re island o
ff the edge of Canada’s western coast, British Columbia’s scattered Pacific islands are truly wild. Thickets of ancient
trees tower over dark forest floors, deserted beaches lie coated in low mists and the population mostly consists of wild animals. The key exception is Victoria, a cosmopolitan city on the southern tip of Vancouver Island – the largest on Canada’s west coast, just across the water from its namesake city. The British Columbian capital is my comfy basecamp for a gentle adventure through the rugged Canadian west, taking in gastronomy, horticulture and even ocean expeditions.
travelweekly.co.uk
DESTINATIONS VICTORIA | CANADA
From dense forests to diverse city streets, British Columbian capital Victoria offers a softer side of Canada adventures, writes SJ Armstrong
INTO THE WILD In the early 20th century, humpback whales in the Pacific Northwest’s Salish Sea had been virtually wiped out, skewered by sharp-speared whalers. For 70-odd years, the meandering pods of sea giants never strayed back into the Salish, but today, standing on the deck of a whale-watching ship, I see they have well and truly returned. It’s impossible to keep track of the number of whale tails peeking out between the thrashing waves. On a trip with Eagle Wing Tours (half-day
excursions from around £85), I watch as a new generation of humpback whales breach the chilly surface of the sea. Along with another four species²
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