Mayne Island

Mayne Island is one of BC’s Southern Gulf Islands and a great place to hike, check out the local wildlife and enjoy a more relaxed, laidback atmosphere.

PARKS CANADA ON MAYNE ISLAND

Note: Mayne Island is one of several places in the Southern Gulf Islands with national parkland within the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. For details about things to do on this island and others in the region, see the Parks Canada website.

Mayne Island

Of all the islands between Vancouver and Vancouver Island, Mayne Island is one of the most popular ones to visit. It’s right in the middle of the Southern Gulf Islands so a good place from which to make short trips to the rest of the surrounding area.

Mayne Island is a great spot for those who love nature. The population of the island is under 1,500 people, so while it’s definitely not isolated, there’s still plenty of open places to explore outdoors.

Transportation to Mayne Island

There are two main ways to get to Mayne Island. The first (and most common) is by taking BC Ferries. If you’re heading to the island from the Lower Mainland, you depart from Tsawwassen terminal. Those who travel from Vancouver Island leave from Swartz Bay near Victoria.

There are two to five sailings from Tsawwassen each day that stop on Mayne Island, and six to eight from Victoria. Since some of the routes stop at other Gulf Islands along the way, the travel time varies greatly depending on which route you take. A trip from Tsawwassen can take as little as 90 minutes or as much as four hours.

There’s also the option to take a plane. Seair Seaplanes has two daily flights to Mayne Island from Vancouver International Airport in Richmond.

As of the summer of 2024, the cost for two adults to go to Mayne Island together is about $40 by ferry without a car, $115 by ferry with a car, and $360 by plane.

Points of Interest

One of the most popular activities among visitors to Mayne Island is hiking. The island has many trails ranging from flat walks to some real climbs. The highest point on the island is at the top of Mount Parke, which isn’t an actual mountain but more of a large hill. The hilltop does stand over 250 metres above sea level though.

There is also the Japanese Memorial Garden which is located less than 2 km south of Village Bay (where the ferry terminal is). The garden honours the Japanese-Canadian community in BC, who were placed in internment camps during the Second World War. The garden is free to visit and a nice place to spend some time.

Other activities to do on Mayne Island include checking out the local farmers market on Saturday mornings (in the summer) at the Agricultural Hall, kayaking and playing a round or two of disc golf.

Georgina Point on Mayne Island — Georgina Point Lighthouse

Gulf Island National Park Reserve

Two of the best places to check out on Mayne Island are the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve sites. The park is run by Parks Canada and is the closest national park to Vancouver. It covers some or all of over a dozen Gulf Islands and the surrounding waters.

The parts of Mayne Island that are part of the park are Georgina Point on the north end of the island and Bennett Bay on the east coast. Georgina Point is the site of the historic Active Pass Lighthouse which has stood on the island since 1885.

Bennett Bay includes a hiking trail and is also a popular spot for launching kayaks. The kayak route passes by a bunch of much smaller islands before eventually reaching Saturna Island. The area is also popular amongst the local seal and sea lion populations.