Canada to Panama group posting on GLOBOsapiens

Vancouver Island highlights...

Postings 1 - 4 of 4

wojtekd Premium account Joined: Oct 02 Points: 74920 Posts: 411 Posted: 2004-06-15 21:10:00    Hello, Question to our BC experts: driving rented car - how many days do I need to see the highlights of Vancouver Island. Any suggestions of the best and not-to-be-missed places? Which is the last expensive car ferry from the mainland? Thanks Wojtek --- You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced... W.D. Reply    Reply with quote    Contact wojtekd   mortimer Premium account Joined: Jun 04 Points: 15075 Posts: 528 Posted: 2004-06-28 09:00:00    Hi When I visited Vancouver Island I went whale watching in Telegraf Cove wich is in the north half of the island. We went with a company called stubbs island (http://www.stubbs-island.com) and had a great day out on the water with a school of Orcas, Seals and Sea Eagles. Telegraf Cove itself is a pittoresque little town. Have fun Martin --- Today is the first day of the rest of your life, enjoy it! Reply    Reply with quote    Contact mortimer   bootlegga Premium account Joined: Jul 04 Points: 15194 Posts: 124 Posted: 2004-08-15 23:09:00    My advice is to drive from Victoria right up to Port Hardy. There are tons of great places to see, but some of my favourites were; Victoria -- obviously Buchart Gardens, as well as the Inner Harbour, and the Legislative Buildings. Tofino -- great seaside resort Parksville -- great beach! --- "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." – Mark Twain Reply    Reply with quote    Contact bootlegga   deepg_ Joined: Sep 04 Points: 300 Posts: 2 Posted: 2004-09-07 23:40:00    If you have lots of time, I too would suggest driving the full length of the Island, from Sooke to Cape Scott. I lived in Victoria for 3 years and enjoyed the Island immensely. If you're in good shape and love backcountry hiking and camping along the coastline, here are some hikes sorted in order of difficulty: 1. West Coast Trail (Port Renfrew to Bamfield) http://www.vancouverislandabound.com/pacific_rim.htm 2. Juan de Fuca Trail (China beach to Port Renfrew) 3. Cape Scott (West of Port Hardy)http://www.vancouverislandabound.com/cape_scott.htm If you would like to Kayak, the Pacific Rim National Park Broken Islands is a must. To do it cheaply, rent a kayak out of Sidney, buy a compass and get a good nautical map of the area and read. The guided tours can be outrageously expensive. If you are completely inexperienced on the ocean it may be a good idea to take a tour. The water is quite calm within the islands but a thick fog can make navigating difficult. If you're looking for a little bit more laid back vacation, any of the Gulf Islands are exquisite, sometimes rustic but sure to be enlightening. If you have the means, do some sailing or even kayaking around the Gulf Islands and you will see how the fortunate live. Montaque harbour on Galiano Island is beautiful and there is a bus that will take you from the harbour to the Hummingbird Pub where live music and Island hospitality awaits. http://galiano.gulfislands.com/hummingbirdpub/ Buchart Gardens, north of Victoria is beautiful if you like flora. Be cautioned that it is a tourist meca so don't expect tranquility. Try to go on a Saturday in the summer when they have fireworks in the evening. http://www.butchartgardens.com/visiting/ In general, the west coast of Vancouver Island is rugged, less populated and subject to extreme weather in the winter. The east coast of the Island is more temperate (Possibly the most temperate in all of Canada) and also where the majority of the residents live. Enjoy the Island! --- Live simply so that others may simply live... - Gandhi Reply    Reply with quote    Contact deepg_