Vancouver Island travel guide

Introduction

Dissected lengthwise by a central mountain range, Vancouver Island has two distinct faces. Most inhabitants live on the sheltered east coast, which enjoys Canada’s mildest climate. Located on a picturesque natural harbour and known as the City of Gardens, Victoria is the province’s capital and its most attractive town. Nearby in the Georgia Strait, the Gulf Islands are friendly and laid-back with plenty of walks, viewpoints and beaches. Halfway up the coast, the town of Courtenay offers skiing at Mount Washington and hiking in Strathcona Provincial Park, while further north there is increasing wilderness, outdoor pursuits and the chance to see orca whales. The scenic Inside Passage from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert, and the remote Cape Scott Trail also lie beyond the island’s salmon capital, Campbell River.

Wild and weather-beaten, the West Coast has some of the world’s biggest and oldest trees. Pacific Rim National Park contains the ever-popular West Coast Trail, the kayaker’s paradise of Barkley Sound and the endless surf-beaten sands of Long Beach. The seaside village of Tofino is a fun base for numerous great excursions while, further up the coast, Gold River is the gateway to wild and pristine Nootka Sound, another magnet for kayakers and cavers.