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CHEMAINUS is the "Little Town That Did", as the billboards for miles around never stop telling you. Its mysterious achievement was the creation of its own tourist attraction, realized when the closure of the local sawmill - once amongst the world's largest - threatened the place with almost overnight extinction. In 1983 the town's worthies commissioned an artist to paint a huge mural - Steam Donkey at Work - recording the area's local history. This proved so successful that some 40 panels quickly followed, drawing some 300,000 visitors annually to admire the artwork and tempting them to spend money in local businesses as they did. As murals go, these are surprisingly good, and if you're driving it's worth the short, well-signed diversion off Hwy 1. You might also want to drop in on the Chemainus Valley Museum , 9799 Waterwheel Crescent (March-May & Nov-Dec Wed-Sun 10am-3pm; June-Oct daily 10am-6pm; donation), a community-run museum of local history with displays on logging, mills and pioneer life. Ironically enough, a new sawmill has now opened, though this has done nothing to deter the welcome influx of resident painters and craftspeople attracted by the murals, a knock-on effect that has done much to enliven the village's pleasant community feel. Buses also detour here on the run up to Nanaimo (tel 246-3354 for details), and the train drops you slap-bang next to a mural. You can also pick up a ferry from Chemainus to the small islands of Kuper and Thetis (both $5 for foot passengers, $12.75 for cars). There's a summer-only infocentre in town at 9796 Willow St (May to early Sept daily 9am-6pm; tel 246-3251, www.tourism.chemainus.bc.ca ). If you fancy staying - the village's cosy waterside setting is nicer than either Duncan or Nanaimo - it's worth booking ahead, as the village's increasing popularity means the local hotel and half a dozen or so B&Bs are in heavy demand in summer. For motel accommodation, try the Fuller Lake Chemainus Motel , 9300 Trans-Canada Hwy (tel 246-3282 or 1-888/246-3255; $60-80). The best B&B is the pretty Bird Song Cottage , 9909 Maple St (tel 246-9910, birdsong@island.net ; $100-125). There's also a tiny youth hostel at 3040 Henry Rd (tel 246-4407; up to $40), about 2km north of town off the Ladysmith road (they can pick you up from the village); there's a kitchen and showers, but you're supposed to bring your own sleeping bag. The choice of campsites is between the Chemainus Gardens RV Park , 3042 River Rd, 1km east of Hwy 1, set in 37 acres of natural forest with separate tenting area, laundry and showers (tel 246-3569 or 1-800/341-5060; $15-25), or the larger Country Maples Campground , 9010 Trans-Canada Hwy (tel 246-2078; $21-29; April-Oct) in sixty acres of open and treed parkland 16km north of Duncan above the Chemainus River with showers, laundry and pool. About 5km south of the village on the river is the quiet Bald Eagle Campsite , 8705 Chemainus Rd (tel 246-9457; $16-20). All manner of dinky little cafes, shops and tearooms are springing up across the village: for food , try the Upstairs Downstairs Cafe , 9745 Willow St, with cheap, varied dishes including several good vegetarian options, or the Waterford Inn & Restaurant , five minutes north of the village centre at 9875 Maple St (tel 246-1046).
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