Saysutshun (Newcastle Island Marine) Park

For an experience rich in history, culture and entertainment, do what people have been doing since the 1930s - hop a boat to Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park, one of the most intriguing parks in BC. Bring your own boat or take the passenger ferry from Nanaimo - a 10 minute ride that deposits passengers on Newcastle Island, located just a few hundred meters offshore from Vancouver Island. From a distance you'll see an island shoreline dominated by steep sandstone cliffs and ledges, interspersed with sunny beaches. Up close, you'll discover rocky caves and caverns - a marked contrast to the interior of the island, which is studded with mature Douglas fir, Garry oak, arbutus and dogwood trees.