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It may seem like Canadian vacations are limited to big cities, with the exception of a few small charmers north of Maine.
But we’re here to tell you that Canadians aren’t just good at whipping up every maple concoction known to man and beating the living, you know what, of each other on ice.
Apparently they’re good at keeping secrets too!
Rarely would you put “Hawaii” and “Canada” in the same sentence, and that’s because one of the country’s most important hidden gems has remained quiet..until now.
Far removed from the hustle and bustle of Toronto, the culture of Montreal and the impeccable beauty of Vancouver lies what has been dubbed the “Hawaii” of Canada – and it’s the real deal.
No, you won’t find luaus or surfboards here – but the beaches are pristinewith white sand and aquamarine water.
Hornby Island is the ‘Hawaii’ of Canada
Hornby is one of the Canadian Gulf Islands. To that I say: who knew Canada has Gulf Islands?
The more you know…
Hornby is considered the crown jewel of the bunch, but it doesn’t exude any Honolulu vibe at all. In fact, it’s fair to say that it’s more comparable to Lanai, a real Hawaiian island that few tourists get to see.
Without flashy resorts, no shaka-flashy surfers and certainly no expensive mai tais, this remote spot offers the same postcard scenery without the crowds ruining your photos.
It’s a polka dot paradise waiting to be discovered by the masses, although locals have been coming here for years to kickstart their summers.
Tribune Bay is without a doubt the showstopper of the island – a vast half-mile of soft, sugar-white sand that glides into clear, turquoise water that looks just like it was flown in from the Caribbean.
Completing the scene further are the dramatic sandstone formations that frame the bay, which also separate the most popular beach, Big Tribune, from the unofficial clothing-optional area known as Little Tribune – a name that seems too on the nose for a nudist section, especially since the waters are not known to be cold.
Hey, we don’t ask questions…
Immerse yourself in the wild side of Canada
Let’s face it: Canada’s ‘wild side’ stretches far and wide, but not like this…
Like we said, “Hawaii” and “Canada” rarely go together, but beaches in general are not synonymous with the North either.
Hornby is packed with beautiful beachesnot just the Big Grandstand and the poorly named nudist beach.
According to Explore, these 4 beaches really feel undiscovered, with the caveat that they are less ‘Hawaiian’:
- Mushroom beach
- Sandpiper beach
- Fossil beach
- Pebble beach
Not to mention the wooded side of the island.
There are miles of tree-lined trails with rapid surges of the sea through dense forests if you stay on the coastal side.
Can you stay on the island?
While there are no towering high-rises like Waikiki, there are a handful of cozy places to stay that make Hornby a vacation destination in its own right.
The aforementioned Sandpiper Beach is the best spot if you ask us.
The waterfront Beach Retreat Sandpiper hasn’t received a bad review on Google yet, only rave reviews, such as one guest exclaiming: “By far the best holiday home we have stayed in on Hornby!”.
If you want a real treat (literally), make sure you hop to the other side of the island Ford’s Cove storefor an old fashioned shop that does golden fish and chips that would be as good as a London pub.
Come here
We’re not going to sugarcoat it – Hornby can be quite a trek to get to, and that’s one of the main reasons why it still feels like a secret escape.
This isn’t a ‘fly-in, pack your bags and you’re on the beach in 20 minutes’ style island getaway.
Several ferries are involved.
Explore explained this best by saying, “The fastest and easiest way to get there is by plane, arriving at Comox Valley Airport (YQQ), which is just half an hour away by car and ferry. The drive from Vancouver International Airport (YVR), the nearest major hub, takes about 5 hours.”
That trip involves 3 different ferries, for perspective. There is one across the Salish Sea to Nanaimo, another from Vancouver Island to Denman Island, and a final stretch from Denman to Hornby.
It’s a lot, but we promise it’s worth it.
How safe is Canada now?
Another thing we can do almost The promise is that you won’t feel safer anywhere else than in Hornby.
The locals are salt-of-the-earth folk, the kind who still wave at the side of the road and do everything they can to keep Hornby quiet, hospitable, clean and incredibly beautiful.
Furthermore, according to our safety index, travelers currently score the Canadian safety level at 90/100.
You can’t do much better than that!
