Beautiful Pender Harbour

Entrance to Pender Harbour - photo courtesy of Barry Haynes Photography

60 minutes from Langdale ferry

Pender Harbour, also known as 'Venice of the North' in honour of its maze of waterways, is a hard place to get your bearings. If you try to figure it out as you pass by on the Sunshine Coast Highway, you'll be totally confused as to where freshwater lakes end and saltwater coves begin. Even if you begin exploring the roads that connect the three oceanside communities that comprise Pender Harbour -- Madeira Park, Garden Bay, and Irvines Landing -- you will have a hard time determining exactly where you are!

Photo courtesy of Barry Haynes Photography

Pender Harbour is a perfect place to consider booking a fishing charter, or taking a boat tour to explore the various communities. The many coves, bays, and islands around Pender Harbour make it the most popular diving spot on the Sechelt Peninsula. In addition to the ocean, pristine fresh water lakes offer swimming, canoeing, trout fishing and waterskiing.

Madeira Park is the main shopping centre for the Pender Harbour region, on the southeastern shore of Pender Harbour. The Madeira Park government floats provide over 400 metres of moorage space, just a brief walk from 'downtown' Madeira Park.

The community of Irvines Landing is at the mouth of Pender Harbour, and is a popular tourist and fishing stop. Many residents here are engaged in commercial fishing, sports fishing and pleasure boating. Irvines Landing has a grocery store, and a great restaurant and pub.

Madeira Park Dock - Photo courtesy of Big Pacfic.com

Garden Bay Marina - photo courtesy of Barry Haynes Photography

The small village of Garden Bay, between Hospital Bay and Garden Bay, is a beautiful spot with its yacht club, marinas, general store, restaurants and heritage inn.

Pender Harbour was once the winter headquarters of the Sechelt Nation, and on nearby Mount Daniel you can see the remains of moon rings (stone circles built by Sechelt girls as they entered womanhood), and Sechelt pictographs mark the cliffs above Sakinaw Lake.

Pender Harbour is host to the annual Pender Harbour Jazz Festival. This three-day festival in September showcases musicians in a variety of venues throughout the area. The musicians come from all over Canada and the United States, and this event is not to be missed.

For your stay in Pender Harbour, choose from a variety of oceanside B&B's or cozy cottages, either with beautiful ocean views, on a serene freshwater lake, or tucked away in a cozy forest setting.

Be sure to turn off the Highway and explore Pender Harbour. You won't be disappointed. And don't forget your camera!

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Sunshine Coast British Columbia Canada