grounding. I leave carrying that sense of calm with me — evidence that the rhythms of nature can be echoed indoors, long after you’ve left the shoreline.
I leave Halifax after several days of shifting landscapes and rhythms, from the city’s edges to its wilder spaces. Yet the invitation remains unchanged: slow down, step outside, and let nature do its magic.
Rosalind Stefanac
Rosalind Stefanac is a freelance writer and editor based in Toronto, Ontario, whose work has appeared in national Canadian print and online publications. She has covered everything from backpack weddings and epic hiking adventures to the coolest waterparks for teens. Passionate about storytelling that sparks exploration, she is happiest on the road less travelled — with all the stories waiting to be discovered there.
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