Ladysmith was originally known as Oyster Bay, formed in late 1800s...then came coal mining and logging industries. In 1986 logging industry pulled out, and in 2003 Ladysmith introduced Festival of Lights, which displays thousands of lights, from last Thursday of November till New Year, attracting over 10,000 people in one night and continuing to present day. An official light -up ceremony includes a parade, spaghetti dinner and fireworks.

James Dunsmuir, owner of mines, was laying out his new township of Oyster Harbor in 1900 when he received news that British troops under command of General Buller had broken four month siege of Ladysmith in Natal province, South Africa and decided then that his new town would be named Ladysmith to honor this British victory of Anglo/South African war of 1899 to 1902. Ladysmith was used as a dormitory and recreation complex for miners and their families and as a shipping port for coal from Extension Mines in Nanaimo. It was incorporated in 1904 and town grew rapidly over next few years mostly due to coal industry, but also because of copper excavated from Mount Sicker, which continued 'till 1912. The following year coal miners up and down Island went on strike. Bombs targeted equipment and homes, prevailing for over a year when military was called in and riots were crushed. Ten years later mines were shutting down as demand for coal was dissipating and coal getting harder to find. The areas residents turned to logging and other forms of employment after mines closed in 30s, but in 1933 1000s of trees toppled in a massive windstorm [known as Big Wind] and logging industry was born when Comox Logging & Railway Co used harbor as a shipping port.

Trail Guide: The Holland Creek Loop, The Heart Lake Loop, The Stocking Lake Loop, The Rotary Lookout Trail, The Estuary Trail, The Marine Walk. Developed through collaboration of volunteers, government grants, and staff.

by Margot B,

My wife rode inside. After a tour of city with party music playing whole time, we headed into mountains. We enjoyed fire-juggling entertainers on top of hill, and free hot rum drinks, while looking down on lights of Banos. We even saw Tungurahua spit up some lava. The two-hour experience, including drinks and honor of helping push-start chiva, cost $3 each.

Other Activities in Banos Ecuador

You can go to a nice zoo (bears, birds, tortoises and more), rent an ATV, bicycle to nearby waterfalls or tunnels, party in dozens of bars, buy avocados for 20 cents, see a recent movie in your own private viewing room for $1.50 per person (bring all food and drinks you want) - and almost everything is within a few blocks of any hotel. Did I mention that Banos is beautiful, with a perfect climate year-round?

Baños de Agua Santa, usually just called Baños, is in Andes Mountains, at foot of volcano Tungurahua, in Ecuador, South America. A bus from Quito, eighty miles to north, will cost you less than five dollars.