Northwest Island Life

When you think of the word ‘island,’ something like the hot & sunny, white sand beaches near Mexico or the Caribbean can come to mind. But in the Pacific Northwest, we have different kind of island. They’re usually full of lush forests surrounding beaches, lakes, and mountains. Most islands near Vancouver are short trips and Bowen Island is one of the shortest - only a 20-minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay. All in all, just about an hour from downtown Vancouver.

The ferry ride docks at Snug Cove - the quaint town centre of Bowen Island. There’s a bunch of charming, cozy shops and restaurants that line the main street here. One of my favorites is Shika Provisions: a Japanese-style eatery with some of the freshest, tastiest rice bowls I’ve ever had. It’s the perfect meal to fuel up for a day hike around the island.

Just a few steps beyond the main road of shops and restaurants is the entrance to the main trail to Killarney Lake. When you start on the path, you’re pretty much right in the middle of nature - full of tall trees, flowers, ferns, and birds chirping all around. There’s also this cool spot with a couple of trees that were struck by lightning, where you can walk inside and almost be fully enveloped by them.