  | |
Fall Colours
  The lowest rainfall and mildest temperatures are found at the southern end of the island which is sheltered by the Olympic Mountains across the Juan de Fuca Strait. It is not surprising therefore that most of the island's 650,000 population live in Victoria and the cozy seaside towns of the southeast, leaving the west side uninhabited for the most part, with a few small fishing communities dotted around. The rain forests with their soaring Douglas firs and the lonely west coast shores seem a far cry from the neat lawns of Victoria and the snug towns of the southeast. It is this combination of ruggedly beautiful scenery, the sedate charm of Victoria, and people as gentle as the climate itself that makes Vancouver Island so appealing to vacationers. The culture is equally diverse, for the British Empire was not the only society to leave its mark. The Haida, Kwakiutl, Cowichan, and Sooke Indians who lived in fishing villages here long before the arrival of the white man have scattered the island with their totem poles, their crafts and legends, while their fishing skills seem to have found their way into the blood of the inhabitants. Together with fishing, mining and logging are the island's main industries, and they are mostly found to the east of the mountain range. Stubbled mountainsides stand testimony to the latter and an impassioned battle rages over the island's particularly active logging program. History In 1774 Juan Perez of Spain visited Vancouver Island, and when Captain Cook landed at Nootka Island on the west coast in 1778 he did a little trade with the Indians. In 1792 Captain George Vancouver put the island on the map when he charted the waters of Johnstone Strait. These visits had little effect on the lives of the island's native tribes and it wasn't until 1843, when the Hudson's Bay Company took control and founded a trading post on the island's southeastern tip, that things started slowly to change. In 1849 Vancouver Island was declared a crown colony, with the Hudson's Bay Company administering it from Fort Victoria. Apart from some company farms established by the subsidiary Puget Sound Agricultural Company, little happened by way of colonization and the main concern remained fur trading. The discovery of gold in the Fraser River during the 1850's and '60s brought prospectors to Victoria, B.C.'s only port and source of provisions. As a result, the area developed into a typical boom town, but when the gold fields were exhausted Victoria continued as an administrative center. The island united with B.C. in 1866, and in 1871 Victoria was declared the provincial capital. It was intended to be the western terminus of the C.P.R., but this did not come to pass and the railroad stopped at Vancouver. This meant that industrialization also stopped at Vancouver and Victoria was left free to build itself a reputation as a center of genteel society. The other gift that the C.P.R. gave Victoria was the building of the beautiful Empress Hotel in 1908, boosting a tourist industry that has flourished ever since. Food You won't be in danger of starving here, as there are plenty of snackeries, cafes, and pub-style places serving food at prices to suit the tightest budget. And of course wherever you go there's wonderful fish to be had. Chowder seems to find its way on to most menus, often served with delicious garlic bread, and there's always somewhere for fish and chips. Needless to say, the bigger the town (or the attraction), the better the choice, and the places that seem to have the most cafés and restaurants are Victoria, Nanaimo, Tofino, Campbell River, and Port Hardy. Accommodations There are many campsites throughout the island ranging from the most basic to the well-equipped. You can obtain information on camping from the Tourist Information Centres, or get a copy of the British Columbia Accommodations brochure which carries a chart that lists campgrounds in provincial and national parks and gives details of the facilities. The same goes for Bed & Breakfast: there are many places offering this kind of accommodation and the accommodations brochure lists Bed & Breakfast associations and agencies that will help you find something suitable. How to Get There A few airlines serve Vancouver Island cities and link with Vancouver, while there are also regular seaplane flights between Nanaimo and the mainland. B.C. Ferries run between Port Hardy in the northern part of the island and Prince Rupert on the mainland. This scenic trip along the Inside Passage takes 15 hours, with ferries operating every second day in the summer and once a week in winter. Reservations are required. B.C. Ferries also connects Horseshoe Bay in Vancouver with Nanaimo. Island Coach Lines serves the island; you can get details of schedules from the depot at 700 Douglas Street, Victoria V8W 2B3. Orient Stage Lines Ltd covers the run from Port Alberni to Ucluelet, Pacific Rim National Park, and Tofino. E&N (VIA Rail), 450 Pandora Avenue, Victoria, V8W 4L5, runs from Victoria to Courtenay, stopping at Duncan, Nanaimo, Qualicum Beach, Courtenay and waypoints. You need to make reservations for trips during the summer. If you're traveling by car, the road that connects Victoria to the North Island is the Trans-Canada Highway. To reach Ucluelet and Tofino on the west coast you need to take Highway 4 from Parksville. | |
|
||||||||||||
Article Contributors Anonymous user updated 1 year ago Anonymous user updated 1 year ago Anonymous user updated 1 year ago |
| Some rights reserved ©. The travel guide article on this page is subject to copyright restrictions. |
|
|
 |