 Harbour Air Float Plane, Tourism BC photo
Car Travel The quickest direct route to Chemainus is via the Henry Road exit off the Trans-Canada – a stoplight-controlled intersection about 15 minutes north of Duncan and five minutes south of Ladysmith. Car rentals are not available in Chemainus, but operators are found along the Trans-Canada Highway and in nearby communities. Backroads travellers have a variety of options. From the north, turn left onto Chemainus Road at Ladysmith's Coronation Mall. The route winds through the seaside community of Saltair and reaches town in short order. From Victoria and the south, the earliest access point to the eastern half of the Cowichan Valley is at Kilmalu Road north of Mill Bay. The road winds past wineries, farmgate stands, gary oak ecosystems, lakes and sheltered ocean bays as it links the communities of Cherry Point, Cowichan Bay, Maple Bay, Crofton and onwards to Chemainus. Exits onto Cowichan Bay Road and Herd Road (south and north of Duncan respectively) also merge into this warm lands scenic route. Public Transportation The Cowichan Valley Regional Transit System's Route 6 provides regular daytime passage between Crofton, Chemainus, and Duncan. Greyhound Canada buses make a half-dozen daily stops in town on their way between Victoria and Nanaimo. The Malahat (train 198 in the VIA Rail passenger fleet) stops in Chemainus twice daily: in the morning on its way north to Courtney; and then again in the afternoon while returning south to Victoria. It's ideal for a daytrip of shopping, lunch and a tour of the murals. Ferry Travel BC Ferries provides vehicle and foot passenger service on a frequent basis year-round to terminals in Nanaimo and Schwartz Bay (near Victoria). Island visitors from the US often arrive via the Black Ball Ferry (Port Angeles, WA. to Victoria) or Washington State Ferries (Anacortes, WA. to Sidney). The Chemainus marina and government dock at the end of Oak Street is the ferry departure point to Thetis Island (one of the region's smaller but equally charming southern Gulf Islands) and Kuper Island (a band lands owned by the Penelakut First Nation). Air Travel Harbour Air, the largest all-seaplane company in the world with a fleet of 30 aircraft, offers daily service from Vancouver to Nanaimo's inner harbour (a half-hour north). Flights also arrive and depart from the Maple Bay Marina (10 minutes southeast of town). Nanaimo Airport is 20 km/12 mi north of Chemainus off the Trans-Canada Highway. Air Canada offers a schedule of daily flights to and from Vancouver International Airport. Sea-to-Sky Air, meanwhile, offers flights to Whistler, site of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and other spots on Vancouver Island and coastal BC. Stop by the Chemainus Visitor Centre for more information about transportation options and maps of the area.
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