Sunshine Coast
A mainland coast with no road connection to the rest of the mainland, reached only by ferry.
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The Sunshine Coast is a strip of mainland British Columbia that mountains and inlets cut off from the road network, so despite being on the mainland it can only be reached by ferry, and a second ferry is needed halfway along to continue north. Highway 101 runs about one hundred and eighty kilometres from Langdale to Lund, which is the northern end of a highway that begins in Chile. Gibsons was the setting for the long-running television series The Beachcombers. The coast is drier and sunnier than Vancouver, which is where the name comes from, and the sheltered water suits kayaking and diving.
What you actually see
- The ferry-only access - mainland coast reachable only by boat.
- Lund - the northern terminus of Highway 101.
- Gibsons - the harbour town of The Beachcombers.
- The sheltered water - inlets and coves for kayaking and diving.
When to go
May to September; the coast is quiet and wet in winter with reduced ferries. Summer weekend ferry queues at Horseshoe Bay can cost a sailing or two, so reservations help.
Honest expectations
Two ferries are needed to see the whole coast and they cost time and money. Summer sailings fill and reservations are advisable. Services thin out considerably north of Sechelt.
Nearby
Skookumchuck Narrows lies north; Princess Louisa Inlet is beyond it.
What to pack for Sunshine Coast
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.