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North Vancouver Island beaches

Northern Vancouver Island offers some of the most raw and awe-inspiring beach landscapes in all of British Columbia. Remote, wild, and deeply spiritual, these beaches require more effort to reach — but the reward is a profound sense of place that stays with you long after you’ve left. San Josef Bay, accessible via a well-maintained trail through old-growth forest, is one of the most iconic — a wide expanse of white sand framed by sea stacks, driftwood, and silence. It’s a place where the elements feel close, where wind and tide shape each visit differently, and where solitude is deeply felt, even in the company of others.
Further west lies Cape Scott Provincial Park, home to a string of remote beaches like Nels Bight and Guise Bay, accessible only via multi-day hikes through rainforest and coastal headlands. These shores are not just remote; they are sacred. This is the unceded territory of the Kwakwaka’wakw peoples, whose stewardship and history extend far beyond what most visitors see.
Trails often pass by culturally significant sites, and visitors are urged to walk with humility, pack out everything they bring in, and respect the fragile ecosystems and cultural histories that define these places. In the north, the beach is not a playground — it’s a teacher, a witness, and a living part of the island’s identity.
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Things to do on Vancouver Island

Port Hardy Whale Watching

Port Hardy Whale Watching

Looking for a way through which you can make your adventure on Vancouver Island unforgettable? Do not forget to stop by Port hardy while you are in the northern parts of the island. There you will be able to sight magnificent killer whales, near which you should apply ample caution. However, observing them is better an oops than a what if.

Nimpkish Lake Windsurfing

Nimpkish Lake Windsurfing

Enjoy different windsurfing right on the waters of the deepest lake on Vancouver Island. Nimpkish Lake is placed near a recreational site on the Western Forest, in which you are provided with ample opportunity to do different outdoor activities. Not to mention the eye-catching mountain views and wilderness areas that are offered in the lake's vicinity.

Mount Cain Skiing

Mount Cain Skiing

As the only community-owned and operated ski resort, Mount Cain has heavy snowfall in winter, making it an ideal place to experience winter activities. The breathtaking slopes of Mount Cain, besides various trails and logging roads, multiply the skiing attractiveness in this location. The drier snow condition of Mount Cain makes it a better place for spring skiing.

Mount Cain Snowboarding

Mount Cain Snowboarding

Mount Cain Ski Resort is a snow-capped location on the northern part of Vancouver Island, in which you can experience a new sense of winter activities, snowboarding in particular. It boasts a wide range of snowboarding facilities, and skis, poles, helmets and boots are rented near Mount Cain and are available at nearby ski shops.

Camping in Broughton Strait Campsite

Camping in Broughton Strait Campsite

On the edge of Port McNeill, a quiet facilitated campground is provided for you to spend splendid time with family and friends. The Broughton Strait Campground is a beautiful spot to spend moments and observe the magnificent wildlife while appreciating the beautiful nature there in the forest. Also, anglers would be surprised by the various fish species living there.

Quatsino Sound Kayaking

Quatsino Sound Kayaking

Stretch your minds and imaginations to a different experience of kayaking by going to Quatsino Sound. As a mysterious place, it is known as underground caverns, and it offers undeniably chances for those in love with paddling. While you are on the water and paddling the smooth waves, you may be lucky and observe some marine creatures that can add to your joy.

Raft Cove Surfing

Raft Cove Surfing

Write a diary now, but save your memories to review for the rest of your life. Assign one page to the adventure you will experience in Raft Cove Provincial Park. Nothing can be fascinating as much as a beach you can surf and camp on simultaneously, but the sandy beach there provides that for you. Low tides at Raft cove will motivate you to get on a surfing board and make your day meaningful.

Mount Cain Snowshoeing

Mount Cain Snowshoeing

Mount Cain ski resort is a suitable place for snowshoeing and a renowned destination for snowshoeing followers. Take the risk of exploring a non-patrolled wilderness area and enjoy the spectacular surroundings and natural habitat. Mount Cain has the highest base elevation of any coastal ski resort in British Columbia, Alaska, and Washington.

Wreck of the SS Themis Diving

Wreck of the SS Themis Diving

No one can imagine a sank ship's wrecks can make an ideal place to dive deep in the water. Wreck of the SS Themis Diving is a habitat for a small diversity of marine creatures, and it is a beautiful background view for your pictures.

Nootka Sound Kayaking and Canoeing

Nootka Sound Kayaking and Canoeing

If paddling is frightening for you, make it normal while you are in Nootka Sound. It s worthy of mentioning that while paddling in the waters of Nootka Sound, you are given the pleasure of observing the birth point of BC, Yuquot. Nootka Sound is known as the paradise of the paddlers, and its island provides an extraordinary situation in which an astonishing adventure is waiting to be embraced.

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