Canada Guide
Vancouver Island
The proximity of VANCOUVER ISLAND to Vancouver makes it one of western Canada's premier tourist destinations, though its popularity is slightly out of proportion to what is, in most cases, a pale shadow of the scenery on offer on the region's mainland. The largest of North America's west-coast islands, it stretches almost 500km from north to south, but has a population of almost 750,000, mostly concentrated around Victoria, whose small-town feel belies its role as British Columbia's second metropolis and provincial capital. Victoria is also the most British of Canadian cities in feel and appearance, something it shamelessly plays up to attract its two million – largely American – visitors annually.
For most visitors Vancouver Island's main attraction is the great outdoors and, increasingly, whale-watching, an activity which can be pursued from Victoria, Tofino, Ucluelet and several other places up and down the island. The scenery is a mosaic of landscapes, principally defined by a central spine of snowcapped mountains that divide it decisively between the rugged and sparsely populated wilderness of the west coast and the more sheltered lowlands of the east. Few areas are free of the lush forest mantle that supports one of BC's most lucrative logging industries.
In the northern two-thirds of the island, The stunning seascapes of the unmissable Pacific Rim National Park, protecting the central portion of the island's west coast, and Strathcona Provincial Park, which embraces the heart of the island's mountain fastness, are the main destinations. Short ferry rides will take you from the ferry terminal north of Victoria to various of the Southern Gulf Islands, each dulcet little retreats with plenty of places to stay, good restaurants, galleries, craftspeople and an easy-going way of life.
For a large number of travellers, however, Vancouver Island is little more than a necessary pilgrimage on a longer journey north. Thousands annually make the trip to Port Hardy, linked by bus to Victoria, at the northern tip, to pick up the ferry that follows the so-called Inside Passage, a breathtaking trip up the British Columbia coast to Prince Rupert. A newer scenic ferry service, the Discovery Coast Passage, runs from Port Hardy to Bella Coola, south of Prince Rupert.
Highlights
1 Victoria British Columbia's Anglophile capital is one of Canada's most charming cities.
2 Pacific Rim National Park Beautiful Long Beach makes this park the island's scenic highlight.
3 The Inside Passage Take this day-long ferry ride to enjoy the best of British Columbia's magnificent coastline.