Comox Valley, British Columbia
Little Tribune Bay
Little Tribune Bay is the best-known nude beach in British Columbia, on the south coast of Hornby Island — one of the Gulf Islands in the Strait of Georgia between Vancouver Island and the mainland.
- Beach
- Gulf Islands
- Provincial Park
- Sandy
- Ferry Access
About this place
Little Tribune Bay is the best-known nude beach in British Columbia, on the south coast of Hornby Island — one of the Gulf Islands in the Strait of Georgia between Vancouver Island and the mainland. The beach is a wide crescent of fine sand at the east end of the larger Tribune Bay Provincial Park; Little Tribune is the eastern extension of the main bay, traditionally clothing-optional by long-standing convention.
Hornby Island itself is a renowned arts and back-to-the-land community. The nude beach tradition here is decades old and entirely accepted — locals consider Little Tribune a feature of the island rather than a controversy. The water is warm by BC standards (reaching 20°C in August due to the sheltered Strait), the sand is exceptional, and the forest behind the beach provides shade. This is the defining BC naturist beach experience.
Visitor notes
Contributed by ClothingOptional.org Editorial Team
Who visits
Gulf Island visitors, Vancouver-area naturists, BC regulars. Hornby Island's arts/alternative community makes this a relaxed, inclusive scene.
How to find it
Ferry from Buckley Bay (south of Courtenay on Vancouver Island) to Denman Island, drive across Denman, then a second ferry to Hornby Island. Follow signs to Tribune Bay Provincial Park, then walk east along the beach.
Things to watch out for
Getting to Hornby requires two ferries — plan the schedule carefully. The ferries are small and can fill up on summer weekends. Camping at Hornby Island is popular; book well ahead.
Last updated
Etiquette & ground rules
The clothing-optional tradition at Little Tribune Bay is informal and long-established. It's the understood east end of Tribune Bay — no signs, but universally known. Hornby's culture is relaxed.
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