Looking for a secluded getaway setting for your next travel experience?

A highly recommended holiday haven can be found by visiting Pender Island, long on serenity and even longer on romance! A place that allows you to "get away from it all" and simply bask in each other's company, far away from the hustle and bustle of today’s busy lifestyles.

The fresh air, expanse of forest and secluded atmosphere of Pender Island, British Columbia is the place to be. The island, one of several Gulf Islands, is located between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. The island surrounded by the ocean is rich with ecologically diverse plants and sea life including Garry oaks, wild chocolate lilies, kelp beds, sea otters, orcas, and the world's largest dolphin. Wild deer in abundance roam the island freely.

With a permanent population at 2,400 and rising, the Pender Islands census triples in summer, with visitors and weekend cottagers arriving to enjoy the sunshine, the beaches, the outdoor activities and the rural lifestyle. Pender Island actually consists of two islands, North Pender and South Pender, which are separated by a narrow canal. Originally one island, the canal was dredged in 1903 for row boat travel through and around the islands. In 1955 the islands were connected by a one lane bridge, which remains today. Penderites are well known for their community theatre, their arts activities, their fall fair and Saturday market, their crafts and their island grown festivals, of which the New Year’s Eve Lantern Festival is one. The island also has disc and 9-hole golf courses.

Pender is served by two provincial park campsites: Prior Centennial and Beaumont Marine Park. Beaumont Park is accessible only by foot or by boat. Private camping is available at Port Browning Marina. There are also numerous bed and breakfasts dotted throughout.

However, if you are looking for an intimate and luxurious sanctuary, Poets Cove Resort & Spa, is located on a South Pender Island Bay that once was the island’s “lover’s lane.”

The resort offers handsomely designed rooms in the arts and crafts style in the main lodge. For those with an independent spirit, there are self-contained cottages and villas. These bungalows come with two or three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, fireplaces, en-suite laundry, full kitchens, BBQs, and ocean-facing decks.

The resort’s Susurrus Spa offers quiet, spacious treatment rooms with a sandstone steam cave beneath a waterfall. In addition, a glass-enclosed fitness centre provides a wide range of work -out equipment and free weights, fitness studio, a heated outdoor pool and hot tub. Tennis and multi-sport courts (basketball and volleyball) are available to create a compliment of fitness and leisure activities.

Two intimate restaurants are available in the stunning Aurora Restaurant and the more casual Syrens Bistro. On many a summer evening for those interested in a more festive scene that attracts local residents and visitors from afar, island musicians play the night away.

The resort contains a full-service 110-slip deep-moorage marina rated one of the best on the West Coast and is a Canadian point of entry customs office during summer months.

The resort’s romantic appeal is evident in that it is a coveted location for many wedding ceremonies and receptions.

Whether you’re looking for outdoor adventure, a calming spa retreat or a quiet escape from the everyday, you will find the experience you’re searching for on Pender Island.

Pender Island is easy to get to by ferry or scheduled and chartered float plane service from Vancouver, Victoria and Seattle.

Essentials

Getting There
BC Ferries 1.888.223.3779, http://www.bcferries.com/ 40 minute ferry ride from Swartz Bay and 2 – 2.5 hours from the Tsawwassen ferry terminal on the Mainland.
Harbour Air 1.800.665.0212, http://www.harbour-air.com/ 20 minute flight from Vancouver
Kenmore Air 1.800.542.9595, http://www.kenmoreair.com/index.php 1 ½ to 2 ½ flights from Seattle
Pender Island Cap Company 1.250.629.2222, Hours of service: 7am - 1am (other times by reservation). Advanced bookings are encouraged to ensure prompt service during peak times.

Where to Stay
Poets Cover Resort & Spa 1.888.512.7638, http://www.poetscove.com/location.html (lodge rooms from $189/villa rooms from $419/cottage rooms from $409). Marina moorage is also available.
Other Accommodations http://www.penderisland.info/category/accommodation/

Things to Do
Pender Island Kayaking Adventures 1.877.683.1746 http://www.kayakpenderisland.com/pages/about_pender_island_kayaks.html A small personal company in the Southern Gulf Islands of British Columbia, offers quality sea kayak tours, rentals and lessons in the waters around the North and South Pender Islands.

General Information About the Gulf Islands http://www.vancouverisland.com/regions/towns/?townID=4019