Travel
and Leisure magazine recently rated Vancouver Island as ‘Best Island’ in the United States and Canada,
and third best island in the world! The Condé Nast
Traveler magazine
also voted Vancouver Island one of the top ten temperate islands in the world!
Some
of the most beautiful scenery in Canada is here, all on
one island, where
you can drive from south to north in about six hours, and
from east to west in about three!
Nanaimo,
the “Hub” of the Island, is a good
place to make home base. Day trips can be arranged from here,
and any number of nights can be spent in any number of locations.
If you need a day or two between trips to relax in Nanaimo,
you’ll find a great place to stay, whether it’s
a forest or waterfront ‘Bed and Breakfast’ (B&B),
or a four star hotel.
Wildlife
on the island is abundant. Enjoy bird watching or see the
magnificent orcas feeding on salmon. We have some
of the last standing old growth forests still accessible
to the public, and we’re a world-class wreck diving
centre as well. Aboriginal culture is easy to find here.
See ancient petroglyphs or attend mask-carving workshops.
Meet the carvers, see how they work, and perhaps choose a
treasure to buy directly from its creator. How about going
out on a real fishing boat, catching a salmon, and then cooking
it on board! The possibilities are endless….
The Inside Passage has been a world-class destination for
years. From Port Hardy sail fifteen hours on the BC Ferries
ship M.V. Queen of the North up the whole of the Inside Passage
(which the large cruise ships do not do). Begin your day
at 07:30 (7.30 a.m.) and arrive in Prince Rupert at 22:30
(10:30 p.m.) Imagine! A full day on the magnificent Inside
Passage! See wildlife, enjoy on-board entertainment, or just
watch the beautiful scenery of unending forests and fiords.
If
you choose a ‘round trip’ package, you spend
the night on the ship and return the next day. Alternatively,
you can choose to sail on to the majestic Queen Charlotte
Islands.
