
Vancouver Island © Tourism Victoria
Dubbed Canada's 'Paradise on the Pacific', Vancouver Island is
an exquisite combination of dense rainforest, pristine coastline,
rugged mountains, glittering glaciers and crystalline lakes and
rivers, all within an easy distance from the Mainland of British
Columbia. The Island is 285 miles (460km) long and 50 miles (80km)
wide, and the Vancouver Island Ranges, running down most of the
island's length, divide it into a drier, undulant east coast and a
wetter, rockier west coast. The rugged west coast (known as the
Pacific Rim) is littered with bays, inlets and fjords and boasts
beautiful landscapes and a diversity of wildlife, making it a
popular spot for tourists, who come to indulge in hiking, fishing,
kayaking with Orcas, whale watching and more. This area does,
however, receive some of the heaviest precipitation in the world
and visitors should plan activities around the possibility of heavy
storms in winter and plenty of rain. Inland, one finds dozens of
lakes (the largest of which is Kennedy Lake), and dominating the
central part of the Island is the popular Strathcona Provincial
Park, home to the Island's glaciers, including the largest, the
Comox Glacier, as well an abundance of birds and wildlife that
includes Roosevelt Elk, cougars and wolves. Victoria, on the
southern tip of the Island, is the capital of British Columbia, and
home to just less than 50 percent of the island's population. The
city is a major tourist destination and visitors flock to enjoy its
many sights and sounds, including the Legislative Buildings and the
famous Butchart Gardens. Vancouver Island is well worth a visit and
with so much to see and do, one could never claim to be bored.
Resorts
See our separate guides to the following Vancouver Island holiday resorts: Tofino
Attractions
British Columbia Parliament Buildings
Built in 1893, the British Columbia Government Parliament
Buildings were initially criticised as an unnecessary expense, but
now form a major tourist attraction in Victoria, as well as serving
as the legislative centre for the province. Designed by 25-year old
architect Francis Rattenbury (who... see full details
Fairmont Empress Hotel
One of the iconic images of Victoria is the much loved and
well-visited Fairmont Empress Hotel, a fully restored Edwardian
treasure that has seen visits from royalty, celebrities and
travellers from around the world. Set on the banks of Victoria's
Inner Harbour, the Empress... see full details
Excursions
Butchart Gardens
With well over a million visitors a year, the hundred-year-old
Butchart Gardens remain a favourite, and one of Vancouver Island's
principal attractions. Situated about 14 miles (21km) north of
Victoria, the Gardens were begun in the early 1900s by Jennie
Butchart (wife of industrialist...
see full details