When you think about visiting Canada images of igloos and snowmen may fill your head, but what some fail to remember is that Canada is home to the temperate rain-forest of BC that has some of the most beautiful islands in the world making it not only an iconic winter paradise, but a prime summer destination as well.
There are countless islands to explore along the coast of BC, but the one we’ll discuss here is known as Galiano Island.
Welcome to Galiano
Being one of many Southern Gulf Islands in BC, Galiano offers a true oasis and escape from city life in the neighbouring communities of Vancouver, Victoria, and beyond. Accessible by ferry this island remains connected to the outside world while maintaining a quiet way of life among its ~1400 residents. One appealing aspect about the gulf islands is that there are no franchises or big brand names dominating them; everything is kept local.
This is the Sturdies Bay ferry terminal on Galiano Island. Click on any image to make it bigger.
So you’ll have to survive without your Walmart, Starbucks, Mcdonalds, or any other typical giant you can think of, and embrace the fresh ingredients of the island itself. Trust me when I say this is a great thing to do! Part of experiencing a place like Galiano is trying new things and tasting the vivid flavours of farm to table dining.
Local shopping area close to the ferry terminal.
People operate on “island time” here meaning that the general pace of things is slower than what you may be used to in the city. Although Galiano is accessible via BC Ferries, the ferry times for this route between Tsawwassen and Sturdies Bay are very limited. Be careful when making your booking to check whether the sailing you’re looking at is a direct sailing or if it makes stop overs at other destinations first (Victoria, Salt Spring Island, Saturna Island). This could potentially make a difference of several HOURS so keep your eyes peeled and triple check to make sure your adventure to Galiano goes as smoothly as possible.
A direct sailing from Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Galiano (Sturdies Bay) takes 55mins and goes by in a flash.
Galiano Island Books
When you dock at the Sturdies Bay ferry terminal you’ll be delighted to find a hub of shops, cafes, and more. One of the shops we thoroughly enjoyed popping into was Galiano Island Books. We love visiting book shops while discovering new places, and this one did not disappoint! Their selection of titles is impressive, and their shop is nicely laid out with a kids corner and a partially outdoor section for people to browse in natural skylight.
Browsing books and knickknacks in a naturally illuminated space feels so good. I hope you get the chance to explore this charming place! It’s located adjacent to the Sturdies Bay ferry terminal along Madrona Rd, and is near a couple cafes, a gas station, grocery store, and the Galiano Oceanfront Inn and Spa (to name a few).
Getting Around
A great place to check out on Galiano is Montague Harbour not only because it’s beautiful, but also because you can find scooter rentals here! Mopeds and ebikes to be exact. All the information is given on Galiano Adventures website linked above. Something like a moped rental could be just the thing to make your trip extra memorable and fun, but we decided to go in a slightly different direction. (It could be cheaper and arguably just as fun as what we went with!)
- Moped rental = $22/hr with a 2hr minimum.
- Ebike rental = $70/4hrs or $15/hr for a booking of more than 4hrs.
The rates vary depending on how long you’d like to rent for, what day of the week it is, as well as how many people are in your party. Remember that any rental of this kind (vehicle) requires a refundable deposit that in this case can be up to $1000, so make sure to have a reliable credit card on hand when making your booking. If you have any questions or want to learn more, check out Galiano Adventures informative website here.
We had a grand time getting around Galiano in a smart car rental from Galiano Oceanfront Inn & Spa. Here you may see people wandering around in white bathrobes which makes it feel a little bit like a TV moment if you’ve never spent time at a spa before. At the spa you’ll also be able to access Atrevida Restaurant and their Pizza Patio which both have glowing reviews. The restaurant is on the ‘high end’ of the dining spectrum, and is a popular choice for newbies to the island who are looking for a fine dining experience.
But I digress, the front desk at the spa will be who to speak to about the smart car rental if you’re interested. They currently have three in their fleet, which they’re pretty proud of. We were told the rates are as follows (subject to change):
- $45.00 /half day (~4 hours).
- $80.00/full day (~8 hours).
Make sure to re-fill the gas tank before returning your rental. By the way, we went just before 1pm to make our booking and the lady at the desk was kind enough to offer to extend our full day rental until the next morning (since the front desk closes at 5pm) at no added cost. Something to keep in mind.
Having the smart car to zip around in makes for easier travel while on Galiano as there is no public bus system in place, and it’s cheaper than paying to bring your own vehicle with you on the ferry. Did you know that in a smart car the dashboard is smaller, so the ignition is actually between the driver and passenger seats. Despite this we did feel it was quite spacious. Also did I forget to mention that the smart cars along with the spa and restaurant are just around the corner from the Sturdies Bay ferry terminal, making it a convenient option to seriously consider.
The Market
This market functions as a gourmet grocery store, and is a great place to pick up some essentials or a treat. It’s on your way to Montague Harbour from Sturdies Bay, and is across the street from a corner store and some independent shops and attractions. We enjoyed a couple of root beers here before continuing on our adventures.
“The Market” is also known as Daystar Market, open 9am-6pm everyday.
Foodie Alert
The Oxeye Bakery in Sturdies Bay provides a relaxed atmosphere to regroup, hatch your traveling plans, and enjoy some delectable baked goods. Their menu reflects their utilization of natural ingredients and exudes creativity. We enjoyed a ‘fig yogurt cake’ while there (where else offers something like that?) and hope to visit again soon so we can try more of their unique and delicious products. The space itself feels clean, bright, and cozy with natural light and lots of seating options indoor and out.
Yes there’s two forks here, your eyes aren’t tricking you!
We also thoroughly enjoyed The Crane and Robin Restaurant in Montague Harbour during our stay on Galiano. The food here is wonderfully colourful, fresh, abundant, and delicious. 100% recommended for those of us who value top quality natural ingredients as well as top notch tastiness. We were happy to be seated on their outdoor deck overlooking Montague Harbour. The staff here were super friendly and even gave us some suggestions on where we should go next during our time on the island.
The rare seared albacore tuna in my sandwich is hidden by three juicy slices of tomato. Everything was so delicious! I usually don’t order a salad as my side, but I had a feeling this place would make it worth it, and I’m so glad I followed my instincts on this one.
Places to Explore
Morning Beach
While exploring Morning Beach on the east side of Galiano, you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of Vancouver from across the Strait of Georgia. This beach gets the most sun in the morning, hence it’s fitting name. The rock formations look as though at one point a giant must have carved moons into them with spoons of every size. The small hollows of the rocks that we happily walked across strike me as a wonder of nature.
It’s not a sandy beach by any means, but it is a great place to explore and enjoy views of the pacific ocean while ferries gracefully sail by. When we visited Morning Beach we didn’t encounter a single soul, although we did go in the evening so that may have been working in our favour.
A Hidden Cave
There is a breathtaking alcove made of sandstone that is a great place to get photos and appreciate the unique nature of this island. Locals know it as a sea cave on what is private property, but it doesn’t lead anywhere. Yes, it’s technically on private property so be mindful while you are here to be respectful and extra cautious to be kind to the environment around you. Located in Retreat Cove, this sandstone cave is a tourist favourite.
Bellhouse Provincial Park
This park is beautiful and offers the perfect vantage point to see the Sturdies Bay ferry terminal in one direction, and Mayne Island in the other. Visiting this place near sunset felt nothing short of magical. It could be a perfect place for a picnic, or just an opportunity to take it all in.
Isn’t it gorgeous!?!
Montague Harbour Marine Provincial Park
Another beach to visit was suggested to us by our server at The Crane and Robins Restaurant, but for the life of me I can’t remember what it was called! However, it’s easy to find by going to Montague Harbour Marine Provincial Park which also hosts a campground that backs onto the parking for this elusive beach whose name evades me. This beach and provincial park are gorgeous (they’re one in the same).
The water is on the blue-er, more clear side which also means it’s freezing but oh so beautiful. You’ll see sailboats peppered throughout and white shells in the place of sand. One of my favourite parts of any gulf island or place in BC for that matter, is the stunning forest trails you witness while exploring them. This provincial park is no exception, especially when the sun filters through the layers of leaves and branches, *swoon.
There are out houses at this park.
Bluffs Park
Okay this was possibly my favourite part of Galiano, so naturally I’ve saved it for last. The park stretches out along the coastline, and is easily accessible via Highland Rd. The trails leading up to the lookout are moderate in difficulty (a gradual incline) so depending on your comfort zone you may want to bring your favourite hiking gear. Use “Bluffs Park Lookout” when searching in your maps app for the location. There are a lot of beautiful spots in this area.
Your efforts are rewarded ten fold when you see Active Pass where five ferry routes operate all through the day. Watching ferries pass each other is oddly satisfying. The view is truly spectacular. You have gulf islands and ocean sprawled out in front of you in a beautiful mosaic, you couldn’t ask for a prettier vantage point. Needless to say I highly recommend doing this hike while visiting Galiano, you won’t regret it!
Safe Travels
Well, I hope this post has answered some of the questions you may have had about Galiano. It’s just one of many Gulf Islands, but it’s a good place to begin your island hopping adventures. BC is a treasure trove of beautiful places like this one, making it a great place to visit year-round.
Thoughts to Writings 