Are you yearning for a tropical getaway? Forget the overseas flight and expensive plane ticket — you can get a taste of the tropics right here in Beautiful British Columbia.
Just a road trip from Vancouver is a breathtaking lake with bright blue-green waters and pristine soft sand that seem more suited to the Caribbean than the True North. This hidden gem is one of the most beautiful lakes in B.C. and is just a few hours away in Vernon, B.C.
Kalamalka Lake is a unique, colour-changing lake in B.C.’s Okanagan Valley with turquoise waters that you could easily mistake for tropical.
According to BC Parks, the lake is one of a handful of unique bodies of water known as marl lakes.
Marl is a calcium carbonate-rich deposit that changes with temperature. In the summer, when it’s warm, calcium carbonate, or limestone, forms crystals in the lake that reflect sunlight, giving the water a distinctive blue and green colour and an almost milky look.
The lake is one of Canada’s few marl lakes, the largest of which is located in Manitoba at Little Limestone Lake Provincial Park.
As this isn’t a glacial lake, you can expect the waters to be a bit warmer here than at other B.C. swimming spots.
You can take a dip in the warm, clear water, or even try your hand at surfing with the local wakesurf school.
The lake is in Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park, about a five-hour drive from Vancouver, and it has 14 kilometres of hiking trails that provide access to beaches and viewpoints.
Kal Beach, which is said to be the most popular beach on the lake, offers “pristine soft sand,” picnic tables and lots of shade for a relaxing day by the water.
If you’d rather be a bit more active, the 1-kilometre Crest Trail to Rattlesnake Point is an easy hike with a great payoff. From there, you’ll have incredible views of the lake.
There are also opportunities for stand-up paddleboarding, canoeing, kayaking, waterskiing and mountain biking in the park.
It’s also a great spot for birdwatchers, with canyon wren, white-throated swift, Western screech owl and flammulated owl all calling the park home.
Just watch your step — you’ll find a variety of reptiles here, including pacific rubber boa, western rattlesnakes, western yellow-bellied racers, gopher snakes, garter snakes, western painted turtles, Great Basin spadefoot toads and northern alligator lizards.
The park is open year-round and a day-use pass isn’t required to visit. There’s tons to do in the area of Vernon, including the Okanagan Science Centre, Historic O’Keefe Ranch as well as a number of wineries.
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.
This article has been updated since it was originally published on August 8, 2023.
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