Botanical Beach Park is on the west coast of Vancouver Island northwest of Victoria. The beach has 251 hectares of forest habitat, but most people visit to see the abundance of intertidal life at low tide. The area is a protected zone, so please leave only footprints and take nothing but photographs away from here.
The area is one of the most amazing places on the entire West Coast. Beachgoers can walk a long way out across flat sandstone and granite outcroppings to view tide pools filled with brightly coloured, incredibly beautiful purple, red and orange starfish and sea urchins, red rock crabs, small fishes, and sea anemones that will take your breath away.
There is one of the most amazing trails that run between Botanical Beach Park and Botany Bay, this trail is got to have the wildest twisted trees you will ever see, my wife and l love walking along this trail. The beaches at either end are absolutely incredible to see, and you will need the whole day to enjoy them both.
The wildlife here is awesome, and the birdlife is something to see, l have seen eagles in the hundreds here along with osprey and hawks, you could see auks and puffins as well. Looking out to sea, you could see grey whales, humpback whales, minke whales, and possibly a pod of our local orcas. There are seals, turtles occasionally, and sea lions here as well. Along the beach are otters, minks and the odd raccoon so keep your eyes open and your camera ready.
Botanical Beach Park is located in Juan de Fuca Provincial Park, near Port Renfrew on the south coast of Vancouver Island. There are 3 other areas in the park: the China Beach Campground, the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, and the China Beach day-use area.