How to get to Pender Island

Planning your first visit to Pender Island and not quite sure how to get here? Tucked between Vancouver and Vancouver Island in the Salish Sea, Pender Island may seem remote, but it’s surprisingly accessible by ferry, floatplane, or even your own boat.

Whether you’re arriving on two wheels or four or by foot, there’s a route that will get you to Otter Bay and fired up to explore the rest of the island. This guide covers everything you need to know about getting to Pender Island, as well as a few tips for getting around once you arrive.

Let the Pender Island adventure begin!

Everything You Need to Know About Taking The Ferry to Pender Island 

BC Ferries operates several ferry routes to and from Pender Island. The island’s ferry terminal is located at Otter Bay on North Pender Island. All ferry routes accommodate pedestrian traffic (known as walk-ons) as well as bikes, motorcycles, vehicles, and even larger RVs and boat trailers. 

There is daily service from Vancouver (Tsawwassen) and Vancouver Island (Swartz Bay), as well as less direct routes between the other Gulf Islands. 

• From Vancouver: The ferry takes anywhere from 70 minutes to 140 minutes, depending on the number of stops it makes along the way. (There is even a sailing where you’ll need to switch ferries on Mayne.)
• From Victoria: A direct route from Swartz Bay is only 45 minutes, while the “milk run” takes 2.5 hours. Again, it all depends on how many other islands the ferry hits before Otter Bay.

Confused? The specifics for each route are detailed on the BC Ferries Online Schedule, or you can give them a call for booking assistance (1-888-223-3779).

Ferry schedules are prone to change and modified seasonally. However, regardless of the time of year, if you are driving to Pender Island, it is essential to plan ahead. And this becomes critical during the summer months.

While there are more frequent sailings during the busy season, it’s still highly recommended to book your reservation well in advance to ensure you arrive at Pender on time and avoid any sailing waits. (Reservations are not required for passengers and bikes.)

Head to the BC Ferries website for the most up-to-date schedule — and don’t forget to book your return trip while you are at it!

How To Get to Pender Island By Bike & Foot

Many of the Gulf Islands (Pender included) are set up for sustainable travel. Pender Island is a popular destination for walkers and cyclists because of its quiet, winding roads and established hitchhiking system. 

To get to Pender by pedal or foot power, you’ll need to make your way to either the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal in Vancouver or Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island. On both sides, there are regular public transit operating routes, making it easy and affordable to reach the ferry terminals from each city.

BC Ferries recommends that you arrive 30 to 90 minutes before departure time. In the busier months, the more time, the better, so you aren’t left rushing to the gate. Keep an ear out for the terminal announcements to hear when your specific ferry is loading. Walk-ons and cyclists typically load first (BC Ferries staff will direct you).

While onboard, listen for the announcements! There may be more than one stop, and you’ll want to make sure you heed the call for Otter Bay to avoid missing your destination! If you’ve slept your way through the stop, it’s a long way round if you have to make your way back.

When you land on Pender, follow the BC Ferries staff’s directions about when to disembark. You will get off on the vehicle decks with the cars, and bikes are often asked to wait until the vehicles have disembarked to prevent traffic jams on the island’s roads.

How To Get to Pender Island by Vehicle

If you are driving to Pender Island from the Vancouver side, follow Highway 17 to the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal. 

From the Vancouver Island side, you’ll also need to take Highway 17, this time towards the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal.

Again, if you are driving to Pender, it’s always recommended to make a reservation, and this is especially true on weekends and during the summer months. At peak travel times, you could face a multi-sailing wait if you arrive at the terminal without a reservation.

Plan to arrive at the terminal 30 to 90 minutes before your scheduled departure. If you are driving from Vancouver or Victoria, be sure to factor in traffic and rush hour!  BC Ferries does not honour reservations if you arrive within that 30-minute window before departure. If you arrive late, there is a risk you will miss the boat and be out the reservation cost.

When you arrive, follow the signs to the designated ticket booth and then to the numbered lane indicated on your ticket. You may also be asked to display a paper on your dash for “Otter Bay.”

Listen closely to the terminal announcements, and be ready when they announce your vessel is loading.

How To Get to Pender Island by Plane

You can definitely fly to Pender from both Vancouver and Victoria with one of the area’s seaplane service providers.

SeaAir provides regular service from their Richmond Terminal (Near YVR and Vancouver), while Harbour Air offers charter services from across the Salish Sea.

How To Get to Pender Island by Boat

Travelling on your own boat? Pender Island offers four main moorage options: Bedwell Harbour, Hope Bay, Port Browning Harbour, and Port Washington. 

Poets Cove Marina in Bedwell Harbour is one of the most popular places to tie up on Pender. Owned by Poets Cove Resort, this marina offers easy access to the spa and restaurant and 100 deep water slips and can accommodate boats up to 100 feet long. It also hosts the region’s Canadian Customs office.

Hope Bay, on the south side of Navy Channel, provides about 150 feet of dock space (mostly used by locals) with limited room for visiting boats. There are also a few mooring buoys and anchorage. It’s well-served in summer, with amenities like a restaurant, gallery, and National Park office, though it’s exposed to easterly winds in winter. 

Port Browning Harbour, west of Razor Point on Plumper Sound, offers 120 feet of public float space. Again, it’s often full of resident vessels, but visitors can raft up or anchor nearby. The adjacent private marina offers additional guest moorage and is within walking distance to Pender’s equivalent of a downtown, The Driftwood Centre. 

Port Washington, at the northwest tip of North Pender, features approximately 200 feet of dock space across two floats. While some space is reserved for emergency and service vessels, visiting boaters are welcome to raft up or use available space. 

Find out more about boating in the Southern Gulf Islands here.

How To Get Around Pender Island 

Foot Traffic

If you are walking off the ferry and don’t have someone picking you up at Otter Bay, you have a few options. First, you can book a taxi with the friendly island taxi service, Lighting Taxi.

Second, you can stick out your thumb and take advantage of the island’s formalized hitchhiking network. While there are never any guarantees about who’ll be able to pick you up or when, the island does have formalized hitchhiking stops (like bus stops) across the island. As a reminder, hitchhiking is at your own risk.

Cyclists

You’ll likely be let off the ferry after the vehicles in order to prevent congestion. Pender Island’s roads, while pleasantly free from busy city traffic, are still narrow with few to no shoulders. This can make it very difficult for cars to pass bikes.

Expect hills and paved winding roads with no shoulder, but generally quiet biking, especially as you get off the main routes across the island. Make sure to wear bright colours and have functioning lights for when it gets dark, because the Gulf Islands don’t have streetlights!

Vehicles

Use Google Maps or pick up a map onboard the ferry to make your way around Pender. From one end of the island to the other, it’s roughly a 30-minute trip, so take your time and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Drive slow, and keep your eyes peeled for deer and cyclists on the island’s roads, especially after dark.

FAQs

What Is a Thru-Fare?

Trying to get to Pender from Vancouver and don’t see a route that fits your schedule? Travel like a local and take the Thru-Fare route! This route means you’ll be taking not one but two ferries! First, take the direct ferry from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay (95 minutes), and then catch the next ferry from Swartz Bay to Pender Island (times vary).

You can book a Thru-Fare at the terminals or by calling their customer service line: (1-888-223-3779). You cannot book Thru-Fare tickets online.

Do the Ferries Have Food and Drinks?

Yes! All but the shortest inter-island routes have food for purchase on board the vessels. The larger ferries will have a full cafeteria serving hot food and snacks, while the smaller ships will have a cafe with pre-prepared goodies and drinks. 

Can I Take My Dog on the Ferry?

Yes! You can take dogs on the ferry, but they must remain in your vehicle or in the designated pet area. They are not allowed to enter the passenger areas unless they are registered service animals.

How Much Does the Ferry to Pender Cost?

The best way to confirm BC Ferries prices is directly on their website (check out their Fare Calculator), as prices are prone to change without notice. But that doesn’t mean we can’t offer a few rough estimates of ticket prices.

Walk-Ons and Bikes: Depending on the route you are travelling, you can expect to pay upwards of $20 (there is no extra charge for bikes). 

Vehicles: Costs range widely depending on size, route, and number of passengers, but as a starting point, you can expect to pay roughly $100 for two people and one regularly sized vehicle traveling from Vancouver. Costs between the Gulf Islands are significantly less expensive.

And don’t forget! The nice thing about travelling with BC Ferries is that you often do not pay (or pay much less) to leave the island.

How Long Does the Ferry Take to Pender Island?

It all depends on where you’re coming from and what route you’re taking! From Vancouver, expect a travel time of 90 to 140 minutes, depending on how many other islands the vessel stops at. From Victoria, the trip can take just 45 minutes to two and a half hours, depending on the other stops along the way.