Location - Silva Bay View BnB

Our location is at 3117 North Road on Gabriola Island BC.

Location (Click on Map for Google maps)

Silva bay View BnB is a 15 minute drive from the Descanso Ferry Terminal on Gabriola Island. Head up the ferry hill and take your second left on to North Road at the Post Office. Continue on North Road for 15 minutes to Silva Bay. We are on the right between Marvin Road and Westgyle Road.

Location History

Known as Petroglyph Island, a nickname acquired because of its wealth of ancient native stone carvings, Gabriola Island is one of the enchanting Gulf Islands of British Columbia.

The island’s name is derived from Punta de Gaviota (Cape Seagull), the name given by the Spanish to the southeastern part of the island in 1791. This name was later corrupted to Gaviola and later to Gabriola. Other island names dating back to Spanish exploration of the Strait of Georgia include Descanso Bay and Malaspina Galleries.

A pleasant rural setting of forested parks and quiet beaches, Gabriola’s residents enjoy a mild temperate climate, a relaxed lifestyle and a strong sense of community. Picturesque roads lead to sensational ocean views, and the sandstone shoreline can be walked almost indefinitely. The population is concentrated on the north and south ends of the island, with a friendly rivalry enjoyed between north and south islanders.

Many of Gabriola’s residents are retired, but just as many commute daily to Nanaimo to work. The island is known for its many artisans, with a thriving cottage industry in pottery and other arts and crafts. Watch for signs around the island and at local craft shops.

The kidney-shaped Gabriola is third in population size, after Saltspring Island and Quadra Island, and is one of the more accessible islands in the Gulf Islands chain, reached by a 20-minute ferry ride from downtown Nanaimo to the BC Ferries terminal at Descanso Bay.

Population: 4,000

Gabriola Island Bed and Breakfast Extra Info

We are one of the Gulf Islands in the Strait of Georgia in British Columbia (BC), Canada. 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) east of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. Only a 20-minute ferry ride from downtown Nanaimo. The island has a land area of about 57.6 square kilometres (22.2 sq mi) and a resident population of 4,500.^[1]

Yes we have great public beaches and forests, shopping centres, restaurants, a library, an elementary school and a museum! And Gabriola Island is known as the Isle of the Arts. Due to its high percentage of working artists, and its many cultural events. These events include annual festivals related to art, poetry, gardens, music, boating and fishing. The Gabriola Arts Council produces three large annual events: the Isle of the Arts Festival (April), Cultivate Arts Festival (Summer) and Thanksgiving Studio Tour (October).