Tourism Saskatchewan/Greg Huszar PhotographyRolling prairie, wheat rippling in the breeze under wide blue skies, long, straight highways – these pictures spring to mind when you think Saskatchewan. But what about the water? Yes, water. The province’s lakes and rivers are teeming with aquatic adventure. And when your day is done, you can soak in natural hot water at Saskatchewan’s mineral spas.Little Manitou, one of Saskatchewan’s 100,000 lakes, is special. Near Watrous, its briny waters are unique in the western hemisphere, possessing natural therapeutic properties found only at places like Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic and Israel’s Dead Sea. Minerals found in significant concentrations – magnesium, carbonate, potassium, mineral salts, sodium, calcium, iron, silica and sulphur – give the water a specific gravity of 1.06. This translates to an impossible-to-sink buoyancy that helps relieve pressure on tired or aching joints.
Tourism Saskatchewan/Kevin Hogarth PhotographyPamper yourself with a visit to the Manitou Springs Mineral Spa at Manitou Beach, a 60-room, European-style mineral spa that draws its waters from the lake. Three connected pools are heated to temperatures that range from 94 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit. An array of therapeutic and esthetic services is offered and the complex has a fully-equipped fitness centre. Shops linking the hotel with the spa pools provide a great place to look for souvenirs crafted by local artisans. And nearby Danceland features a one-of-a-kind dance floor built on a springy horse-hair pad. www.manitousprings.caIn the heart of downtown Moose Jaw, Temple Gardens Mineral Spa Resort Hotel overlooks beautiful Crescent Park. This four-and-a-half star, 181-room resort hotel showcases natural geothermal mineral waters drawn from “ancient seabeds” deep below the earth’s surface (more than 1,350 metres) in a huge indoor/outdoor spa pool with a beautiful treetop view of the park and temperatures that range from 96 to 103 degrees. After “taking the waters”, you can enjoy a variety of specialty treatments – everything from massage, body wraps to specialty facials. The hotel is across the street from Casino Moose Jaw, and within walking distance of many of Moose Jaw’s other famous tourist attractions.
For more information, visit www.sasktourism.com