Tucked just minutes from downtown Nanaimo yet worlds apart in character, Protection Island offers something increasingly rare: genuine island living without sacrificing urban convenience. This 9,000 sq ft lot sits steps from scenic Smugglers Beach on a gently sloped parcel facing a lovely community garden, in one of BC's most distinctive and sought-after communities. Life on Protection Island moves at its own pace. Streets carry names like Pirates Lane and Captain Morgans Blvd, golf carts outnumber cars, and the beach is always within reach for kayaking and tidepooling. A tight-knit mix of families, boaters, artists, and professionals call the island home, anchored by the legendary Dinghy Dock Pub, Canada's only floating pub. For boaters, the location is exceptional: the island sits at the mouth of Nanaimo's inner harbour, one of the most sheltered anchorages on the BC coast, with a community dock on-island and full-service marine amenities including moorage, fuel dock, haul-out, and repair just minutes away by water. Despite its character, this is no remote outpost. As part of the City of Nanaimo, the island is connected to municipal water, sewer, and Fire & Rescue services, with downtown Nanaimo less than 2 km away by passenger ferry or private boat. Broader connections to Vancouver are well-served by Harbour Air Seaplanes, Helijet, Hullo Fast-Ferry, BC Ferries, and Nanaimo Airport. The property is also exempt from BC's Speculation and Vacancy Tax.