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GETTING TO HORNBY ISLAND
During our Vancouver Island getaway in June 2023, we were staying at an AirBnb in Parksville, British Columbia and decided to take a day trip to Hornby Island. I wanted to experience Tribune Bay Beach, which was recently named one of the most beautiful beaches in Canada.
Route: Buckley Bay (Vancouver Island) to Denman Island Ferry Terminal (West) to Shingle Split Ferry Terminal (Hornby Island)
From Buckley Bay (east coast of Vancouver Island), we were charged just over $100 for a round trip which included our car and three passengers. Note that even though the ferry rides are ten minutes each, the entire trip from Buckley Bay to the Hornby Island ferry terminal still took over an hour and a half. This is because we still had to drive between the ferry terminals and wait for each ferry to arrive. If it’s a busy day, then you might not make it onto the ferry and have to wait for the next one.
I would highly recommend going to Hornby Island as early as possible, especially during the summer when it is very busy. Ferries start as early as 7am. From Buckley Bay to Denman Island, the ferry only housed 21 cars, so we didn’t make it onto the first ferry we were aiming for. From Denman Island to Hornby Island, the ferry was a bit bigger and fit 44 cars.
FORAGE FARM & KITCHEN
When we arrived on Hornby Island, we were very hungry and beelined for Forage Farm & Kitchen. This restaurant is located within the co-op area with a free parking lot in the back, and conveniently within walking distance to Tribune Bay Beach. Farmhouse serves a range of foods, including breakfast dishes, salads and sandwiches. The bowls were delicious and filling! I enjoyed the Vietnamese Salad with pork belly and my boyfriend had the peanut noodles. After lunch, we walked about fifteen minutes to get to Tribune Bay Beach.
TRIBUNE BAY BEACH
When driving to Tribune Bay Beach, I would recommend parking a little bit further in a free lot if possible and walking to the beach from there. We noticed that many parking lots were full when we arrived after noon, and lots of people were parking on the side of the road in non-designated spots.
When we visited Hornby Island, it was a bit overcast so the water didn’t look as blue as the photos you see in tourist ads. However, it was still a beautiful beach with the softest and whitest sand that I’ve ever experienced in Canada. The water was relatively warm too, which was great for swimming. We enjoyed laying out on the sand for a few hours and tanning. When we were there, the tide was far out so we were able to go for a long walk on the beach. When the tide comes in, I’ve seen locals chilling on big rocks.
GETTING BACK
Route: Shingle Split Ferry Terminal (Hornby Island) to Denman Island Ferry Terminal (West) to Buckley Bay (Vancouver Island)
The last ferry leaving Hornby Island is at 6pm and to ensure that we weren’t left behind, we arrived at the ferry terminal an hour beforehand. Because we arrived early enough, thankfully we were one of the first vehicles in line and got onto the ferry without any issues. While we were waiting, we were informed by a BC Ferries staff member that they actually would never leave anyone behind! The ferry staff would’ve made an extra trip to bring passengers to Denman Island as long as they arrived before 6pm. Overall this little island was very beautiful and quaint, and I wish we had gone earlier to spend more time there.
