Salt Spring Island

Salt Spring is the largest of the Southern Gulf Islands and the one with enough going on to work as a first visit. It has an actual village — Ganges — with places to eat, sleep and buy things, which is not true of every island in the group.

What it is known for

The Saturday market at Ganges is the islands’ best-known event and the reason a lot of first visits happen on a Saturday. Beyond that it is a farming and craft island: cheese, cider, studios, and a food culture that outpunches its population.

Can you do it in a day?

From Victoria, yes, if you are organised and the sailings cooperate. From Vancouver it is a long day — you are crossing to Vancouver Island or connecting through another sailing, and the schedule is the binding constraint rather than the distance.

There is also a seaplane day trip from Vancouver, which is the only version that makes a same-day Salt Spring visit comfortable rather than tight.

Getting there

Salt Spring is served by ferry from Swartz Bay (near Victoria), from Crofton further up Vancouver Island, and from Tsawwassen on some sailings. Which terminal you use changes which side of the island you land on — Fulford Harbour, Vesuvius or Long Harbour — and they are not close to each other.

Check getting to the islands before assuming any particular sailing exists on your date.