Sunshine Coast tours: boat trips and day trips
The classic trip is the boat ride from Egmont to Princess Louisa Inlet and Chatterbox Falls, which can be done by boat alone or combined with a floatplane. Other options include a floatplane flight from Richmond to Sechelt, a kayak rental in town and a day trip from Vancouver by ferry. Each one has a different start point, a different season and a different price basis.
Check three things for every tour: the start place, the date range and what the price covers. All prices below are in Canadian dollars for 2026. The tour cards above show prices in US dollars.
Our picks: tours compared
The land tour with a hike is the one that stays on the Sunshine Coast; everything else here starts in Vancouver. The two floatplane flights differ in length, the two whale trips in their starting point, and the zodiac suits you if you prefer a faster, open boat. No whale trip can promise a sighting.
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.
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 →
Half-day whale watching with a naturalist guide
- Naturalist guide and commentary
- Windbreaker, water, snack bar
- Onboard toilet
Half a day on the water from Richmond, with an activity book for children. As with any wildlife trip, sightings cannot be promised.
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Panorama floatplane flight over mountains and coast
- 30-minute flight experience
- Taxes and fees
- Digital tour guide app
The shorter of the two Vancouver sightseeing flights; the 30 minutes cover boarding, take-off, the circuit and landing.
Check availability →Zodiac tour of Indian Arm and Granite Falls
- Zodiac boat tour
- Driver and guide
- Survival suits and life jackets
Three hours in an open zodiac on Indian Arm, a fjord near Vancouver, with Granite Falls as the destination.
Check availability →Sunshine Coast tours and day trips
Boat trips, flights and day trips on the Sunshine Coast, with live prices and availability. Check the start place and what each price includes.
Sunshine Coast tour examples compared
Prices for adults in 2026. Each row is one example, not a market range.
| Trip | Starts from | Length | Season and price 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boat trip to Princess Louisa Inlet | Egmont | 5 hours | CAD 225 per person, check the dates for your travel month |
| Boat and floatplane combination | Egmont | 3 hours | CAD 600 to CAD 675 per person depending on the booking channel, minimum age 4; one partner runs 15 June to 30 September 2026 |
| Floatplane flight to Sechelt | Richmond, YVR South | About 20 minutes | From CAD 108 one way, summer service from 26 June 2026 |
| Kayak rental | Sechelt | 2 hours | CAD 35 to CAD 75 per boat, 1 June to 14 September 2026 |
| Ferry for a day trip | Horseshoe Bay | 40 minutes | Adult fare CAD 16.45, standard vehicle CAD 58.40 |
For most visitors with one free day, the 5-hour boat trip from Egmont is the standard way to reach Princess Louisa Inlet. Choose the floatplane combination if time is tight. The same 3-hour combination is sold at different prices through different channels, and the extras included may differ, so compare what each one covers. Group prices are not prices per person.
Princess Louisa Inlet and Chatterbox Falls
The marine park has no public road. You arrive by boat or by plane. Chatterbox Falls drop about 37 to 40 m, and the entrance to the inlet, Malibu Rapids, has currents of 7 to 10 knots, and a safe passage time cannot be worked out from a general tide table. Leave the timing to the operator.
Check how far Egmont is from your base before you book, and read the Princess Louisa Inlet guide and the Pender Harbour and Egmont page for the area around the departure point. Paths and boardwalks at the falls add up to about 800 m.
Sunshine Coast whale watching
Whales are a possible sight, not a promise.
Orcas and humpback whales are sometimes seen on boat trips here, but a sighting is luck. That does not mean daily sightings, and no specialist whale watching trip from Sechelt is guaranteed. Treat any whale as a bonus on a scenic trip. For the wider coast, see whale watching near Roberts Creek and Gibsons.
Federal rules set the distances. Southern Resident killer whales need 1,000 m in the southern B.C. coast area since 1 June 2026. Other orcas need 200 m. Other whales, dolphins and porpoises need 100 m, and 200 m when they are resting or have a calf. If you cannot tell which orcas you see, keep 1,000 m. Some exemptions and special zones exist, and the skipper should know them.
Day trips from Vancouver by ferry
A day trip from Vancouver starts with the BC Ferries crossing from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale. The crossing takes 40 minutes, and the drive from Langdale to Sechelt takes about 30 minutes. Add the drive to the terminal, check-in and waiting time, and do not plan the whole day around the crossing alone.
Booked vehicles check in 60 to 30 minutes before departure. Without a booking, ticket sales close 10 minutes before the scheduled sailing. Long-term parking at Horseshoe Bay costs CAD 19.25 per day in 2026. The getting there page has fares, the bus and the seaplane in detail.
What to check before you book
The wording differs more than the prices do.
Start place and date
Boat trips start in Egmont, flights in Richmond and kayak rentals in Sechelt. Make sure the date, the product and the place match your plan.
Seasons and flights
The floatplane service to Sechelt is a summer service from 26 June 2026. Check the current timetable and do not plan on winter flights. Fares from CAD 108 need booking about 45 days ahead, and seats are limited.
Per person or per boat
Boat trips are priced per person. Kayak rentals are priced per boat. Taxes of 7% PST and 5% GST come on top of the rental prices.
Weather and tide
Wind, weather and tide can change a trip on the day. Ask about the operator's rebooking terms before you pay.
Sunshine Coast tours: frequently asked questions
Which tour on the Sunshine Coast should I choose?
It depends on your time. The 5-hour boat trip from Egmont to Princess Louisa Inlet suits a full day. The floatplane combination takes 3 hours. The table above compares examples.
How much do Sunshine Coast tours cost?
In 2026, the examples above range from CAD 35 for a kayak rental to CAD 675 per person for the floatplane trip. The 5-hour boat trip costs CAD 225 per person.
Can I see whales on a Sunshine Coast boat trip?
Possibly, but not reliably. Orca and humpback sightings are luck. Keep the legal distance if you do see whales.
Do the tours run in winter?
Do not assume so. The floatplane service is a summer service, one seaplane partner runs from 15 June to 30 September 2026, and kayak rentals ended in mid October in 2026. Check the dates for your travel month.
Can I do a Sunshine Coast tour as a day trip from Vancouver?
You can reach Sechelt in a day, but the ferry, the drive and the waiting times add up. A trip from Egmont starts further up the coast, so check the drive from your base before you plan the day.
Is sechelt.org a tour operator?
No. This is an independent travel guide. It is not run by a tour operator, BC Ferries, BC Parks or the District of Sechelt.