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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Wood Islands
Treat Wood Islands as a ferry landing, not a base: half a day with a car covers the lighthouse and the two parks; on foot, check what is open before you commit.
Wood Islands is the southeastern ferry gateway to Prince Edward Island, about 470 people, a terminal, a lighthouse and a provincial park. Most travellers pass through on the 75-minute crossing from Caribou, Nova Scotia. Stay only if you want a quiet beach night or a campground near the water.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr (most services closed)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$70–110 excl. bed · Mid C$120–200 excl. bed · High C$220+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Visitor Information Centre (May–Oct) +1 902-962-7411
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | C$2–4 |
| Lobster roll | C$16–24 |
| Fish and chips | C$15–22 |
| Campsite, unserviced, per night | C$30–39 |
| Ferry, car plus passengers, leaving PEI | about C$80 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | C$15–35 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YYG · Charlottetown Airport
- About 60 km (37 mi); rental car needed, no bus to Wood Islands.About 37 mi (60 km); rental car needed, no bus to Wood Islands.
Typical fares
- Northumberland ferry, Wood Islands → Caribou
- about 75 min; fare charged only leaving PEI (check)
- Drive Wood Islands → Charlottetown
- about 60 km (37 mi), 50 minabout 37 mi (60 km), 50 min
- Drive Wood Islands → Montague
- about 25 km (16 mi), 30 minabout 16 mi (25 km), 30 min
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
A car is the practical way to reach anything beyond the landing; check local transport options if you arrive on foot. Route 1 (Trans-Canada) runs west to Charlottetown, about 60 km (37 mi).A car is the practical way to reach anything beyond the landing; check local transport options if you arrive on foot. Route 1 (Trans-Canada) runs west to Charlottetown, about 37 mi (60 km).
See and do
Known for
- Northumberland Ferries terminal
- Wood Islands Lighthouse (1876)
- Wood Islands Provincial Park
- Northumberland Provincial Park campground
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Charlottetown | Drive Route 1 west | About 50 min |
| Montague | Drive Route 4 east | About 30 min |
| Borden-Carleton | Drive Route 1 west, then Route 1A | About 1 h 30 min |
| Caribou, Nova Scotia | Northumberland ferry from the terminal | About 75 min crossing |
Sleep
- Northumberland Provincial Park
- Campground 3 km (1.9 mi) from the ferry, open late May to mid-September; unserviced and serviced sites plus camp cabins.Campground 1.9 mi (3 km) from the ferry, open late May to mid-September; unserviced and serviced sites plus camp cabins.
- Shore Road / Route 4 corridor
- Cottages and B&Bs between the terminal and Belle River are listed locally; availability is seasonal — check before booking in July–August.
- Murray Harbour and Murray River
- Small villages 15–25 km (9.3–16 mi) east; rooms and a family restaurant are listed locally — check availability, and you need a car.Small villages 9.3–16 mi (15–25 km) east; rooms and a family restaurant are listed locally — check availability, and you need a car.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you / Merci |
| Where is the ferry terminal? | Where is the ferry terminal? |
| How much is it? | How much is it? |
| A table for two, please | A table for two, please |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Where is the toilet? | Where is the toilet? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- Ferry fares are charged only when leaving Prince Edward Island: check current fares on the operator site.
- Winter sailings drop to as few as three crossings a day per direction.
- The provincial park and most food stands close by mid-September; the visitor centre is open May–October.
- Services at the landing are limited: check fuel and grocery options in Montague or Charlottetown before you arrive.
Very low crime; the real risks are the cold Northumberland Strait water, unsupervised beach swimming and wildlife on the road at dusk.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Wood Islands yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Northumberland Ferries terminal
- Wood Islands Lighthouse (1876)
- Wood Islands Provincial Park
- Northumberland Provincial Park campground
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Tourism Prince Edward Island — Wood Islands: www.tourismpei.com/
- Northumberland Ferries: www.ferries.ca/
- Wikivoyage: Wood Islands, revision 5239667 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5239667
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Wood Islands
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Visitor Information Centre (May–Oct)+1 902-962-7411
No consulates on PEI; US, UK, Australian and other missions are in Ottawa or Halifax (check).
Ferry and park services are seasonal: confirm before a winter arrival.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/wood-islands). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.