Getting There --The Cowichan Valley is about a 45-minute drive north of Victoria along the Island Highway (Hwy. 1), which includes the notorious Malahat Drive. The Malahat is a narrow, winding, steep stretch of mountain road that runs along the edge of a plunging cliff; it is as deadly a drive as it is beautiful, so stay alert. Bus tours run from Victoria to the Cowichan, and there is Greyhound bus service as well (tel. 800/661-8747; www.greyhound.ca); however, to really make the most of this area, you will want a car.

Visitor Information -- The Tourism Victoria Information Centre (tel. 800/663-3883 or 250/953-2033; www.tourismvictoria.com) has loads of info on the Cowichan, but you can get still more details directly from Tourism Cowichan (tel. 888/303-3337 or 250/746-4636; www.cvrd.bc.ca).

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