Sunshine Coast | A daydream

From the outset, the name is a dream. The Sunshine Coast – not to be confused with its namesake Australian cousin – remains a well-kept secret. But probably not for much longer, notice to those interested.

Who knew we had so many hidden beaches, stretches of azure sea and a real, almost enchanted tropical forest? No, not at the end of the world, in another hemisphere, but here, in the country, just west of Vancouver, just a few hours by plane from Montreal!

Three short hours of difference, a ferry ride, and you are there, a change of scenery and rejuvenation guaranteed. You will never have been so surprised (and happy) to come across a whale, a handful of deer, not forgetting a few seals in the same day. Who knows, maybe you will also see a turtle, or even a bear, at the bend of a road. All while paying for your stay (and all those coffees, and what coffees, we’ll come back to that) in Canadian currency, it should be remembered… No doubt, it does no harm to vacationers’ wallets.

Because it must be said: there reigns here an extremely relaxed atmosphere, a bit bohemian, and above all a delicious taste of relaxation (and let’s stay there!). This probably has to do with the island feel of the area, and its community spirit. But don’t tell its inhabitants that they live on an island.

Even if you have to take a ferry from Vancouver for about forty minutes (which leaves every two hours, but book it in advance, it’s always crowded!), if many local people don’t travel on all these inlets and by boat, the Sunny Coast, fortunately spared by forest fires until now, is indeed part of the continent.

Although it is very fragmented, that is what gives it its charm, if you ask us. “And it’s beautiful, look around!” », This is what all the inhabitants we met proudly repeat, whether they are original or adopted. The latter, we will not be surprised, are also increasing in number since the pandemic. We wouldn’t have hated being confined here either…

2400 hours of sunshine per year

Stretching nearly 200 km from north to south, along the Strait of Georgia and the Salish Sea, the territory of the Sunshine Coast, where the sun shines more than 2,400 hours a year, it is said, is divided in two, between Howe Bay – further south and more inhabited – and Desolation Bay, accessible by a second ferry, to the north, wilder, as its name not-so-subtly implies.

We will have to discover this one another time, since we have restricted ourselves this time to the south, and believe us, the discoveries, activities, both sporting (in the mountains or on the water) and gourmet (hello, microbreweries and cider houses), even cultural ones, are not lacking. All while driving a rental car a few minutes between each destination, on the one and only Highway 101 (Sunshine Coast Highway) – impossible to get lost there! -, who says better ?

From the picturesque village of Gibsons (elected in 2009 by The backpacker “the most pleasant community of less than 20,000 inhabitants to live in in the world”, that gives you an idea) to the small ports of Pender Harbor via Sechelt (or ch’atlich, a reconciliation policy aimed since 2020 at giving back to the towns their original names, attributed by the First Nations), we challenge you to resist the charms of this nature as raw as it is imposing. Or the warm welcome from its (pen)islanders, visibly proud and happy to share their love of a unique corner of the country, and their oh-so-enviable way of life. A little kayak trip on the Pacific before dinner, what do you think? Oh yeah…

Why autumn, exactly? Why not ? While the weather is certainly good all year round, with hot, dry summers and wet, mild winters (rarely below freezing), if you can afford it, fall guarantees to avoid the crowds and offers , in doing so, privileged access to this magical territory. Almost empty beaches and not crowded with Vancouverites, a deserted mountain trail, this is ideal for appreciating this remote region and savoring it to the fullest, while enjoying still warm days and cooler nights. With, as a bonus, a hint of color here and there.

“For me, personally, fall is the best season, I love this interlude, between the crazy chaos of summer and winter! », confirms Rhiannon Shaw, manager of the Beachcomber café, named after the popular CBC series, filmed right here in Gibsons. A wise advice shared by several residents we met during our recent stay, which did not fall on deaf ears…