Canada
Manitou Springs
A prairie lake so mineral-dense you float without trying — Canada's Dead Sea under enormous skies.
You lie back in Manitou Lake, Saskatchewan, and float without trying. The mineral concentration is three times that of the ocean — Canada's own Dead Sea, sitting improbably in the middle of the prairies.
Manitou Beach on the shore of Little Manitou Lake has been a wellness destination since the early 1900s, when visitors arrived by rail to soak in the mineral-rich waters. The lake's density — comparable to the Dead Sea — means you float effortlessly without effort or skill. The incongruity of a salt lake in the middle of the Saskatchewan prairies is part of its appeal. Prairie sunsets over the alkaline water turn the mineral-white shore pink and gold. The surrounding communities maintain a Ukrainian-Canadian food culture — perogies, kubasa, and borscht are staples at the local restaurants.
Couple
Floating together in mineral water under enormous prairie skies, then eating perogies in a tiny Saskatchewan town — Manitou Springs is a romantic escape so unlikely it feels like a secret.
Family
Children can't believe they float without effort, and the novelty doesn't wear off. The beach, the mineral pool, and the prairie surroundings make for a family day that's genuinely different from anything else in Canada.
- The mineral concentration is so high that you float effortlessly — three times saltier than the ocean, comparable to the Dead Sea.
- The lake sits in the middle of the Saskatchewan prairies, surrounded by flat farmland — the incongruity is part of the appeal.
- Manitou Beach has been a wellness destination since the early 1900s — the spa's mineral waters drew visitors by rail.
- Prairie sunsets over the alkaline lake turn the mineral-white shore pink and gold.
Perogies and kubasa from the Ukrainian-Canadian kitchens that dot the surrounding prairie towns.
Saskatoon berry pie from Watrous bakeries, purple and sweet.
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