Savary Island vs Thormanby Island: Quick Comparison
| Feature | Savary Island | Thormanby Island |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Off Lund (northern Sunshine Coast) | Off Secret Cove/Halfmoon Bay (near Sechelt) |
| Water Taxi Launch Point | Lund Harbour | Bucaneer Marina |
| Cost | $14/person one-way ($3 for bikes) | $18-60/person depending on group size |
| Services | General store, cafe, pub, bike rentals, art galleries | None - bring everything |
| Infrastructure | Dirt roads, year-round residents | Minimal trails, mostly wilderness |
| Camping | Pascal's Campground (~$30/night) or resort cottages | Free provincial park camping (5 sites) |
| Best For | Relaxed exploration, biking, sunsets, some amenities | Wild camping, solitude, pristine beaches |
| Vibe | Bohemian community with tourist infrastructure | Remote, untouched, leave-no-trace wilderness |
Location Map
All locations mentioned in this blog are pinned here so you can visualize your trip!)
How to Get to Savary Island
Getting to Savary requires more driving but less planning. From Vancouver, you'll take two BC Ferries (Horseshoe Bay to Langdale, then Earls Cove to Saltery Bay) before driving all the way to Lund, which is literally the end of Highway 101.
The Lund Water Taxi runs every hour on the hour with returns on the half-hour, making it easy to plan your day. At $14 per person one way, it's also more affordable for solo travellers or couples. You can bring bikes for just $3 each, which is ideal since the island is bigger than it looks and quite hilly.
How to Get to Thormanby Island
Thormanby is closer to the southern Sunshine Coast, accessible from either Buccaneer Marina or Secret Cove Marina near Halfmoon Bay. The pricing structure rewards groups: solo travellers pay $60 while groups of six or more pay just $18 per person.
The water taxi also runs hourly, but here's the catch: at low tide, the boat can't get close to shore, leaving you with a long slog through sinking sand with all your gear. Time your arrival for a higher tide if you're camping.
Winner for convenience: Savary (simpler pricing, easier to navigate solo)
Winner for budget groups: Thormanby (much cheaper with 4+ people)
What's Actually On the Islands?
Savary Island:
Savary feels lived-in. There are year-round residents, dusty dirt roads connecting everything, and just enough infrastructure to make you comfortable without feeling touristy. The general store is open 365 days a year (12-5 PM) and stocks everything from fresh produce to local craft beer. The Mermaid Cafe serves wood-fired pizza and excellent coffee, though it's seasonal and closes after Labour Day for the year. There's even a pub, a weekly farmers market in summer, and several artist studios that open their doors to visitors.
The beaches are spectacular. South Beach stretches for nearly 8 km of white sand backed by towering cliffs, while Indian Point on the northwest tip offers uninterrupted sunset views. The island transforms dramatically with the tides, and biking between beaches is the best way to explore. E-bikes are available but must be returned by 5 PM, while regular pedal bikes can be rented for 24 hours, so they're perfect for getting out to catch the sunset.
Thormanby Island:
Thormanby is raw. There are no shops, no cafes, no bike rentals. What you bring is what you have. The main attraction is Buccaneer Bay, split into two beaches by a tidal sandbar that connects North and South Thormanby islands. The western beach is for day use only, so no camping and no fires. This end is great for swimming and offers incredible sunset views toward Texada Island. The eastern beach has five free, first-come-first-served campsites with pit toilets and bear caches.
The sandbar itself is a provincial park and an attraction in its own right, covered in driftwood structures built over the years. At low tide, you can walk all the way to Vaucroft Beach, though access outside of low tide crosses private property. There's minimal hiking. It's mostly just a road used by a handful of residents, but the wilderness feel is unmatched.
Winner for amenities: Savary (actually has them)
Winner for wilderness: Thormanby (no contest)
Camping and Accommodation
Savary Island
Pascal's Campground offers about 15 wooden tent pads with proper showers and flushing toilets. It's basic but well-maintained, ideally located 15 minutes from the dock and 5 minutes from the general store (on foot). For something more comfortable, Savary Island Resort has cozy cottages with a cedar sauna, cold plunge, fire circles, and common spaces. This option is great for couples or friend groups looking for a private getaway without roughing it.
Thormanby Island
Camping at Buccaneer Bay is free and spectacular, but it's truly first-come, first-served. There's no reservation system. There is just a clipboard by the pit toilets where you write your name.
Weekdays are usually fine, but weekends and holidays fill up fast. Sites can turn over throughout the day with no official checkout time, which can create confusion. Campfires are often banned due to wildfire risk, so check the signage. If camping isn't your thing, you'll need to stay on the mainland in Secret Cove, Halfmoon Bay, or Sechelt and boat over for the day.
Winner for comfort: Savary (actual facilities and accommodation options)
Winner for budget: Thormanby (free camping, can't beat that)
Winner for adventure: Thormanby (wild camping experience)
Beach Quality and Activities
Savary's Beaches
Savary's beaches are expansive and varied. South Beach is the classic "beach day" spot. It's an 8 km stretch of white sand, calm shallow water, and sun all day (though sunset disappears behind the cliffs).
Indian Point wraps around the northwest tip and is the best sunset spot, with the beach expanding dramatically at low tide.
Sutherland Beach on the north side creates temporary lagoons perfect for boogie boarding as the tide comes in. The beaches here are popular, so you'll see other visitors, but it never feels crowded outside of peak summer weekends. Each beach is massive, and there are lots to pick from around the island, so the crowds tend to spread out.
Thormanby's Beaches
Thormanby's beaches feel more pristine and untouched. Buccaneer Bay West is stunning, with clear water, soft sand, and epic sunset views. The water is always brisk (this is BC, after all), but it's swimmable in summer.
The tidal sandbar connecting the islands is littered with driftwood art and offers views in both directions. Vaucroft Beach is massive at low tide but nearly disappears when the water comes in. The beaches here feel quieter and more secluded, with fewer people and more wildlife sightings, including seals and orcas close to shore.
Winner for variety: Savary (more beaches, more activities)
Winner for pristine beauty: Thormanby (fewer people, wilder feel)
Winner for swimming: Tie (both have clear, cold water)
Day Trip vs Overnight
Best Day Trips
Both islands work well as day trips, but for different reasons. Savary is easier as a day trip because you can grab food at the cafe, rent a bike on arrival, and pop into the general store for supplies. The hourly water taxi makes timing flexible.
Thormanby requires more planning, and you need to pack all your food, water, and gear, and coordinate your return timing carefully. But if you want pristine beaches and don't mind carrying everything in, it's absolutely worth the day trip.
Why Stay Overnight
Staying overnight on Savary means you can take regular bikes out for sunset at Indian Point, wake up early for quiet beach mornings, and experience the island without the day-tripper crowds.
The island feels different in the evening with a more local and more relaxed energy. On Thormanby, camping overnight is really the point. Watching sunset from your tent, cooking over a camp stove, and falling asleep to the sound of waves make the whole experience. Plus, you avoid the stress of catching the last water taxi back.
Winner for day trips: Savary (easier logistics, more to do)
Winner for overnight: Thormanby (the camping experience is unbeatable)
When to Visit Each Island
Peak Season (July-August)
Both islands get busy in high summer. On Savary, everything is open: the cafe, the pub, the farmers market, but water taxis book up quickly and bike rentals disappear early. On Thormanby, the five campsites fill fast on weekends, and you might find yourself waiting for a site to open up. The upside? Perfect beach weather, calm seas, and long sunny days.
Shoulder Season (September)
September is ideal for Savary if you don't mind missing some of the seasonal businesses. The Mermaid Cafe and farmers market close after Labour Day, but the general store stays open year-round. In September the weather often holds onto some summer heat, and the crowds thin out dramatically. On Thormanby, the provincial park camping closes soon after summer ends, and rougher weather makes water crossings less predictable. If you can visit in early September, it's the sweet spot.
Off-Season (October-June)
Savary remains accessible and inhabited year-round, with the general store operating daily. It's quiet, often rainy, and perfect for those seeking solitude. Thormanby becomes truly remote with no camping facilities, stormy seas, and limited water taxi service. Beautiful but impractical for most visitors.
Winner for peak season: Savary (more services stay open)
Winner for shoulder season: Savary (still functional after Labour Day)
Winner for off-season: Savary (the only real option)
What to Pack
For Savary Island
- Cash (many places don't take cards)
- Water bottle
- Sunscreen and hat
- Layers (can get cool in the evening)
- Bike lock if you're renting (only need this for peace of mind, most people don't lock their bikes here)
- Reusable bags for the general store
For Thormanby Island
- All your food and water (nothing available on the island)
- Camping gear if staying overnight
- Garbage bags (pack out everything)
- First aid kit (no services)
- Tide chart (essential for beach access)
- Extra layers and rain gear
- Headlamp or flashlight
- Water shoes for walking from the boat to shore at low tide
Winner for easy packing: Savary (you can buy what you forgot)
Which Island Should You Choose?
Choose Savary Island If:
- You want amenities like cafes, bike rentals, and a general store
- You're travelling solo or as a couple (better pricing, easier logistics)
- You prefer having options for places to eat, things to explore
- You want to see local art and meet island residents
- You're visiting outside peak summer months
- You like the idea of a bohemian beach town vibe
- You want spectacular sunsets with a cold beer in hand
Choose Thormanby Island If:
- You're travelling with a group of 4+ people (much cheaper water taxi)
- You want a true wilderness camping experience
- You don't mind (or prefer) having zero services
- You're experienced with backcountry-style camping
- You want quieter, more pristine beaches
- You're visiting in July or August when camping is available
- You want to practice leave-no-trace principles
- You're okay with the tide dictating your schedule
Or Visit Both
Honestly? If you have the time, visit both. They're close enough geographically but worlds apart in experience. Spend a day or night on Savary, soaking up the island culture, grab a pizza at the Mermaid Cafe, and bike to Indian Point for sunset.
Then head south and camp on Thormanby for the raw beauty and solitude. Together, they showcase the full spectrum of what BC's Gulf Islands have to offer.
Our Personal Preference
We visited both of these islands in 2025. We stayed 1 night on Thormanby and 2 on Savary. Savary definitely has more to do and see and has more amenities, but spending the night on Thormanby after lounging on the beach and swimming in the sea all day was one of the top highlights of my entire summer.
Personally, I love having to fire up the camp stove to get pancakes and instant coffee going in the morning. I'll take a black Nescafé with a bit of sand in it over a nice latte any day if it means waking up to the sound of the waves lapping just a few feet from my tent.
If you're visiting from abroad and don't have the gear, or that level of self-reliance isn't your thing, Savary is also incredible. So my personal winner needs to be Thormanby, although there is some argument to be made that Savary is a safer bet for some travellers.
Final Thoughts
Savary and Thormanby are both incredible, but they're not interchangeable. Savary is for people who want a mellow island escape with just enough infrastructure to feel comfortable.
Thormanby is for people who want to test their backcountry skills without travelling deep into the wilderness. One has coffee shops and art galleries; the other has driftwood sculptures and pit toilets. One feels like a secret beach town; the other feels like you've discovered something nobody else knows about.
The right choice depends entirely on what kind of island experience you're after. But whichever you choose, bring cash, pack out your garbage, respect the locals and the land, and don't forget to check the tides.
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