Departure Bay Ferry

Departure Bay Guide

Departure Bay Ferry Port

Found on the coast of the Vancouver Island, a large, wedge-shaped landmass that marks the most south-eastern point of Canada, is the city of Nanaimo and the district of Departure Bay. Once an independent town until it was merged into Nanaimo in 1974, the evergreen tree-lined roads of the Departure Bay neighbourhood are built around an eponymous inlet of the Salish Sea. The port is found on the southern coast of Departure Bay, just opposite the uninhabited Newcastle Island. The passenger terminal here is a large facility consisting of a wide pier separated into lanes and an indoor market area featuring shops, toilets, cafes and restaurants selling hot food and drink. Getting to the harbour is easy due to the lengthy Trans-Canada Highway that leads from the British Columbia capital of Victoria 70-miles to the south, through the heart of Nanaimo, and directly to the entrance of the port. Buses stop a few steps from the ferry terminal too, offering regular services to the downtown areas of Nanaimo.