Shawnigan Lake

Shawnigan Lake is a village and a summer lake recreation destination located in the South Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The region is an area full of lake scenery dotted by neighbourhhoods of summer cottages, rustic cabins and year round elegant homes.

The fresh water lake during the sunshine months is a popular area for activities like swimming, water skiing, jet skiing, canoeing, cycling and kayaking.

Everywhere, there are boats, canoes and kayaks tied up to docks and private piers. Close by are tubes and water skies stacked high one on top of another. Further down the shoreline people are swimming and suntanning on a beach.

The village centre servicing the area is small and quaint. On one end of the village is a general store and Mason's Beach. Masons Beach is a popular public sandy beach with a logged off swimming area. Many people swim out to the logs. Some try to walk the logs. Most fall right back into the lake.

On the south side of the village are most of the services in the area. The small village centre includes services like a gas station, general store, coffee shop, bistros, specialty services and some retail stores.

Located on the shores of the lake, away from the village, is a private school, a fine dining restaurant and a pub. Scattered throughout the Shawnigan Lake area are unique accommodations servicing travelers like bed and breakfasts and cottages.

There are a few parks in the Shawnigan Lake area. On the shores of the lake are the West Shawnigan Lake Provincial Park and Old Mill Park. On the south side of the lake, a short paddle away, is the Memory Island Provincial Park. A great spot for a picnic, swimming and wildlife watching.

How to Get to Shawnigan Lake

From Victoria travel north on Highway #1 to the community of Mill Bay in the South Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. In Mill Bay look for the Shawnigan Lake (Mill Bay Road) Exit. Turn west and follow the road for 6 kilometres to Shawnigan Lake.