Sechelt at a glance
Sechelt lies on the southern Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, between the Strait of Georgia and the Sechelt Inlet. The Sunshine Coast is a peninsula. The car ferry from Horseshoe Bay ends at Langdale, and from there Sechelt is about 30 minutes by car on Highway 101. The District of Sechelt had 10,847 residents in the 2021 census. It includes Sechelt Village, Selma Park, Davis Bay, Wilson Creek, West Sechelt, East and West Porpoise Bay, Sandy Hook and Tuwanek.
The town works as a base for paddling the Sechelt Inlet, a boat trip to Princess Louisa Inlet, evenings on the Davis Bay waterfront and day trips to Smuggler Cove, Pender Harbour and Egmont. Prices on this page are in Canadian dollars (CAD) for 2026. The tour cards show prices in US dollars.
What this Sechelt travel guide covers
The inlet, the parks, the beaches and the way in.
Start with Sechelt Inlet kayaking if you want to be on the water, or with Sunshine Coast tours if you prefer a guide, a boat or a seaplane. The things to do in Sechelt page covers the town, the piers, the museum and the Saturday market. For the wider region, the Sunshine Coast guide for Roberts Creek and Gibsons picks up where this guide stops.
Practical pages cover the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale, the weather and best time to visit and where to stay. Longer trips lead to Princess Louisa Inlet and Powell River.
Our picks: Sunshine Coast tours
The land tour is the one that covers Gibsons, Roberts Creek and Sechelt on the coast itself. The flight to Chatterbox Falls and the Vancouver outings all start in Vancouver, so they suit a day in the city around your ferry crossing.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Floatplane flight to Chatterbox Falls
- 1.5 hours in the air
- 30 minutes at the falls
- GPS flight commentary
The flight leaves from Vancouver, not from Sechelt. It follows the Sunshine Coast past the Skookumchuck Rapids into Princess Louisa Inlet; airport tax is included.
Check availability →
Extended floatplane tour over Howe Sound and the islands
- Scenic circuit flight
- Digital tour guide app
- Luggage storage
A sightseeing flight from Vancouver, not a trip to the Sunshine Coast. The 45 minutes include boarding and getting off, and the sustainability fee is included.
Check availability →
Whale and wildlife cruise with photo package
- Guide and live commentary
- Photo package
- Coffee, tea and hot chocolate
About five hours on the water from Vancouver, with a nature guide for children on board. Whales are wild animals, so a sighting is never certain.
Check availability →
Sunshine Coast tour with a hike
- Guided tour and hike
- Transport
- Pickup and return
A guided day on the Sunshine Coast with a hike of roughly two hours. The route touches Gibsons Landing, Roberts Creek, Sechelt and Smuggler Cove.
Check availability →
Boat trip to Bowen Island on Howe Sound
- Bowen Island stop
- Beer, wine, coffee or ice cream
- Safety equipment
A four-hour fjord trip with a guide on board. It starts in Vancouver and is an outing from the city, not a Sechelt tour.
Check availability →
Fjord wildlife and scenery cruise from West Vancouver
- Wildlife and scenery tour
- Soup and snacks
- Water, coffee and tea
A two-hour guided cruise on a UNESCO biosphere reserve fjord, a short outing if you only have part of a day in the Vancouver area.
Check availability →Sunshine Coast tours and day trips
Boat trips, flights and day trips on the Sunshine Coast, with live prices and availability.
Plan your trip
The pages most visitors start with.
Things to do in Sechelt
Beach accesses, two piers, the museum, the Saturday market and day trips.
Sechelt Inlet kayaking
Rental prices for 2026, the marine park and the tide rules.
Sunshine Coast tours
Boat trips from Egmont, seaplane flights and day trips from Vancouver.
Ferry to Langdale
Fares, check-in times, the bus and the seaplane from Richmond.
Where to stay
Sechelt Village, Davis Bay, Selma Park and Porpoise Bay compared by location.
Weather and best time
Monthly highs, lows and rainfall, and which month suits which plan.
Parks, beaches and places nearby
From a beach walk to a full day away from town.
Porpoise Bay Provincial Park
Camping fees, the sand beach and the Angus Creek trails.
Princess Louisa Inlet
Boat and floatplane access, Chatterbox Falls and Malibu Rapids.
Smuggler Cove and Halfmoon Bay
The trail from the parking lot, kayaking and the rules in the cove.
Pender Harbour and Egmont
Coves, boats, Ruby Lake and the walk to Skookumchuck Narrows.
Davis Bay and the beaches
Beach access points, the pier and Sargeant Bay.
shíshálh Nation
Language, place names and the tems swiya Museum.
Sechelt restaurants
Where to eat near the water and what the Saturday market sells.
Powell River
The Earls Cove to Saltery Bay ferry, the Sunshine Coast Trail and Desolation Sound.
A few things to know before you go
Details that save time and money on a first visit.
The ferry lands at Langdale
The BC Ferries crossing from Horseshoe Bay takes 40 minutes and ends at Langdale, not in Sechelt. Vehicles can travel without a booking. A separate reservation costs CAD 20 in 2026, and a sold-out reservation does not always mean a full sailing.
Ferry and bus details →Porpoise Bay camping costs more in summer
The main campground charges CAD 42 per party and night in high season, from 15 June to Labour Day in 2026, and CAD 29 outside it. Walk-in and cycle-in sites cost CAD 15. Visitors who live outside B.C. pay an extra CAD 20 per stay, and booking fees come on top.
Porpoise Bay guide →The seaplane is a summer service
The Richmond to Porpoise Bay seaplane flight takes about 20 minutes, with fares from CAD 108 one way. Service to Sechelt restarted on 26 June 2026. Plan flights as summer travel and check the current timetable before you go.
Tours and flights →Give whales room
From 1 June 2026 the distance to Southern Resident killer whales in the southern B.C. coast area is 1,000 m. Other orcas need 200 m, and other whales, dolphins and porpoises 100 m.
Boat tours →The Smuggler Cove walk is 2 to 4 km each way
The trail from the parking lot to the cove is 2 to 4 km one way. Plan for a return trip of 4 to 8 km and bring water.
Smuggler Cove →Sechelt and the shíshálh Nation are separate bodies
The District of Sechelt lies on the traditional, unceded territory of the shíshálh Nation. The nation's own name for the place is ch’atlich, and the shíshálh Nation Government District is a different body from the District of Sechelt.
shíshálh Nation →Sechelt: frequently asked questions
How do I get to Sechelt from Vancouver?
Drive or walk onto the BC Ferries sailing from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale, which takes 40 minutes. From Langdale it is about 30 minutes by car on Highway 101. BC Transit route 90 links the Langdale terminal with Davis Bay and the Cowrie Street area in Sechelt for CAD 2 per ride. In summer a seaplane flies from Richmond to Porpoise Bay. See the getting there page.
When is the best time to visit Sechelt?
Long-term averages show July and August as the warmest and driest months, with highs around 21 °C. November is the wettest month at about 165 mm. Kayak rentals ran from 1 June to 14 September in 2026. The weather page has a month-by-month table.
Can I kayak in Sechelt without a guide?
Rental boats are available in Sechelt, with a life jacket and paddle included. Wind and tide change conditions, and the Skookumchuck Narrows are not a beginner section. Read the kayaking page before you choose a route.
How do I reach Princess Louisa Inlet and Chatterbox Falls?
Only by boat or plane. There are no public roads. Boat tours leave from Egmont, and a 5-hour trip costs about CAD 225 per person. See Princess Louisa Inlet.
Is the water in Sechelt safe for swimming?
Davis Bay Beach and Snickett Park are open public accesses, but open does not mean the water has been cleared for swimming. Porpoise Bay and Sargeant Bay have no lifeguards, and the sea at Sargeant Bay is cold. Check local notices on the day. More on the beaches page.
Is sechelt.org the official website of the town?
No. This is an independent travel guide. It is not run by the District of Sechelt, the shíshálh Nation, Sunshine Coast Tourism, BC Parks or BC Ferries, and it has no link to tour operators or hotels.