Sooke Harbour is located just 60 minutes from Victoria’s Inner Harbour along the southwest coast of Vancouver Island. There are ample opportunities to go fishing, surfing, hiking, whale watching, mountain biking, and bird watching here. You could also just walk on our unspoiled beaches for a great relaxing day.
There are many beaches here, but China Beach has to be my favourite, here you get a sense of the area’s wild side, Although it is smaller than Long Beach, I think the sand is softer and the headlands are more dramatic, along with the view of the Olympic range make it one of those perfect spots.
Sooke is close to Vancouver Island’s Victoria City, and yet it seems to be so far from the packed streets and crowded stores. Other communities in the area include East Sooke, Otter Point, Shirley, French Beach, Jordan River, and Port Renfrew. All are reached by driving along Highway 14, which becomes more incredibly beautiful and wild as one travels northwest.
Incorporated as a municipality in 1999, Sooke today has a population of 10,000 and is rapidly growing into quite a tourist destination. You can go surfing here or drive through the countryside to view the farms, there are many bike routes in and around town and a great many hiking trails to set your footprints on.
You will have a good chance of seeing whales, sea lions, harbour seals, porpoises, sea otters, many kinds of seabirds, black bears, deer, wolves, and many other small animals, so when you visit, bring your camera.
This is one of the friendliest places on Vancouver Island where everyone is quite willing to lend a hand anytime. I have always liked visiting here and just walking on the beach.