Bowen Island is truly a must-see if you ever visit the west coast! It is accessible by a 20min ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay terminal which will drop you off at your destination: Snug Cove. The island is home to cafes, restaurants, gift shops, and hiking trails, and is full of incredible photo opportunities and beautiful nature. We were fortunate enough to take a day trip over in May 2021 and were surprised at how well-established everything felt. This isn’t your ordinary tiny island!
The first few images below are from the perspective of Horseshoe Bay, then there are views from the ferry to Bowen Island.
When you step off (or drive off) the ferry to Bowen, adjacent to the ferry is a pier that offers different food vendors and a small clothing/souvenir shop as well as a great view and photo opt. We got to try the tacos at an island favourite, Branch. Much more than meets the eye, Branch is an ice cream parlor, boutique, and taco shack, three in one! A great first or last stop on your Bowen adventure, with everything being of high quality yet affordable.
One of my favourite things about Bowen is that all of the businesses there are LOCAL. No franchises or big brands like Walmart or Starbucks for as far as the eye can see. Everything is unique and heartfelt, even the fact that they proudly have the smallest candy store in the world! Candy in the Cove is a beloved shop by all who stop by and is an easy walk from the Snug Cove ferry terminal.
Their limited floor space is made up for by maximized wall shelving and manages to store a ton of sweet collections. An adorable and well-frequented destination in its own right, Candy in the Cove will have you feeling like a kid again. It’s easy to lose track of time while gazing at their colourful displays of candy, but there’s still more to see on Bowen!
Another local business that you should hit up while visiting Bowen is a funky boutique called The Real Rapunzel. We were so happy to happen across this unique shop that has some of the best customer services we have ever experienced. If you’re wanting to have a meaningful chat with an islander and learn a little about local life, stop into The Real Rapunzel!
This is what we experienced when visiting the modest but impressive store. The lady who owns it will leave you to quietly browse but is also happy to answer any of your questions genuinely. The shop offers lots of artistic souvenirs including but not limited to aprons, coasters, mugs, oven mitts, magnets, stickers, sunglasses, soap, and honestly so much more that I can’t remember. Everything in the store is locally designed and/or crafted. To access this cute shop, you have to be able to climb a flight of external stairs but trust me it’s worth it!
If you visit the island in the spring as we did, you will be delighted to see ducklings and goslings at every turn. There is a lovely waterway known as Killarney Creek within walking distance from the ferry that is home to many geese, ducks, and their little ones. We even got to meet a friendly neighborhood cat while in this area! The nature and “wildlife” of Bowen is comforting and beautiful to see.
On the other side of the ferry from where Branch is, there is a public reading nook on the Snug Cove Dock. We were ambitious enough to bring our Yoga mats with us on this trip and actually managed to find a semi-private place outside to do our activity.
If we can do it, so can you. Described in this post are just a few modest highlights from our trip to Bowen, there is so much more to see for yourself. Take a gander at Google Maps and you’ll find yourself intrigued by what Bowen has to offer. Please let me know via the contact page if you have any questions!
The images below begin with the public reading nook beside the ferry, followed by a few nameless memories of sights that may further encourage you to visit Bowen Island 🙂
Thoughts to Writings 