Bowen Island, British Columbia

Scenic view from one of the higher points on Bowen Island with Vancouver mainland in the background. CREDIT: Venture Vancouver, SOURCE: www.venturevancouver.com

The view from the top of Bowen Island overlooking Snug cove, the Straight of Georgia and Cypress Provincial Park.

STATS

HOURS

RATES

Type:

Activity

Season:

All Seasons

Weather:

Overcast, Sunny, Calm, Not Raining

Time:

6 hours

Cost:

What to bring:

Camera, Sense of Curiosity, Drink

Bowen Island, a small island off the mainland is a popular day trip locale with many interesting and interactive activities. Accessible only by ferry, visitors can drive, bike or walk the Island which has many beaches, hikes and Parks to enjoy.

Six kilometres away from the mainland is Bowen Island, a popular vacation island filled with cabins, deer, beaches, bike trails, parks and forests. Approximately twelve by six kilometres, the island offers a variety of activities - accommodations can be sparse so most people travel to the island for day trips. Shopping choices are also limited as all the general stores, shops and restaurants are locally owned and located near the Sung Cove Ferry terminal and the upper plaza.

It is a perfect blend of small town comfort and beautiful outdoor spaces with the rugged coast - the stone laden beaches are popular spots to overturn rocks to find a cornucopia of sea life such as eels, an assortment of different coloured starfish, crabs and echinoderms. The interior of the island is home to a large park circling the freshwater Killarney Lake. Amongst the cabins and residential homes are many paths some leading to the summit of the island and others to popular trails and lookouts.

The Island supports cycling, jogging, hiking, golf, beach combing and a variety of other activities. Kayaking is a popular way to see the entire shore of the island and its beautiful cabins. Rentals are available in Snug Cove. The summer months see the highest volume of people visiting Bowen Island - people routinely bring bikes onto the ferry and ride through the island during the day and return at night, forfeiting the use of a vehicle to get around this small island.

Not connected by any roadway, the Island's residents and visitors use the Bowen Island Ferry, one of the smallest in the Province's fleet, to transport people from the mainland and back (the ride takes approximately twenty minutes). There is also public mooring for private boats and water taxis that can be taken to visit the Island.

Bowen Island is a familiar place to many movie goers as it has been featured in over two dozen films. Horror enthusiasts will remember it from The Fog, Disturbing Behaviour, as well as the Wickerman and A Tale of Two Sisters.