Sointula is a tiny village located on Malcolm Island, just a 25 minute ferry ride from Port McNeil on northern Vancouver Island.

Settlers from Finland came to the island around 1910 and set up a colony. Much of the architecture remains from that time, as do many generations of the first settlers.

From the moment we drove off the ferry I felt as if I had arrived in another kind of paradise. There was a village centre, nestled against the water, with old wooden warehouses for boat building. I felt like I might be in a postcard for the east coast of Canada. The fishing industry is deeply imbedded in the island and we even attended the Salmon Days parade and found the island’s best kept secret, “Cinny Bites” at the bakery. 

We found ourselves dreaming of getting away to Sointula on a regular basis, and my son even saw Orca whales from our campsite one afternoon. Oh, summer dreams to keep us warm by the fire this winter.