After many months of staying home due to travel restrictions around the pandemic, it’s finally safe for us to start exploring locally in our province of BC. Our first post-isolation trip was up to the beautiful Northern Gulf Islands, somewhere neither of us had ever been before. We headed up to Sointula on Malcolm Island, a quiet, picturesque place in the Queen Charlotte Strait off of Vancouver Island. It took us a full day to get there from the city and it was so worth it! We spent a week exploring the island, spotting incredible wildlife and sea-life, and making our temporary home at the pet-friendly Oceanfront Hotel. We cannot recommend this little slice of paradise enough. Keep reading for more on the hotel accommodations and info about Malcolm Island in beautiful British Columbia.
How to Get There
The Oceanfront Hotel in Sointula is a beachfront property located steps away from the Malcolm Island ferry terminal. Ferry service from Port McNeil on Vancouver Island is quick and easy, and your fare includes a return trip. Port McNeil is about 4 hours from Nanaimo, which has regular ferry service to the mainland, and it’s a beautiful drive. There are plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife on your way, we even saw a baby black bear! A day of travel is absolutely worth it once you get to the paradise that is Malcolm Island. You will immediately relax looking out at the stunning ocean views and you can fall asleep to the sound of the waves crashing on the beach.
The Hotel
The Oceanfront Hotel has been owned by a lovely local couple for the past 40 years. The property is right in the centre of the island’s small town, with unbelievable ocean views. There is an onsite pub, which is currently closed due to COVID-19 regulations, but they’ve opened up a take-out window! Open for lunch and dinner every day 11:30am-1:30pm and 5pm-8pm. There are also plenty of activities you can have arranged during your stay if you’re interested. Ask the owners Robin and Ray about whale-watching tours, fishing/crabbing charters, and kayaking! From the hotel’s beach you can spot minks, sea lions, eagles, and more, and you’ll be in the perfect spot to watch the most beautiful sunsets.
The Rooms
The hotel has a variety of rooms available including pet-friendly options, wheelchair accessible rooms, rooms with private kitchens/kitchenettes, and plenty of ocean view options. There is also a communal kitchen in the building that all guests have access to. Our stay was in the Green Lodge 3 Apartment, which we highly recommend if you want lots of space, a full kitchen to cook in, and a large balcony overlooking the beach! We ate all our meals outside, and spent every morning and evening looking out over the water and enjoying the view. The hotel has a lovely rustic charm and we felt right at home. The bed was super comfortable, there was plenty of hot water, and we had everything we needed for an enjoyable stay. We also got a tour through the hotel to see the other rooms and each one had it’s own unique feel. You truly can’t go wrong here!
The Island
Malcolm Island has so much to offer from great hiking trails to an incredible whale watching spot. We highly recommend exploring the island during your stay and enjoying some of the most popular spots including Bere Point, Big Lake, and the Pulteney Point Lighthouse. For a full list of what to do on Malcolm Island, be sure to read our complete guide here. Outside the small town of Sointula, keep in mind that most roads are unpaved and you will lose cell service in some spots. Be sure to plan ahead for your daily outings! Everywhere we went on the island we felt safe and comfortable to be ourselves. The hotel owners and all of the locals in town were warm, welcoming, and completely accepting of us as a same-sex couple. We highly recommend this destination to other LGBTQ+ travellers and we truly can’t wait for more people to experience this special gem!
For information on The Oceanfront Hotel Sointula and more about Malcolm Island, you can visit their website here.
Has anyone else been to the Northern Gulf Islands in BC? Let us know in the comments!
Disclosure: This post is in collaboration with The Oceanfront Hotel Sointula. We are so happy to be working with them to share their beautiful family owned property with our audience! The Oceanfront Hotel Sointula generously hosted us (and Theo) for our stay on Malcolm Island. We had a wonderful experience and cannot recommend this property and this destination enough.
