Pender Island Travel & Tourism Guide

Pender Island is located in the Gulf of Georgia, just north of the American San Juan Islands, and in between Vancouver on the mainland and Sidney and Victoria on Vancouver Island.The largest Southern Gulf Islands are comprised of Galiano Island, Gabriola Island, Mayne Island, Saturna Island, Salt Spring Island and the Pender Islands. These islands are accessible by ferries from both Vancouver (Tsawwassen) and Sidney (Swartz Bay). Airlines also service these islands.Latest Blog Posts: 

2011 Pender Island wall calendar

 

Our new 2011 Pender Island calendar is now available. Featuring 12 beautiful photographs of our favourite island, the Pender Islands calendar would make a perfect Christmas gift. Preview the calendar. 

Roesland, North Pender Island

Roesland, North Pender Island

 

The Pender Islands are made up of North and South Pender Island and are separated by a dredged narrow canal, linked by a one lane bridge. The canal was dredged in the early 1900’s to enable the ferry to travel from Hope Bay on the Pender Islands to Victoria, thus avoiding the treacherous waters off the south point and trimming hours from the trip.South Pender Island is more rural and less populated. Bedwell Harbour, the site of the customs dock and a flourishing marina and resort, is located on South Pender, as are two popular hiking trails, one leading up to Mt. Norman and splendid views and the other following  the canal over to Beaumont Marine Park with its white shell beaches and arbutus headland. 

North Pender Island, with several subdivisions (Magic Lake and Trincomali), has by far the larger population. Here you’ll find a health clinic, an elementary school, a community hall, Driftwood Mall shopping centre, churches, the best second hand shop in the west, a library, and historic Port Washington and Hope Bay, with their government docks and heritage store. 

The Pender Island Guide publishes a monthly email newsletter with Gulf Islands news and stories as well as photography hints and resources.Newsletter subscriber benefits include:

  • a FREE quarterly fine art photograph* by island photographer Kevin Oke,
  • ask a photographer… answers to your questions about photography techniques and locations and,
  • special offers and FREE giveaways including wallpapers, free desktop calendars and more. Sign up today and receive your first fine art photograph immediately.

More Information 

With a permanent population at 2400 and rising, the Pender Islands census triples in summer, with visitors and weekend cottagers arriving to enjoy the sunshine, the beaches, the outdoor activities and the rural lifestyle.Penderites are well known for their community theatre, their arts activities, their fall fair, their crafts and their island grown festivals, of which the New Year’s Lantern Festival is one. Over fifty community groups, from Quilt Makers to Folk Dancers, meet regularly for fun, exercise, support, artistic expression and friendship. 
Pender Island New Year's Lantern Festival

Pender Island New Year's Lantern Festival